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Nottingham Forest are having a brilliant campaign under Nuno Espirito Santo and there is every chance their progress could secure Champions League football, which is bound to appeal to prospective summer targets.

Nottingham Forest could enjoy a transformational summer window

At the beginning of the season, there wouldn’t have been too many Premier League fans who would’ve had Nottingham Forest on their bingo card to finish in the Champions League slots.

Nevertheless, the Tricky Trees have put themselves in a remarkable position with nine matches left to play, potentially paving the way for an exciting market period at the City Ground.

Pushing their level of ambition to the limit, Nottingham Forest have made contact with Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres’s representatives. The Sweden international is viewed as an ideal long-term replacement for prolific marksman Chris Wood.

Sunderland’s Jobe Bellingham is also of interest to the East Midlands-based outfit. Securing a mercurial return to Europe’s top table doesn’t seem to be enough for Espirito Santo, so it is no surprise he is aiming to cement their status as one of the most exciting sides in the English pyramid.

While their efforts in the Premier League could reap significant rewards, Nottingham Forest still find themselves in contention for the FA Cup and evidence that silverware is achievable at the City Ground is only likely to further their scope for savvy recruitment.

Nottingham Forest in ongoing talks over signing record £60m+ star for Nuno

He could be a fantastic addition this summer.

ByHenry Jackson Mar 23, 2025

Undoubtedly, the temptation to shell out big fees for premium talent will be on the mind of Evangelos Marinakis. However, value for money appears to be king under Espirito Santo’s reign if their latest target’s contract situation is anything to go by.

Nottingham Forest position themselves for cut-price Yoane Wissa deal

According to Football Insider, Nottingham Forest are set to reignite their attempts to sign Brentford’s Yoane Wissa and could land the in-form frontman for a ‘reduced price’ of between £15-20 million, as per Pete O’Rourke.

The Democratic Republic of Congo international will enter the final year of his deal at the Gtech Community Stadium this summer and is viewed internally as ‘smart business’ should the Tricky Trees manage to push an agreement over the line.

Yoane Wissa’s excellent season for Brentford

Appearances

30

Goals

15

Assists

2

Shot-creating actions (Premier League)

49

Non-penalty Expected Goals (Premier League)

13.6 XG value

Labelled “remarkable” by Bees boss Thomas Frank, he has also managed to create 17 chances and take 117 touches in the opposition’s penalty area this campaign on league duty, illustrating his capacity to bring others into play.

Stepping forward to fill the void left by Ivan Toney’s departure, Wissa has proven himself as a Premier League starter and may be cashed in on by Brentford to avoid the scenario where he departs on a free transfer in 2026.

Seizing their opportunity, Nottingham Forest will now hope to convince the 28-year-old that committing his future at the City Ground is the best course of action in light of the club’s upward trajectory.

Tottenham Hotspur put in a dominant performance away to struggling Ipswich Town to win 4-1 at Portman Road. The Lilywhites were impressive, and took their chances well, with standout performances across the pitch for Ange Postecoglou’s side.

It was a fast start from Spurs, with Brennan Johnson scoring two goals inside the first half an hour of the game. The Welshman was impressive and managed to fire home two passes from captain Son Heung-min.

Ipswich did get themselves a goal back, thanks to former Chelsea and Arsenal academy star Omari Hutchinson. It was poor defending from the Lilywhites, leaving the Tractor Boys’ attacking midfielder unmarked in the box, for a simple finish.

However, with 77 minutes on the clock, the in-form Djed Spence saw his effort deflect home, after some brilliant quick feet from James Maddison. Dejan Kulusevski made it 4-1 with six minutes of the 90 left, with a wonderful strike. After picking up the ball from a flick-on, he went on a marauding run into the Ipswich half, cut inside on his left foot and curled his shot home.

It was an impressive and dominant showing from Postecoglou’s side, with Johnson one of the standout players in East Anglia.

Johnson’s stats vs. Ipswich

23-year-old Johnson has been in excellent form for much of the season in a Spurs shirt. The Nottingham-born winger has nine Premier League goals this season, in 23 games, including his two strikes against Kieran McKenna’s side.

The first goal was a typical poacher’s finish from the winger this season. He got on the end of a low cross from Son at the back post, deflecting the ball into the back of the net. His second was also set up by his captain, but this was a well-directed effort from 12 yards out, into the right-hand corner.

He has now scored more League goals than any other Spurs player this term, an impressive return from the winger. He was given an 8/10 post-match rating from Alasdair Gold, Tottenham Hotspur correspondent for Football.London, who described his first goal as a ‘trademark’ finish.

Johnson’s stats from Sofascore at the end of the game show just how well he played. The winger had 26 crucial touches at Portman Road, completed 15 out of 20 passes and had an expected goals tally of 1.11xG.

As effective as the Spurs winger was against Ipswich, the same cannot be said for a fellow attacker, who struggled to impact the game.

The Spurs player who struggled vs. Ipswich

In a game where so many attacking players in that famous White shirt stood out, it was a disappointing performance from January signing Mathys Tel, who was leading the line today. The Frenchman was substituted with 15 minutes to go.

Performance in Numbers

His performances warranted a 5/10 rating from Gold after full-time, which was the lowest of any Spurs starter. The journalist said it was a ‘tough day at the office’ for Tel, who ‘didn’t do too much’ with the ball when he managed to get possession.

Indeed, Tel did not see much of the ball during the game. The attacker, whose parent club is German side Bayern Munich, had just 17 touches of the ball, fewer even than Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario’s 36. Tel also won one duel out of six and had a pass accuracy of 63%.

Tel stats vs. Ipswich
Stat	Number
Touches	17
Pass accuracy	63%
Passes completed	5/8
Ground duels won	1/5
Aerial duels won	0/1
Number of times ball lost	7
Stats from Sofascore

That will certainly be a performance that might worry Postecoglou. There is no doubting Tel’s quality; he was once described as a “talented player” by former Bayern manager Julian Nagelsmann.

However, perhaps his adaption to the Premier League will take a few games, which is more than understandable. Assuming he joins Spurs permanently, this is an investment for the future as well as the present.

However, for the Lilywhites’ next fixture, a midweek clash with Manchester City in North London, there is every chance Postecoglou takes him out of the starting lineup to give him respite, in what is a must-win game for his side.

He's playing like Bellingham: Ange must regret selling Spurs' £8m "leader"

The exceptional midfielder is enjoying life away from Spurs.

1

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Feb 20, 2025

Being such a big club, Tottenham Hotspur have been blessed with some sensational talents over the years.

Luka Modrić, Gareth Bale, Harry Kane, and Son Heung-min have all left their marks on the club and the Premier League as a whole.

However, as with every other ‘big six’ side, the North Londoners have also endured their fair share of transfer flops as well, with the likes of Tanguy Ndombele, Serge Aurier and Clinton N’Jie all failing to make the grade in N17.

Yet, one of the most disappointing signings the club made in the 2010s was that of Roberto Soldado, a mistake they’d repeat a few years later with a forward who was even worse than Timo Werner.

Soldado's Spurs career

Following the world-record £85m transfer of Bale to Real Madrid in the summer of 2013, Spurs had to find a way to replace the goals they had just lost from their team, and they had plenty of money to do so.

Wage Burners

Football FanCast’s Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.

Famously, the club opted to splash the cash on the not-so-magnificent seven of Paulinho, Nacer Chadli, Etienne Capoue, Vlad Chiriches, Erik Lamela, Christian Eriksen and Soldado, and while the penultimate player on that list came good in North London, the Spanish striker did not.

However, what makes the Valencia-born ace’s time in N17 so much more disappointing is that, prior to his £26m move to England, he was on fire and arguably one of Europe’s most devastating strikers.

For example, in his final two campaigns with his hometown team, the 12-capped international scored an astounding 57 goals and provided 11 assists in just 97 appearances.

However, in the two seasons he spent with the Lilywhites, he was only able to score 16 goals and provide 11 assists in 76 appearances, which makes it easier to understand why journalist Sam Tighe described him as the “flop of the season” early on in his Tottenham career.

Appearances

51

46

36

40

Goals

27

30

11

5

Assists

6

5

5

6

Goal Involvements per Match

0.64

0.76

0.44

0.27

After two years of dismal performances, the former Valencia star returned to Spain, signing for Villarreal, where he rediscovered some form and racked up a haul of 12 goals and 19 assists in 55 games.

In all, it’s hard to describe Soldado’s time in England as anything other than a complete flop, so it’s poor luck – or poor judgment – that Spurs made the same mistake with an even worse striker just a year after they sold the Spaniard.

The Spurs striker worse than Soldado

A year after Soldado left the club, Spurs already had their starting number nine sorted thanks to the emergence of Kane, but one thing they lacked was a reliable backup who could challenge the Englishman for his place in the team – absurd, we know.

So, the club turned their attention to the continent and paid AZ Alkmaar around £19m for Vincent Janssen, who, at the time, was undoubtedly one of the most exciting and promising strikers around.

After all, in his final season in the Netherlands, he won the Eredivisie Golden Boot and ended up with a ridiculous tally of 31 goals and seven assists in just 49 appearances across all competitions, which worked out to an astounding average of a goal involvement every 1.28 games.

However, what happened to the Spanish striker a few years earlier happened to the young Dutchman, as once he arrived in England and started to earn his £1.36m-per-year salary, his goalscoring ability seemed to all but leave him.

For example, in his debut season, the disappointing forward was only able to score six goals and provide four assists in his 38 appearances, which was a dramatic fall from his output a year prior, and led to Gary Lineker brutally describing him as a “poor man’s Soldado.”

The next season, he was sent on loan to Fenerbahce, but injuries limited him to 18 highly productive appearances, in which he scored five goals and provided four assists.

The Heesch-born poacher returned to N17 for the 18/19 campaign, but a foot injury limited him to just five appearances, in which he scored a single goal, and then, that summer saw his nightmare in North London finally come to an end, as he was sold to Mexican outfit Monterrey for just £6.3m.

That means the once-promising striker left the club with a grand total of six goals and four assists in 42 games, which comes out to a goal involvement on average every 4.2 games.

In contrast, Werner, who is widely criticised for his poor displays for the Lilywhites, has managed to produce nine goal involvements in 41 appearances.

While that comes out to a slightly worse average of one every 4.55 games, that has been almost entirely from the wings, meaning there is a strong argument that he’s been a better player for the club than the Dutchman was.

Transfer fee

£19m

Total Wages

£2.7m

Appearances

42

Cost per Appearance

£517k

Goal

6

Cost per Goal

£3.6m

Assists

4

Cost per Assist

£5.4m

Goal Involvements

10

Cost per Goal Involvement

£2.1m

Moreover, when you add up his transfer fee and the wages he earned for the two seasons he spent at the club, the overall cost for the North Londoners was about £21.7m, which breaks down to £517k-per-appearance, £3.6m-per-goal, £5.4m-per-assist or £2.1m-per-goal-involvement – which can hardly be described as value for money.

Ultimately, it’s a good thing that Kane came along when he did, as with Soldado and Janssen, Spurs did not have the greatest track record when it came to signing promising strikers in the mid-2010s.

An incredible Son replacement: Spurs in talks to sign "world-class" star

The immense talent would be a brilliant signing for Spurs.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 1, 2025

Focus is turning to the multi-format tour but they may first have to deal with the return of Hayley Matthews

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff11-Oct-2023Australia’s women cricketers have started training with pink balls during the ongoing ODI series with West Indies in preparation for the day-night Test against India in December, which is likely to be played in Mumbai.Even with the prospect of West Indies star Hayley Matthews returning from a quad injury for the second ODI at the Junction Oval in Melbourne after missing the first ODI loss in Brisbane, the hosts spent the lead-in to Thursday’s match in Melbourne training with pink ballsThe famed Wankhede Stadium is set to host a Test in December in what would be India’s first home women’s Test since 2014. Mumbai hosted Australia’s most recent women’s Test in India way back in February 1984. India and Australia played out a draw at Carrara on the Gold Coast in a day-night Test in October 2021.Related

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“I think the coaches thought it could be a good chance just to have a try with the pink balls,” emerging allrounder Annabel Sutherland said on Wednesday.”We had a Test on the Gold Coast and weren’t able to get a lot of preparation for that just because of the short notice for the series and with Covid [restrictions].”You look at the men, they often swap between red and white balls within close windows of time, so if we can get comfortable with the pink ball, red ball, white ball, whatever it is, it’ll certainly make the lead-up Test matches [easier].”Any chance you get to play in India is one that you look forward to.”Sutherland, who turns 22 on Thursday, is eager for more time in the middle but will continue biding her time down the order. Already with a Test and ODI century to her name, Sutherland has been down to bat at No.7 in the matches against the Windies so far this summer.Australia have such depth with bat and ball that players who can open for their state and in franchise cricket regularly get relegated to the lower order.”I’m always up for more time in the middle,” Sutherland said on Wednesday. “I’m in the coach’s ear all the time, I’m sure I’m annoying [coach Shelley Nitschke] just as much as a few others who are pretty keen for a hit.”The girls up top are doing a pretty good job as always. I’m happy to be patient at the moment and watch the girls do their work up top.”Sutherland said Australia were expecting Matthews to return from a quad injury after the superstar was sorely missed by the West Indies during a heavy defeat on Sunday.Matthews blitzed 310 runs from 178 balls across the T20 component of the tour, lifting West Indies to a world record run-chase and offering hope in the two T20I losses.Australia will be without Darcie Brown after she was ruled out of the remainder of the ODI series with a hamstring injury. Heather Graham has been called into Australia’s squad as cover.

The England captain was finally able to learn what lifting silverware feels like, but it proved to be a tough weekend for some of his fellow expats

Saturday May 10, 2025: The day Harry Kane was finally able to loft a trophy above his head. The England captain and his Bayern Munich team-mates enjoyed celebrating regaining what they believe is rightfully theirs over the weekend, though Kane (and Eric Dier) might not be alone among the British stars who ply their trade abroad in earning silverware before the season is out.

A host of English and Scottish players find themselves in title fights that look likely to go down to the wire, while others are looking to earn themselves European qualification for the 2025-26 campaign. Some also have cup finals to look forward to after what has been a memorable season for many Brits who have opted to move overseas in recent years.

So how did our Brits abroad fare over the weekend? GOAL has the lowdown on the biggest stories…

Getty Images SportBeer showers for Kane

It is tradition that the Bundesliga champions spend much of their title celebrations drenching one another in beer, and Bayern's festivities were no different on Saturday as they first saw off Borussia Monchengladbach before getting to the real important stuff and began throwing alcohol around the Allianz Arena. Having seen his trophy curse lifted last week, Kane threw himself into the party atmosphere, earning himself a "wet and freezing" shower in the process.

For what it's worth, it should be noted that Kane took his Bundesliga goal tally for the season to 25 as he opened the scoring against Gladbach with a flicked header that diverted Michael Olise's shot into the back of the net, and he will be hoping to add to that on the final day of the campaign at Hoffenheim next week. For now, though, the Tottenham icon can be forgiven a day or two off to recover from a well-earned blowout.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportBellingham loses control of El Clasico

Last season, Jude Bellingham was the king of El Clasico. The England midfielder scored three goals across Real Madrid's two La Liga meetings with Barcelona, including stoppage-time winners in both games. This season, though, the story has been different.

Sunday's 4-3 win for Barca was their fourth victory out of four against their great rivals in 2024-25, as the Blaugrana also took their tally of goals for the year against Los Blancos to 16 while stretching their lead at the top of La Liga to seven points with just three games left to play. Kylian Mbappe's hat-trick kept the scoreline close, but Carlo Ancelotti's side were again largely outclassed by the champions-elect.

For Bellingham, it proved a day to forget, as he was largely bypassed in midfield due to most of Madrid's counter-attacks coming via wide areas. He completed just 24 passes in the whole game, while singled Bellingham out for being "completely out of control and unable to participate in possession." Fellow Spanish newspaper were even harsher with their analysis, as they wrote that the ex-Borussia Dortmund star "gave the impression that he'd given up physically and mentally".

It was reported last week that Bellingham will finally undergo shoulder surgery this summer to rectify the injury issue that has seemingly limited him for much of the campaign. If Sunday's performance was anything to go by, that can't come a moment too soon.

Getty Images SportAssist-king McTominay suffers Scudetto setback

Another week, another Player of the Match award for Scott McTominay. The Scotland international was again singled out as the outstanding performer for Napoli on Sunday, but his display wasn't enough to secure a fifth-successive victory for Antonio Conte's side as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Genoa.

Having scored five goals across those previous four wins, former Manchester United midfielder McTominay tried his hand at assisting this time around, and did so with devastating effect as he twice played excellent passes into the penalty area from which Romelu Lukaku and Giacomo Raspadori were able to score. However, Genoa twice pegged the Serie A leaders back, meaning Napoli now sit just one point clear of Inter at the summit with two games left to play.

McTominay, who was hailed by for showing "flashes of genius" during Sunday's game, was keen to stress the importance of keeping a clear head through the final fortnight as he told at full-time: "We have to stay calm, this is not the time to panic… It's important to stay calm, keep doing what we're doing, then see where the end of the season gets us."

Greenwood guides OM to the Champions League

Mason Greenwood has had an up-and-down first season at Marseille. Having started the season in electric fashion, the England international was then singled out by manager Roberto De Zerbi for blame as the club suffered a mid-season slump in form. However, things seem to have been patched up between Greenwood and his Italian coach, and on Saturday they were both able to celebrate as OM secured their return to the Champions League after two seasons outside of Europe's premier club competition.

Greenwood was the man who made it happen, too. With five minutes left against relegation-threatened Le Havre, Marseille were being held to a 1-1 draw, only for the ex-Manchester United forward to cut inside onto his left foot and unleash a shot from 20 yards that arrowed into the bottom corner. Amine Gouiri then added some gloss to the scoreline in stoppage time, but it was Greenwood's goal that had secured a spot in Ligue 1's top four.

Marseille will now be looking to secure second place behind Paris Saint-Germain when they host Rennes on the final day of the season this coming Saturday, while Greenwood's 19th goal of the season leaves him two behind Ligue 1 top scorer Ousmane Dembele in the race for the Golden Boot.

The ACC finally made an official announcement but the detailed schedule of games is still awaited

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Jun-2023The dates and venues for the 2023 Asia Cup have finally been officially confirmed, with the tournament set to take place in Pakistan and Sri Lanka between August 31 and September 17. A detailed schedule, however, has not yet been released.The tournament was originally meant to be held entirely in Pakistan but a hybrid model became necessary after the BCCI said India would not travel to Pakistan. As reported by ESPNcricinfo, in the hybrid model approved by the Asian Cricket Council, four of the 13 matches will be played in Pakistan and the remaining nine in Sri Lanka.This will be the first time since 2008 that matches of a multi-nation tournament will be staged in Pakistan. “I am elated that our hybrid version for the ACC Asia Cup 2023 has been accepted,” Najam Sethi, chair of the PCB management committee, said. “This means the PCB will remain as the event host and stage matches in Pakistan with Sri Lanka as the neutral venue, which was required due to the Indian cricket team’s inability to travel to Pakistan.”Our passionate fans would have loved to see the India cricket team in action in Pakistan for the first time in 15 years, but we understand the BCCI’s position. Like the PCB, the BCCI also requires government approval and clearance before crossing borders.”I now look forward to continuing our discussions and deliberations with the ACC and Sri Lanka Cricket to iron out a few minor operational and logistical details so that we can launch our event planning and preparations.”The 2023 edition will have India, Pakistan and Nepal in one group, and Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan in another group, with the top two teams from each group qualifying for the Super Four stage. The top two from the Super Four stage will then face off in the final. Matches will be played in the 50-over format as preparation for the ODI World Cup in India in October-November.The hybrid model was proposed as a solution due to India refusing to tour Pakistan owing to strained political relations between the two countries. The PCB, as appointed hosts, were keen to ensure that at least part of the tournament was played in Pakistan. The UAE was in the running as a neutral venue but Bangladesh raised concerns over the extreme weather there in September.Sri Lanka are the defending champions, though the 2022 event was played in the 20-over format. The last 50-over Asia Cup was played in 2018 in the UAE, where India beat Bangladesh in a thrilling final.

The left-arm wristspinner grew up idolising Rashid Khan. Now the two are team-mates and Noor is forever in Rashid’s ear

Nagraj Gollapudi02-May-2023Noor Ahmad chuckles nervously. The 18-year-old Afghanistan left-arm-wristspinner who plays for Gujarat Titans in the IPL is worried about his English-speaking ability as we sit down for a chat. He is learning the language on the fly, on the road, as he travels the world playing in T20 franchise leagues in both hemispheres.Noor went to sleep around 6am the day we met. He did not forget to say his prayers before shutting down, he says, and now he says a quick prayer before our interview begins too.About a minute into the conversation, any concerns he might have had about his English melt away as he settles fluently into talking cricket. His eyes twinkle and his face, which has hints of a beard, lights up with big smiles.Related

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The previous evening, playing a home game in Ahmedabad, Noor, along with his mentor and senior Afghanistan and Titans team-mate Rashid Khan, threw a wrench into Mumbai Indians’ plans soon after the powerplay. As they chased a steep 208 to win, Mumbai only managed 29 runs for the loss of opener and captain Rohit Sharma in the first six, and were 58 for 3 at the halfway stage.In the next over Noor took the wickets of Mumbai’s Aussie-made weapons of mass destruction, Cameron Green and Tim David, sending the home crowd into raptures. Mumbai’s last hope lay in Suryakumar Yadav.Though Suryakumar took 15 runs off the 12th over, from Rashid, off the second ball he faced from Noor in the 13th, he attempted to push at one that was turning in, having pitched on good length, and popped a return catch.”That was like a dream wicket,” Noor says. “I wanted to take that kind of batsman’s wicket. I decided to pitch back of length because he is very good at sweeping and slogging.”2:05

Noor Ahmad: ‘My brother broke a door when I took my first IPL wicket!’

Noor managed to take the low catch before, full of excitement, trying to throw the ball up to celebrate, losing hold of it, and catching it more securely.In addition to the three Mumbai wickets, Noor’s tally for the season so far is: Sanju Samson (Rajasthan Royals), Nicholas Pooran and Krunal Pandya (Lucknow Super Giants), and Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Rinku Singh (Kolkata Knight Riders). Having made his debut as an impact player, Noor is now part of Titans’ first XI.

****

It was in 2018 that the first turning point of Noor’s career arrived. He participated in an open selection trial in Kabul, organised by the Afghanistan cricket Board to pick grassroots U-19 talent. Former Afghanistan batter Raees Ahmadzai, who headed the board’s Under-19 wing and was a coach-cum-selector, realised Noor was a bowler with the X-factor he was looking for. “I wanted to have a left-arm wristspinner who could offer a different bowling style and different variation,” Ahmadzai says. “The way he bowled, the way he showed confidence in what he did, he impressed me.”About 125 youngsters attended the trial. That group was culled to 75, then 40, and finally a squad of 15 was shortlisted, based on cricketing and physical skillsets. Noor made the cut.In 2019, when he was 14, he threw his name into the hat for the IPL auction the first time. He went unsold that year and again the following year, but he did not stop serving notice of his talent.”I know IPL is a very big stage in cricket. The more I enjoy, the more I will succeed”•Associated PressAt the Under-19 50-over Asia Cup that year, he starred in a thriller against India, who escaped with a narrow win. Defending 125, Noor finished with 4 for 30 in his ten overs – among his victims were India captain Dhruv Jurel (now with Royals) who was trapped lbw, and Tilak Verma (now Mumbai Indians), bowled.Ahmadzai, who was Afghanistan’s head coach for the tournament, speaks of his Indian counterpart, Rahul Dravid, being impressed by Noor at the time. That same year, Noor made his first-class debut.Two years later, early in January of 2021, the day he turned 16, Noor played his second game in his debut BBL season, representing Melbourne Renegades. He had never bowled on such a big stage, against some of most destructive batters around, including Liam Livingstone. Renegades lost that game to Perth Scorchers, but Noor made his birthday special, taking Livingstone’s wicket, stumped. “It was a googly and he didn’t pick it. I bowled a little away from his [batting arc]. There was some bounce in the wicket and that helped me,” he remembers.At the mega auction ahead of the 2022 IPL, Titans picked Noor up for his base price, Rs 30 lakhs ($40,000 approximately). It was a memorable day for the teenager, who had grown up watching the IPL, to be faced with the potential of bowling alongside his idol, Rashid.Noor didn’t play last year, and got his first IPL match, against Royals, a couple of weeks ago, when he was brought in as impact player with six overs to go. Royals needed 77 from 36 deliveries. Sanju Samson smacked the fourth ball of the over, a googly wide outside off stump, for a six. The next ball, a legbreak well outside leg stump, was happily dismissed for an easy four past short fine leg.Noor jumps into captain Hardik Pandya’s arms after taking the wicket of Sanju Samson in his debut IPL game•BCCI”I was sure he will try to hit a six again,” Noor says. “So I thought, if I try bowling a little bit away, there’s a chance he might mistime. And that’s exactly what happened.”There was pressure in the first match, but I just wanted to enjoy it because it was a totally new experience for me. I know IPL is a very big stage in cricket. The more I enjoy, the more I will succeed. I want to bowl to the top players and have got some of them out. I am just enjoying bowling to these guys.”If Noor was nervous and excited on his IPL debut, his family was no less so, back in Afghanistan. “The amazing thing was in the first match when I got the Samson wicket, one of my brothers got up and punched a door and broke it,” Noor says, laughing. “The whole door!” I asked him why. He said, ‘I was not having control over my emotions.'”Noor is the youngest of eight children – four boys and four girls. The family live in Lakhan district in Khost in south-eastern Afghanistan. Noor was good at studies growing up, and his father, Mohammad Amir, wanted him to stick with them rather than take a punt on cricket.”I had topped grade ten in school, and that’s when I started professional cricket. [Dad] said I was in a good position at the school and he was afraid I would not reach a high level in cricket.”Pressure to think twice before embarking on a cricket career came from outside the family too. “Sometimes the school teachers, including the principal, came and spoke to my father and told him, ‘He is a good kid in school, he is talented, so please don’t let him play cricket. Bring him to school.'” It is a common predicament for every talented Afghan athlete, Ahmadzai says.Big match, big wicket: Noor celebrates getting Liam Livingstone in the BBL on his 16th birthday•Cricket Australia via Getty ImagesIf Noor has one person to thank for playing a key role in convincing his father to allow him to play cricket, it is his brother Mohammad. “He was trying to convince my dad all the time and he supported me in playing cricket.”These days the family enjoys watching Noor every IPL game. His father, Noor says, is “very happy”. “After the match when we talk, they tell me they don’t have any words to describe their emotion.”

****

Like other Afghans, Noor too started out playing tape-ball cricket. That was where he learned the basics of spin bowling. “It was the start of my legspin bowling,” he says. “And by the end I was bowling the ball that goes away,”Noor’s teenage years coincided with the arrival of Rashid onto the global stage. As Rashid mystified batters in T20 leagues around the world, youngsters like Noor watched and grew enamoured of his magic. Though he is a left-arm wristspinner himself, Noor realised he could pick things from Rashid’s bowling to incorporate into his own. “I saw him and wanted to bowl like him.”The legbreak, googly, and a slider that is more of a quick legspinner, are the variations Noor currently uses. The mystery comes from the different grips he uses to deliver them at varying speeds. He has a brisk approach to the crease and a whippy action. His bowling speed is one of his strong points. At the 2022 Under-19 World Cup, where Afghanistan finished fourth, Ahmadzai was head coach and remembers keeping to Noor in training. “He was very quick, like a medium-pacer – he was bowling at 115-120 kph. I felt like that. I knew this guy would not be easy to hit, especially if he doesn’t bowl short or give any width to play the cut or pull. If he bowled in the right areas, it wouldn’t it be easy to hit him.”Noor thinks his pace helps in that it leaves batters short of reaction time. “The batsman won’t have so much time to play the ball. Pace and a bit of turn is a good combination,” he says.Noor bowls in the 2020 U-19 World Cup, in a game against South Africa•Louis Botha/Getty ImagesHe looks to pick up cues from batters to help with his bowling plans. “My aim is, I should be able or at least try to read the batsman’s mind – what is the situation, what the team needs, what the batsman will do. It is all about me staying confident.”If there is one person who is as happy about Noor’s success as his family, it is Rashid. Speaking to the broadcaster after the win against Mumbai, Rashid was effusive about Noor’s performance. “That little kid, he just wants to learn,” he said. And he’s working so hard. Last year he was working, bowling lots in the nets, and kept asking questions.”Even when I was having gym, he was coming to the gym and saying, ‘Let’s just bowl here in the gym.’ At 1am, 2am, he was coming when I was in the gym during Ramzan, and he was bowling with me in the gym. That much he wanted to get better, that much he wanted to perform.”He has got the opportunity now and he has been delivering. I am so, so happy he has been delivering. It’s great news for GT as well as for Afghanistan cricket.”It was Rashid who handed Noor his first IPL cap. Noor looks back at the conversation then. “He [Rashid] said, ‘Finally you get a chance to play at this kind of big level, which is every player’s dream. It is your hard work and your determination which gives you this place.'”With a laugh, Noor confirms what Rashid says about him picking his senior team-mate’s brains about bowling whenever he wants to. “It is true – even when we are eating food together, I am asking questions to him. I always ask questions whenever I am with him. He is like Google for me!Celebrating a wicket with Rashid. “I always ask questions whenever I am with him. He is like Google for me,” Noor says of his team-mate and idol•Associated Press”I have learned so much from Rashid, both on the field as well as off the field, about life. One of the most important is to have the belief in yourself anytime and face the challenge coming in front of you – never give up.”Noor says he now understands that he needs to use a lot of his body to drive the pace and he is learning the nuances of that by talking to more experienced spinners as he plies his trade in the T20 leagues.He has played just the one ODI, against Sri Lanka on the tour there late last year, but Ahmadazai believes it will not surprise him if Noor is picked for the ODI World Cup later this year in India.He has also shown batting smarts in pressure situations. “He is a brave person,” says Ahmadzai. “I remember the way he played against Naseem Shah and other fast bowlers in the Under-19 Asia Cup on a green top in Sri Lanka. He made 17 crucial runs and we won that match.”Noor thinks his IPL experience will strengthen his case for inclusion in Afghanistan’s squad for the World Cup. “It’s always been my dream to play for my country. Win matches for my country. So I am really looking forward if I get a chance. Inshallah.”The IPL started three years after Noor was born. He came to grow fond of Royal Challengers Bangalore over the seasons. His two favourite players were AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli, before Rashid came along. These days, he is playing alongside his idol and bowling against the likes of Kohli. What will he like to take back from his maiden IPL season?”I want to see myself become better and have some star players’ wickets,” he says.Star players like Kohli? “Of course, I want,” Noor says.I wish Noor the best for his future. “And best of luck to my future English,” he says with a laugh.

Manchester United are exploring deals to improve their squad during the summer transfer window, as they look to add to the signing of Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers last month.

The Red Devils are reportedly confident that they will be able to complete a deal to sign Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch.

In the 2024/25 season, the Cameroon international delivered 20 goals and seven assists in all competitions, which suggests that he could add a huge threat to Ruben Amorim’s side next term.

Whilst the signings of Cunha and Mbeumo, if the latter goes through, show that United are looking for Premier League proven performers to help them kick on, the Red Devils are also looking further afield.

Man Utd eyeing up LaLiga ace

As well as wanting to improve their options at the top end of the pitch, by signing players who can score and assist goals, the club would like to improve their midfield.

Transfer Focus

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

According to Caught Offside, Manchester United are one of a number of teams in the race to sign Barcelona defensive midfielder Marc Casado this summer.

The report claims that Amorim’s side are interested in a deal to bring the Spaniard over to England, but they have not made contact with the LaLiga champions yet.

It reveals, however, that their Premier League rivals, Chelsea and Arsenal, have spoken to Barcelona to enquire about a potential swoop for the 21-year-old talent.

Caught Offside adds that it will take a fee of around £43m to tempt the Spanish giants into cashing in on the midfielder, despite him having an £86m release clause.

Man Utd could find their next Carrick

If United can get a deal over the line for the Barcelona star this summer, Amorim could unearth his own version of Michael Carrick in the middle of the park.

The former Red Devils star, who recently managed Middlesbrough, was a metronome in midfield for the club during his playing days with his fantastic ability to dictate play with his quality on the ball.

From the 2009/10 season onwards (from when the data became available), the England international completed 88% of his attempted passes in 272 games before the end of his career.

In Casado, United could find a young midfielder with similar qualities to Carrick. However, at the age of 21, he is still very raw and needs time to develop and hit his stride at senior level.

He made 23 appearances for Barcelona in their LaLiga title-winning season last term, leading talent scout Jacek Kulig to hail his “incredible” form, and showcased the kind of qualities that you would associate with the former United midfielder.

Passes attempted

76.37

Top 5%

Pass accuracy

89%

Top 10%

Progressive passes

5.98

Top 18%

Assists

0.17

Top 22%

Passes into the final third

7.71

Top 6%

Passes offside

0.00

Top 4%

As you can see in the table above, he ranked highly among his positional peers in a host of possession-based metrics, with both his pass accuracy and progressive passing statistics pointing to his efficiency and effectiveness with the ball at his feet.

These statistics suggest that Casado could be moulded into a Carrick-esque figure for Amorim, as a deep-lying midfielder who can move the ball around and dictate games, whilst being progressive in doing so.

However, Casado only won 53% of his duels, including 28% of his aerial battles, and he may need to improve the physical side of his game to truly thrive in England.

This is why he may not be the finished article right away for Manchester United in the Premier League, but he does have the attributes to potentially develop into Amorim’s own Carrick in the future, or straight away if he can hit the ground running.

Amorim's own Haaland: Man Utd make "world-class" £60m CF their top target

Manchester United appear to be making moves for a new forward in the transfer market.

2 ByEthan Lamb Jul 11, 2025

da dobrowin： Mikel Arteta’s squad at Arsenal is shaping up to look rather different ahead of their opening Premier League game of 2025/2026 against Man United.

Related Arsenal plan £51m Chelsea hijack as key target now eyes Barcelona move

Andrea Berta has shifted focus.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Jun 18, 2025

da mrbet： The Gunners have been repeatedly linked with a new defender, winger and striker in the last week, but sporting director Andrea Berta will also be working to offload some players in a bid to fund their recruitment drive and trim the wage bill.

Arsenal transfer spending under Arteta (via Sky Sports)

Money on new signings

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

Marquinhos, Kieran Tierney, Salah-Eddine Oulad M’Hand and Jorginho have officially left the club already, with the latter terminating his contract early so he can play for new side Flamengo at the Club World Cup.

Meanwhile, reports are beginning to suggest that Arsenal have hit a stumbling block in negotiations over a new contract for Thomas Partey (CaughtOffside), so the Ghanaian could end up following the aforementioned names out of the club’s exit door if a resolution cannot be found.

Berta also has some key decisions to make on the futures of Jakub Kiwior and Oleksandr Zinchenko.

The former impressed alongside William Saliba while Gabriel was out injured last season, and plays a crucial role for Poland at international level, which has attracted keen interest from Serie A heavyweights AC Milan (La Gazzetta dello Sport).

Kiwior simply has to decide whether he wants to continue playing second fiddle behind Arteta’s preferred centre-back pairing, but the writing appears to be on the wall for Zinchenko.

The Ukraine international scarcely featured last season, making just 15 Premier League appearances, mostly off the bench, and he’s widely expected to have already played his last game in an Arsenal shirt.

Oleksandr Zinchenko holds "positive" talks to join Atlético Madrid

An emissary from Milan reportedly held talks with Arsenal over Zinchenko last week (La Gazzetta), but they’re not the only elite contenders for his signature.

According to CaughtOffside, the 28-year-old wants to leave, and Zinchenko has held “positive” talks with Atletico Madrid over an Arsenal exit. The north Londoners are prepared to green-light his exit for just £13 million, and there is a sense that Diego Simeone’s side could move forward in quick fashion to hold negotiations with Arsenal – even if they have other left-backs like Liverpool’s Andy Robertson on their agenda.

Atlético have Zinchenko, Robertson, Crystal Palace’s Tyrick Mitchell and Aston Villa’s Lucas Digne on an extensive target list as Simeone looks to reinforce the left-back area, but if the La Liga side end up moving on from Arsenal’s surplus defender, Milan are still in contention for him.

Berta will be keen to make some money back off the £30 million fee splashed on Zinchenko’s signing in 2022, but more importantly, this interest gives Arsenal a chance to trim his £150,000-per-week wages off their already-large wage bill.

Images of the Indian players and six-month-old Fatima became the source of great happiness on social media

Annesha Ghosh07-Mar-20220:24

Maroof – ‘My mother and daughter were here, so it was very special’

India vs Pakistan is always special, but this Sunday at the 2022 Women’s ODI World Cup was more so, thanks to a six-month-old member of Pakistan’s touring party.On the field, it was a dominant 107-run win for India, with Pooja Vastrakar, Sneh Rana and Rajeshwari Gayakwad calling the shots. Off it, it was all about Fatima. Pakistan captain Bismah Maroof’s daughter became the centre of attention after the game when the Indian players – Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Harmanpreet Kaur among them – just couldn’t have enough of the toddler.In no time, visuals of the interaction were all over the internet.

So much fun with the players trying to get our little Fatima to look into the camera.

Happy that I got to share and immortalise these moments#CWC22 #BackOurGirls pic.twitter.com/ofkBOdGMn2

— Ahsan Iftikhar Nagi (@ahsannagi) March 6, 2022