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Tottenham Hotspur now face stiff competition from a rival Premier League side in the race for a “playmaker”, according to a report, with Thomas Frank looking to reinforce his squad in a few key areas ahead of his first full season in charge.

Tottenham may hijack Nottingham Forest bid for "unbelievable" £50m forward

Spurs are in the race for a major Nottingham Forest target…

By
Dominic Lund

Jul 13, 2025

Spurs have made a splash in the summer market already with their £55 million deal for winger Mohammed Kudus, which ended a 14-year unofficial transfer embargo between West Ham and their London rivals.

Kudus has been pictured in Lilywhites training as the club prepare for their first pre-season game of the summer against Reading this weekend, with the Ghanaian joining Mathys Tel and Kota Takai as Daniel Levy’s first three official signings of the summer.

Tottenham’s best-performing regulars in the Premier League – 2024/2025	Average match rating
Son Heung-min	7.00
James Maddison	6.98
Pedro Porro	6.95
Dominic Solanke	6.84
Dejan Kulusevski	6.83
via WhoScored

In an ideal world, Kudus would’ve been joined at Hotspur Way by Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White, who was expected to undergo a medical last Friday before a £60 million switch from the City Ground.

However, in a very unexpected turn of events, the Englishman’s transfer is being significantly delayed, with Forest taking legal action over what they believe was an illegal approach from Tottenham for their star attacker, as first reported by Sky Sports reporter Rob Dorsett.

That being said, some confidence remains that Gibbs-White will eventually seal a move to Spurs (Alasdair Gold), so their potential £115 million double-swoop for the 25-year-old and Kudus is still alive.

Forest are complaining to the Premier League, with Nuno Espírito Santo’s side raising concerns over how Spurs became aware of ‘confidential details’ in his contract (Standard Sport).

Interestingly, Forest are “adamant” that Gibbs-White is not for sale (Sky Sports), but Spurs are still hopeful of doing the deal.

As Spurs wait for the green-light to sign-off on Gibbs-White’s transfer, they do have their eyes on other transfer targets, with Levy reportedly after a holding midfielder and a number six as well (TBR Football).

Journalist Graeme Bailey reported last week that Tottenham have held talks with £138,000-per-week Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz’s representatives, and the Old Lady will allow him to leave Turin this summer after a lacklustre debut campaign in Serie A.

Everton threaten to hijack alleged Tottenham talks with Douglas Luiz

Now, according to Calciomercato, Spurs may not have a free run at signing the Brazilian, with Everton threatening a move of their own.

The Italian news outlet states that Everton are ready to bid for Luiz after his alleged talks with Tottenham, and the Toffees have initiated club-to-club discussions as they attempt to back manager David Moyes for his first full season back on Merseyside.

Juve want around £35 million to part company with Luiz, and will not entertain any form of loan, as Igor Tudor’s side seek to sell him immediately and reinvest that money in their own summer recruitment drive.

Aston Villa’s president of football operations, Monchi, tipped him to kickstart his career at Juve earlier this year, but it appears the South American could seal a quick-fire return to England instead.

“He’s playing less than we all expected, but we’re talking about a strong player,” said Monchi about Luiz to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“There are guys who arrive and impose themselves, others who need time. Patience is needed, but Douglas’ qualities are beyond discussion. He will become important for Juve.

“He’s a playmaker and every ball that comes out of his feet has a meaning: last year he played 90% of the games with us. He was decisive.”

Tottenham Hotspur have now submitted an enquiry over a deal for an “explosive” star, who is expected to cost in excess of £40m this summer, according to a report.

Tottenham eye new midfielder amid doubts over Bentancur's future

While Tottenham secured Champions League qualification via their Europa League triumph, their Premier League performances in the 2024-25 campaign left a lot to be desired, and new manager Thomas Frank will be hoping to oversee a major turnaround.

During his first interview as Spurs boss, Frank singled out James Maddison, Rodrigo Bentancur and Dominic Solanke as three players he is excited to work with, indicating the Dane is happy with the attacking midfield options at his disposal.

However, should Bentancur refuse to sign a new contract, the Uruguayan could be moved on this summer, with a move to Atletico Madrid deemed a possibility, meaning Frank may be tasked with bringing in a replacement.

Levy now ready to smash Tottenham record by signing "unbelievable" £68m star

Spurs are willing to make a huge bid for a player who has been identified as a prime target for Thomas Frank.

ByDominic Lund Jun 29, 2025

As such, according to a report from The Boot Room, Daniel Levy and Co could look to raid one of their Premier League rivals, having now submitted an enquiry over a deal for Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott, who is expected to cost in excess of £40m this summer.

Elliott is ready to leave the Reds, given a lack of game time last season, and first-team opportunities are likely to be even more limited in the upcoming campaign, considering Florian Wirtz’s arrival from Bayer Leverkusen.

There is widespread interest in the 22-year-old, however, which could pose a problem for Spurs, with nearly half the Premier League submitting enquiries of their own, while Jurgen Klopp is also looking to take his former player to RB Leipzig.

"Explosive" Elliott leads England U21s to glory in Slovakia

England U21s secured a second consecutive European Championships title with a 3-2 victory over Germany on Saturday, and manager Lee Carsley has the Liverpool midfielder to thank, given that he played a major role in the triumph.

The 22-year-old picked up the Player of the Tournament award, courtesy of scoring five goals en-route to glory in Slovakia, while he has also impressed Arne Slot in the past, with the Dutchman saying: “He’s so explosive with the way that he moves and with his end product. We are very lucky to have him.”

Not only that, but the former Fulham man places ranks in the top 1% for non-penalty goals per 90 by players in his position over the past year, and the 86th percentile for assists, showcasing the attacking threat he poses.

Elliott is now at an age where he needs to be playing regular football, and his exploits for England U21s indicate he could flourish at Tottenham, so a fee of around £40m seems very reasonable.

Manchester United aren’t acting like a team who languished their way toward a 15th-placed Premier League finish last season, moving purposefully in the transfer market as they are.

Defeat against Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League proved the final nail in the coffin, severing the last hopes of salvaging something from a rotten year, closing the door on a campaign on the continent in 2025/26.

But Ruben Amorim has a plan, and INEOS are showcasing the club’s unbreakable transfer pull, having signed Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers in a deal worth £62.5m.

Amorim has his work cut out, all right, but this new policy of identifying Premier League-proven product might just pay dividends in the long run.

Let’s have a look at how they sealed the Brazilian star’s signature.

Why Matheus Cunha joined Man Utd

It’s remarkable to see that top players are still drawn to the Theatre of Dreams even when Man United are in the deepest throes of their decline, and Cunha is the perfect representation of that fact.

Sure, United activated his release clause, but the 26-year-old was also coveted by Arsenal, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, all of whom will play in the Champions League next season. Aston Villa had also expressed an interest.

If Amorim can get the Red Devils back to a position of strength, just imagine the kind of success the outfit could have in the transfer market with a strategy far away from the scattergun approach of the past decade.

Signing players who have showcased their quality consistently in the Premier League seems to be a track that United are heading down, for Cunha’s not the only one driving a deal toward Old Trafford from another part of the country this summer.

Man Utd's next transfer expected 'soon'

According to reports in Italy, Manchester United have already agreed personal terms with Bryan Mbeumo, although negotiations continue with Brentford as to the structure of the financial package.

Transfer Focus

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

Saying that, United are willing to pay £63m plus add-ons to sign the goalscoring winger, who has been expected to leave the Gtech Community Stadium for several months now. The final details with Brentford still need to be defined but it’s reported that an agreement is ‘expected soon’.

Tottenham Hotspur’s appointment of Thomas Frank has renewed Spurs’ hope that they could hijack the deal, but the player’s preference is to sign for the Red Devils in spite of their lack of European football.

How Bryan Mbeumo will improve Man Utd

Last season, Mbeumo bagged 20 goals across 38 Premier League matches, with Mohamed Salah, Alexander Isak and Erling Haaland the only players to outscore him.

A tenacious forward with a fixed winning mentality, he’s exactly what Amorim needs to turn the ship around. Indeed, the Cameroon international has been hailed for his “technique and work ethic” by journalist Henry Winter.

This is further represented through his underlying data; not just a goalscorer, the 25-year-old ranked among the top 9% of positional peers in the Premier League last term for crosses, the top 10% for clearances and the top 20% for touches in the defensive third per 90, as per FBref.

That latter metric, in particular, highlights Mbeumo’s willingness to drop deep and help the Bees in transition.

This vibrant range of qualities actually led the data-driven site to draw Cunha up as one of his most comparable players.

Cunha is a maverick, stylish on the ball and happy to step up and make things happen when no one else seems willing to. Man United need some of that.

When looking at the forwards’ respective top-flight campaigns, you begin to see exactly why United have been so desperate to secure these deals, with the players partnered on the flanks sure to add a whole lot to a frontline that has been lacking.

Matches (starts)

33 (29)

38 (38)

Goals

15

20

Assists

6

7

Shots (on target)*

3.3 (1.3)

2.2 (1.1)

Big chances missed

2

9

Pass completion

79%

74%

Big chances created

13

17

Key passes*

1.8

1.8

Dribbles*

1.8

1.4

Ball recoveries*

3.8

4.1

Tackles + interceptions*

1.7

1.7

Duels won*

5.5

4.7

As you can see from the table above, they are not all that dissimilar, Cunha and Mbeumo. In fact, with the forwards, favouring the left and right flanks respectively, both proven in the Premier League to be high-level goalscorers with creative flair and defensive application, it looks the perfect way to dynamise Amorim’s frontline.

The centre-forward picked to settle in the middle of the exciting stars will be a lucky man indeed. Though the Red Devils have faced countless disappointments after first finding such excitement in a big-money acquisition, INEOS have focused on two players capable of lifting the club’s attacking quality to a top level.

They will add goals, they will create, and they will improve the overarching fluency of a fallen giant. It’s unlikely to be a surprise that Mbuemo and Cunha are two Premier League forwards with similarly dynamic skill sets, tailor-made for a place in Amorim’s vision, a vision which has not yet been sighted properly on English shores.

While many supporters will understandably reserve judgment until the 2025/26 campaign is well and truly up and running, Mbuemo is a superstar, “unplayable” on his day, as was noted by Frank last season after scoring a hat-trick against Newcastle.

With a like-minded player in Cunha mirroring him on the other side, Amorim’s team are well poised for a much-needed resurgence.

Their best signing since Bruno: £40m target now wants to join Man Utd

Manchester United could be about to make another superb signing in this summer window.

1 ByEthan Lamb Jun 22, 2025

Leeds United have a massive summer ahead of them in the coming months, with shrewd additions needed if the side are to survive the drop in the Premier League next season.

Daniel Farke has done a tremendous job leading the side back to the top-flight, but the real job starts now, with the German needing to keep the side in the division.

None of the last six sides to secure promotion back to such a division have been able to remain in it for longer than one season, highlighting the task on the Whites’ hands in 2025/26.

Whilst they secured the Championship title in 2024/25, multiple additions will be needed in key areas of the pitch this summer, with added depth and quality required if they are to buck the recent trend.

With the season less than two months away and with no additions made, the hierarchy need to start making moves to strengthen the first team squad, leading to countless names being thrown into the mix.

The latest on Leeds’ hunt for new additions this summer

All areas of the pitch have been subject to links for Leeds in the last couple of weeks, with Farke evidently plotting moves for numerous talents before the start of the season.

The likes of Fabio Silva, Douglas Luiz and Japhet Tanganga have all been mooted with moves to Yorkshire, but as of yet, no deals have edged closer for any of the aforementioned trio.

However, another name has entered the mix over the last couple of days, with Celtic centre-back Cameron Carter-Vickers firmly on their radar, according to 67 Hail Hail.

Their report claims that the Whites are battling Sunderland for the 27-year-old, with the Scottish side potentially holding out for a fee in the region of £25m for his signature.

It also states that the American could be tempted by a return to the Premier League, with the real expectation that he will leave Brendan Rodgers’ side before the end of the summer window.

Why Leeds’ £25m target would be a better option than Bijol

Over the last couple of days, Leeds have emerged as strong contenders to secure a deal for Udinese centre-back Jaka Bijol, with the Slovenian appearing a key target for Farke’s side.

The Whites have already had their first bid for the 26-year-old rejected, but remain in talks with the Serie A side over a move to land the defender ahead of the 2025/26.

It’s been reported that the first bid was in the region of £15m, but it remains to be seen how much the Italian side would be demanding to part ways with Bijol this window.

He’s been a key member of the side this campaign, featuring in all but four matches, highlighting his importance to the side and making it understandable that they don’t want to part ways with him this summer.

They should look past a move for the Slovenian and prioritise a deal for the Celtic star, offering a better defensive option ahead of their return to the Premier League.

However, when comparing his stats to those of Carter-Vickers this campaign, the American has massively outperformed him in numerous key areas, showcasing why the board needs to pursue a move for his signature.

The 27-year-old, who’s been labelled “the best centre-back outside the top five leagues” by Euro Expert, has completed more passes and made more progressive passes per 90 – showcasing his ability to play out from the back when needed.

How Carter-Vickers compares to Bijol in 2024/25

Statistics (per 90)

Carter-Vickers

Bijol

Games played

30

34

Minutes played

2618

2963

Pass accuracy

94%

83%

Progressive passes

4.8

2.3

Tackles won

1.6

1.3

% of tackles won

71%

52%

Aerials won

74%

67%

Stats via FBref

He’s also starred out of possession, winning more tackles per 90, and making more interceptions, having the talent without the ball, massively aiding their survival battle next season.

The former Spurs star has also won more aerial battles, having an impact at both ends of the pitch, potentially offering a set-piece threat within the final third.

Whilst he may be an expensive addition for the Whites this summer, his figures produced this campaign are examples of the talent he possesses – offering a better signing than Bijol.

Both players would massively improve the options currently in the first team squad, with Farke needing to work tirelessly in the coming months to secure Carter-Vickers’ signature.

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Posts 2 ByEthan Lamb Jun 13, 2025

Chelsea are big fans of a marquee Real Madrid star as BlueCo plan to sign an “elite” level player this summer, with Enzo Maresca’s side expected to undergo a seismic overhaul.

Chelsea's transfer plans amid Champions League race

The Blues are currently attempting to seal Champions League qualification for next season, which will have a key effect on their ability to attract and pay for their desired top transfer targets.

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Enzo Maresca could soon welcome a “sensational” player.

Posts 1 ByEmilio Galantini May 13, 2025

They’re currently level on points with Aston Villa and sit fifth by the skin of their teeth on goal difference, and things could look very different by the conclusion of the next Premier League matchweek.

Race for Champions League qualification with 2 games remaining

Points

2. Arsenal

68

3. Newcastle United

66

4. Man City

65

5. Chelsea

63

6. Aston Villa

63

7. Nottingham Forest

62

Chelsea simply cannot afford any slip-ups in their final two matches against Man United and European spot rivals Nottingham Forest, especially considering Stamford Bridge officials are aiming to be ambitious when the summer window reopens for business.

They will be competing in the Club World Cup as well, a tournament which could yield a seismic financial windfall of around £97 million if they win it, so Chelsea are understandably taking it seriously.

According to journalist Simon Phillips, sharing another significant update on the club’s transfer plans, Chelsea ideally want to sign two of their top targets before the CWC commences, and they’ll have a brief window from June 1 to June 10 to do so.

Phillips also reports that Chelsea have “big plans” in the works, and one of their aims is to bring in an “elite” senior player.

Chelsea would love to sign Real Madrid star Rodrygo

As per the reliable journalist, writing via his Substack, £202,000-per-week Real Madrid star Rodrygo is one man in this bracket who they seriously admire.

Albeit unlikely, Chelsea “would love” to sign Rodrygo, and he is among the men who they’d be willing to break their wage structure for, depending on if they seal their spot in the Champions League for next season.

“Chelsea would love to sign any of the above three [Harry Kane, Alexander Isak or Rodrygo], and are looking at potential opportunities around players like this,” wrote Phillips.

“Obviously all three will be seen as unrealistic and the reality is that they are very unrealistic, because we don’t want to pay over our wage structure for any players.

“However, if Chelsea get Champions League football then wage structures (with incentives) will go up at the club and players will be earning more on bonuses. This could make the overall wage package on offer a bit more appealing to players.

“We have also had it confirmed that Chelsea are prepared to break their wage structure for the right player, and the three mentioned above would fall into that category. I’m not saying we will sign any of them by the way, just that Chelsea are looking to bring ‘elite’ players I guess as well as youngsters.”

The Brazilian has starred for Real with 13 goals and 10 assists in 50 appearances this season, all while featuring as a striker, left-winger and right-winger under Carlo Ancelotti.

There is little denying he’d be an immediate upgrade to Chelsea’s wide options and further forward, but this attempted move would be a big reach to say the least, given his importance to Real and suggestions he could cost up to £131 million.

Second season syndrome. It’s sure to be a phrase bandied about online when rival fans discuss Liverpool’s chances under Arne Slot’s management for the 2025/26 campaign.

Liverpool must ensure they put paid to such notions by bolstering effectively in the summer transfer market and adding the depth that has been somewhat lacking this term.

Slot has worked wonders since replacing Jurgen Klopp last summer and it’s difficult to find faults to pick at, but a resistence to rotation is definitely one area the Dutch tactician has drawn criticism, with some intimating that Liverpool’s recent drop in fluency and sparkle is a by-product of certain players being overplayed.

But this is a minor blemish on a man whose arrival at Anfield has left the city aglitter, with the Premier League title a stone’s throw away and promises already being made of significant summer investment.

However, out with the old and all that. Some players have failed to win their boss over this season and simply have to be sold to make room for fresh faces.

Who Liverpool need to sell this summer

First and foremost, Darwin Nunez needs to be sold this summer. The misfiring striker didn’t even make the bench on Sunday afternoon as Liverpool beat West Ham United at Anfield. Fabrizio Romano has confirmed Liverpool expect to sell him this summer.

Federico Chiesa and Diogo Jota have also endured differing problems this year and either could be deemed expendable if the right bid were to come in, especially now that Mohamed Salah has extended his contract and the likes of Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak are being eyed.

It might be a tad harsh to suggest Liverpool need to sell Andy Robertson after his struggles at left-back this term, but with concrete interest confirmed in Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez, either the Scotsman or his deputy, Kostas Tsimikas, will need to leave.

Several others – Wataru Endo and Harvey Elliott – may be sold if the right circumstances present themselves. However, there’s another Liverpool star riding the crest of a wave right now who may also need to go.

Luis Diaz is one of the most in-form players in the Premier League, and FSG should cash in for maximum value while they can.

The latest on Luis Diaz's future

According to Caught Offside, Liverpool are now willing to accept offers for Diaz this summer in spite of his recent form, should bids reach the ballpark of €80m (about £68m).

The Colombian is one of the best forwards in the Premier League and has rediscovered his touch in the final third over the past few weeks, but aged 28 and approaching the penultimate year of his £55k-per-week contract, it might be the right time for Liverpool to cash in.

Barcelona hold a long-standing interest in the player, while Spanish reports suggest Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League are preparing a bid ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure at the end of his contract this summer.

Diaz has been one of the driving forces behind Liverpool’s anticipated Premier League triumph, but he’s not irreplaceable and some difficult decisions will need to be made soon.

Across all competitions this season, the 28-year-old has scored 15 goals and supplied eight assists for his teammates, having registered goal involvements in each of his past five Premier League appearances.

An electric-paced forward with an energy that’s charged not by pace but tenacity, Diaz is the real deal, coveted by the likes of Manchester City last year and heading toward the championship having been outscored only by Salah in Liverpool’s squad, which is nothing to be ashamed about.

Ranking among the top 7% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, as per FBref, he’s got the technical capacity to thrive too. Klopp even hailed him once for his “world-class” passing.

Diaz has been indispensable this season for his tactical flexibility, able to skip around the frontline and fill in as a make-do centre-forward, owing to his gifted ability but highlighting the need for a recognised, hard-to-handle number nine.

Left winger

29

6

6

Centre-forward

11

6

0

Right winger

2

1

0

While he’s at his most clinical when placed as the focal frontman, he might find his opportunities limited in that area next term, given Liverpool are headset on signing an out-and-out striker, one who will likely cost quite the figure to bring over to Anfield.

They’ll need to get it right, but the same thing happened when Nunez was brought in from Benfica in the summer of 2022 as Sadio Mane took his leave.

Mane joined Bayern Munich in a deal worth £35m that summer, draping the curtain on an illustrious career at Liverpool. Given that he had turned 30 years old and was a year away from his contract’s conclusion, FSG’s decision was understandable.

Mane still had mileage in the tank but renewing his deal at that point of his career could have knocked the club’s wage hierarchy askew, with Salah being an exception to the rule.

And so history is shaping up to repeat itself. Diaz has been a more than able replacement for his Senegalese counterpart and now faces a similar fate, but given that he is set to consider a departure from the English Champions Elect, it could be a move that benefits all parties.

Back to the present, Cody Gakpo has nailed down the starting berth on the attacking left flank this year, scoring 16 times from 35 matches in the position.

The Netherlands international might have stepped away from the limelight over recent weeks due to injury, but he ranks among the top 9% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals scored per 90.

There may well be a conflict of positional interest if these players remain at Liverpool and fight for a place alongside Isak or Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike, for example.

The same, curiously, occurred when Mane, Salah and Diaz all played together for five short but sweet months in 2021/22, with Klopp’s new recruit making waves, notching seven goal involvements across 11 Premier League fixtures while winning 5.3 duels per game.

Liverpool wouldn’t grumble if Diaz was still in their mix next season, for sure, but if clubs present bids north of £60m for a player who is entering the later stage of their contract and is not that far away from their 30th birthday, it feels like it could be a no-brainer for sporting director Richard Hughes.

Awful Trent repeat: Another Liverpool "superstar" is now wanted by Madrid

Liverpool need to make sure they keep their best players this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Apr 14, 2025

From a young girl who loved to bat, she’s transformed into a legspinner and is a key part of Gujarat Giants’ run into the playoff

Daya Sagar12-Mar-20254:30

Priya Mishra: I feel batters are not able to read my googly

In 2005, Sandeep Mishra came to Baljeet Nagar, a locality in West Delhi, from Allahabad (now Prayagraj). The neighbourhood was home to daily-wage labourers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Back home, he was fed up with the unprofitable returns in farming and, having learnt the work of an electrician, had come to find some work in a big city.At the time, the expansion of Delhi’s metro network was on and the Delhi Metro Railway Corporation needed electricians, so Sandeep, a 30-year-old high-school dropout, found a job. He was blessed with a daughter just months before he came to Delhi, and brought her and the family along two years later. It was not long before that she started playing cricket in the street with the boys.That irked the neighbours and relatives, who used to taunt Sandeep. But it had little effect on Sandeep, who looked at it as a way for her daughter to get a government job via the sports quota, if nothing else. Like most of his time, Sandeep longingly looked at government jobs for the security they provided. He used to play state-level kabaddi for getting a government job using the sports quota but when that did not work, he dreamt of the same for his children.Related

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That girl now has an India cap and a WPL contract to her name. Priya Mishra, 20, made her international debut last year and has 15 wickets in nine ODIs at an average of 26.60 and a strike rate of 27. She has picked up six wickets in eight league-stage matches of WPL 2025 where Gujarat Giants (GG) have made the playoffs for the first time.”When I played cricket in the streets, I did not think of it as a career prospect; I used to play with the boys just for fun,” Mishra tells ESPNcricinfo. “People used to tease me, saying I am playing with the boys for nothing, as I will have to take care of the house [get married and be a housewife] eventually. But my family, especially my father, supported me a lot.”The Gujarat Giants players gather around Priya Mishra after a wicket•BCCIThe turning point in Mishra’s life came when her sports teacher at Salwan Girls Senior Secondary School, Priya Chandra, saw her playing cricket. Chandra, a former state-level player, advised her to go to Shravan Kumar, who has coached Ishant Sharma, Harshit Rana, Simran Dil Bahadur and Pratika Rawal among others.”When an 11-year-old Priya came to me in 2015, she loved batting,” Shravan says. “She came to the academy on foot and was also fond of medium-pace bowling. But since she was not tall, I suggested her to bowl spin, because she got the ball to spin sharper than the boys did. It did not take long for her to develop a googly, which is her main weapon now.”Most of Mishra’s international wickets have come with the googly, as have all of her six wickets in WPL 2025 so far – Tahlia McGrath, Grace Harris, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Hayley Matthews, Deepti Sharma and Yastika Bhatia. Mishra maintans that the googly is just to deceive the batters and her stock ball is still the legbreak.”I take wickets from the googly because batters can’t read me,” she says. “I try to set batters up using legspin, try and attack their feet as much as I can. This makes batters think I can only bowl the legspin, which is when I bowl a googly to pick up wickets.”Shravan Kumar suggested Priya Mishra to bowl spin instead of medium pace•Priya MishraAfter enrolling in an academy, Mishra had to travel to various parts of, and sometimes outside, Delhi to play school-, district-, state-level and age-group matches. Since she was young, Sandeep used to accompany her for those, even when he did not get leave from work.”Irrespective of what happens at work, if Priya had a game to play, I used to always go with her,” Sandeep says. “As she progressed in the sport, my seniors became accommodating and I used to get more leaves. That aside, Shravan sir also never took money for coaching and cricketing equipment, which, at that time, was difficult for us to afford.”Mishra made it to the Delhi Under-19 team at the age of 13. She picked up wickets in bundles for two seasons, which meant she made it to Delhi Under-23 team at 15, and then to the senior team at 18. Since then she has 78 wickets in 35 List-A appearances at an average of 16.48 and a strike rate of 21.79. She also has 22 wickets in 26 T20 matches at an economy of a mere 6.85. In August last year, Mishra was part of India A’s tour of Australia, where she picked up six wickets in the unofficial Test including four in the first innings. She also returned a five-for in the only unofficial ODI she played.”I took about 26-27 wickets in nine Under-19 matches in a season and was confident of going to the next level. But there is a big difference in the level of international cricket and domestic cricket,” Mishra, who considers Shane Warne her idol, says. “Balls that are a good option in domestic cricket are easily played by international players, so I try and attack the stumps now.3:53

Mithali Raj impressed with Priya Mishra’s talent

“T20 cricket is such that you have to think before every ball because batters are there to hit every ball. You have to think about the line that will trap the batter. For now, I am trying to bowl in line of the stumps as much as possible. By doing that, you don’t give batters much room and increase your chances of picking up wickets.”At GG, Mishra works with spin-bowling coach Pravin Tambe, who makes her undergo single-wicket drills for a long time. She also exchanges notes with Deepti in the India team.”I constantly talk to Deepti and I consider her my second guru. She helps me as much as she can. If she is at slip, she tells me what ball I should be bowling and where I should be bowling. Even Harman tells me not to be nervous and do what I have been doing thus far.”For now, Mishra is happy she does not have to live on rent in Baljeet Nagar. With her WPL earnings from last year and savings from domestic cricket, she bought a house and a car in 2024. Now her dream is to play long for India and help them win a World Cup on home soil.

In what might seem a paradoxical pick for India, they have six quick bowlers in their line-up – and the decision to pick them all was never really all that tough

Matt Roller07-Oct-2023When England’s selectors met at Trent Bridge in August to select their World Cup squad, a non-negotiable quickly emerged. For all India’s historic associations with spin bowling, there was a clear consensus that England should select six frontline seamers in their 15-man squad.Including those six, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Gus Atkinson, David Willey and Reece Topley (Ben Stokes is in as a specialist batter) meant a squeeze on batting spots – even if England have more allrounders than most sides. Harry Brook was initially left out, but eventually forced his way in at Jason Roy’s expense; almost any other team in the tournament would have found room for both.Related

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But during the month-long saga over which player would miss out, there was never any serious consideration given to the idea it would be a fast bowler.”We’d have loved a couple more spots to get another batter and a spare spinner in,” Luke Wright, part of England’s selection panel, admitted. “It pushes another position out of the squad.”But with a lot of travel and a lot of games in a short space of time, we are aware that with some of the injury risks our bowlers have, we need that cover,” Wright said. “It gives us a chance to rotate the bowlers as needs be through a long tournament. The chance of having all those bowlers in the XI, playing all the games, all the way through is very slim.”Rob Ahmun, the England cricket board’s head of performance science and medicine (top right) at a training session: “[W]e try not to get lost – it’s not the data making the decisions”•Surjeet Yadav/AFP/Getty ImagesEngland landed in Guwahati last Thursday for their warm-up games, and over the next 35-odd days, they will have played nine group games in eight different cities, with a flight after each one. It is a brutal schedule; India, the hosts, are the only other team who do not play consecutive games in the same city at least once.”This will be a real significant task for the lads, especially given the schedule we’ve got,” said Rob Ahmun, the ECB’s head of performance science and medicine. “There’ll be multiple flights and everything that comes with travelling in India, the actual physical demands of the game, and environmental challenges as well.”England’s players will have to adapt quickly: after Thursday’s tournament opener in the heat of Ahmedabad, they fly north to Dharamsala, where the stadium is nearly 1500 metres above sea level and the temperature will be nearly 20 degrees cooler.Four years ago, England’s success at home owed at least in part to their players’ fitness. Nearly two years before the tournament, the ECB formed a working group comprising assistant coach Paul Farbrace, psychologist David Young, medical services lead Ben Langley, and strength and conditioning (S&C) coach Phil Scott. “We wanted to make sure everyone came in fresh, mentally and physically,” Langley said.England only used 13 players across that 2019 tournament but a similarly packed schedule like this in this year’s World Cup – albeit with no internal flights – took plenty out of the squad: Eoin Morgan suffered a back spasm against West Indies. Roy missed three games with a calf strain. Adil Rashid and Jofra Archer had pain-killing injections to manage shoulder and side injuries.Mark Wood trains in a GPS vest. The ECB’s studies show England players ran nearly twice as much in 2019 World Cup games as against regular ODIs•Getty ImagesWood – who strained his side with three balls left in his spell in the final – and Woakes both look back at photographs from that epic game and laugh at how skinny they were. “I’m thin anyway, but that World Cup took so much out of us,” Wood said. “Everyone was tired, carrying niggles; we’d put in such a huge effort.”It is no surprise that they looked slim. Last year, the University of Essex published research in collaboration with the ECB that revealed “a notable physical transformation” in England’s cricketers between 2014 and 2020, one “that has likely resulted in an increase in lean mass and aerobic capacity”.The ECB’s data, collected from GPS units worn by players, suggests that their total sprinting distance – defined as metres covered at a speed of at least 20kph – increases by 50-100% for most players between a bilateral ODI and a World Cup match. “And Woody had something like a 300% increase in his total volume of high-intensity sprint metres,” Ahmun adds.Just like cricket itself, sports science has been transformed by data. “When I started, we didn’t have access to anything like what we do now,” Ahmun said. “But we try not to get lost in it: it’s not the data making the decisions. You can quite easily fall into that trap and say, ‘He’s bowled too many overs’, but bearing the human element in mind is vitally important.”He ain’t heavy, he’s my masseur: Jos Buttler gives Mark Saxby a boost during the 2019 World Cup win celebrations•Getty ImagesAll of England’s long-term planning for 2019 was “designed to get the lads to peak for that final”, Ahmun said. “And they probably did: two of the fittest lads in the squad, Stokes and [Jos] Buttler were the two out there when it mattered, and in that Super Over.” Langley said it was a source of pride that “come the final, everyone was available for selection”.Under Andrew Strauss’ management, England made a point of taking a long-term approach – one that was inspired by Cricket Australia’s management of their “big three” quicks: Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc. “If you don’t have a dedicated team focusing on bespoke planning, you just get drawn into the game-by-game, series-by-series approach,” Langley said.All six of the fast bowlers whom England have taken to India have spent time out of the game through serious injuries in the last three years – as has Archer, a travelling reserve who hopes to make his comeback from injury in the latter stages of the World Cup. Willey, who has the best long-term fitness record of the seamers, believes his inclusion owed, at least in part, to his durability.”Me staying fit, touch wood, is probably an asset to the group with guys who sometimes struggle with niggles,” Willey said last month, before engaging in some horseplay: “Call me a donkey if you want, but [on] a tough trip, you just might need a donkey. They keep going, donkeys, don’t they?”Resist this: Jofra Archer gets some strength training in with S&C coach Phil Scott•Getty ImagesThe ECB’s research suggests that 50-over cricket is the most physically demanding format. “You’ll cover anywhere from 12-15km in a day, with a significant proportion of that at high speed,” Ahmun explains. “Players always say if they haven’t played a 50-over game for a little while, it’s a rude awakening when they get back to it. And T20 is only making 50-over cricket faster.”England’s players have been preparing for India all year, but their focused build-up started in their series against New Zealand last month. They started taking probiotics two weeks before travelling in order to mitigate disease and were joined in that series by Charlie Binns, an ECB nutritionist.During the World Cup, ICC limits on personnel mean that England’s science and medicine team will be relatively lean, comprising Craig de Weymarn (physio), Andy Mitchell (S&C), Mark Saxby (massage therapist) and Rob Young (team doctor). As with players, IPL experience among backroom staff is considered helpful, and encouraged by the ECB. Young has spent several seasons working with Rajasthan Royals, while team manager Wayne Bentley fulfils the same role at Kolkata Knight Riders.Saxby – and Mahesh Aarya, a local massage therapist who has been enlisted for the tournament – will be particularly important on travel days. “We’ll have massage on hand whenever we arrive at a new hotel,” Ahmun says, “just to help players get over sitting around cramped up for four or five hours.” Langley, who joined Mumbai Indians earlier this year after 15 years with the ECB, believes flights are the “toughest bits” of a home-and-away IPL season.England will go from the heat of Ahmedabad to the cool mountain surrounds of Dharamsala in their first two games•ICC/Getty ImagesThe prohibitive cost of charter flights means teams often travel on commercial airlines: England’s squad travelled in economy class on a flight from Mumbai to Guwahati last week. Langley said: “At the IPL, we had some big tall fast bowlers like Cameron Green: quite often, they were sitting in economy seats that just had a little bit more legroom.”Ahmun said: “Reece Topley is 6ft 8in; if he sits in a normal seat on a plane, the lad’s knees are up by his ears. What the schedule tends to be is, they’ll play a game, go about their recovery practices, and then the following morning it’ll be up and then transfer. We always want the lads to be as active as possible on the day following the game to get their bloodflow going, so flying is probably the last thing the body needs.”When Rob Key joined the ECB as managing director of men’s cricket last year, he quickly introduced separate management teams for the red- and white-ball squads, which has extended to backroom staff. It means a slightly lighter workload – even if the World Cup is followed almost immediately by a month in the Caribbean.”They will be available 24/7 for the guys during the World Cup,” Langley says. “They will be flat out, working the whole time.” If England’s decision to lean towards seam pays off over the next seven weeks, it will owe plenty to the team behind the team.

Knight Riders have not been their usual selves in 2021, but it’s not too late to fix things

Sreshth Shah03-May-20215:04

What’s ailing KKR’s batting this season?

Failing to set the tempo
Since the middle of last season, the Knight Riders have gone with a top-three which has plenty of potential but is the most inexperienced among all the teams. Nitish Rana and Rahul Tripathi are both uncapped and Shubman Gill is far from being a regular in India’s white-ball squads.Very few IPL teams in the tournament’s history have had a combined top three with only three games of international cricket between them, and the optimistic punt from the management has failed more than it has worked. Inconsistent scores from Rana, who has five innings of 22 and under, and Gill’s average of 18.85 at a strike rate of 117.85 have been the two biggest concerns.The alternatives – Karun Nair, Gurkeerat Singh, Venkatesh Iyer and Sheldon Jackson – are not too compelling either. Apart from Iyer, none of the others are regular openers in T20s, however, they may have the fire in their belly to show their worth. Perhaps, the Knight Riders could harness that.The other option is to bring in Tim Seifert, the New Zealand batter, but that would mean axing an overseas player. Although the issue of inexperience doesn’t get solved, at least a new thought process could bring in different results. After seven games for each side in IPL 2021, the Knight Riders have lost 12 powerplay wickets, the joint-most in the tournament. That along with a powerplay run-rate of 7.35 has hampered the side from setting the tempo early with the bat.Brendon McCullum, the coach, said in a press conference recently that he wants his top order to be aggressive, which they have failed to do. He said: “if you can’t , you change ” Expect a new top order for the rest of the season – the only question is what the personnel will be.Kolkata Knight Riders’ problems have started with the top this season•ESPNcricinfo LtdThe Morgan question
The ideal scenario for the Knight Riders was for their top three to set the base for eight to ten overs, following which a strong middle order of Eoin Morgan, Andre Russell and Dinesh Karthik could change gears to set a big total or complete a win.But with the top order eating nearly half the overs with very little on the board in most games, Morgan’s been forced to look for the big shots from the get-go. However, he has struggled with timing and when he hasn’t, he has fallen just before he could transition into his power-hitting mode. The lack of good scores from the top four has added more pressure on Russell and Karthik, who have also not been able to replicate their peak batting performances from 2019.On numbers alone, no one would bat an eyelid if Morgan was dropped after scoring only 92 runs in seven games, but when he is also wearing the captain’s armband, things get complicated, more so after the Knight Riders changed captains midway through last season. And with Karthik saying last year that captaincy hampers his own batting, the management will have to look beyond the obvious choice for a new leader. In any case – barring Rohit Sharma’s 2013 run with Mumbai Indians – changes in captaincy do not rescue teams from dire situations.McCullum has often stressed on role definition among the Knight Riders, so it’s unlikely Morgan will bat anywhere else either. The side likes Russell to come in at the 12-over mark and Karthik preferred at the death, and with both struggling against spinners who operate in the middle overs, the captain Morgan is set to stay at No. 4.4:01

McCullum: ‘I’ve asked time and again for us to be more aggressive’

The Narine conundrumWith a new bowling action that no longer has the sting of the Narine that lit up the IPL in his early days, does he merit a place in the XI when he no longer opens? Runs off the bat, as a floater, have been few and far in between. And with only three wickets in four games, there are others who can potentially have a greater impact.Although Narine isn’t a shabby opener option given the current struggles in the top order, the Knight Riders may still move to replace him with Shakib Al Hasan. Although Shakib may not replicate Narine’s batting strike rate, he is more consistent and there’s little to separate in the bowling.The other option is dropping Narine for Lockie Ferguson, who has the ability to be the enforcer in the bowling line-up by simply using his pace to trouble batters at any stage of the innings. That would also give the Knight Riders two express overseas quicks to torment oppositions, alongside Pat Cummins, and bring in one of Harbhajan Singh or Kuldeep Yadav as the second spinner. The third option is Seifert at the top for Narine, and add someone like Pawan Negi (or one of the two spinners) lower down.Sunil Narine’s new bowling action no longer has the sting of the old one•BCCIRethinking powerplay bowling plans
The original Moneyball team in the IPL, the Knight Riders have focused on match-ups. But that hasn’t worked out well with the ball.Take the example of Varun Chakravarthy against Royal Challenger Bangalore. With two wickets in the game’s second over, he had given the Knight Riders an early upper hand. Yet, next over, against the new batter Glen Maxwell, it was not Chakravarthy, but left-arm spinner Shakib bowling, who could potentially get the ball to turn away from the batter. Maxwell ended up hitting 78.Against the Delhi Capitals while defending a smaller total, it was Shivam Mavi opening the bowling – against the in-form pair of Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw – and not Cummins, who arrived later to pick three wickets, an effort that came too late to have any impact on the match result.Against Chennai Super Kings, on a pitch where Deepak Chahar ended up taking four wickets in the Powerplay, the Knight Riders bowled three overs of spin. The Super Kings openers quietly compiled 54 for 0 to set a strong platform. They finished on 220 for 3.There is merit in their most experienced bowler Cummins taking the new ball in the hunt for early wickets, with Prasidh Krishna and/or Ferguson from the other end. Then bring in Shakib or Narine, leave Chakravarthy to control the middle overs, and once again use the Ferguson-Cummins combo alongside Russell at the death to close out the innings. It’s conventional, and yet propitious. But the Knight Riders – more often than not – prefer taking the path less travelled.

Already thinking about 2026 reinforcements after an inconsistent start to life in North London, Thomas Frank and Tottenham Hotspur are now reportedly eyeing an impressive Champions League star.

Thomas Frank praises "dangerous" Grealish before Everton clash

Following defeat against Aston Villa and a disappointing draw in Monaco, Tottenham will be looking to avoid ending a frustrating week on their most sour note yet against Everton.

In many ways, however, victory after a draw in midweek and defeat last weekend would sum up Frank’s start fairly well. There’s been plenty of signs that he’s the man for the job, but also one too many that suggest there’s a long way to go. Ahead of visiting the Hill Dickinson Stadium for the first time, the Dane heaped praise on Sunday’s opponents and Jack Grealish, in particular.

Three points could see the Lilywhites rise to as high as second if results go their way and there’s no doubt that would send quite the statement so early into Frank’s tenure.

Securing Champions League football should be seen as the ultimate priority, especially if those in North London want to attract some impressive European stars.

Tottenham eyeing Kalulu move

As reported by Tutto Juve, Tottenham are now eyeing a move to sign Pierre Kalulu, who has played every single minute for Juventus so far this season.

The defender, who can play both wing-back and centre-back, is not someone that Juventus want to sell but they may have no choice. Amid financial constraints, the Italian giants could show the 25-year-old the door for as little as €30m (£26m) in the January transfer window – allowing Spurs to come swooping in.

Dubbed “phenomenal” by scout Jacek Kulig during his AC Milan days and now thriving at Juventus, Kalulu even impressed in defeat against Real Madrid in midweek.

"Impressed me a lot" – Thomas Frank says he's been thrilled by benched Tottenham star

The Dane had kind words for his player who’s been struggling for minutes.

By
Emilio Galantini

Oct 25, 2025

Although Juventus eventually lost out courtesy of Jude Bellingham’s goal, the defender kept Vinicius Junior quiet on the night. Up against one of the most tricky wingers European football has to offer, he stifled the Brazilian to zero shots on target, zero successful crosses and just one key pass.