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After announcing the arrival of Mateus Fernandes, West Ham United are reportedly readying an offer to sign an attacking reinforcement who Graham Potter loves.

Fernandes "excited" by West Ham move

Following a disastrous start to the season, West Ham have welcomed a much-needed reinforcement in Fernandes. The midfielder has officially arrived from Southampton in a deal worth around £42m with add-ons and will now be looking to make his mark on Potter’s side as soon as possible.

Speaking for the first time since putting pen to paper, Fernandes told West Ham’s official website: “I’m very happy to be here. I’m very excited to play for West Ham. I think it’s a big step for me.

“It’s a big Club, a massive Club. The project, the stadium, the city, everything. I want to try to play football, enjoy football, not just run and try to score, but try to play good football. I think the most important thing is to try to give everything every day.”

After welcoming the midfield star, West Ham are not done there. Reports are also indicating that they’re on course to sign Soungoutou Magassa from AS Monaco to continue their late spending.

It should come as no surprise that those at the London Stadium are attempting a late spending spree. The Hammers have endured a nightmare start to the season, losing three from three, and are suddenly among the favourites to face the drop.

Potter will hope that recent additions finally turn his tenure around and he avoids yet another London sacking. What’s more, any pressure to turn things around will only increase if West Ham move for a winger that he reportedly loves before the transfer window slams shut.

West Ham readying Wimmer offer

As reported by BILD and relayed by Sport Witness, West Ham are now readying an offer to sign Patrick Wimmer from Wolfsburg this week. Potter is reportedly a fan of the winger and he has been dreaming of a Premier League move for some time.

Related Fernandes upgrade: West Ham to submit bid for another big-money midfielder

The experienced international would be an excellent signing for Graham Potter and West Ham.

Posts 1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 29, 2025

Whether Wimmer is the answer to their problems or a repeat of recent transfer flops such as Crysencio Summerville and Niclas Fullkrug is the big question. One look at the numbers should spark concern for West Ham.

League stats 24/25

Wimmer

Summerville

Minutes

1.770

786

Goals

3

1

Assists

4

1

Key Passes

24

17

Former Manchester City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega reiterated that Wimmer still has work to do, but also had plenty of praise for his former Arminia Bielefeld teammate, telling reporters: “There’s something crazy and care-free about him; he’s got a youthful folly. If he sticks at it and works on getting some of the basics right, then he’ll be even more valuable.”

There’s no doubt that signing the 24-year-old would be a risk and at this stage, West Ham simply can’t afford to get things wrong in the transfer market.

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has faced mounting criticism in the aftermath of their botched deal for Eberechi Eze, and talks for Man City winger Savinho haven’t exactly been plain sailing either.

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Eze ultimately chose a move to boyhood club Arsenal ahead of Spurs, despite agreeing personal terms with the latter, when Mikel Arteta’s side swooped in at the last second and offered him a chance of returning to N5.

Tottenham also had a verbal agreement with Palace over the finances of a deal for Eze, but as the old saying goes – a signing is never done until all the contracts are signed.

Arsenal’s dramatic late hijack leaves Thomas Frank still without a star number 10 to replace the injured James Maddison, nor does the Dane have an heir to club legend Son Heung-min out wide.

Just under two weeks ago, Tottenham entered talks for both Eze and Savinho in separate deals, prompting huge excitement among the fanbase, but there is the possibility that Frank ends up with neither.

Eze is completely off the table, but in Savinho’s case, the north Londoners are not giving up, despite City blocking the deal as things stand.

Reports from Brazil earlier this week claimed that Tottenham are vowing to go all out for Savinho behind-the-scenes after losing out on Eze, and his agents are in London right now attempting to facilitate a deal (Globo Esporte).

Spurs could even submit a club-record £69 million bid for the Brazil international, but Pep Guardiola has previously insisted that he wants him at Eastlands for “many years” amid Levy’s interest.

Savinho is out injured right now, funnily enough, but an alternative to the 21-year-old could be Real Madrid star Rodrygo – if Spurs can’t agree a deal for the City man.

Tottenham make approach for Rodrygo amid chance of Real Madrid loan deal

Frank and Guardiola are poised to come head-to-head this weekend, and it gives club officials a chance to hold further talks over Savinho, as widely reported elsewhere.

However, City appear to be making this very difficult, and Rodrygo’s pool of suitors is running low.

The 24-year-old Brazil star, who bagged 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions last season, has struggled for starts under new manager Xabi Alonso, and Defensa Central have claimed that Real could sanction a loan-to-buy deal as Tottenham take note.

Now, Mundo Deportivo, relayed by Sport Witness, have an update on the story – reporting that Tottenham are the only side to have approached Real over signing Rodrygo – and his potential exit remains a ‘live’ possibility heading into the final stretch of this summer.

Jude Bellingham called the ex-Santos star their most “underrated” and “gifted” player this year, and if a deal is there to be had, it is certainly one worth considering.

Rodrygo would be the statement signing that Tottenham are crying out for after a very testing window, and one that could seriously lift spirits around N17.

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Interim head coach Marcus Trescothick has defended his young ODI squad after their crushing eight-wicket defeat to the West Indies, saying the result is not reflective of English white-ball cricket.England’s loss to the West Indies was a twelfth ODI defeat in 18 matches since the start of the 2023 World Cup and gave a brutal reality check to a new-look eleven that included four debutants.On a tacky surface, England were bowled out for 209, before putting on an encouraging, but ultimately fruitless display with the ball as Windies opener Evin Lewis let loose for 94 off 69 balls.”I think it’s certainly not where England cricket is at,” Trescothick said after the game. “Because for a long period of time now you’ve not had our main team in white-ball games. You don’t really know where white-ball cricket is.”I think with the system that we’ve had and the volume of cricket that we’ve been trying to play and still look after the players, I think you could put a team together tomorrow for a World Cup, and it would probably look different to what you had this series and some of the series that we played against Australia.”So I don’t think you can judge it to say, look where white-ball cricket is at the moment. It’s been a tough period of time, there’s no doubt about it, but that’s been challenges from numerous different things.”The current series is missing several players due to the tour being sandwiched by England’s Test tours of Pakistan and New Zealand. But the squad picked for the Australia series was close to full strength, with Joe Root and Gus Atkinson rested but other absences such as Jos Buttler and Mark Wood missing through injury. The same could be said of the previous group to tour the Caribbean last year, when the squad picked was meant to signal a new age, while the World Cup squad was certainly first string. All this alongside uncertainty over Ben Stokes’ white-ball future.The nature of the defeat has called into question England’s absolute policy on prioritising youth, with Jordan Cox, in just his fifth List A match, walking out on debut for England at No.3, with the 21-year-old Jacob Bethell at No.4. Of the top six, only Phil Salt and Will Jacks had batted in those positions for England more than once in their careersJohn Turner, Jordan Cox, Dan Mousley and Jamie Overton made their ODI debuts in Antigua•Getty Images

“It’s probably a better question for the selectors more than anything else. It’s not my decision who comes in,” Trescothick said.”But I think you can see from the plan of the England team in the last year, probably, and maybe a little bit further back, how much we want to invest in the next generation.”Playing people who have played before would probably be going against the mantra of what we’re trying to do at the moment.”England’s innings saw five of the top six caught in the 30-yard-circle, as the balance between defence and attack eluded them to be bowled out in 45.1 overs.”We’ve got to try and bat 50 overs first and foremost,” said Trescothick. “The real skill in white-ball cricket in particular is the tempo and the balance between aggression and batting for long periods of time.”We will always be a team that is going to try and be aggressive, the pitch made it quite tricky to do that.”This is Trescothick’s last tour at the helm of the white-ball team before Brendon McCullum takes over the job in January. Placed in charge of an exceptionally inexperienced group, one of the biggest challenges, according to Trescothick, has been finding the balance between emphasising the opportunity is a ‘free hit’ to England’s youngsters, while also instilling a win-first mentality.”I am trying to get the priority right at the moment. I want to win every game and we dictate that in the dressing room. But we also want to see a few players in the environment before the structure changes and Brendon takes over. So, why not give them the opportunity to thrive in this environment?”That’s very much how we’re framing it. The opportunities are there for the guys to come in. We’ve seen four debutants in this match, we’ve got a couple other young guys in the squad who may make their debut across the next two weeks. [With the opportunity] you’re going to be further up the ladder than you were six days ago. So go out there and show what you can do.”Trescothick’s own role in the white-ball set up beyond January is undecided.”I don’t know just yet,” he said. “We’ve got a bit of a plan behind the scenes, but nothing has been confirmed as such.”I am not going to say which way it’s all going to sit, because it would probably give it away too much, but obviously Brendon’s going to come in and take control of the full show and then he will dictate what and where we are going to be and how that’s going to look.”

أعلن الكرواتي كرونسلاف يورتشيتش المدير الفني لفريق بيراميدز، التشكيل الأساسي لمواجهة زد، ضمن منافسات مسابقة الدوري المصري.

طالع.. حكم مباراة بيراميدز وزد في الدوري المصري

ويدخل بيراميدز، اللقاء بمعنويات مرتفعة بعد الفوز على الأهلي بهدفين نظيفين في آخر ظهور محلي، والانتصار على أوكلاند بثلاثية نظيفة في كأس القارات “إنتركونتينتتال”.

ويحتل بيراميدز المركز التاسع في جدول ترتيب مسابقة الدوري المصري برصيد 8 نقاط من فوزين وتعادلين وخسارة.

ويخوض بيراميدز مباراته أمام زد، اليوم الخميس في تمام الثامنة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والسعودية على أرضية استاد الدفاع الجوي في الجولة السابعة من بطولة الدوري. تشكيل بيراميدز أمام زد

حراسة المرمى: أحمد الشناوي

خط الدفاع: أحمد سامي – أسامة جلال – محمد الشيبي – محمد حمدي

خط الوسط: مهند لاشين – أحمد عاطف قطة – عبد الرحمن مجدي – إيفرتون داسيلفا – وليد الكرتي

خط الهجوم: مروان حمدي بدلاء بيراميدز اليوم أمام زدمحمود جاد – علي جبر – كريم حافظ – محمود دونجا – مصطفى زيكو – محمد رضا بوبو – محمود زلاكة – فيستون ماييلي – يوسف أوباما

Devon Conway and Finn Allen have become the latest New Zealand players to turn down central contracts, but Conway has signed a casual agreement similar to Kane Williamson and has made himself available for all internationals except for the Sri Lanka white-ball matches in January when he will take up an SA20 deal.ESPNcricinfo understands that Conway is set to play for Joburg Super Kings in what will be his first appearance in South Africa since leaving the country and moving to New Zealand in 2017.Allen, the hard-hitting white-ball opener, will pursue franchise opportunities and has not been offered the same agreement by New Zealand Cricket (NZC) although remains eligible for selection on a case-by-case basis. ESPNcricinfo understands that Allen is expected to sign for the BBL. Both Conway and Allen had been included in the contract list last month and will now be replaced.Related

• Nathan Smith and Josh Clarkson awarded New Zealand central contracts

• Southee asks for boards and T20 leagues to come together to solve club vs country debate

• Finn Allen set for two-year Perth Scorchers deal

• Captain Southee may not play all upcoming subcontinent Tests

• Latham says New Zealand need to be 'fluid' with player contracts

Conway, who has been named in the Test squad to face Afghanistan and Sri Lanka next month, is available for all of New Zealand’s nine upcoming Tests and has also committed to warm-up matches ahead of the Champions Trophy in February which include an ODI tri-series in Pakistan.”Firstly, I’d like to thank New Zealand Cricket for their support through this process,” Conway said. “The decision to move away from a central playing contract isn’t one I’ve taken lightly, but I believe it is the best for me and my family at this present time.”Playing for the Blackcaps is still the pinnacle for me and I’m hugely passionate about representing New Zealand and winning games of international cricket.”I’m excited to be part of the upcoming Test squads for an important period in the ICC World Test Championship cycle and am looking forward to being involved in the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan next February if selected.”NZC chief executive Scott Weenink reiterated that casual contracts were only an option for a select number of the leading players but believed it was a prudent way to manage the evolving landscape of franchise cricket.”We’re delighted with Devon’s decision to commit to the Blackcaps – he’s a quality player who’s made a strong contribution to the team over the past few years,” he said. “In the current environment it’s important to have flexibility in our system to navigate some of the challenges posed by franchise cricket – and this is another example of how we’re working hard to retain our best players.”Speaking last month, Test vice-captain Tom Latham said that New Zealand had to be flexible with their contracting system.Conway and Allen join Williamson, Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson and Adam Milne in moving away from central contracts although Williamson, who will also play the SA20 in January, has not ruled out taking one in the future.Under the NZC system, to be eligible for a central contracts players need to make themselves available for the domestic Super Smash tournament when they aren’t playing international cricket.

Since taking the job at Arsenal, Mikel Arteta has generally gotten it right when it comes to the transfer market.

For example, while he’s overseen the arrival of his fair share of duds like Willian, Raheem Sterling and Nuno Tavares, he’s also helped sign some special talents like Declan Rice, Gabriel Magahele, David Raya and Jurrien Timber.

However, there is one player who divides opinion perhaps more than any other: Kai Havertz.

To some, the German is an underrated lynchpin without which the attack falters, while others view him as an overpriced makeshift forward who can’t be trusted to finish his chances in the moments that matter.

Yet, it might not matter which side of the aisle you find yourself on next season, as recent reports have heavily linked the club with someone who’d likely be a massive upgrade.

Arsenal's striker search

Given Arsenal’s lacklustre form in front of goal this season, it’s hardly been a surprise to see the club linked with a host of talented strikers in recent weeks, from the well-known Benjamin Sesko to the more under-the-radar Nick Woltemade.

Transfer Focus

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

The former has been heavily linked with a £67m move to the Emirates for some time now, and while that is a hefty outlay, there is a lot to like about the 6 foot 5 speedster, like his tally of 27 goal involvements in 45 games this season.

Woltemade, on the other hand, would only cost the club £42m this summer, and while he produced just 20 goal involvements this year, he did so in just 33 games across all competitions.

Yet, while both players would likely help the Gunners’ frontline next season, they both feel like players for the coming years, not someone who’d be an instant and sizable upgrade like Viktor Gyokeres.

Yes, according to a recent report from journalist Graeme Bailey, Arsenal are still very much in the race for the Sporting CP star.

Bailey revealed that not only are the Gunners still interested in the Swedish international, but they also held direct talks with his camp on Wednesday.

A price is not mentioned in the story, but other reports from this week have claimed that the former Coventry City striker could be available for around £67m.

While that is undoubtedly a lot of money, this is a deal Arsenal should be going all out to complete, as Gyokeres would be a monumental upgrade on Havertz.

How Gyokeres compares to Havertz

So, if Arsenal are able to get Gyokeres this summer and, in turn, spend the sort of money it reportedly cost to do so, then it seems incredibly unlikely that he’d be coming in to sit on the bench.

Therefore, the Sporting star would be in competition with Havertz for a starting berth in the team, and based on how they stack up against one another, we think it’s a competition he’d win with ease.

For example, in 52 appearances this season, totalling 4248 minutes, the Stockholm-born “monster,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, scored a simply sensational 54 goals and provided 13 assists, which works out to an average of 1.28 goal involvements every game, or every 63.40 minutes.

In contrast, the Gunners’ number 29 scored 15 goals and provided five assists in 36 appearances, totalling 2809 minutes, which comes out to a decent but far less impressive average of a goal involvement every 1.8 games, or every 140.45 minutes.

Unfortunately for the former Chelsea ace, the comparison is just as one-sided when we take a look under the hood at their respective underlying numbers.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.88

0.58

Non-Penalty Goals + Assists

1.17

0.61

Progressive Passes

2.11

2.95

Progressive Passes Received

10.5

5.79

Progressive Carries

4.27

1.44

Shots

4.11

2.80

Shot on Target

2.10

1.11

Key Passes

2.06

1.11

Passes into the Penalty Area

1.00

0.52

Shot-Creating Actions

4.75

2.25

Goal-Creating Actions

0.84

0.15

Successful Take-Ons

1.79

0.48

For example, the 27-year-old comes out way ahead in the vast majority of relevant metrics, including but not limited to expected and actual non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive carries, shots and shots on target, key passes and passes into the penalty area, shot and goal-creating actions, successful take-ons and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, Havertz is a great player and someone who’ll be an incredibly useful asset to the squad next season, but from every angle, it’s clear that Gyokeres is the vastly superior goalscoring number nine.

Therefore, Arsenal should do all they can to sign him this summer.

A hybrid between Gabriel & Saliba: Arsenal join the race to sign £68m star

Arsenal could sign a defender who’s like Gabriel and William Saliba.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 12, 2025

Alexander Isak is a striker who has been a key target for Liverpool over recent months, with the Swede certainly likely to be on their radar once again this summer.

The 25-year-old has been a clinical option in the Premier League this campaign, registering 23 goals in his 33 appearances, offering Eddie Howe’s side a key presence in their quest for Champions League football.

He’s also starred against the Reds throughout 2024/25, scoring what proved to be the winning goal against Arne Slot’s side in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley.

However, if the Merseyside outfit were to make a move and land the talisman during the off-season, they would have to fork out a pretty penny, with the Magpies demanding £150m for his signature.

Such a figure would likely price the club out of a potential deal, leading to potential alternatives in the market, with numerous players already on their list ahead of the upcoming window.

The latest on Liverpool’s hunt for a new striker this summer

RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko has emerged on Liverpool’s shortlist over the last couple of days, with the Slovenian catching the eye with his tally of 21 goals in his 45 outings.

It was reported earlier this week that the club were ready to enter talks to land the 21-year-old, seeing him as an option to improve the players currently at his disposal.

However, he’s not the only Bundesliga attacker in the sights ahead of the upcoming window, with Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitiké the latest name mentioned for a move to Anfield, according to French outlet RMC Sport.

The report states that the Reds have already made an approach for the 22-year-old, who’s registered 22 goals and 12 assists throughout 2024/25 in all competitions.

It also claims that he’s allowed to leave the German outfit during the upcoming window if anyone matches the €100m (£84m) valuation they’ve placed on his head.

Why Liverpool’s £84m target could be Slot’s own Isak

A striker is evidently a priority for Liverpool this summer, as seen by the recent targets, but it’s pivotal that the hierarchy land the right option for Slot.

In the past, they’ve spent heavily on a talisman, as seen with the signing of Darwin Núñez back in 2022, with the Uruguayan costing a club-record £85m.

However, it’s safe to say the move to Anfield has been a disappointment, registering just 40 goals in his 142 appearances on Merseyside – with just seven of which coming this campaign.

Such form has led to links away from Anfield this summer, which will undoubtedly result in a hefty loss on the fee paid for his signature, but could pave the way for a new centre-forward.

From the recent names mentioned, Ekitike would be a better signing than Sesko, outperforming him in numerous key areas when comparing their respective stats.

The Frenchman would also be the club’s own Isak, being comparable to the Swede by FBref and matching or bettering the figures produced by the Newcastle star in numerous key areas.

Ekitike, who’s been labelled a “monster” by one analyst, has registered more shots and more shots on target per 90 – highlighting the constant threat he poses in attacking areas.

How Ekitike compares to Isak & Sesko in 2024/25
Statistics (per 90)	Ekitike	Isak	Sesko
Games played	33	33	33
Goals & assists	23	29	18
Progressive carries	3.3	2.7	1.7
Shots on target	1.5	1.3	1.1
Shots taken	4	3.1	2.5
Pass accuracy	76%	74%	67%
Shot-creating actions	3.5	3	1.9
Take-ons completed	1.8	1.4	1.4
Stats via FBref

He’s also registered more shot-creating actions and completed more take-ons per 90, handing Slot a complete option in attacking areas, bolstering their chances of retaining their title.

The Frankfurt star has completed more passes and competed more progressive carries, subsequently able to aid other attackers when getting into the final third.

It would be another huge investment from the board, but it’s one that could play a huge part if they are successful once again in the years ahead.

Whilst Isak would be many fans’ main option this summer, Ekitike has proved that he’s capable of being an excellent talisman and possibly the Reds’ own version of the star.

Dream Wirtz alternative: Liverpool plot move for "generational" £34m star

Liverpool can forget about a move for Florian Wirtz, with another name entering the mix this week.

1

By
Ethan Lamb

May 22, 2025

Leeds United are already preparing for life back in the top-flight and are said to be making inroads in their pursuit of a prolific striker, according to reports.

Leeds ready to take on the Premier League after dramatic title win

Despite some nervy moments along the way, Leeds are once again a Premier League club from next season and optimism is high in Yorkshire over how they may fare against the elite, especially after their last-gasp win to seal the title at Plymouth on Saturday.

Undoubtedly, savvy additions will need to be made to ensure the Whites don’t end up in a relegation scrap, but the size of the club coupled with a talented existing core could be the ideal recipe for success at Elland Road.

Stepping up their ambition, Leeds are interested in a move for Tottenham Hotspur forward Richarlison. However, Everton,Newcastle United, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Fluminense, Al Hilal and Al Shabab are also interested in the Brazil international.

Adhering to PSR regulations will become part and parcel of most clubs’ summer thinking, which may mean Leeds need to prioritise which positions are in urgent need of surgery.

On that front, Augsburg goalkeeper Finn Dahmen could replace Illan Meslier between the sticks, while Wolverhampton Wanderers stopper Sam Johnstone may also add some Premier League experience if he were to join the ranks.

Farke is brewing a Piroe upgrade in Leeds teen with "masses of potential"

Leeds United could have a top star for the future in this highly rated youngster.

ByKelan Sarson Apr 27, 2025

Nevertheless, there are plenty of reasons to be excited as the Whites have another crack at the big time, even if the gap between Premier League and the rest of the football ladder is growing exponentially. Despite this, Leeds have now put themselves in contention to sign one of England’s leading marksmen in years gone by, per recent developments.

Leeds United make advances to sign Jamie Vardy

According to TEAMtalk, Leeds are pursuing a deal for Leicester City legend Jamie Vardy, who is set to become a free agent once his contract at the King Power Stadium expires.

Known as one of the Premier League’s greatest modern-day heroes, the 38-year-old has scored 243 career goals for club and country and still believes he has something to offer in the top-flight, proving that with another strike against Southampton on Saturday afternoon.

Jamie Vardy’s 2024/25 campaign – all competitions

Appearances

34

Goals

9

Assists

3

The outlet state that Vardy’s potential destination is ‘more advanced than people may think’ and that Leeds are in the market for several options to strengthen their forward line. Burnley are also in pursuit of the former Three Lions international. Patrick Bamford could make way regardless in the coming window after emerging as a target for Wrexham.

Labelled “top-class” by Ruud van Nistelrooy, the former Halifax man has still shown signs that he is a potent force in the Premier League, registering 24 shots on target this term.

Longevity probably isn’t what you’re going to get from Vardy at this stage, though his vast experience and know-how in front of goal makes him a compelling option for Farke as the Whites aim to build the foundations for a solid season.

After defeat against Aston Villa highlighted Nottingham Forest’s lack of firepower without Chris Wood, the Champions League hopefuls have now reportedly made contact over a deal to sign an impressive Manchester United target.

Nottingham Forest's search for a striker goes on

It may come as a surprise that those at the City Ground have set their sights on an attacking reinforcement, but as good as Wood is there is no denying that he won’t be at the peak of his powers for much longer. At 33 years old, the New Zealand international has shocked the Premier League by scoring as many as 18 goals to help his side edge closer and closer to Champions League qualification.

Mohamed Salah

27

Erling Haaland

21

Alexander Isak

20

Chris Wood

18

Bryan Mbuemo

16

Without their star striker, Nuno Espirito Santo’s side were always likely to struggle, but that won’t take away from the disappointment of defeat at Villa Park on Saturday evening.

Speaking about the defeat, Espirito Santo told reporters: “We didn’t start well, Aston Villa controlled our chances. The second half was different, we had the chances but we couldn’t score. The first half was not good, we were not organised.

“We tried to find solutions. The boys showed a better game. It was one of the matches that we created the most in but didn’t take anything from the game. When you lose, you don’t recover so well. The miles come to your mind. It’s always easy when you are in a good moment. Now it is not so good and it requires a bit of patience.”

Adriano 2.0: Nottingham Forest join hectic race to sign "gifted" wonderkid

He’s a future star.

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Meanwhile, when asked for an update on the likes of Wood and Taiwo Awoniyi, the Forest boss said: “I don’t know [when they will be back]. It is going to be day-to-day. He [Taiwo Awoniyi] felt something in his hamstring.”

In the final stretch towards Champions League qualification, Forest will now be desperate to get over the line and turn their attention towards summer reinforcements.

Nottingham Forest make contact to sign Mateta

One striker who would instantly solve Espirito Santo’s pending striker problem is an option who has been in excellent form this season. According to Rudy Galetti for TeamTalk, Nottingham Forest have now made contact over a potential deal to sign Jean-Philippe Mateta, who Crystal Palace value at around £40m ahead of this summer.

The Frenchman has also attracted the interest of Manchester United and did nothing to harm his chances of earning a big move in the coming months this weekend, scoring a stunning goal against rivals Brighton & Hove Albion. Dubbed “amazing” by Oliver Glasner earlier in the campaign, Mateta looks unlikely to slow down anytime soon.

Scoring his 16th goal of the season in all competitions, Mateta has almost gone stride for stride with Wood for goals throughout the current campaign and could now emerge as an ideal candidate to replace the Forest star this summer.

In his first IPL season, he has hit more sixes than Head, Abhishek and Klaasen, quickly making the step up from the Madhya Pradesh League

Himanshu Agrawal and Nikhil Sharma22-Apr-20251:04

Aniket: My uncle had to borrow money to buy me a phone worth 7k

In a Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) team full of superstars like Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma and Heinrich Klaasen, Aniket Verma has emerged as the new star. The 23-year-old batter from Madhya Pradesh (14) has hit more sixes than Head (9), Abhishek (10) and Klaasen so far (10) in IPL 2025.Aniket seamlessly slotted into SRH’s power-packed batting line-up, hooking the second ball he faced this season, from Rajasthan Royals (RR) seamer Tushar Deshpande, for six.The match against RR was only his second T20, having bagged a duck on debut for Madhya Pradesh in the 2024-25 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. While Aniket didn’t have the benefit of domestic experience heading into the IPL, he had already lit up the Madhya Pradesh League with his six-hitting. He has now showcased those skills in the biggest T20 league in the world.Related

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“Everything comes from purposeful practice,” Aniket told ESPNcricinfo ahead of SRH’s game against Mumbai Indians on Wednesday. “That’s how I have developed everything. It all depends on your environment, and how you are doing things.”In an innings during the Madhya Pradesh League in 2024, he bashed 123 off just 41 balls at a strike rate of 300, including 13 sixes and eight fours. Overall, Aniket hit the most runs (273) and most sixes (25) in the tournament. It caught the attention of SRH, who called him for trials, where the big-hitter impressed his eventual employers.”These [state] leagues are benefitting us a lot,” Aniket said. “As a result, we realise what we need to do, and don’t feel a lot of pressure as well. Also, the seniors in any team have a massive role to play. They support you, back you and direct you about what is to be done, and you need to trust them and know that what they are asking you to do is indeed the right thing.”My team had started [the Madhya Pradesh League] with two losses. So no matter what, we wanted to win the third match. We got some momentum in that innings, and my senior Harsh Gawli backed me, saying ‘you just focus on picking the bowlers [to hit], and go after them’.”

“We were never strong financially. We shifted to Bhopal, where my uncle was based for his education. We moved over to stay with him, as we didn’t have a house of our own. It’s only last year that we bought a small house”Aniket Verma

After scoring seven off three balls against RR, Aniket smashed five sixes during a cameo of 36 from 13 deliveries against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). All five of those sixes came against the spinners Ravi Bishnoi and Digvesh Rathi.The breakout performance, though, came in his next innings against Delhi Capitals (DC). He came out to bat when SRH were 25 for 3, which soon became 37 for 4. He counterattacked with 74 off 41 balls, including six sixes, to lift SRH to 163. All of his sixes came off spinners Vipraj Nigam, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav.Aniket even tried to slog Kuldeep over midwicket immediately after lofting him for six over his head. But this time, he was caught on the boundary.”He has got great wrists,” Aniket said of Kuldeep. “I had to focus hard and watch it well while facing him in order to understand what he was trying to bowl. But I remember the six I hit off him: he went shopping for my wicket with the googly, but I hit him straight back!”No wonder, though, that Aniket’s aggressive approach against spin has stood out. So far in the tournament, 38 batters have faced at least 40 balls of spin. Among them, Aniket has cracked the second-most sixes (11), and has the second-highest strike rate (208.69).ESPNcricinfo LtdAniket was born in Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh. But it was in Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh that his cricketing journey began. The journey might not have been possible without the sacrifices his – paternal uncle – made so that a teenaged Aniket could pursue cricket, something he “loved playing right from the beginning”.”We were never strong financially,” Aniket said. “We shifted to Bhopal, where my uncle was already based for his education. We moved over to stay with him, as we didn’t have a house of our own. It’s only last year that we bought a small house of our own.”I remember he bought a [mobile] phone for me when I had to play an Under-15 match. At the time, his salary was Rs 2000 or 3000, and the phone cost Rs 7000. So, he borrowed money from two people, and bought that phone for me.”Aniket repaid his uncle’s faith by standing out in the Madhya Pradesh League last year, before taking the big leap with the IPL, where SRH acquired him for INR 30 lakh. He is looking to make the most of his time at SRH, picking the brains of batters like Kishan and Klaasen.”Whenever we have a chat, I always ask him what should I be doing in certain situations, and how I should pick a bowler. We discuss these things all the time,” Aniket said of his conversations with Kishan.Aniket Verma has emerged as a spin-hitter for Sunrisers Hyderabad•BCCIThus, Aniket readies himself by practicing on the field, and by interacting with his seniors off it. But remind Aniket of facing a world-class bowler like Jasprit Bumrah, and his boyish smile tells you he would have loved to score big runs off the quick. SRH played Mumbai at the Wankhede Stadium last week, and Aniket, who managed only two runs off two balls from Bumrah, quickly realised how big a challenge it was to put him away.”No doubt, at the time I was looking for an opportunity to score off him because my team needed to maximise our total at that stage,” he said about his experience of facing Bumrah. “He’s a very tough bowler [to face]. He bowled two deliveries at me, and both were yorkers. I couldn’t do anything off them!”Aniket idolises Klaasen and takes inspiration from his ability to swing his bat freely and launch the ball for six. But consider this: Aniket’s strike rate of 187.05 this season is higher than his team-mates Klaasen (159.09), Head (168.05) and Kishan (170.37).Aniket, though, isn’t getting carried away. His uncle has kept him humble and grounded by reminding him that he has just started and that he still has a long way to go. But with his power-hitting, who knows how quickly Aniket might further move up the ladder – like he already has from the Madhya Pradesh League to the IPL.