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Will Emi Martínez leave Aston Villa this summer?

According to a report by Football Insider, the Villans are under pressure to ‘sell a prize asset’ before 30 June to avoid breaching Profit and Sustainability Rules, claiming that Martínez is one of the most likely candidates to be sacrificed.

Well, there are plenty of suitors for the back-to-back Yashin Trophy winner.

Goal documents Manchester United’s interest, while The Telegraph claim that numerous Saudi Pro League clubs would be delighted to secure his signature.

Well, given, as noted by Jacob Tanswell of The Athletic, Martínez’s propensity to deliver ‘defining moments’ and ‘standout performances’, he will be a difficult man to replace, but have Aston Villa actually managed to identify an upgrade?

Aston Villa's first-choice Emi Martínez replacement

According to a report by John Townley for Birmingham Live, Aston Villa will ‘target’ a move to sign LOSC Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier, should Martínez be sold.

French publication L’Équipe has previously noted that newly-crowned European champions Paris Saint-Germain are tracking the 23-year-old, with TEAMtalk claiming that he is valued at just £34m by les Dogues.

Chevalier joined Lille as a 13-year-old, making 127 appearances for the senior team, conceding exactly 127 goals and keeping 44 clean sheets in this time.

So, could he soon be swapping Northern France for the English Midlands?

Why Lucas Chevalier would be an Emi Martínez upgrade

During his three seasons as Lille’s number one, Chevalier has earned countless rave reviews.

Alongside Rayan Cherki of Olympique Lyonnais, they were the only non-PSG players to feature in Ligue 1’s team of the season.

Meanwhile, following les Nordistes’ stunning 1-0 Champions League victory over Real Madrid at Stade Pierre-Mauroy in October, Joel Domenighetti of L’Équipe described Chevalier’s display as ‘exceptional’, while Nick Hartland of Get French Football News labels him ‘one of the breakout stars’ from this season’s competition.

Described as “one of the most talented young goalkeepers in Europe” by scout Jacek Kulig, what makes him so good is that – in the words of Liam Tharme and Matt Pyzdrowski of the Athletic – he not only boasts ‘excellent reach’ and exceptional ‘handling’, but also that his ‘super-strength’ is his ‘accomplished’ in possession play.

So, how did the young Frenchman compare to the man he could be replacing between the Villa Park posts this season?

The table makes for interesting reading, considering the duo played a near-identical number of minutes this season across their respective domestic leagues and the Champions League

Appearances

48

49

Minutes

4,350

4,275

Goals conceded

53

57

Clean sheets

13

14

Post-shot xG – goals-conceded

+9.6

+4.7

Saves

123

144

Save %

74.9%

72.8%

% of crosses stopped

5.4%

11.3%

Ball recoveries

83

45

Errors leading to an opposition shot

4

8

Note: Martínez’s statistics are Premier League and Champions League only.

Across Europe’s top five leagues, the Frenchman ranks tenth for post-shot xG – goals conceded, while he is also 11th in this season’s Champions League for the same metric, a key figure as Lille upset the odds to finish seventh in the league phase.

Meantime, his save percentage ranks highly both domestically and in the Champions League, with his Ligue 1 figure of 74.6% a noteworthy amount higher than Martínez’s 69% in the Premier League.

This is not to denigrate​​​​​​​ Martínez in any way, given that former Aston Villa striker Chris Sutton believes the Argentine has been an “outstanding goalkeeper” and a “brilliant shot-stopper” since joining the club in 2020.

Nevertheless, if the Claret and Blue Army are able to sell the 32-year-old for a big fee and replace him with a 23 year old, this is surely an upgrade they should be looking to make.

Aston Villa book medical to sign forward who Emery feels can be next Duran

He’s agreed a four-year deal at Villa Park.

ByCharlie Smith Jun 1, 2025

Right from the moment Arne Slot got to work in his new job at Liverpool F.C., there was a sense that FSG had appointed a coach who knew his stuff.

But, perhaps, even FSG’s chiefs hadn’t expected such a startling ascension to the peak of the English pyramid; not 12 months into his role, Slot clinched the Premier League, he won it with dominance, Liverpool’s quest never really in doubt after Manchester City peeled away before a harsh winter dragged them down further still.

There’s no question sweeping changes are now needed: Trent Alexander-Arnold is leaving for Real Madrid on a Bosman, and Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong is on the verge of joining as his replacement.

Plenty more, such as a striker, since Darwin Nunez is leaving, is needed. However, numerous areas could be strengthened.

Liverpool only brought Federico Chiesa into the fold, signing the injury-prone Juventus star for a cut-price £12.5m fee. Chiesa, sadly, hasn’t kicked on, only starting one top-flight fixture.

The right-sided Chiesa was always up against it, for Mohamed Salah has just produced a talismanic campaign for the ages.

Mohamed Salah's historic season

Salah scoring goals is no new thing on the English scene. The Egyptian has been one of the most destructive forwards in European football since signing for Liverpool in 2017, leaving AS Roma for a £34m fee.

The 32-year-old’s season rubber-stamped his reputation as one of the finest to do it. Journalist Uri Levy has even said, “Mohamed Salah has a very good chance to go down in history as the greatest Premier League player of all time.”

And for good reason. Football is a team sport, but Salah has dragged his side toward gold. Across all competitions this season, he’s scored 33 goals and provided 23 assists across 51 matches.

His 28-goal return in the Premier League has also seen him break into the division’s top five goalscorers in history. With a two-year extension penned last month, Salah has a golden opportunity to overtake Harry Kane as the second-highest scorer of all time, behind only Alan Shearer.

1.

Alan Shearer

441

260

2.

Harry Kane

320

213

3.

Wayne Rooney

491

208

4.

Andy Cole

414

187

5.

Mohamed Salah

300

185

He’s a true great, and Liverpool will struggle to replace him. Indeed, it would take an incredible feat to find a bigger talent than the winger, but FSG might just have found such a player ahead of the summer transfer window.

Liverpool make staggering offer

Spanish outlet Sport have made something of a bombshell claim concerning Liverpool and Barcelona, the latter of whom wish to sign Luis Diaz this summer.

Transfer Focus

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

Standing in the way of La Blaugrana’s bid is Florian Wirtz, with the Bayer Leverkusen sensation at the top of FSG’s shopping list. The report actually reveals that Liverpool have presented an ‘astronomical offer’ to Wirtz as they look to beat Bayern Munich to the 22-year-old’s signature.

Signing Wirtz won’t be easy, even though Manchester City have pulled out of the running. Firstly, Bayern consider themselves favourites to sign the player, keeping him in his homeland, while Leverkusen are also looking to fetch a sum of €150m (£126m) for their star man.

For now, a waiting game, with the ball very much in the attacking midfielder’s court.

What Florian Wirtz would bring to Liverpool

Wirtz is a young and up-and-coming talent. Oh, he’s also one of the most talented and effective in the game. Former Leverkusen striker Patrick Helmes has even called him “the best midfielder in the world.”

Debatable? Certainly. Unfounded? Certainly not. Wirtz might only be 22 but he’s already racked up 197 appearances for Leverkusen, scoring 57 goals and providing 65 assists.

He’s not just a goal-getting machine, either (not that that’s a bad thing). As per Sofascore, Wirtz has created 29 big chances across the past two Bundesliga campaigns, with his athleticism underlined by physical metrics: he’s averaged 2.6 dribbles and 5.2 successful duels per game in 2024/25.

Given the Germany international’s skyrocketing journey to the highest echelon of European footballers, still so young, he could prove to be the best attacking player the club has seen in a very long time, maybe even eclipsing Salah.

Though ‘The Egyptian King’ has cemented himself in immortality, he was once discarded by Chelsea after failing to make his mark at Stamford Bridge. A career revival with two clubs in Italy propelled him back to the Premier League, but it wasn’t until he was 25 that Jurgen Klopp came calling.

Moreover, Wirtz has been described by journalist Zach Lowy as a “world-class” player who “could win the Ballon d’Or one day.”

From a wider, longer lens, Wirtz’s minutes will need to be managed to ensure he doesn’t burn out toward his thirties, having featured prominently across his fledgling years and having already overcome an ACL injury.

But his startling output and indeed the staggering £126m fee that Liverpool may have to pay highlight a ceiling that might not even be there. That is to say, Wirtz’s potential is boundless; with such talent and athleticism, he truly could become one of the greatest contemporaries in the Premier League and supercharge the Slot era toward a sustained spell of dominance, both domestically and abroad.

He’s got all the tricks and plenty more flicks besides, but Wirtz is also a focused and intelligent player whose decision-making and application have led talent scout Jacek Kulig to praise his “sensational blend of flair and creativity.”

And he’s only just getting started. With Slot tinkering away at the player’s skill set, we may well see him go from strength to strength and become one of the deadliest players in Europe, if he’s not already.

It’s a high bar to reach for, but he might just prove himself an even bigger talent than Salah.

Their best LW since Mane: Liverpool prepare move for "world-class" £50m ace

Liverpool could be about to land a star who could follow in Sadio Mane’s footsteps at Anfield.

ByEthan Lamb May 23, 2025

Chelsea are back in talks with a “big” striker who they were secretly very close to signing back in January, according to a new report.

Chelsea's shortlist of striker targets for Enzo Maresca

It is no secret that Enzo Maresca requires a goalscoring centre-forward before the start of next season, with the Italian forced to improvise and get creative since the turn of the year due to Chelsea’s lack of options.

Chelsea eyeing "deadly" £45m star likened to Anelka with talks already held

They had negotiations in the winter.

ByEmilio Galantini Apr 10, 2025

Pedro Neto has featured as a makeshift striker in the last two months, while both Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku are currently struggling to find their best form.

Chelsea were on the verge of completing a deal for Victor Osimhen last summer, competing with Al-Ahli for the Nigerian’s signature on deadline day, but neither side could get a move finalised – forcing him to settle on a loan move to Galatasaray.

Ipswich Town (home)

April 13th

Fulham (away)

April 20th

Everton (home)

April 26th

Liverpool (home)

May 4th

Newcastle (away)

May 10th

Osimhen remains keen on joining Chelsea, but according to recent reports, the African isn’t exactly high on Maresca’s transfer shortlist.

Instead, Chelsea are serious about Benjamin Sesko as a potential option, with the Slovenian’s contract including a £62 million release clause, while Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres and Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap remain key candidates to bolster Maresca’s forward line.

There are even suggestions that Chelsea could reignite their interest in Mathys Tel, if Tottenham don’t trigger their £45 million option-to-buy clause, but it is Delap’s name which is currently gaining more and more traction.

In the last 72 hours, news emerged that Delap’s release clause will drop to a bargain value of around £30 million if Ipswich are relegated, which could even be confirmed this weekend.

This has understandably piqued interest from a host of top-flight sides who are on the lookout for a prolific number nine, including the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, Man United and Tottenham, but Chelsea are thought to be the most determined to secure his signature.

Chelsea reopen talks with Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap

That is according to reliable journalist Simon Phillips, who states that Chelsea are very eager to bring in a striker before the Club World Cup commences in June.

As a result, despite a brief pause in contact, Chelsea have reopened “formal” talks with Delap’s agents as they try to get ahead of the intense competition for his signature this summer.

The Blues are “most serious” about striking a deal for the former Man City gem right now, and they’ve allocated enough funds to their transfer budget to do a deal without having to sell a player.

Phillips adds that Chelsea were secretly pretty close to sealing an agreement for him in January “behind closed doors”. Now, they’re yet again pushing to convince Delap to make a Stamford Bridge, and the 22-year-old is also open to joining Chelsea.

It is clear to see why Maresca’s side are so keen, with the attacking enjoying a sensational 2024/2025 and bagging 12 league goals, which are impressive numbers for a side battling relegation.

“He’s a proper striker, and I think for us as well he’s an outlet,” said Ipswich teammate Alex Palmer.

“He’s a big physical boy. He’s not huge, but he’s got that raw strength. Even build up, he helps us stick and set, so he’s not just a goalscorer. He’s an all-round striker.”

After a season with Kerala, the allrounder is back at Karnataka and is geared up to make an impact

Shashank Kishore05-Nov-2024At 31, Shreyas Gopal believes he’s at his bowling peak. Glimpses of this were evident last week when he single-handedly delivered Karnataka’s first win of the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season, against Bihar.Sure, the opponents weren’t the most-fancied, but with two set batters – Babul Kumar and Sakibul Gani – having put together a century stand on the final day, Karnataka were running out of time. But when Mayank Agarwal, the captain, threw the ball to Shreyas in a last-ditch effort to salvage something, the tide turned.Shreyas picked up four wickets in a hurry as Bihar lost 8 for 76 to set up a 69-run target, which Karnataka achieved easily under fading light. Shreyas finished with a match haul of 8 for 98.Related

• Captain Jaydev Unadkat wants Saurashtra's transition 'to be smooth'

• Wait for Shami's comeback continues

• Wriddhiman Saha to retire from cricket after Ranji Trophy season

For Shreyas, who is seven short of 250 first-class wickets, creating an impact and delivering under pressure has been a prime focus. This performance must have underlined those attributes.With K Gowtham not in the reckoning, Vidwath Kaverappa injured, and Prasidh Krishna with India A in Australia, the timing of Shreyas’ performance couldn’t have been better.”I’m delighted to be back where I belong,” he says. “Last year I went to Kerala only because I was guaranteed to start across all formats. Towards the end of my first Karnataka stint, I wasn’t getting chances consistently across formats. I had lost my IPL contract as well [in 2023].”Shreyas didn’t perform all that badly for Kerala. During the 2023-24 Ranji season, he picked up 16 wickets in six games, and hit one century and one half-century in his 272 runs, largely in the lower middle order.His white-ball numbers were a lot better. At the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he picked up 12 wickets in eight games at an economy of 4.96, while at the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20s, he picked up 12 wickets in seven games at an economy of 7.66.

“[Chahal] is one of my favourite bowlers currently and there’s no shame in saying that. The way he uses his variations and when he uses them is really phenomenal”

Those performances went a long way in Mumbai Indians picking him for the IPL. But with Piyush Chawla preferred as their No. 1 Indian spinner, Shreyas played just three games. Yet, the confidence from his domestic season was reassuring.”Those innings and wickets gave me that confidence,” Shreyas says. “I want to try and set that bar as high as possible and give it to the next generation to take over. My whole thing is to do as well as I can [once again for Karnataka].”Over the years, Shreyas has enjoyed learning his craft. In this journey of self-discovery, he has had a number of fruitful conversations with Yuzvendra Chahal. “He is one of my favourite bowlers currently and there’s no shame in saying that,” Shreyas says. “The way he uses his variations and when he uses them is really phenomenal.”The one thing they share in common is the love for bowling at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, where the key to success is “overcoming fear of being hit” as much as it is about consistency and variations.”It’s always difficult to bowl here,” Shreyas explains. “But again, if you keep saying ‘difficult, difficult’ when you get the ball, you’re not helping matters. You have no choice but to bowl here. You have to try and look at the conditions. There has to be something in it that you can try and extract.”Whether it is angles, whether it is the wind, whether it is the longer boundary, whether it is speed or trajectory – anything. You have to try and evolve. I’ve focused on that over the years.”Shreyas believes he is a lot more mature and calmer to take setbacks in his stride now, like missing an IPL season or not being an all-format regular for Karnataka previously. He wants to channel this maturity now.”A 20-year-old version of myself wouldn’t have this experience,” he says. “The first few games of my IPL, even in the odd game, when I got taken for a few runs, it used to really affect me a lot more.”But it takes a lot of bowling and a lot of matches, whether it is IPL, SMAT, Ranji, India A – it takes a lot of games to be able to come to a stage where you’re like, this has happened, these are my learnings, and I take this from here and I ensure I don’t keep making the same mistakes.”Shreyas Gopal has six hundreds in first-class cricket•PTI While continuing to evolve as a bowler, Shreyas has also fine-tuned his batting. Six first-class hundreds and nearly 3500 runs are the proof. Much of these have been in the company of the lower order, because he has primarily batted at No. 6-7, unlike in age-group cricket where he was a top-order batter.”Very honestly, when I was in my early 20s, there were a couple of years where I didn’t do very well with the bat,” he says. “So, it kind of took away a little bit of confidence. But then, you do realise that you have scored so many runs for a reason and there has to be a way to come out of it. And it’s probably just bad form.”It’s something that you’ve not dealt with, or you’ve not thought about it. So I did start putting a lot of thought in it in the last five-six years about my batting. I wanted to take it to the next level. I wanted to win matches with the bat as well. I was winning matches with the ball.”I’m glad that in the last few years, I’ve been able to do that. And, you know, I’m very happy sometimes when people ask me, are you a bowler who can bat or a batsman who can bowl that? I still want to be someone that when I walk into bat, they’re like, this guy can score a lot of runs.”Looking ahead, Shreyas realises India could be amid a spin transition at some point in the immediate future. And he wants to put his hand up to join what seems like a long queue already, with Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Saurabh Kumar and Manav Suthar in it.Shreyas is focused on impact performances – like the one he came up with in Patna – rather than setting any numbers.”It’s about creating an impact, adding value, whether it’s a four-wicket haul instead of five, or a 60 on a tough track instead of 120 on a flat track. If I can do these consistently and we win, I’ll automatically put my hand up to be noticed.”That’s what I want to do. Help the team win titles, like we did when I first came into the team.”

Formats, big names in participation, new players… our explainer gives you the lowdown

Shashank Kishore12-Dec-2022So, the Ranji Trophy is set to begin on December 13. What’s new?
For starters, we will have a full season, and not a curtailed one. Unlike in 2021-22, where the tournament was divided into two phases – pre and post-IPL – due to Covid-19, this one will run for 10 weeks starting Tuesday.And is everything else apart from the format the usual?
Nope. The BCCI has tweaked it in an attempt to ensure the quality of its flagship first-class competition is not diluted. This time around, the tournament has been split into two categories: Elite and Plate. Which means we’ll also have two separate winners.Related

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Mayank Agarwal hits the reset button to focus firmly on Karnataka

Suryakumar to play second Ranji round

Dhull named captain of Delhi Ranji team, Ishant also in squad for first two games

Unadkat replaces Shami for Tests in Bangladesh

That sounds interesting. Can you tell us more?
Remember the pre-quarter-final last year, when Jharkhand amassed a lead of 1008, the highest in first-class history, against Nagaland? Or maybe Mumbai’s 725-run win over Uttarakhand in the quarter-final, the biggest win in terms of runs in all first-class cricket? The BCCI is hoping we won’t have such mismatches this year in the knockout stages.Simply put, we will not have the Plate teams crossing over to take on the Elite teams during the knockout stages. Instead, they will play against teams at their level of competency, which the BCCI hopes would foster better competition.Okay, two groups, two winners, and all that. But what is the format?
The top two from each Elite group, consisting of eight teams each, make the quarter-finals after an intensive league phase of equal home and away matches. In Plate, which is a six-team pool, each side plays the other five after which the top four make it to the semi-finals. The bottom two will feature in a playoff for fifth and sixth, while there will be another playoff for third and fourth. This way, they get to play the same number of seven league games like the Elite teams.How do the Plate teams progress?
The two Plate finalists will be promoted to the Elite group for the 2023-24 season, while the bottom two teams of all the four Elite groups combined – factoring in both points and quotient – will be relegated.Sarfaraz Khan made 982 runs in last season’s Ranji Trophy•PTI Okay, now that the technicalities are out of the way, let’s talk about players. Are there any big names in participation?
Well, yes. Ajinkya Rahane is leading Mumbai, while Ishant Sharma will be playing for Delhi. Suryakumar Yadav will be available for Mumbai’s second round game against Hyderabad. Cheteshwar Pujara will be available for the league phase after the first two rounds, which coincide with India’s Test tour of Bangladesh. Hanuma Vihari and Mayank Agarwal, captains of Andhra and Karnataka respectively, will be looking to give their stalled Test careers another wind.What about the newer players – who should we look out for?
Yash Dhull, among Delhi’s youngest captains, will be looking to build on an excellent fist-class initiation. While he could just manage 17 and 20 in his first India A stint in Bangladesh, he’s racked up 820 runs in 13 innings, including four hundreds. Then there’s Yashasvi Jaiswal, fast emerging as a serious contender among the next-in-line openers. Like Dhull, he’s had a great start. Coming off a hundred in Bangladesh for India A, he’s taken his first-class tally to 1173 runs in 15 innings at an average of 83.78.Among the fast bowlers, there’s Bengal’s Mukesh Kumar who is potentially the closest to India selection among the next-in-line fast bowlers. Mukesh is currently injured with a hamstring strain and will miss the first two rounds, but his control and ability to deck the ball around has earned him plaudits from the outgoing selection committee. He was to replace Mohammed Shami in Bangladesh, but an injury on the shadow tour means the wait may extend a little longer.Who are India’s next spinners after R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel?
For now, the selectors seem bullish on Uttar Pradesh’s Saurabh Kumar. The left-arm spinner has been in excellent form, picking up 15 wickets in two red-ball games with India A in Bangladesh, and is now in the Test squad as a replacement for the injured Jadeja. Among the wristspinners, there’s Kuldeep Yadav and Rahul Chahar. While there may not be an immediate requirement given India have four competent bowlers up top, they will eventually need to slowly start to look at life beyond Ashwin and Jadeja in the longest format. This Ranji season could throw up a few names.Before you go, can you quickly recap who was the top run-getter and wicket-taker for the last two seasons?
Among Elite teams, Mumbai’s Sarfaraz Khan topped the charts in 2019-20, making 928 runs in nine innings at an average of 154.66. Overall that season, Arunachal’s Rahul Dalal made 1340 runs to top the charts, he fell short of VVS Laxman’s all-time record of most runs by 75 runs. Among the bowlers, Jaydev Unadkat’s record-breaking 67 wickets helped Saurashtra win the Ranji Trophy. Unadkat is now reaping the rewards of the good work over the past few seasons, having been recalled to India’s Test squad after 12 years.In 2021-22, Sarfaraz was once again among the runs, topping the charts with 982 runs in nine innings at 122.75, including a century in the final where Mumbai lost to first-time winners Madhya Pradesh. Mumbai left-arm spinner Shams Mulani picked up 45 wickets to top the bowling charts.

The PCB’s first-ever female director says she can make decisions pressure-free since she’s an independent member of the board

Umar Farooq24-Nov-2020Alia Zafar, the PCB’s first-ever female director, believes her presence in the male-dominated board will provide a sense of empowerment to women cricketers in the country. Her inclusion, she says, will also bring diversity to the table.The PCB rewrote its constitution, revamping every aspect for the governance of the cricket affairs in the country. They reduced the number of associations from eight to three in a bid to offset their influence and also brought in four independent members, including one female member in Zafar, who is presently working as a Group Head Human Resource of the Bank of Punjab.”Having a female in the board is absolutely great,” Zafar told ESPNcricinfo. “There were no women earlier in the board and when you bring women to the table, the conversation becomes more diverse. When you are approaching any area, the balance comes naturally and that will certainly help. The biggest over-arching factor is that I am an independent member, which allows me to contribute with a free mind without any hesitation.”It’s not an employment relationship, so my contribution to the table will come with a focus to providing advice and a framework without any kind of pressure. This whole scenario changes if you are taking a pay, so for me it is a just a nationalistic element and I will bring my 26 years of working experience in every possible way to make a difference.”During her career, Zafar has also been involved as a lead HR expert with Crown Agents America and as a consultant with the United Nations apart from being an avid cricket fan. She formally took charge as a PCB director earlier this month and was named to lead the PCB’s Human Resource and Remuneration Committee at the PCB. Her desire though, is to strengthen the structure of women’s cricket in the country and help it grow.”Women’s cricket hasn’t developed [as much] in Pakistan but it has a lot of potential,” Zafar said. “My presence within the PCB for itself will create a sense of empowerment for women cricketers and that is essential for us going forward, creating a pathway for females. My working background is based on my expertise around Human Resource and it’s about the performance of the team and creating momentum within the team so that we can achieve our goal and excellence.”There are a number of components put in place right now and the PCB has done a lot in term of compensation and benefits. That will help in the short term. In the long term, they are looking at the structure the women’s cricket is standing on. I understand we don’t have the presence like men’s cricket but if you want to be at the same level, then you need to have the same structure, support and approach in every area. If that’s put in place, that’s where you start growing. But at the same time, the major challenge is the culture, do women get their space in sports? It’s not just cricket, it’s in general.”The Pakistan Cricket Board members pose for a photo•PCBBesides Zafar, the other three independent members are Javed Qureshi, a former first-class cricketer, Asim Wajid Jawad, an expert in economics and Arif Saeed, an economist and corporate executive. Qureshi and Saeed are appointed for three years, and Wajid and Zafar for two.That the four independent members are part of the board is the result of Ehsan Mani reviewing the governance structure of the PCB. The new structure has been put in place to offset the influence of the regions and the departments on the board and to make it more independent, transparent and accountable.Cricket is the most popular sport in Pakistan and pulls a major chunk of commercial revenue from the market. Pakistan cricket has a big following in and outside the country. Every decision the board makes goes through extra scrutiny in the media and from fans. Every little detail becomes a talking point. But Zafar is ready to deal with all that.”You cannot make decisions under pressure,” Zafar said. “Decisions have to be made based on facts, strategy, skills, and discussions around it, and with an aim to have the best results. We cannot keep thinking about the potential backlash and people out there putting up slogans against us to influence our decisions. Being independent members of the board, we should be making decisions purely in the interest of Pakistan and Pakistan team.”Integrity is an important part of how you make decisions. So this stress about extra scrutiny and criticism isn’t a worry. The focus on our decisions is okay but if you are afraid of that, then you are definitely going to make wrong decisions. It’s the way it is, and we shouldn’t be influenced and we won’t be.”

Aston Villa are now looking to sign a £26m midfielder, with Unai Emery personally an admirer, believing he would be a perfect fit in his system.

Villa looking to sign new midfielder amid Rogers rumours

Morgan Rogers didn’t exactly make a flying start to the season for Villa, but the attacking midfielder has turned things around in recent weeks, scoring against Tottenham Hotspur last time out, while also catching the eye at international level.

Indeed, the 23-year-old scored in England’s 3-0 victory over Wales last week, which led to high praise from Roy Keane, who compared him to one of the Three Lions’ greatest-ever players.

Aston Villa approach made for record-breaking forward with his coaches contacted too

The Villans are keen to strike to land another offensive option.

BySean Markus Clifford Oct 18, 2025

The former Manchester United man said: “He has strength and that physique. He has awareness. He is a nightmare for a midfielder or defender. We can talk all day about getting close [to him], but when you give him an opportunity he will take it.

“He’s enjoying it and I said this before. Sometimes he reminds me of Gazza in his prime. He is strong and powerful. He holds people off.”

As such, it is concerning that there continues to be speculation surrounding the England international’s future, with it recently being revealed that Chelsea are leading the race for his signature, with the Blues now ahead of Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain.

Perhaps with that in mind, Aston Villa have now joined the race for a new midfielder, namely Getafe star Luis Milla, as Emery believes the 31-year-old would be a perfect fit in his midfield.

Milla has established himself as a key player for Getafe, and the Spanish club are hesitant to sanction a departure, although they have set a relatively affordable asking price of €30m (£26m).

The Madrid-born maestro may have a decision to make, however, with Atletico Madrid also in the race for his signature, but a move to Villa Park is considered an equally attractive proposition.

Assist king Milla could excel at Villa Park

Much like Rogers, the Spaniard is a very creative player, having chipped in with five assists in La Liga already this season, while also placing in the 95th percentile for assists per 90 over the past year, when compared to other midfielders.

As such, the Getafe midfielder could flourish at Villa Park, and the fact Emery is personally keen is a good sign, given the way in which the manager has transformed the club over the past few years.

That said, there are some doubts over the potential signing, with the former Granada man now 31-years-old, meaning there is unlikely to be much re-sell value.

If Aston Villa can get a deal done on the cheap, Milla could still be a savvy signing, but the main priority should be to keep hold of Rogers.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl took on an unenviable task when he decided to join the club to replace Russell Martin, who had won just five of his matches in charge.

The German head coach has had to take over a side that was incredibly low on confidence and turn things around without any signings, which he did with four straight Scottish Premiership wins.

However, the Gers were unable to make it five after they were held to a 0-0 draw by Falkirk at Ibrox on Sunday, and the manager made it clear that underperforming players will face consequences.

One of the team’s underperforming flops who will not make the starting line-up for the clash with Dundee United on Wednesday is Oliver Antman, who has been ruled out for two months through injury.

Why Danny Rohl must replace Oliver Antman

Even without the injury, the Finland international should have been dropped by Danny Rohl because he failed to deliver a quality performance for his side from the start against Falkirk.

Antman ended the 2024/25 campaign with a return of seven goals and 17 assists in all competitions for Go Ahead Eagles, per Sofascore, yet his time at Ibrox has been barren in comparison.

In 20 appearances for Rangers, per Transfermarkt, the Finnish forward has failed to provide a goal or an assist in 18 different games, providing three assists in the other two outings.

The 24-year-old flop played 57 minutes against Falkirk on Sunday without registering a shot on target or creating a ‘big chance’ for his teammates, per Sofascore, and his absence through injury will now provide others with an opportunity to nail down that position.

The Rangers talent who could end Antman's Ibrox career

The Light Blues head coach could end Antman’s Ibrox career by finally unleashing academy graduate Findlay Curtis as a starter on the flank, as the Scottish youngster could nail down that position and leave the ex-Eredivisie star starved of minutes.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Rohl must give the 19-year-old star his first senior start in the Premiership this season on Wednesday night because his output this year suggests that he deserves more minutes on the pitch for the Gers.

Minutes

15

Crosses attempted

1

Fouls won

2

Pass accuracy

100%

Clearances

3

Tackles won

1/1

Ground duels won

3/4

Aerial duels won

1/2

Curtis, as shown in the table above, showed that he has the physicality to compete at first-team level in his cameo off the bench on Sunday, winning four of his six duels and winning two fouls.

The teenager starlet, who was dubbed a “Boy Wonder” on Premier Sports against Panathinaikos in July, has also shown glimpses of his exciting quality at the top end of the pitch this term, with three goals in 259 minutes of action.

Curtis, who scored off the bench against St Mirren in the Premiership in August, has not started a game for the first-team since he started both of the games against Panathinaikos in July, despite scoring two goals since then.

His lack of minutes, as a starter or off the bench, has been fairly surprising, particularly given Antman and the team’s general form, which is why now is the time for Rohl to finally unleash him from the start.

If the Scotland U21 international can get a run in the side and provide goal contributions on a regular basis for the Light Blues, the underperforming Antman would surely struggle to get back into the team given his lack of form this season.

Therefore, Curtis, who delivered four goals and three assists in eight B team matches at academy level, could be the player who ends the Finland international’s career at Ibrox, as the winger, who can play either flank, could snatch his place in the squad away from him.

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However, it is, firstly, down to the Rangers manager to provide the academy graduate with the platform that he needs to kick on and end Antman’s career at the club, starting with the league clash with Dundee United on Wednesday night because of Antman’s injury.

Venkat Sundaram has been named secretary

PTI17-Oct-2025

Shantha Rangaswamy was the first captain of India women•Annesha Ghosh/ESPNcricinfo

Former India women captain Shantha Rangaswamy has been elected president of the Indian Cricketers’ Association (ICA), and former Delhi men opener Venkat Sundaram named secretary.Sundaram had served as the ICA’s president since December 2024, when he was elected unopposed following the death of the former president Aunshuman Gaekwad.Deepak Jain is the treasurer, while the member representatives are Jyoti Thatte and Santhosh Subramoniam.The ICA board has nominated former India women captains Sudha Shah and Shubhangi Kulkarni as its representatives in the BCCI’s Apex Council and the IPL Governing Council.The male representative to the BCCI Apex Council is V Chamundeswara Nath from the Hyderabad Cricket Association.”This election marks a notable moment for the ICA, with two women now serving on the ICA Board, and for the first time, a female president and a female nominee to the IPL Governing Council – reflecting the Association’s commitment to inclusive representation and progressive leadership,” a release stated.

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe will be chewing on his pencil over the November international break as he works toward solutions that are so badly needed.

Fortunes have gone somewhat askew at St. James’ Park this season, with the club’s away form laying waste to Howe’s hopes of progress after a testing summer transfer window.

But it may be that the ramifications of that Alexander Isak-dominated summer are still being felt. However, tactically, things aren’t right, and the wider struggle of the summer market has led to the current issues which must be overcome if the Magpies hope to make it another positive campaign.

Where PIF have gone wrong in the transfer window

Newcastle have fallen by the wayside, but it’s hardly too late for them to pick themselves back up. But there’s no question that PIF have to learn from their recent transfer struggles, with those brilliant windows of Howe’s early reign something of a distant memory.

In 2024, Newcastle failed to sign a right-sided forward, a glaring gap in the squad. That has now been amended through the £55m addition of Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest, but Elanga has blanked across 16 matches for the club, and with concerns over his form, questions must be raised over the extensive scouting that led to his signature being obtained.

Interestingly, Nick Woltemade’s fine form at centre-forward has eased the Isak blow, and before the season, that would have been viewed as the biggest issue. Newcastle’s attacking problems stretch more toward the creative side, with Anthony Gordon joining Elanga in having failed to register a goal contribution in the Premier League this season.

For a team whose 97 big chances created were bettered only by Liverpool in 2023/24, this is a real concern. This year, United have only created 14 from 11 matches, placing them 12th for that statistic. Gordon and Elanga must be doing a lot more, with the recruitment having felt they had hit the jackpot when shaping this wide duo.

While Newcastle have added exciting talents to their ranks this summer, Malick Thiaw and Jacob Ramsey among those with plenty of scope for growth, this is frankly an ageing squad and one whose freshen-up needs to go a lot further.

Tactical issues this season have been suggestive of this, and considering the company Newcastle are keeping in regard to the average age of their starting 11, it wouldn’t be unfair to suggest that younger profiles are needed for balance and continuity.

Premier League 25/26 – Oldest Average Starting XIs
Team	Position	Av. Age
Everton	13th	28.0
Aston Villa	6th	27.9
Newcastle	14th	27.6
Fulham	15th	27.6
Burnley	17th	27.1
Data via Transfermarkt

The need for depth and quality on the defensive flanks is alarming. Kieran Trippier at right-back is 35 years old and out of contract at the end of the season, and Tino Livramento has been unfit at times and deployed as a makeshift left-back at others.

This is largely because of Lewis Hall’s own unavailability this season. But with the 22-year-old drawing strength and fitness once again, we are turned toward the situation of one of Howe’s mainstays.

The Newcastle star now on borrowed time

Newcastle comprise players of myriads shapes and sizes and skills. Some are renowned as being among the best in the world, but some are of a shrewder nature, like Dan Burn, who returned home from Brighton for around £12m at the start of the manager’s reign and has since become one of his mainstays.

After all, it is only the skipper, Bruno Guimaraes, who has featured more prominently for Howe’s Newcastle than him.

Howe’s Most-used Players at Newcastle
Rank	Player	Apps
1	Bruno Guimaraes	170
2	Dan Burn	165
3	Fabian Schar	163
4	Jacob Murphy	150
5	Joelinton	145
Data via Transfermarkt

The 32-year-old has done more than endear himself to the Toon fanbase since arriving, but he’s getting on a bit and has been guilty of some suspect performances at left-back this season.

Naturally a central defender, Burn ranks against Premier League full-backs this term among the bottom 6% for shot-creating actions, the bottom 29% for progressive passes and the bottom 4% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref.

In the first five matches of the season, he was in the centre. Six appearances since have seen the England international deployed as a left-back, and this is inhibiting Newcastle’s flow and overarching connectivity.

Quite simply, Burn is not a natural left-back, even though he has played ample football in the moonlit role. He is a centre-back. 6 foot 6 and cool and composed.

Hall is far more dynamic and energetic in his role, and this will not only widen and add a dimension to Newcastle’s backline, but it could revive the likes of Gordon up ahead.

The boy from Blyth has been a revelation at Newcastle, and, pound for pound, “one of Newcastle’s best signings” since Howe arrived, as has been said by reporter Andy Sixsmith. A small fee and an immortalising contribution at Wembley last season have made sure of that.

But Howe will be putting a spoke in his own wheel if he continues to persist with Burn on the flank, limiting his side’s progression and mobility and dynamism at the back.

With this in mind, the modern legend might find himself slipping into his obscurity over the coming months, and perhaps that will lead to a departure to make way for this new chapter on Tyneside.

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