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Going into the transfer window, Tottenham Hotspur had one clear objective under new boss Thomas Frank – improve the quality and depth across all areas of the pitch.

That was certainly achieved during the £100m+ spending spree, with the hierarchy completing a deal in the region of £55m for winger Mohammed Kudus.

Much was made around his transfer after joining from rivals West Ham United, but it’s safe to say the Ghanaian has already adhered himself to the supporters in North London.

The 25-year-old has already opened his account for the Lilywhites, scoring the winner in the last outing against Leeds United – subsequently adding to his tally of four assists in the Premier League.

However, Frank’s side could have looked a lot different had they completed a move for one of their other targets instead of landing Kudus during the off-season.

How close Spurs were to signing Mbeumo this summer

After appointing Frank from Brentford over the summer, there were always going to be rumours over which players he would bring with him – but one stuck out more than the rest in the form of Bryan Mbeumo.

The Cameroonian international scored 20 times in the Premier League last campaign, with such form making him one of the hottest properties during the recent transfer window.

At one stage, it appeared as though the Lilywhites had a genuine chance of landing the 26-year-old, even reportedly making an offer for his services after the Dane’s appointment.

The player himself spoke about the 51-year-old’s appointment, wishing him the best in North London, which only fuelled speculation over a potential switch to follow his former manager across the capital.

However, it wasn’t meant to be, as Manchester United completed a £71m transfer for Mbeumo, a figure that was way over the original offer that was supposedly made by the Lilywhites.

After joining the Red Devils, the Cameroonian claimed that he only had his heart set on a move to United during the summer – subsequently dismissing any interest in following Frank.

Missing out on his signature will no doubt have been a disappointment to the fanbase, but they shouldn’t have to worry, with one player already in their ranks already similar to Mbeumo.

The Spurs star who is Frank’s next Mbeumo

The return of Fabio Paratici this week will give the fanbase an added reason to be positive after their impressive start to the 2025/26 campaign under Frank’s guidance.

He spent a couple of years in the role between 2021 and 2023 before stepping down, but he’s now been brought back into the club to fill the Sporting Director role once again.

It will no doubt hand him the responsibility of recruiting new players to add to the Dane’s early success, whilst overseeing those who could be offloaded.

However, he’s already showcased his tremendous work within the transfer market, conducting phenomenal business to land Dejan Kulusevski from Juventus for just £25m.

The Swede would have been an unknown quantity to many in North London, but he’s made himself a fan-favourite with his incredible performances prior to his recent injury setback.

He registered 10 goals and 11 assists across all competitions last campaign – the best return of his career – and certainly playing a huge role in the club’s Europa League success.

Such is the level of his quality, he was labelled as a similar player to Mbeumo by FBref – a huge statement given the performances of the former Brentford star in 2024/25.

When comparing their respective stats during the same time period, the Lilywhites gem managed to outperform him in numerous key areas, with Kulusevski highlighting the quality he possesses when fit.

The former Juve star, who’s been dubbed “incredible” by Jay Harris, completed more progressive passes per 90 (4.7), subsequently registering more key passes per 90 (2.5).

Games played

32

38

Goals & assists

11

27

Progressive carries

4.5

3.4

Progressive passes

4.7

3.7

Pass accuracy

74%

66%

Key passes

2.5

1.8

Passes into final third

2.3

1.6

Take-ons completed

1.4

1.3

Carries into final third

2.5

1.8

Such figures highlight the creative nature the Swede possesses, with such a feature massively adding to Frank’s side when he returns from his latest injury.

He also completed more take-ons per 90 (1.4), whilst notching more carries into the final third per 90 (2.5) – highlighting his desire to transfer the ball into dangerous areas whenever possible.

There’s no denying that a deal for Mbeumo would have further strengthened the Spurs first-team squad, but ultimately it would have been a huge risk paying such a fee after one impressive season.

With Kulusevski, the club have one of the most underrated players in the division, with the forward able to take his career to the next level under Frank in the years ahead.

Perfect for Kudus: Paratici wants to sign "one of the best STs" for Spurs

Tottenham Hotspur could be about to land a new talisman thanks to Fabio Paratici.

ByEthan Lamb Oct 17, 2025

Bayern Munich have stepped up their pursuit of Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic, making contact with his representatives. Reports from Germany claim the 25-year-old is “very interested” in a move, with the Bundesliga champions exploring a potential free transfer next summer amid ongoing uncertainty over their striker options.

Bayern reignite Vlahovic pursuit

The Bavarians are once again eyeing Juve forward Vlahovic as part of their long-term striker plans, according to multiple reports in Germany. revealed that the Bundesliga champions have recently made contact with the 25-year-old’s camp, reviving interest that dates back to 2023. With Vlahovic’s contract in Turin set to expire in 2026, the Bavarians are monitoring the situation closely in hopes of landing him on a free transfer next summer. The Serbian, who joined Juve from Fiorentina for around €83 million (£71m/$91m) in 2022, has reportedly expressed keen interest in joining Bayern. Sporting director Max Eberl and technical chief Christoph Freund are said to view him as a potential attacking option, should the Englishman consider a move away from the Allianz Arena in the future, which is unclear and unlikely given the fact that Harry Kane has recently also denied such rumours.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMixed signals from Germany

While the report insists Bayern have initiated contact, offers a more cautious view. According to their report, Vlahovic is not currently a concrete target” for the Bavarians, who are in no rush to make a final decision. Instead, Bayern are said to be observing Nicolas Jackson’s progress after the Senegalese forward joined on loan from Chelsea in the summer as they hold an option to make the move permanent at the end of the season. 

Juventus open to offers for Vlahovic

Juve, meanwhile, appear prepared for life beyond Vlahovic as the striker’s contract runs until June 2026, and the Bianconeri are reportedly open to offers as early as the January transfer window. Reports from Italy claim that Manchester United and Chelsea remain in the “first row” for a potential move, but Bayern’s renewed interest could shift the dynamic. Vlahovic has made an impressive start to the 2025-26 campaign, scoring four goals and providing one assist across eight appearances in all competitions. His form has once again put him on the radar of Europe’s elite, with Juve likely to demand a massive sum if a January exit materialises.

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Getty Images SportWill Vlahovic be Harry Kane's replacement?

The speculation surrounding Vlahovic also ties into ongoing discussions about Kane’s future. Although the England captain has cooled rumours of a return to Tottenham, he has admitted that his long-term plans could depend on Bayern’s success this season. 

“I’m totally focused on Bayern,” Kane said recently. From a tactical perspective, Vlahovic shares many of Kane’s traits, strength, composure, and a diverse range of finishing both on the ground and in the air. His natural goal-scoring instincts and physical presence make him a stylistic fit for Bayern’s system, who prefers a traditional centre-forward capable of linking play and pressing aggressively, but if Kane stays, fixing him in the attack alongside the English hero and Jackson would become a challenge for Vincent Kompany.

Leeds United goalkeeper Karl Darlow made his first appearance of the season in the Premier League on Saturday because of Lucas Perri’s injury.

The Wales international made three saves, including one impressive stop from a free-kick, before Gabriel Gudmundsson found the top corner of his own net in the 94th minute.

Perri’s injury provided the former Newcastle United stopper with an opportunity to strut his stuff in the Premier League, but it also meant that Illan Meslier made the bench for the first time this season.

Why Illan Meslier is a Leeds outcast this season

The French goalkeeper has played 214 matches for the West Yorkshire outfit in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, and was the number one option in goal from the 2020/21 season until he was dropped near the end of last term.

Meslier let in 2.73 more goals than expected based on the xG of the shots against him in the Championship last season. He also made three errors that directly led to goals for the opposition.

His errors eventually convinced Daniel Farke to bring Darlow in as the number one for the last seven games, which helped the Whites to clinch the title.

Then, this summer, Leeds decided that Meslier was not good enough to be first or second choice in the Premier League, as evidenced by their move to sign Lucas Perri as the new number one with Darlow as his back-up.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The French goalkeeper is an outcast in the current squad, only to be called upon if both Perri and Darlow are unavailable, and that is because of his poor performances on the pitch last term.

Leeds have another star who may be on his way to becoming the next Meslier in Joel Piroe, who has had a difficult start to the Premier League season.

Why Joel Piroe could be the next Illan Meslier for Leeds

The Dutch striker, who signed from Swansea for a fee of £10m in the summer of 2023, was immense for the Whites in the Championship last term, scoring 19 goals in the division.

Piroe was the top scorer in the league, ahead of the likes of Borja Sainz and Josh Sargent, and an integral part of Farke’s team with the goal threat that he provided in the final third.

However, a concern heading into the Premier League season was that the left-footed centre-forward does not have the physical profile of a typical number nine in the division, as he tends to struggle out of possession.

Dribble success rate

31.8%

Bottom 27%

Successful dribbles

0.41

Bottom 35%

Fouls won

0.44

Bottom 9%

Duels won

2.24

Bottom 3%

Duel success rate

26.9%

Bottom 10%

Aerial duels won

0.90

Bottom 12%

Aerial duel success rate

21.4%

Bottom 17%

As you can see in the table above, the £40k-per-week striker ranked very poorly among his positional peers in the division in a host of physical and out-of-possession metrics.

Piroe was described as “anonymous” by reporter James Marshment back in February, which is what he can, unfortunately, be when Leeds do not have it all their own way with the ball, as they often will not in the Premier League.

The Dutch striker won 9% of his duels and failed to score a goal or create a ‘big chance’ for the team in the first two matches of the Premier League season, per Sofascore, before he was an unused substitute in the 0-0 draw with Newcastle and missed the loss to Fulham through injury.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha, who scored the club’s only league goal this season against Everton, were signed to compete with Piroe for his position up front in the summer transfer window.

Therefore, Piroe may well be in danger of becoming the next Meslier to be pushed out of the squad because of his lack of suitability for the Premier League, due to his physical attributes, and the signings that have been made in his position.

Leeds messed up selling James & Gnonto upgrade who'd solve Farke's big issues

A star sold by Leeds United last year would solve the club’s current attacking problems as an upgrade on Dan James and Wilfried Gnonto.

1 ByDan Emery Sep 15, 2025

As the hours continue to tick away on transfer deadline day, Leeds United are still searching for that one last addition of attacking spark and have made contact in pursuit of exactly that.

Leeds' deadline day plan

After a 1-0 victory against Everton, 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Arsenal and, most recently, solid 0-0 draw against Newcastle United, Leeds should be fairly happy with how they’ve started their Premier League return. But they must not get complacent. There’s still work to be done in the transfer market.

For all their good work to earn four points from a possible nine, it’s noticeable that they’ve managed just one goal whilst doing so and that came courtesy of Lukas Nmecha’s penalty on the opening day.

It’s an attacking problem that Daniel Farke pointed out before the season even got underway and one that, to their credit, the 49ers have been attempting to solve through targets such as Igor Paixao and Facundo Buonanotte. Ultimately, however, any potential deals for those targets have been hijacked by the likes of Marseille and Chelsea.

Even after those frustrating blows, though, Leeds are not giving up. Farke reiterated that they will be working until the window slams shut to welcome much-needed attacking quality, telling reporters: “In defence and midfield, goalkeeper position and full-back position, we’ve done really good business.

“But we spoke quite open and honest about it, we would need to add some more quality up front. We need to stay awake until the last hour of this window.”

The wait may well be worth it for Leeds fans if deadline day reports are anything to go by too, with the Whites preparing to step up their move to sign one particular star.

Leeds plotting last-gasp Spertsyan offer

As reported by Armenie Football, Leeds are now plotting a late offer to sign Eduard Spertsyan after already making their first approach and launching contact in an attempt to get the ball rolling.

Related James upgrade: Leeds are in late talks to seal "remarkable" £20m signing

Leeds United are reportedly in talks to sign a star who could be an upgrade on Dan James.

Posts 1 ByDan Emery Aug 31, 2025

The Krasnodar attacking midfielder would no doubt help solve Leeds’ problems going forward, and it could even be argued that he’d be a better arrival than the likes of Buonanotte.

Dubbed “underrated” by U23 scout Antonio Mango in 2023, Spertsyan has remained a player under the radar but could now get his chance to take the spotlight at Elland Road.

The Whites would also be signing a player who’s already been bang in form this season, with five goals and eight assists to his name in just 11 games.

Australian cricket is watching the ECB’s introduction of private investment into the Hundred with interest as the Big Bash League looks to “stay ahead of the game” following a successful 2024/25 season.Hobart Hurricanes’ maiden title, on the back of Mitchell Owen’s 39-ball century, put the seal on a campaign that demonstrated the BBL’s “strong momentum and growth”, the league’s general manager Alistair Dobson told ESPNcricinfo. It has given both him and Cricket Australia the chance to think to the future after spending multiple seasons in “reset mode”.After four seasons of the Hundred, the ECB is selling 49% stakes in each of its eight teams to private investors in a process that got underway on Thursday, leaving the BBL – which is owned and run entirely by CA and its states – as an outlier. Dobson declined to comment on whether the BBL will follow suit imminently, but remains open-minded about the league’s future.Related

• Swepson moves to Melbourne Stars on deadline day

• Melbourne Renegades sign Doggett, Jewell set to follow

• Higher honours, big pay day on the cards for Hurricanes hero

• London derby to launch fifth season of Hundred in August

“The BBL has been successful almost from the very beginning,” Dobson said. “It has been able to deliver a really strong product and return to Australian cricket, which has meant that the model we have has been really successful – hence why there has been limited momentum in changing that model historically, because it’s been so strong.”The world’s shifting, and we’re always looking at other leagues and other models around the world to make sure we still have the right one for us… Every part of the global game is evolving really quickly and we learn bits from everyone. The process that the ECB is going through with the Hundred looks like an interesting one – it’ll be fascinating to see how that unfolds.”Dobson travelled to the UK to watch several games of the Hundred’s 2023 season and has kept close tabs on the competition’s first four seasons. “We can and do learn from the Hundred around continuing to innovate, in the way that the Hundred was prepared to try something different,” he said. “We have plenty to learn from each other.”Both leagues have that philosophy of continuing to be fan-first. From the outside looking in, it appears that they’ve taken a lot of the BBL’s DNA – the colour, fun, new audiences, new brands – and have created a product that seems to have connected quite strongly with the fanbase, and is bringing new fans into the game.”The Hundred has changed the landscape of English cricket•ECB via Getty Images

CA’s decision to expand the BBL from 43 games to 59 (and later 61) from 2018/19 until 2022/23 brought several challenges, with attendances and TV viewership suffering. But since returning to a shorter window last season – squeezing into the school holidays – it has managed to hold its own through a “quality over quantity” approach, despite clashes with the ILT20 and SA20.”For the past three or four years, we’ve been building the competition back after some challenging years through Covid and otherwise,” Dobson said. “It’s not until the last 12 months where we’ve had the momentum to be able to look at the future… I wouldn’t comment on any specific opportunities, but the world’s moving pretty fast and it’s important that we stay ahead of the game.”The availability of the world’s best players – both from Australia and elsewhere – remains a sticking point for the BBL, with only three out of six overseas spots filled in Monday’s final and Test series against India and Sri Lanka at either end of the season. But Dobson believes that the player pool remains healthy, with competitive top-end salaries of AUD$420,000.”The global landscape is moving really fast,” he said. “We hear a lot from players that playing in front of big crowds in iconic stadiums with great wickets and facilities is still really important, so we feel like we’re in a good position on that front… The other leagues around our window have created some interesting challenges, we feel like we are in pretty good shape.”Guys like Chris Jordan for the Hurricanes and Sam Billings for the [Sydney] Thunder have become really engaged in their clubs. Combining that with the iconic players in our competition – whether that’s Glenn Maxwell, or increasingly Mitch Owen – and then when we get a glimpse of Steve Smith, or David Warner… our strength is the mix of all those player groups.”Owen earned worldwide attention in his breakthrough season – not only for his brutal hitting, but for his obvious affinity for the Hurricanes. He grew up supporting the club from the grass bank at Bellerive Oval in Hobart and described his starring role in their first trophy win, aged 23, as a “childhood dream”, underlining the BBL’s longevity compared to many T20 leagues.’You start to get kids coming through who grew up barracking for and supporting their BBL team, evolving from young fans into opening batters’•Getty Images

“It’s a great story for us,” Dobson said. “I mean that not just individually for Mitch and the Hurricanes, but also, it’s a really strong signpost for us on the maturity and evolution of our competition, where we now have kids that have grown up supporting their BBL team, and we’re old enough for those kids to see their way through to play – and win – for that team.”We see it in other codes around the world – whether that’s football or other sports – where you want to play for the team you grew up supporting… Once you get through 14 seasons, you start to get kids coming through who grew up barracking for and supporting their BBL team, evolving from young fans into opening batters. That’s a really cool place for us to be.”The BBL will again overlap with a major series next summer, with Australia’s Test players unlikely to be available until the second half of the season following the Ashes. And while the majority of boards now reserve a space for their short-form leagues in their international calendar, Dobson insisted that the BBL works best when it operates “in harmony” with headline Test series, allowing cricket to capitalise on its window in the Australian sporting calendar.”Test cricket is still the pinnacle for our fans and our players,” he said. “For the BBL to run alongside that with its own offering and its own strengths is still the right model for us… There’s always talk about whether the BBL and the Test season should be separated to allow more player availability, but there’s also an element where those two things can work in harmony to create a really strong offering.”

تمكن فريق ريال مدريد من تسجيل هدف أول في شباك نظيره فريق كيرات، في مباراتهما الجارية حاليًا في بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا، موسم 2025/26.

ويستضيف ملعب “ألماتي المركزي” مباراة فريقي ريال مدريد وكيرات، في خضم منافسات الجولة الثانية من دوري أبطال أوروبا، مرحلة الدوري (لمتابعة اللقاء من هنا).

ونجح ريال مدريد في تسجيل هدف أول في شباك كيرات العنيد، في الدقيقة 25 من عمر الشوط الأول.

جاء الهدف عن طريق النجم كيليان مبابي، بعدما تحصل ريال مدريد على ضربة جزاء نتيجة تدخل حارس مرمى كيرات ضد ماستانتونو، لينفذها الفرنسي بنجاح، ويحولها إلى هدف أول للفريق الملكي.

⚽️🥅 كيليان مبابي يفتتح التسجيل للنادي الملكي من ركلة جزاء#دوري_أبطال_أوروبا #UCL pic.twitter.com/WFZJclERCf — beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) September 30, 2025

كشف رودريجو جوس، نجم نادي ريال مدريد، حقيقة الأنباء التي ترددت عن رغبته في الرحيل عن صفوف الفريق الملكي خلال فترة الميركاتو الصيفي الأخير، والذي انتهى بنهاية الشهر الماضي.

رودريجو ارتبط طوال فترة الميركاتو الصيفي الأخير بالرحيل عن صفوف ريال مدريد، في ظل بقاء الدولي البرازيلي على مقاعد البدلاء في بداية هذا الموسم.

وبقى رودريجو كبديل خلال بطولة كأس العالم للأندية التي أقيمت في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية، حيث عول مدرب ريال مدريد، تشابي ألونسو، على خدمات فينيسيوس جونيور بشكل أساسي في مركز الجناح الأيسر.

اقرأ أيضًا .. ريال مدريد يعلن تفاصيل إصابة أرنولد أمام مارسيليا.. ومدة غيابه

وشارك رودريجو بشكل أساسي خلال مواجهة ريال مدريد أمام أوليمبيك مارسيليا يوم أمس الثلاثاء، ضمن دور المجموعات من دوري أبطال أوروبا ولعب بشكل متميز.

وساعد رودريجو ريال مدريد في الانتصار على مارسيليا 2-1 وتسبب في ركلة جزاء بالفعل.

وأشار رودريجو في تصريحات إلى شبكة “تي إن تي سبورتس”، إلى أنه لم يكن يفكر من الأساس في الرحيل عن صفوف ريال مدريد هذا الصيف.

وأكد رودريجو على سعادته بالتواجد مع ريال مدريد، حيث قال: “أنا معتاد على هذه الشائعات، كل عام يقولون إنني سأرحل وكل أسبوع كنت ألعب في فريق مختلف، مازحت والدي وقلت انظروا، هذا فريقي الجديد، كنت أعرف أنني أريد البقاء هنا وريال مدريد هو بيتي”.

رودريجو يرتبط بعقد مع ريال مدريد إلى نهاية موسم 2028، وقد ارتبط بالذهاب إلى بعض الأندية، أبرزها ليفربول وآرسنال وباريس سان جيرمان ومانشستر سيتي.

Glasgow Rangers, after agreeing a deal to sign Djeidi Gassama from Sheffield Wednesday, have now reportedly set their sights on bring yet another EFL player to Ibrox.

Rangers agree Ibrox deal to sign Gassama

The EFL is where it’s at as far as Rangers and Russell Martin are concerned this summer. The Gers have welcomed Thelo Aasgaard and Emmanuel Fernandez from the English Football League and have now reportedly agreed a deal to sign Gassama. Meanwhile, they’ve also welcomed two reinforcements from the Premier League in the form of Joe Rothwell and Max Aarons, rounding off quite the shopping spree in English football.

Like Aasgaard and Fernandez, Gassama represents solid business by all involved at Rangers and clearly falls under the category of player that Martin is keen to sign this summer.

The former Southampton manager recently had his say on potential arrivals, telling reporters: “The ones we think will be coming into the building in the next week or two, we’ll be so pleased with them and we still need some help.

“We also can’t be in a rush to get ones we’re not too sure about. When we do get them in, it will be down to a lot of very hard work, a lot of due diligence and we’ll make sure they are the right ones.”

Rangers agree deal to sign "fantastic" player as 49ers go into overdrive

The Gers are not messing about this summer…

By
Tom Cunningham

Jul 10, 2025

Alas, even after Gassama, those at Ibrox may not be done with their summer business. Reports are now suggesting that the 49ers Enterprises could return to the EFL yet again to sign another talented player ahead of next season.

Rangers eyeing move to sign Abu Kamara

According to Sky Sports, Rangers are now eyeing a move to sign Abu Kamara from Hull City this summer. The winger will be available at a cut-price amid the Tigers’ ongoing financial issues, allowing the Gers to take full advantage.

After scoring six goals and assisting a further four in all competitions last time out, Kamara is another player to keep an eye on. By joining Gassama in Scotland, the 21-year-old winger would be handing Martin two fresh options within his frontline and two young stars who are still so full of potential.

Championship stats 24/25 (via FBref)	Kamara	Gassama
Minutes	2,273	2,975
Goals	5	7
Assists	3	1
Successful Take-ons P90	0.79	1.99

Kamara has impressed everywhere he has featured and that includes during his time at Portsmouth. So much so that former teammate Conor Shaughnessy told reporters when asked about the winger last season: “Abu was brilliant for us, a really good player, talented and really grew into the season, getting stronger and stronger as he went on for us.

“Obviously, he got a good move off the back of it. Hull have had a difficult season, but it will be good to see him on Saturday. I’m sure he will be dangerous on the right wing for them.”

Hayley Matthews knows West Indies Women’s cricket has fallen off the pace in recent years but, as their captain, she isn’t afraid to do “double the work” of opposition sides to catch up.The 2016 T20 world champions are now ranked sixth, just two months out from the next edition of the tournament, but Matthews, who takes pride in leading her side by example, believes they are on the right track.”The reality of it is that we probably dropped behind a bit in the Caribbean,” Matthews tells ESPNcricinfo’s Powerplay podcast. “But it’s also something that Cricket West Indies have noticed and I do see them making and taking steps in order to get that growing again.”There’s so many programmes that are starting to form in the Caribbean. We have an academy team in the West Indies now and, within the islands, islands are starting to do their own thing.Related

• Powerplay podcast: Hayley Matthews on Wales, West Indies and World Cup plans

• Deandra Dottin ends international retirement ahead of women's T20 World Cup

“In Barbados, the Barbados Royals were able to just start a girls’ camp, which is really good, free of charge for every single girl who wants to come out in Barbados and just learn the game.”The most important thing is falling in love with the game. That’s what it was for me. I was able to grow up as a young girl just on cricket fields falling in love with the game and that fire still burns bright in me up to this day.”Matthews took over as West Indies captain in 2022 from Stafanie Taylor, who had held the post for seven years and led the side to T20 World Cup victory. Since winning that crown, West Indies have been on the decline, struggling to build depth amid a lack of resources.In 2021, CWI increased the number of women on retainer contracts by three to 18 and in 2022 introduced the Women’s Rising Stars Under-19s programme.In 2023, CWI launched the West Indies Women’s Academy and increased the senior team’s budget by USD500,000 so players could fly business class and be accommodated in single rooms for all international assignments, bringing their travel arrangements into line with the men’s team.While the central contracts and improved travel conditions can bring almost immediate benefits, the U19 and academy programmes will take longer.In the meantime, Matthews is determined to continue inspiring her team off and on the field.Not only is she a regular on the international franchise circuit – she was leading wicket-taker in the inaugural WPL in 2023 when her Mumbai Indians side won the title and is currently enjoying her fourth year with Women’s Hundred side Welsh Fire – but she also has a breath-taking record for West Indies over the past 18 months.Last year in Australia, she smashed 132 off just 64 balls as West Indies chased down 212 to win the second of three T20Is between the sides. She also scored 99 not out and 79 and took five wickets in the series, including 3 for 36 in that second game.This year, she scored three half-centuries as West Indies won their series in Pakistan 4-1 and two centuries in a 3-0 ODI sweep during the same tour. She was also Player of the Series in a 2-1 T20I victory in Sri Lanka.”One thing I learned from a player like Stafanie Taylor with her captaincy is the way she was able to go out and set an example on the field,” Matthews says. “She played a massive role in every big performance that we had and she led by example, scoring runs, taking wickets.”I’ve tried to emulate that part of it and just being at the front of the team and setting an example on the field specifically, but off the field as well, creating a culture where we can all be one, we all have one goal that we want to go towards.”At the same time upholding standards as well, upholding professionalism and just holding each other accountable and understanding that at the end of the day we probably are behind the rest of the world and understand that to catch up as well, we need to be doing double the work.”Hayley Matthews on song again•PCB

With that last line in mind, Matthews strikes a balance between being optimistic and realistic when it comes to ambitions for her team at the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in October, where West Indies are in Group B with England, South Africa, Bangladesh and Scotland.”We’re going in as underdogs again and there’s no doubt about that.” Matthews says. “I think we’re in a pretty good group at the moment looking at the two of them, but look, we obviously do want to get out of that group stage and it would be great to win.”One thing we could be looking at is the fact that a T20 game can be won through a performance and it only takes one really big one on a day. We saw that when we went to Australia. No one, probably ourselves, would’ve ever thought that we’d be going down there and chasing 212 to win a match.”That puts us in pretty good spirits going into a T20 World Cup knowing that if one of us or two of us can bring our A game each day, we can probably do a lot of damage.”Another player capable of turning a match single-handedly is Deandra Dottin, who last week reversed her international retirement following an acrimonious departure in 2022 citing reservations about the team environment. It remains unclear whether she will be in line for T20 World Cup selection but the timing of her announcement is notable.”With Deandra, one thing I can say for sure is she is someone who, when she steps onto the field, she is going to give 100 percent every single time,” Matthews says. “It’s quite fresh news for us, this has only come about over the last few days or so.”I want to have discussions with her and with the team as well. Obviously that’s really important and I think that’s the most important thing for us right now. Until I’ve had those conversations I probably prefer not to make any more comments.”But look, she’s someone who’s always going to be able to be there to give a hundred percent on the field no matter what and I think that’s something that would definitely be wanted in any team.”

Leeds United have now made an initial approach to sign a £17m midfielder, with talks over personal terms currently ongoing, according to Sky Sports reporter Sacha Tavolieri.

Leeds eyeing attacking midfielder amid doubts over Aaronson

It is clear that Leeds want to bring in at least one new central midfielder this summer, having now made offers for both Strasbourg’s Habib Diarra and Besiktas’ Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and the 49ers were willing to bet heavily on the former, submitting a £22m bid.

The eagerness to strengthen in the engine room comes amid Paul Robinson’s suggestion that one of Daniel Farke’s midfielders may not be good enough to make the step-up to the top flight: “Leeds are going to have to replace players.

“They came out of the Premier League with a similar squad, and players in that squad weren’t good enough. To mention two: Brenden Aaronson and Junior Firpo weren’t good enough for the Premier League.”

Aaronson regularly featured in an attacking midfield role last season, but it now appears as though the Whites are keen to bring in another number 10, who could be capable of pushing for the American’s starting spot.

According to Tavolieri (via Sport Witness), Leeds have now made an initial approach to sign RSC Anderlecht’s Mario Stroeykens, who could be available for around €20m (£17m) this summer, as per reports from elsewhere.

Sky Sports: Leeds now make approach for £17m striker who's keen on PL move

The Whites have made contact to sign a 25-year-old, with bringing in a new striker now a priority.

1 ByDominic Lund Jun 10, 2025

Farke’s side are yet to make an offer for Stroeykens, but talks over personal terms are currently ongoing, so there is serious interest on their behalf, although there may be competition from soon-to-be Premier League rivals West Ham United.

With the attacking midfielder’s contract set to expire in 2026, the Belgian side may be forced to cash-in this summer, as they will be eager to avoid losing him on a free transfer, potentially opening the door for a move to Elland Road.

"Absolute hero" Stroeykens impressing in Belgium

The Anderlecht youngster is still only 20-years-old, but he has been impressing in the Jupiler Pro League for quite some time, with scout Jacek Kulig singling the starlet out for praise after scoring two goals as a substitute.

Since then, the Belgian has managed to kick on, collecting five goals and seven assists for Anderlecht in all competitions last season, featuring regularly as his side went on to finish in fourth place.

Stroeykens is yet to prove himself in a major European league, which may be a cause for some concern, but he is still very young, and the maestro’s performances in Belgium suggest he could soon be capable of pushing for Aaronson’s starting spot.