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The transfer window doesn't officially open until Friday, but that hasn't stopped clubs from getting to work on deals beforehand, and Tottenham Hotspur are no different.

Daniel Levy and Co clearly recognise the need to provide Ange Postecoglou with a new clinical number nine if the team are to climb back into the Champions League places next season, and based on recent reports, it looks like they might have found just the player.

However, while it's good news for the Australian and fans, it may well spell the end of the road for Richarlison in N17.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from Spain (via TEAMtalk), Tottenham Hotspur are incredibly interested in signing Sevilla's star striker Youssef En-Nesyri this summer, and have already made an offer the player is 'ready to say yes to.'

Alongside the Lilywhites, the report claims there is interest from the Saudi Pro League and Manchester United are preparing an offer of their own in the coming days.

The Spanish giants are said to want at least €20m – £17m – for their reliable marksman, which, if true, could make him one of the best value-for-money signings this summer.

While the interest from other sides is far from ideal, the low asking price and revelation that En-Nesyri is eager to join Spurs means Levy and Co need to dot the i's and cross the t's as soon as possible on this deal, even if his arrival sees Richarlison's gametime dramatically shrink.

How En-Nesyri compares to Richarlison

So, with En-Nesyri potentially moving to the Tottenham Hotspur stadium in the coming weeks, how does he stack up to Richarlison? Does his record in Spain suggest he'd waltz into the lineup and relegate the Brazilian to the bench?

In short, yes, yes, it does.

For example, over the last two seasons, the "pure goalscorer," as talent scout Jacek Kulig has dubbed him, has scored 38 goals and provided four assists in 89 games, meaning he's averaged a goal involvement every 2.11 games for two years straight.

In comparison, the former Toffees ace has scored 15 goals and provided eight assists in 66 games across the same period, which equates to a goal involvement on average every 2.8 games.

However, it's not just his goalscoring that would make the Fès-born marksman the ideal upgrade; it's also his availability, which is, of course, the best ability.

Over the last two seasons, he has missed just three games through injury. Even if you go back to the start of the 2018/19 campaign, he's still missed just 27 games, and 16 of those were due to one muscle injury.

On the other hand, the Nova Venécia-born forward has missed 21 games through injury in the previous two campaigns alone and a whopping 41 matches since the start of the 18/19 season.

Spurs keen on signing "monumental" £27m Porro upgrade

The incredible right-back could be a game-changer for Postecoglou.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jun 12, 2024

Ultimately, while Richarlison has been better this year, he's still not been overly convincing during his time in North London and if Postecoglou is going to take the team back to the very top, then he's going to need a reliable goalscorer, which is exactly what En-Nesyri is.

في كل مباراة يخوضها النجم المصري محمد صلاح، يستهدف رقما قياسيا جديدا، سواء لمعادلته أو تحطيمه، أو تحقيق رقم لم يحقق من قبل.

محمد صلاح ساهم في أهداف هذا الموسم بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز أكثر من أي لاعب آخر، وخلال 28 مباراة، سجل 25 هدفًا وصنع 17، ويقترب صاحب الـ32 عامًا من استعادة جائزة الحذاء الذهبي.

وعلى مدار الموسم الرائع الذي قدمه صلاح، نجح النجم المصري في التسجيل في مرمى 17 فريقًا في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز حتى الآن.

عجز محمد صلاح عن التسجيل في مرمى فريقين فقط، وهما فولهام وكريستال بالاس، ولذلك إذا سجل في مرمى أي من الثنائي اللندني، سيحطم رقما قياسيا، عادل من خلاله سابقًا فان بيرسي وشيرار وآندي كول.

طالع أيضًا.. ماركا تحدد مركز محمد صلاح في سباق الكرة الذهبية 2025

وكان فان بيرسي قد سجل في مرمى 17 فريقًا خلال موسم 2011-2012 قبل الانتقال إلى مانشستر يونايتد، وهز شباك الخصوم 30 مرة بقميص آرسنالأ.

بينما آلان شيرر، فقد فعل ذلك في 1994-1995، وحقق الرقم مع بلاكبيرن بتسجيله 34 هدفًا خلال 42 مباراة خاضها، ولكنه لم يتخطى الـ17 فريقًا، رغم أن حينها كان الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز يمتلك 22 فريقًا وليس 20.

أول من وصل لهذا الرقم، وسجل في مرمى 17 فريقًا، كان آندي كول نجم مانشستر يونايتد السابق، خلال تسجيله 34 هدفًا في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز موسم 1993-1994.

محمد صلاح هو أحدث لاعب يفعل ذلك، فقد سجل في 17 فريقًا خلال موسمه الأول مع ليفربول 2017-2018، وكرر الأمر هذا الموسم 2024-2025.

الآن يسعى محمد صلاح للتسجيل ضد فولهام وكريستال بالاس، ليكون أول مهاجم في تاريخ الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز يسجل أمام جميع الفرق التي يواجهها.

في موسم 2017-2018، محمد صلاح لم يسجل في مرمى مانشستر يونايتد ذهابًا وإيابًا، كما هو الحال لـ سوانزي سيتي في ذلك الموسم.

بينما في مواجهتي فولهام وكريستال بالاس هذا الموسم بالدور الأول، لم يسجل محمد صلاح في مرمى الثنائي اللندني.

مواجهة كريستال بالاس القادمة لـ ليفربول ستكون يوم 25 مارس الجاري، بينما سيلاقي الريدز نظيره فولهام، يوم 6 أبريل المقبل.

MatériaMais Notícias

da bet7： Faustino Asprilla, Freddy Rincón, Pablo Armero, Yerry Mina e até Harold Lozano. Em sua apresentação oficial no Palmeiras, na tarde desta quinta-feira (13), o volante Eduard Atuesta mostrou que quer continuar o legado de outros conterrâneos no Verdão. E, para isso, é direto em sua colocação que veio ao clube alviverde em busca do título do Mundial de Clubes, competição prioritária da equipe no primeiro semestre, que será disputada em fevereiro, nos Emirados Árabes Unidos.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasApresentado, Atuesta revela ter recebido vídeos para estudar como joga o time do PalmeirasPalmeiras13/01/2022PalmeirasAtuesta exalta Veiga e promete ‘carregar piano’ para estrelas brilharem no PalmeirasPalmeiras13/01/2022PalmeirasMundial, reforços do Palmeiras, camisa 9… Mancha Verde detalha reunião com Leila PereiraPalmeiras13/01/2022

da bet7：
– Conheço a história do Palmeiras e de vários jogadores colombianos importantes para nosso país que passaram por aqui e sempre foram um orgulho para nós. É muito bonito saber que os colombianos que foram nossos ídolos abriram as portas para a gente poder jogar aqui.

Rincón é o nome mais famoso no Brasil na lista dada pelo novo camisa 20 palmeirense. Trazido ao país pelo Verdão em 1994, foi vendido à Europa e trazido de volta ao clube um ano e meio depois. Acabou fazendo carreira no futebol brasileiro atuando por Corinthians, Santos e Cruzeiro e treinando diversas equipes pequenas em divisões de acesso.

Ídolos recentes, Mina e Armero ainda estão vivos nas lembranças palestrinas. Lozano é o mais obscuro, chegando ao Verdão em 1995 e indo embora no mesmo ano sem deixar saudades.

Um dos maiores nomes do futebol colombiano, Asprilla chegou ao Palmeiras em 1999 com a mesma missão de Atuesta: ganhar um Mundial. Diferente da ocasião, quando o clube acabou perdendo a decisão para os ingleses do Manchester United, desta vez o reforço contratado junto ao Los Angeles FC mostra otimismo em voltar de Abu Dhabi com o troféu.

– Vejo essa oportunidade no Palmeiras como uma escalada em minha carreira, uma oportunidade para fazer história, para crescer como jogador, para jogarmos muito bem e colocar esse campeonato em nosso escudo, para a nossa gente. É uma grande oportunidade em minha carreira. E espero aproveitar.

E depois de ver as partidas que levaram o Palmeiras às duas conquistas seguidas da Copa Libertadores, o volante diz que o mais difícil já foi alcançado. É hora de saltos maiores.

– Manter a equipe campeã era o mais difícil. mas agora estamos lá em cima. É hora de encontrar um pico ainda maior. E esse pico é o Mundial de Clubes.

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> Veja classificação e simulador do Paulistão-2022 clicando aqui

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They might not have got the win, but Sunday evening’s game against Arsenal was a success for Chelsea.

Enzo Maresca’s side utterly outplayed the Premier League leaders in the first half, and despite losing Moises Caicedo for over half the match, came away with a point.

There were sensational performances across the pitch from the hosts, with the most impressive undoubtedly being Reece James’.

The club captain has been unreal all season for Chelsea, and now it looks like Cobham could already be brewing his heir.

James' performance against Arsenal

Now, James putting in a strong performance for Chelsea is really nothing new; he is the captain after all.

However, against Arsenal, the Englishman truly stepped it up to a whole other level and did so from the middle of the park, not right-back.

In a game that was billed as a midfield showdown between Caicedo and Declan Rice, it was the full-back who came out as comfortably the best player on the whole pitch, let alone the middle of it.

That might sound hyperbolic, but his man-of-the-match award would suggest otherwise.

On top of doing all the defensive work you would expect of him, the “gargantuan” presence, as dubbed by presenter Olivia Buzaglo, was a serious attacking threat and provided the assist for his side’s opener.

Moreover, he completed three of his four crosses, played two key passes, was successful in 100% of his dribbles and generally didn’t let up for the entire encounter.

In all, it was perhaps one of James’ best performances in a Chelsea shirt and a shining example of why so many people rate him so highly.

Therefore, fans should be ecstatic about the fact that Cobham may already be producing another version of the international monster.

Chelsea's next James

When it comes to producing top-quality Premier League talent, few academies can match Chelsea’s Cobham.

In The Pipeline

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

As always seems to be the case, there is another cohort of incredible youngsters coming up at the moment, like Reggie Watson and Shim Mhueka.

However, there is another, perhaps slightly lesser-known prospect fans should start taking more notice of, someone who could be the next James: Lewi Richards.

The 17-year-old has been with the Blues since the under-8s level and became a scholar at the start of the season.

However, the youngster has made such an impression this year that he put pen to paper on his first professional paper just a couple of months later, at the end of October.

With that said, what makes him like James?

Well, the first thing is that, like the club captain, he has shown an impressive level of positional versatility, playing at right-back, left-back and centre-back for the u18 and u21 sides.

Right-Back

9

3

0

Centre-Back

5

0

1

Left-Back

2

0

0

Moreover, he even spent time playing in the middle of the park when he was playing for the lower levels of the academy.

On top of this ability to be deployed all over the pitch, the teen phenom has already shown an ability to marry technical quality with physicality.

For example, respected analyst-turned-Como scout Felix Johnston has described him as a “technically strong” prospect who is “monstrous in the tackle” as well as “fearless in the air” and blessed with “bags of pace.”

Ultimately, Richards still has plenty of development to do, but he looks to be an extraordinary academy prospect and one whose versatility, technical ability, and power mean he could be another James in a few years.

Man Utd lining up January move for "powerful" £53m Liverpool & Chelsea target

The Red Devils are looking to sign a 22-year-old, who is being targeted by some of the Premier League’s biggest clubs.

ByDominic Lund Dec 2, 2025

Big picture

Eoin Morgan is in his first season as full-time captain of an IPL team. When he takes the field on Sunday in Chennai, he will not just square off against David Warner’s Sunrisers Hyderabad, but also against Trevor Bayliss, a close confidante who helped Morgan plot England’s white-ball renaissance, which culminated in their 2019 World Cup win. Not to forget, Bayliss was the Knight Riders’ coach between 2012 and 2015, when they won the IPL twice, before joining the Sunrisers.The Kolkata Knight Riders haven’t made the playoffs since 2018; their quest for the title stretches even further back to 2014. While many others would have chopped and changed, the core of the Knight Riders is still the same. Sunil Narine and Andre Russell are still as big, if not bigger, as the newer signings like Pat Cummins or Shakib Al Hasan, who has been brought back by the franchise after being part of two title wins in 2012 and 2014. Dinesh Karthik continues to be a key finisher, while they have Shubman Gill as potential retention material going forward.Related

• T Natarajan: 'If I make an error, I back myself to come back with the yorker'

• KKR depend on new-look spin attack, old death-overs smarts

• An IPL cloaked in a bubble of uncertainty

Among the few teams to conduct yearlong camps, the Knight Riders have a well-oiled Indian group of players, both in batting and in bowling. Kamlesh Nagarkoti was injured for two successive seasons, but has been persisted with. Shivam Mavi has also been retained despite a history of injuries. Their latest project is Varun Chakravarthy, the mystery spinner who broke into the Indian team based on his IPL 2020 performances, but has been let down by fitness issues. Can he build on his previous season?Over the last two seasons, the Knight Riders have somewhat been let down by their own strengths – the fluidity of the batting line-up has led to a hint of confusion. The three finishers in Morgan, Karthik and Russell have been shuffled around in the order. Maybe a bit more stability is the key for the team.The Sunrisers are among the more industrious sides, one that bank on collective work. Warner has empowered individuals, given the youngsters a long rope, and has been patient in developing a solid group of players, who’ve all thrived under his leadership. T Natarajan and Sandeep Sharma are prime examples.3:28

Are Sunrisers Hyderabad stronger than last season?

They will be boosted by Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s return and Wriddhiman Saha’s emergence as a T20 opener. They also have two hungry individuals in Manish Pandey and Vijay Shankar, keen to prove a point after overcoming injuries in order to regain their berth in the national squad.Jonny Bairstow is in fine form, while they can also turn to the ever-reliable Kane Williamson if needed. Throw in the threat a Rashid Khan possesses and it makes for a heady cocktail that can trip up any opponent on a given day. The young group of Abdul Samad, Priyam Garg and Abhishek Sharma add to their batting riches.There are no clear favourites for this one. Just the promise of two solid teams, with very different philosophies and approaches, going head to head with the aim of starting on the right foot.

In the news

The match will test Warner’s fitness. Last month, Warner conceded that he had rushed back during the Test series against India following the groin injury he had suffered during the ODIs in December. Warner made himself available for the last two Tests in Sydney and Brisbane, when he was clearly still hampered by the injury. Another lengthy rehab was followed by an outing for New South Wales before he got on the plane to India for the IPL.This also marks Shakib’s return to the IPL, and to the Knight Riders. Last season, he was far away from the action as he was serving an ICC ban, and he starts out this time – if he gets in the XI – against the team he was with till before the suspension. His presence in the IPL this time hasn’t been uneventful either, as he opted for the Knight Riders gig over matches for Bangladesh, and the process was not without confusion.2:25

Will Andre Russell have a big season for KKR?

Likely XIs

Kolkata Knight Riders: 1 Shubman Gill, 2 Rahul Tripathi/Venkatesh Iyer, 3 Nitish Rana, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 6 Andre Russell, 7 Sunil Narine/Shakib Al Hasan, 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Shivam Mavi/Harbhajan Singh, 10 Prasidh Krishna, 11 Varun Chakravarthy Sunrisers Hyderabad:1 David Warner (capt), 2 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 3 Manish Pandey, 4 Kane Williamson, 5 Vijay Shankar/Abhishek Sharma, 6 Kedar Jadhav, 7 Abdul Samad, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Sandeep Sharma, 11 T Natarajan

Strategy punt

Harbhajan Singh has played much of his IPL cricket recently at Chepauk for the Chennai Super Kings. Friday’s opener at the venue threw up a slow black-soil-based surface that gripped and spun. Singh had been used regularly with the new ball by MS Dhoni, particularly against the left-handers. With Warner likely to open, there’s a case for Morgan to turn to Harbhajan with the new ball too. There’s good reason, too. The senior offspinner has dismissed Warner four times in the IPL.At IPL 2020, Warner struck at 133 in the powerplay, considerably slower than his overall record. While there may be a temptation to play Saha, who enhanced his reputation as an opener in IPL 2020, it could potentially be advantageous to open with the in-form Bairstow. The England wicketkeeper has struck for the Sunrisers at 142, and he’s in red-hot form too, having just been named Player of the Series during the ODI series against India.

Stats that matter

Manchester United and Bayern Munich have reportedly locked horns in a battle to sign Liga de Quito’s 16-year-old sensation Ederson Castillo. The midfielder has attracted serious interest from the European heavyweights after dazzling displays at youth level, though they face stiff competition from Atlético de Madrid and Anderlecht who are also tracking his progress.

• European giants circle Ecuadorian wonderkid

  According to reports emanating from and , the teenage midfielder has become the primary target for a host of Europe's most prestigious clubs. Castillo, who is currently plying his trade with Liga de Quito (LDU), has seen his stock rise meteorically following a breakthrough campaign with the youth sides.

  Despite being just 16 years of age, he was an instrumental figure in LDU’s recent triumph in the Ecuadorian U-19 tournament. His performances were marked by a maturity that belies his years, prompting the club’s hierarchy to invite him to train with the senior squad on multiple occasions. Reports indicate that both United and Bayern have moved to the front of the queue, registering concrete interest in the player as they look to secure his services before his valuation skyrockets. The battle for his signature is expected to be fierce, with European scouts now a regular presence at LDU's Pomasqui training complex, analysing every touch and pass the youngster makes as they prepare their final reports for club directors back in Manchester and Munich.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  United and Bayern face stiff competition

  While the financial might of United and Bayern often clears the field, this transfer battle is far from a two-horse race. Atlético de Madrid are reportedly monitoring Castillo closely. The Spanish giants, led by Diego Simeone, have a long history of success with South American players who possess the requisite grit and technical quality. 

  Furthermore, Belgian outfit Anderlecht are firmly in the mix. While they cannot compete financially with the likes of United or Bayern, they offer a compelling sporting project: a proven pathway to first-team football in a development-friendly league. Anderlecht have already successfully recruited from Liga de Quito in the recent past, signing Nilson Angulo, which could give them a unique advantage in negotiations. The Belgian route is often seen as a smarter intermediate step for South American talents before making the jump to the Premier League or Bundesliga, allowing them to adapt to the European game away from the blinding spotlight of the very top tier.

• Ecuador's golden generation spurs interest

  This developing transfer saga is emblematic of a wider shift in the transfer market. Ecuador has rapidly established itself as the new "gold mine" for elite talent in South America. The unprecedented success of players like Moises Caicedo, Piero Hincapie, and Pervis Estupinan in Europe’s top five leagues has convinced top clubs that the region is producing "best-in-class" athletes who can adapt physically and technically to the rigours of European football.

  For United, a move for Castillo would be entirely consistent with the club’s revamped recruitment strategy under their new sporting structure. The Red Devils are keen to move away from paying exorbitant fees for established stars, focusing instead on identifying high-ceiling teenagers. Bayern share this philosophy, with their "Bayern Campus" project designed to integrate top international talents into the first team at a young age. Both clubs are desperate to find the "next Caicedo" at source, rather than paying a British record fee for him years later as Chelsea did.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  FIFA regulations delay potential move

  Despite the intense speculation, any potential deal for Castillo comes with a significant logistical caveat: FIFA’s regulations on the international transfer of minors. Under current rules, Castillo cannot officially register and play for a European club until he turns 18. This means that any agreement reached in the coming months would likely mirror the structure of Chelsea’s high-profile deal for Kendry Paez, who is now on loan at Strasbourg.

  The fellow Ecuadorian wonderkid agreed to join the Blues at 15 but remained at Independiente del Valle to continue his development until he was old enough to move in June this year. For Castillo, a similar "pre-contract" arrangement is the most likely outcome. He would theoretically sign for a European giant but remain on loan at LDU for the next two years. This period would allow him to gain vital experience in the Ecuadorian Serie A and potentially the Copa Libertadores before crossing the Atlantic, ensuring he arrives in Europe ready to compete for a first-team place immediately. 

Fast bowler Henry picked up a six-for in his most-recent first-class outing for New Zealand A

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Jan-2021A year after he last represented New Zealand, Matt Henry could add to his 12 Test appearances after being called up for the second Test against Pakistan in Christchurch starting January 3. Henry replaces Neil Wagner, who is recovering from “undisplayed fractures in both the fourth and fifth toes of his right foot”.Wagner sustained the injury during New Zealand’s tense opening win in Mount Maunganui, where he bowled 49 overs across two innings and picked up four wickets in the match. His recovery is expected to take six weeks.”Matt has been in good form with the ball having recently taken 6 for 53 for New Zealand A against the Pakistan Shaheens (A side) in December,” said New Zealand head coach Gary Stead.”We’re still a couple of days out from the Test, so need to take a look at the surface while also assessing our options for best-possible team make-up.”Henry has been in good form in general. He’s so far picked up seven wickets in four games for Canterbury in the Ford Trophy. He has picked up four wickets in his lone Plunket Shield outing so far this season.”It’s good to be able to get some overs in the legs,” Henry said. “I’d been playing white-ball cricket with Canterbury, so to get into red-ball mode and have personal success [against Pakistan Shaheens] is great. I think just playing cricket after all that has happened [covid-19 pandemic] is great. [Hagley Oval] is a great venue and I’m lucky enough to call it home.”A series win over Pakistan will make New Zealand the No. 1 Test team for the very first time.Squad for second Test: Kane Williamson (capt), Tom Blundell, Trent Boult, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, BJ Watling (wk), Will Young

West Ham abruptly sacked Graham Potter on Saturday morning, ending his uninspired nine-month spell in charge, with Nuno Espírito Santo set to replace him.

Nuno Espírito Santo agrees deal to join West Ham

After talks with chairman David Sullivan and Karren Brady earlier this week (ExWHUemployee), and despite some uncertainty surrounding the finances of his contract (Sports Boom), Nuno has now agreed a multi-year deal to join West Ham.

When Potter told his players the news that he’s no longer West Ham boss, it left members of his squad “shocked”, but Nuno is expected to immediately step into the tactician’s shoes by taking charge of training this afternoon.

Potter leaves West Ham after 25 games in charge, having recorded the club’s second-worst win percentage during his time in the hot seat, behind only Avram Grant who relegated the Hammers in 2011.

A formal announcement is expected in the coming hours, with West Ham managing to navigate the finances of a deal for Nuno to deliver the club’s third manager in just 12 months.

West Ham’s managerial shortlist also included the likes of Slaven Bilic, Scott Parker, Marco Silva, Sean Dyche, Frank Lampard and Michael Carrick, but Nuno was always in pole position for the job after his excellent work at Nottingham Forest.

During his time at the City Ground, Nuno steered Forest away from relegation at the end of 2023/2024 to qualification for the Europa League last season, all whilst shoring up their leaky backline, establishing a clear counter-attacking identity and getting the very best out of their squad.

This, combined with his free agent status, understandably appealed to the West Ham hierarchy — but Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson believes that the tactician himself is only taking this job for one worrying reason.

Paul Merson reacts after West Ham appoint Nuno Espírito Santo

Speaking on Sky, in reaction to the news of his appointment, Merson says that Nuno has agreed to replace Potter at West Ham out of “panic”.

The 51-year-old’s eagerness to get straight back into management was reported before his arrival, and Nuno’s priority was always to remain in the Premier League (Sports Boom).

It perhaps speaks volumes about his character and work ethic, which, if anything, is a very good sign for West Ham as the east Londoners seek to end what has been a disastrous 2025 on a high.

While Nuno’s style isn’t exactly the ‘West Ham way’, their defensive fragility and exposure to set pieces is something that Nuno has a proven track record of fixing at previous clubs like Forest and Wolves.

His spell in the Middle East at Al-Ittihad yielded a Saudi Pro League title as well, so he boasts some trophy-winning experience, even if Nuno was sacked just months later.

The ex-FC Porto boss’ appointment is a very intriguing one, but it is clear that, of all the managers readily available, Nuno was perhaps the most obvious choice given his proven Premier League experience.

The MI-LSG deal will be the third trade that Thakur has been involved in over the years

Nagraj Gollapudi13-Nov-202511:57

Is time running out for Mayank Yadav at LSG?

India allrounder Shardul Thakur and West Indies’ Sherfane Rutherford have joined Mumbai Indians (MI) in the trading window ahead of IPL 2026.ESPNcricinfo has learned that MI reached an in-principle agreement with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to get Thakur via an all-cash trade deal, for INR 2 crore. MI acquired Rutherford from Gujarat Titans (GT) for INR 2.6 crore, the same amount for which GT bought him in the last auction.Thakur could now become a quiz question as this is the third trade involving him in the IPL; in 2017, Rising Pune Supergiant had bought him from Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings), and before the 2023 season Kolkata Knight Riders procured him from Delhi Capitals. Both those trades were also all-cash deals.Thakur, who had gone unsold at the 2025 mega auction and was to join Essex in the County Championship, was picked by LSG as a replacement for Mohsin Khan at his base price of INR 2 crore. It seemed like a good investment on the part of LSG’s mentor at the time, Zaheer Khan, as he took six wickets in his first two matches in IPL 2025. Thakur, however, struggled after that, playing only ten matches and taking 13 wickets with an economy rate of 11.02.The move to MI is a homecoming of sorts for Thakur. He was a support bowler for MI from 2010-12 and was also appointed Mumbai captain in domestic cricket for this season.Rutherford is now headed to his fourth IPL side, after representing Delhi Capitals (2019), RCB (2022) and GT last season. He was also part of the MI squad in 2020 and KKR in 2024, but didn’t get a game in those seasons. He had played 13 games for GT earlier this season, for 291 runs at an average of 32.22 and strike rate of 157.29.MI set to release Arjun Tendulkar to LSGMI and LSG have also agreed on a separate trade deal involving Arjun Tendulkar, who has been playing for MI since IPL 2023. It is learnt the left-arm fast bowler, who was bought by MI for INR 30 lakh last year, has been traded to LSG. It is also learnt that MI have decided to release Tendulkar so he could possibly get more playing opportunities at LSG.Tendulkar was first bought by MI in the 2021 auction for INR 20 lakh and made his debut in the 2023 edition, when he went on to play four matches in the league. Overall, he has featured in five IPL games for three wickets at an economy rate of 9.36. In the domestic circuit he started with his T20 debut for Mumbai in early 2021 before moving to Goa before the 2022-23 season, when he made his first-class and one-day debuts.

A “sensational” £100m midfielder has now emerged as Manchester United’s top midfield target ahead of Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba, with Ruben Amorim personally keen.

Man Utd keen on new midfielder amid Bruno concerns

Amorim has been forced to find a way to fit talisman Bruno Fernandes into his system, but there are concerns about whether the Portugal international is suited to playing in central midfield, with ex-Chelsea man Craig Burley criticising his positional awareness.

Burley said: “They have got no legs in midfield, we’ve talked about this with Casemiro and Ugarte. Bruno Fernandes is playing there, but it’s not his position.

“He doesn’t understand the defensive aspects and the positional aspects of being a deeper-lying midfielder. And it also negates, which we’ve talked about at length, his ability to influence 30 yards further up the field.”

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Perhaps with that in mind, the Red Devils have set out to bring in a new central midfielder, and summer target, Brighton’s Carlos Baleba, has remained on the shortlist, with a report from early September revealing plans to smash their transfer record in 2026.

However, according to a report from The i Paper, Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton has now overtaken Baleba as Man United’s top target in midfield, with Amorim personally keen, as the manager is a fan of his directness and willingness to pass forward.

The Brighton midfielder, on the other hand, has made a disappointing start to the season, which has caused United to think twice about pursuing the Cameroonian, with one insider saying: “A calming influence, a midfielder on a different level with the ball at his feet wouldn’t go amiss right now,”

“Baleba can get about the pitch more, but does he possess Wharton’s quality on the ball? The club could do with the latter.”

"Sensational" Wharton would be very different option to Baleba

The Palace star, who reportedly has a price tag of £100m, is a very different type of player to Baleba, posing more of an attacking threat, while, as previously mentioned, expressing a willingness to drive the ball forward, which is why he has caught Amorim’s eye.

Average per 90 (past year)

Adam Wharton

Carlos Baleba

Assists

0.15

0

Shot-creating actions

3.94

1.88

Progressive passes

5.98

3.33

Tackles

1.90

2.47

Interceptions

1.39

1.53

As shown, the Cameroon international excels more from a defensive point of view, which suggests he is more of a like-for-like replacement for Casemiro, although there have recently been widespread reports suggesting the ex-Real Madrid man could sign a new contract.

As such, Baleba may not be a necessary signing, and it is probably a wise idea to focus on signing Wharton, who has received very high praise from Sky Sports’ Nubaid Haroon in the past.