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Pakistan’s T20I captain feels they played the same way in the last two series – against New Zealand and Bangladesh – for contrasting results

Danyal Rasool02-Jun-2025A lot has changed between Pakistan’s last T20I series and this one. That took place in New Zealand in the wake of a disastrous home Champions Trophy campaign, while this one, against Bangladesh, happened at home on the other side of PSL 2025. Pakistan have a new coaching staff, and produced a markedly different result – a 3-0 rout of Bangladesh as opposed to a 4-1 reverse in New Zealand.What satisfies Salman Agha, though, is that Pakistan’s style of play, he feels, did not change. Their commitment to reduce the role anchors play in a batting innings continued, and a number of young players called up for that New Zealand series played starring roles in this one. The ephemeral nature of any game style or philosophy in Pakistan – often dictated by one or two bad results – means this stylistic continuation across these two series is notable in itself.For Salman, the man at the helm for both tours, it is also non-negotiable. “As long as I’m captain this is how we’ll play,” he said after Pakistan’s seven-wicket win in the third T20I. “I think this is the way to play cricket going forward; that’s how the world is playing. You need to put the bowlers and batters under pressure. In New Zealand, this is what we tried to follow, but conditions didn’t allow it. But the boys who went there learned a way to be fearless without being careless. That is something we’ve balanced perfectly this series.”Related

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That balance is notoriously difficult to define, let alone achieve; Shane Warne’s famous exhortation to “tee off (not recklessly)” perhaps crystallises the extent to which the final outcome dictates how this approach is ultimately viewed. For Pakistan, it is perhaps the performances of Mohammad Haris across these games which appear to suggest they ended up on the right side of that balance. After a pair of early wickets in the first games, Haris began slowly, scoring seven runs in his first eight balls before adopting that fearless approach Salman mentioned; he would smash 24 in his next nine, and Pakistan ended up scoring over 200.In the next two games, with no such pressure at the outset, Haris would target the bowlers from the get-go, culminating in that memorable unbeaten 46-ball 107 to seal the whitewash. For a player often criticised for rash strokeplay and an inability to build an innings that lasts longer than a handful of deliveries, this series showcased the potential of Pakistan’s new approach applied properly.”Haris gets accused of not using his brain during T20 innings,” Salman said. “In this series, when we were 5 for 2 [in the first game], he took calculated risks, and the same today. I think Haris, Saim [Ayub] and Hasan [Nawaz] are players I’d like to turn into matchwinners in my captaincy. These players can perform wonders for Pakistan cricket.”While Salman promised “the door is not closed for anybody” in his T20 set-up, the message of who is being moved on from is fairly unmistakeable. Pakistan have long tried – and ultimately failed – to shut the door on Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam’s days, as Pakistan’s primary T20 openers feted for their consistency but slated for their conservatism. Even in the recent past, their place at the top was justified due to an absence of players who could construct innings if they fell too early. These three games might not have been against an elite T20 side, but early wickets did not sound alarm bells for Pakistan’s innings as they have in the past, with Salman keen to take encouragement from it.”I’m very happy with this team and the environment we’re creating,” he said. “I think the team has begun to move in [the right] direction. If conditions change, we’ll respect it. Modern-day cricket doesn’t mean disrespecting conditions. For me, modern cricket is beating par by about 10-15 runs – both with bat and ball – so you make it easier for the bowlers or the batters. Whatever the conditions, we’ll follow what we feel the par score is and then try to beat it.Salman Agha said that Pakistan’s batting order, apart from the top three, is flexible•PCB”Openers’ positions don’t change. Haris is a player at No. 3 for us because he’s a keeper and we like to give him a little rest after that. Hasan is a middle-order hitter, and my number with him is interchangeable. The top three are set, and the rest is situation dependent. I was going to play at No. 4, but we saw we hadn’t lost more than one wicket after 10 overs. And we’ve seen how dangerous Hasan is against spin in the PSL and this series. So we keep the batting order flexible and expect players to be ready to come in.”Salman is well aware of how quickly positions of power within Pakistan cricket can be undermined, but for now, he speaks with the authority and stature of a Pakistan captain who has the breathing space to look beyond just the next game or series. With Mike Hesson, his coach at Islamabad United in the PSL, now Pakistan’s white-ball coach, there is a sense the team and the management are on the same page, with the board having given them license to pursue a fresh start however they choose.”I’m very happy. The young boys performed,” Salman said. “The result doesn’t matter for me, what matters is how we play cricket. We need to play cricket the way we played these games, and to entertain people. If we put the opposition under pressure, we’ll win more games than not.”There’s a year to go for the T20 World Cup, so you can’t say it’ll be the same players. But I think the core will be the same because I’d like to give these boys as much of a chance as possible. We’d like to have a playing XI for the World Cup ready with players who have experience of playing in this team. This is a young side with 25-30 matches to go. But the core is the same.”

In one of his final acts as chairman, Daniel Levy signed Mathys Tel in a cut-price £30 million deal for Tottenham, but it’s been far from plain sailing for the Frenchman thus far.

Initially, Spurs agreed a £45 million buy-option in the January loan deal which saw him join from Bayern Munich. However, Levy managed to re-negotiate a lesser fee to make Tel the Lilywhites’ first signing of the summer bar Kevin Danso.

The arrival of Bayern’s former prodigy brought plenty of excitement with it, especially after Julian Nagelsmann once tipped the 20-year-old to bag 40 goals a season one day.

Whilst Tel garnered a fearsome reputation as a hot commodity during his time in Bavaria, it’s been a mixed start to life in north London.

He grabbed back-to-back Premier League goals against Southampton and Wolves in April last season, and an assist against both West Ham and Brighton, but is yet to get off the mark since Thomas Frank took charge.

Tel also missed a penalty in the UEFA Super Cup shoot-out against PSG, with Frank ultimately sacrificing the forward for Europe by omitting him from Spurs’ 22-man Champions League squad alongside the likes of Yves Bissouma, Kota Takai, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski.

Mathys Tel’s career at Tottenham so far in all competitions	Stats
Appearances	24
Goals	3
Assists	2
Bookings	3
Minutes played	1,366
via Transfermarkt

He therefore won’t be eligible to make a single Champions League appearance until after the league phase, if they even get that far, with pundit John Wenham suggesting that the north Londoners may be regretting the type of deal they’ve secured for Tel.

Tottenham could be regretting Mathys Tel deal as "frustrating" claim made

Speaking to Tottenham News, Wenham hints that Tottenham will be looking back on the permanent deal for Tel with hindsight, asking themselves whether they should’ve just gone for another loan.

Of course, there is still time for him to come good, and that is far more likely than not.

Why Mathys Tel could prove people wrong at Tottenham

Tel is still raw, but Frank has been very impressed by the attacker since his Champions League snub, not least for a hard-working display against West Ham.

The France Under-21 starlet’s main strengths lie in his athleticism and versatility. Comfortable through the middle or out wide, he gives Frank multiple options in attack. His pace allows him to stretch defences, while his ability to play with his back to goal offers a different profile to Spurs’ other forwards. That adaptability will be key in a side competing across several competitions this season.

His finishing, movement and composure are still maturing, but those are qualities that can sharpen with experience.

Fast bowler Tanzim Hasan Sakib has earned a maiden Test call-up while Taskin Ahmed’s injury has forced him out of the Bangladesh squad for the first Test against Zimbabwe in Sylhet from April 20. Taskin is rehabilitating for a left Achilles tendon issue, with Tanzim getting in as a like-for-like replacement.The BCB has also given a break to Litton Das to play in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). He is part of Karachi Kings in the league which begins on April 11.Taskin and Litton were part of the two-Test series against West Indies, which was Bangladesh’s last Test assignment in late November 2024. Those returning to the side include regular captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim, who missed the Tests against West Indies due to injuries.Offspinner Nayeem Hasan is also in the 15-member squad, apart from fast bowlers Khaled Ahmed and Tanzim. There was, however, no place for Shahadat Hossain and Shoriful Islam, who featured in the West Indies Tests, as well as Hasan Murad.”We have formed the Test team with our best possible players,” chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain said. “We are returning to Tests after four months. We have Tests against Sri Lanka in June and we haven’t really done that well in home Tests in the last 12 months. This is why we are refraining from experimenting in this Test series.”Taskin Ahmed is currently rehabilitating for a left Achilles tendon issue•Aamir Qureshi/AFP/Getty Images

Bangladesh are also monitoring Ebadot Hossain’s progress, who has returned to competitive cricket this season after a long injury layoff.”Tanzim has shown promise in the white-ball sides,” Ashraf said. “He has shown hunger and ability to take wickets. He has earned his place in the side. We are still observing Ebadot Hossain. We have a lot of cricket coming up, so those who are missing out from the first Test, have no reason to worry.”The Bangladesh side will undertake a ten-day training camp in Sylhet ahead of the first Test. Zimbabwe are slated to arrive in the country on April 15.

Bangladesh’s squad for first Test against Zimbabwe

Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahidul Islam, Jaker Ali, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Nahid Rana, Hasan Mahmud, Khaled Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan

أجرى تشابي ألونسو مدرب ريال مدريد مؤتمراً صحفياً لمواجهة خيتافي، مساء الغد ضمن منافسات الدوري الإسباني لكرة القدم.

وقال ألونسو حول لقاء خيتافي في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية: “جميع من كانوا مع المنتخبات عادوا بخير، باستثناء هويسن، تدربوا اليوم وأمس، مواجهة خيتافي في ملعبهم دائماً ما تكون مرهقة، لديهم مدرب يعرف كيف يحصل على أفضل ما لدى لاعبي فريقه”.

وسئل ألونسو عن إقامة مباراة في الدوري الإسباني في ميامي: “رأيي هو نفسه قبل شهرين، نحن ضد ذلك، نعتقد أن ذلك يفسد الليجا، الاحتجاجات إيجابية لأنها تعبر عن موقف العديد من الأندية، هناك إجماع بين جميع الأندية على إمكانية حدوث ذلك، موقفنا ثابت ولكن القرارات اللازمة لمنع ذلك ليست بأيدينا”.

وتحدث ألونسو عن مدافعه راؤول أسينسيو: “يتمتع بمهارات توقع رائعة وقوة كبيرة في المواجهات الثنائية، كلما يكون أداؤه أفضل كلما يستغل هذه الميزة بشكل أفضل، يقدم أداء إيجابي للغاية، مع مرونة كافية للعب حتى في خط دفاع ثلاثي، إنه لاعب تنافسي للغاية، لديه مجال للتطور، لكن الشعور السلبي الذي تركه كأس العالم قد تجاوزه”.

وعبر ألونسو عن سعادته بعودة ميندي: “من الأخبار السارة عودته وعدم تعرضه لانتكاسة جديدة، هذا يفتح لنا آفاق جديدة”.

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وعلق ألونسو على تعرض سيبايوس للإصابة: “كنت أعرف داني سيبايوس جيداً، ما يقدمه لنا هو ما كنت أعرف أنه سيقدمه، عليه أن يكون حذراً لكنني كنت واضحاً تماماً بشأن ما يمكن أن يقدمه لنا بخصائصه المميزة، لن يكون هنا غداً”.

وسئل ألونسو عن فينيسيوس ورودريجو: “شاهدت مباراتهم مع البرازيل، لا يمكن أن ننسى ميليتاو أيضاً، لقد استفدنا من رودريجو في هذا المركز وقدم أداء رائع أمام كوريا، ذلك فرصة واعدة لنا للمستقبل”.

وحسم ألونسو موقف كيليان مبابي من المشاركة ضد خيتافي بعد عودته للتدريبات: “هو بخير، سيتم دعوته للقائمة”.

ورد ألونسو على تكهنات رحيل إندريك وجونزالو جارسيا: “لا أفكر في الأمر حالياً، كلاهما جاهز للعب في مركز يتمتع بمنافسة قوية”.

وختم عن عودة بيلينجهام لأفضل حالاته مع ريال مدريد: “يتدرب بيلينجهام ويستعد لفترة أطول منذ خضوعه لجراحة في الكتف، نحن بحاجة لأفضل بيلينجهام، إنه متحمس للعب بشكل جيد وتشجيع زملائه على ذلك، أراه سعيداً بالتدريبات”.

It would be fair to say that West Ham United have had a mixed summer transfer window so far.

While the Hammers have made a few smart additions to the team, like Kyle Walker-Peters and El Hadji Malick Diouf, they’ve also decided to take a gamble on the perennially unfit Callum Wilson.

Moreover, as we saw on Saturday, they haven’t added enough quality to Graham Potter’s squad, and that could ultimately end up costing them come May.

Fortunately, the club have now been linked with a new exciting midfielder, someone who could be an upgrade on another of their targets: Mateus Fernandes.

West Ham target Fernandes upgrade

Arguably the most significant transfer saga for West Ham at the moment concerns Southampton’s exciting Portuguese ace Fernandes.

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The Irons have been linked with him consistently over the last couple of weeks, and even though they saw a £30m offer rejected, they have reportedly gone back in with a new and improved bid.

The Saints ace looks like a real talent, but it now looks like the Eastenders are eyeing another midfield star, someone who could be an upgrade.

At least that is according to a recent report from Football Insider, which claims that West Ham are interested in Fabio Vieira.

The report has revealed that the Arsenal man’s agent has been speaking to clubs about a transfer this summer, and one of the sides he has been in talks with is the Hammers.

It’s not clear how much the former Porto man would cost, but considering he joined the North Londoners for £34m in 2023 and hasn’t been a success there, the fee would likely be a lot less than Fernandes, even though he could be an upgrade on his compatriot.

How Vieira compares to Fernandes

The first area to compare between Fernandes and Vieira is their output last season, and while it is not the be-all and end-all, it is an area in which the Arsenal man comes out on top.

In his 42 appearances on loan at Porto, totalling 2697 minutes, the “phenomenal” midfielder, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, scored five goals and provided six assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 3.81 games, or every 245.18 minutes.

In contrast, the Southampton star managed to rack up a tally of three goals and six assists in 44 appearances across all competitions last season, totalling 3409 minutes, which comes out to a far less impressive average of a goal involvement every 4.88 games, or every 378.77 minutes.

Now, it is worth pointing out that the Portuguese league is a significantly weaker competition, but the Santa Maria da Feira-born ace was also able to produce two goal involvements in just 398 minutes of Europa League action.

Moreover, there is far more pressure to make an impact at a club the size of Porto, whereas the remit for a recently promoted side like the Saints last year is to simply survive.

Finally, on top of being more of a goal threat, the 25-year-old also comes out way ahead when we take a look under the hood at their respective underlying numbers.

For example, he comes out on top in most key metrics, including, but not limited to, actual and expected non-penalty goals plus assists, shot and goal-creating actions, key passes, shots and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.34

0.22

Non-Penalty G+As

0.39

0.18

Progressive Passes

6.08

4.51

Progressive Passes Received

5.93

3.37

Progressive Carries

1.32

2.45

Shots

2.25

1.32

Shots on Target

0.73

0.43

Key Passes

2.01

1.07

Passes into the Final Third

2.01

0.86

Passes into the Penalty Area

4.07

3.04

Live Passes

42.8

37.1

Shot-Creating Actions

4.74

2.48

Goal-Creating Actions

0.59

0.21

In other words, the Gunners ace is a far more creative, incisive and dangerous midfielder, which sounds like just what the Irons need.

Ultimately, Fernandes would be a good signing in his own right, but Vieira looks to be the better player and would likely be available for less as Arsenal are looking to sell players.

Therefore, West Ham should do what they can to bring in the former Porto star before the window slams shut next month.

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Stokes says Archer is “very interested” in Test comeback after long absence

Vithushan Ehantharajah04-Dec-2024

Jofra Archer has not played a Test since February 2021•Gareth Copley/Getty Images

Jofra Archer’s future as a Test cricketer received a boost after his central contract was extended past the 2025-26 Ashes, with England’s captain Ben Stokes confident that Archer is “very interested” in returning to the format despite a recent tug-of-war with the ECB over his IPL availability.Archer, who has not played Test cricket since February 2021, is one of three England quicks to have had their central contracts updated through to October 2026. Brydon Carse, who took 10 wickets in the match in the first Test against New Zealand last week, and Matthew Potts have also had their deals increased by a year.Jacob Bethell, fresh from a maiden half-century on Test debut in Christchurch, has been upgraded to a two-year central contract from the development contract he was awarded just last month. It caps a remarkable rise for Bethell, who made his ODI and T20I debuts at the end of the 2024 English summer, and has since earned an INR 2.6 crore (£245,000 approx.) IPL deal with Royal Challengers Bengaluru.For Archer, who is 29, the additional year highlights what has been a promising return to regular action. Since bursting onto the international scene in the 2019 season with the World Cup and Ashes, his progress has been stunted by a series of injuries, including stress fractures of the elbow and back.Related

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The ECB have stuck by the fast bowler, and are working meticulously with Archer. This year has been a success on that front; Archer made 20 appearances across the white-ball formats, including all eight of England’s matches at the T20 World Cup, where he was his team’s joint-leading wicket-taker with 10 dismissals at 19.00.The board’s ambition is to have him primed for a key role in Test cricket next year, ahead of five Tests against India at home followed by the visit to Australia in the winter. His initial two-year deal was set to expire in October 2025.Speaking in Wellington ahead of England’s second Test against New Zealand, Stokes said that Archer’s ambition to return to the red-ball set-up remains strong. He has even put himself forward for their one-off Test match against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge starting on May 22, though he appears unlikely to be available.England’s updated contract list•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“The excitement is understandable around Jofra,” Stokes said. “The best thing is he is back on the field playing. I am sure he might have thought he might not have the chance to put on an England shirt again and the injuries and surgeries he has gone through could have ended other people’s careers so there is no rushing back for anything for Jofra.”He is being handled very well by the ECB and that will certainly continue. But Jof is a man of few words, even over WhatsApp. I had one a couple of months ago saying ‘Zimbabwe?’. That shows he is very interested in playing Test cricket for England.”Talk of Zimbabwe is far-fetched given Archer will be out at the IPL with Rajasthan Royals, who forked out INR 12.5 crore (£1.2m approx.) for his services for the tournament which is set to run until May 25. Given Archer will not have played any recent red-ball cricket before then, he is unlikely to be selected.If the ECB were to pull Archer out ahead of time, he would incur a ban for the next two editions under the tournament’s new regulations. Those same regulations would have also banned Archer had he and his representatives not convinced the ECB to let him enter the mega auction. The governing body initially blocked his entry on the grounds they want to continue to manage his workloads before a late change.As such, the earliest Test Archer could play would be during the India series, which begins at Lord’s on June 20. Given a lack of first-class cricket – his last match in the format came for Sussex against Kent in May 2021 – it is unlikely to be that first Test.Archer in action for Sussex Second XI in May 2024•PA Photos/Getty Images

A round of County Championship matches starting on June 22 (Sussex travel to Durham) could allow him a tune up. He could also play the next one on June 29 (Sussex vs Warwickshire) to refamiliarise himself to the rigors of bowling multiple spells across multiple days. In the event of the latter, he could still play a part in the final three matches of that series, provided he comes out unscathed.”When the decision gets made between him and the people who make those decisions around players, I am sure there will be conversations that he will have to get some different loading,” Stokes said.”You can come back and play a one-day game and get two or three different spells. But in Test cricket you have to do that over a long period of time and then another day to back it up. There is no doubt he is going so well at the moment, it is a case of he will have to build the body up to handle the extra pressure of a Test match.”

In a move that would see David Moyes get one over on his former club, Everton are now reportedly racing to sign a Premier League talent ahead of rival interest from West Ham United this summer.

Picking up where they left off after welcoming Thierno Barry, Everton have also now signed Mark Travers from Bournemouth. The goalkeeper will instantly replace Asmir Begovic and Joao Virginia to become Moyes’ No.2 behind Jordan Pickford, as the Toffees aim to add quality in depth to their side this summer.

League stats 24/25 (via FBref)	Mark Travers	Jordan Pickford
Starts	22	38
Clean Sheets	5	12
Saves P90	3.82	3.08
Save Percentage	76.9%	73%

Whilst Travers is unlikely to take Pickford’s place, such is the England international’s importance in Merseyside, he will provide Everton with an impressive backup.

On loan at Middlesbrough last season, the Irishman enjoyed an impressive campaign and even earned the praise of former manager Michael Carrick, who told reporters after watching Travers keep a clean sheet against Luton Town: “He’s got a really good character. He’s a good goalkeeper and he’s had to make some good saves for us.

“That’s what we obviously brought him in for and hope for. We don’t want him to have to make saves, but, when needed, and especially today to contribute to a clean sheet, is a big one for us.

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“Mark made some big saves when we needed him, but he came for some crosses as well, and had a really good presence in the box from set plays and corners, and we needed that. It was a shared contribution and he had to make saves for us which were important.”

As solid as their business has been so far this summer, though, Everton are reportedly not done there. Reports are now suggesting that they’ve joined the race to sign a Premier League rival.

Everton racing to sign Jacob Ramsey

According to The Telegraph, Everton have now joined the race to sign Jacob Ramsey from Aston Villa this summer and have been joined by Nottingham Forest and West Ham in pursuit of his signature.

The Villans are reportedly willing to accept just £30m to sell their academy graduate this summer as they look to solve any further PSR problems at long last.

At that price – plus the fact he’s represented by the same agent as Dwight McNeil which could smooth personal negotiations – Everton should not hesitate to make their move ahead of West Ham and Forest. Ramsey is still very much a player full of potential, especially if he moves past his injury troubles.

Jacob Ramsey injury history	Season	Games Missed (via Transfermarkt)
Hamstring injury	2024/25	9
Muscle injury	2024/25	1
Toe injury	2023/24	17
Hamstring injury	2023/24	2
Foot injury	2023/24	8
Metatarsal fracture	2023/24	9

Missing 46 games across the last two seasons, Everton and other suitors have every right to be concerned about Ramsey’s injury history. At 24 years old, however, he is still worth taking a gamble on.

A player who Steven Gerrard believed would become “terrific”, Everton should now swoop in and help Ramsey realise his impressive potential.

Sunderland have agreed a £13m up-front fee to sign Granit Xhaka, who will sign a three-year contract on Wearside this week.

Xhaka had emerged as the Black Cats’ most high-profile target of the summer transfer window, as they look to make significant and experienced signings before the new Premier League season gets underway.

The Swiss has been strongly linked with a move to Sunderland from Bundesliga giants Bayer Leverkusen, with the 32-year-old already having a huge amount of experience in the English game from his Arsenal days.

Xhaka seemingly likes the idea of being a vital player in the Black Cats’ quest to avoid relegation straight back to the Championship, feeling that his time in a Leverkusen shirt has reached its natural conclusion after winning the Bundesliga title back in 2023/24.

The legendary Switzerland international has dominated the Sunderland-related headlines of late and now two quickfire updates have emerged regarding the situation.

Xhaka set to sign three-year contract

Reports broke on Monday morning that Sunderland have agreed a £15m move for Xhaka, with the veteran midfielder set to join from Leverkusen imminently. However, Keith Downie has shared a further update, revealing plenty of good news for those on Wearside.

Indeed, Xhaka’s contract will be a year longer than first reported, and the initial cost is actually lower than the numbers going around.

This is fantastic news for anyone associated with Sunderland, with Xhaka a statement signing who could take Regis Le Bris’ team up another gear.

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The Black Cats achieved promotion with a young team, with emerging midfielders such as Jobe Bellingham and Chris Rigg excelling, but more experience is needed in the middle of the park in the Premier League, not to mention a replacement for the former after his move to Borussia Dortmund.

In Xhaka, Sunderland could have the perfect man to come in, with the ex-Arsenal player winning an incredible 137 caps for Switzerland and being hailed by former Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso for his “big heart”, always giving his all for the cause and playing with plenty of passion.

Switzerland

137

14

Switzerland Under-21s

5

0

Switzerland Under-19s

10

3

Switzerland Under-18s

3

2

Switzerland Under-17s

13

1

It’s now a case of the final parts of the transfer being sorted, before Xhaka joins up with his new teammates, hopefully making a huge impression from the off.

Signing a replacement for Andre Onana has seemingly been one of Manchester United’s biggest priorities since the start of the summer. Now, chasing exactly that, the Red Devils have reportedly joined the race to sign a Club World Cup star.

Man Utd's goalkeeper search goes on

Although reports have suggested that Onana believes he’ll still be the No.1 at Manchester United next season and he’s keen to fight for his place, Ruben Amorim may not share that view. The Portuguese manager must be ruthless and showing the Cameroon international the door should be one of his first acts this summer.

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That said, the Red Devils must get their next move right after Onana. They cannot risk signing another liability. Whoever arrives, be it Emiliano Martinez, Andriy Lunin, Diogo Costa or another option, simply has to be a significant upgrade on the former Inter Milan man.

Whilst Martinez has been the most prominent name in recent rumours, the numbers indicate that the Aston Villa man would not be the much-needed upgrade that Amorim needs, as highlighted by Statman Dave.

Four errors leading to shots is far from an ideal record, but signing Martinez wouldn’t exactly solve that problem for United. Instead, their troubles may simply take the shape of a new No.1 if they sign the World Cup winner this summer.

Those at Old Trafford certainly have plenty to think about and that thinking has reportedly seen them turn towards the Club World Cup for a fresh option.

Man Utd plotting John Victor move

According to Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke, Manchester United are now plotting a summer swoop to sign John Victor from Botafofo who has a release clause worth just $8m (£6m).

The impressive shot-stopper agreed to stay put at the Brazilian side to play at the Club World Cup in a decision which has resulted in a moment to remember against Paris Saint-Germain.

Joining Alisson Becker as the only goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet against PSG this season, the Botafogo goalkeeper played a pivotal part as his side shocked the Champions League holders to win 1-0.

For just £6m, Manchester United could sign a goalkeeper who managed to keep Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia out and someone who is ready to step into European football.

Having reportedly sent scouts to watch the 29-year-old in action, United should be well aware of Victor’s talents and, more importantly, his ability to play at the very top level.

Rather than signing the likes of Martinez or Costa this summer, INEOS could yet turn towards an unexpected option in the Brazilian.

Marcus Stoinis and David Warner extricated Australia from an uncertain position in their T20 World Cup 2024 opener against Oman with the result ultimately a comfortable 39-run win on a tricky Barbados pitch.When Glenn Maxwell fell for a golden duck, continuing his horror run with the bat, they were 50 for 3 and thoughts briefly turned to what could unfold but Stoinis and Warner added 102 off 64 balls to ensure Australia did not stumble early in their bid for ICC trophies across all three formats.Stoinis was dropped on 9 and then bludgeoned six sixes as he turned around a sluggish start with Oman’s bowlers keeping pressure on their big-name opponents for 14 overs. It was hard work for Warner, who became Australia’s leading run-scorer in men’s T20Is, but he used his experience to not throw the innings away.Australia were then largely efficient with the ball as Mitchell Starc struck in the opening over with an inswinging low full toss – although he was later unable to complete his spell as he left the field but it was confirmed as cramp – and Stoinis’ fine day continued as he added three wickets. Nathan Ellis, who had been selected ahead of the rested Pat Cummins, struck in his first over to claim a maiden World Cup wicket.Marcus Stoinis was in the thick of the action – both with ball and bat•ICC via Getty Images

Oman’s moment(s) to remember

For well over half of Australia’s innings, this game was far from one-way traffic. Scoring was tough on a niggly surface and after the powerplay the total was 37 for 1 – Australia’s lowest in their last 15 T20Is dating back to the previous T20 World Cup. Head put away one well-timed cover drive early on but timing was hard work for him and Warner with Head picking out mid-off with a drive to lift Bilal Khan’s spirits after his Super Over disappointment against Namibia.Mitchell Marsh couldn’t get going before picking out long-on, then came Oman’s big moment. Maxwell, coming off an IPL where he averaged 5.77, drove at his first ball from Mehran Khan and Oman captain Aqib Ilyas dived full length to his left at cover to hold a spectacular catch. It was Maxwell’s fifth duck in 10 T20 innings.

Stoinis takes his chance

Stoinis survived the hat-trick ball but there was no immediate release of pressure for Australia. After ten overs they had crept to 56 for 3 with the next two overs only bringing seven runs. Warner began to break the shackles with consecutive boundaries off Zeeshan Maqsood, but then it was a case of what might have been for Oman.On 9, Stoinis edged a turning delivery from Ilyas which wicketkeeper Pratik Athavale could not gather – it was tough but not impossible. Two balls into the next over from Mehran, Ayaan Khan arguably paid the price for not being right on the rope at long-off when he held a good catch, but was unable to stop his backwards momentum taking him into the boundary.That was the first of four sixes Stoinis struck in the over and from there he was away, bringing up a half-century from 27 balls. Australia’s first 14 overs had brought 80 runs; the last six brought 84.Marcus Stoinis and David Warner scored fifties to boost Australia•Associated Press

Warner’s record

Before this match, Ricky Ponting lauded the winning mentality of Warner as he closes out his international career and said he was the type of player needed at World Cups. He couldn’t quite move through the gears in the same manner as Stoinis but reached a 46-ball fifty having earlier gone past former captain Aaron Finch to top Australia’s run-scoring charts in the format. Finch, at the ground as a broadcaster, appreciated the moment. There was one unfortunate moment for him after being dismissed when he started to accidently walk into the Oman dressing room before being redirected.

Professional Australia close it out

A target of 165 was always likely to be beyond Oman. Starc’s opening over was a bit of a mixed bag but he pinned Athavale lbw when a low full toss hammered into the toe, although Australia needed the DRS to get the lbw decision. Oman were then grateful for the review system when Ilyas was given lbw to Starc but even live the on-field call from Joel Wilson looked a poor one.Ilyas deposited Stoinis for a six over deep square leg but two balls later edged a lifting delivery to Matthew Wade. Stoinis became only the third player, after Shane Watson and Dwayne Bravo, to score a fifty and take three wickets in a men’s T20 World Cup match. However, Oman did not completely fade away as Ayaan provided a couple of moments of late defiance with two sixes off Adam Zampa while Mehran ensured they could cross 100 and bat out the innings.