New Zealand’s new Test captain Tom Latham wants the team to play with “no fear” in the three-match series against India as they look to turn around a run of four consecutive World Test Championship defeats which have all-but ended their hopes of a place in the final.Latham has taken over as full-time captain after Tim Southee stood down following the series against Sri Lanka last month. He starts his tenure with the three Tests in Bengaluru, Pune and Mumbai over the next three weeks before hosting England at home for a further three matches.New Zealand have only ever won two Tests in India out of 36 matches with victories in 1969 in Nagpur and 1988 in Mumbai. On the recent tour of Sri Lanka they lost a closely-fought opening Test by 63 runs before being comprehensibly beaten by an innings and 154 runs in the second where they were bowled out 88 in the first innings.”From my point of view it’s about trying to continue doing the good stuff we’ve been doing, trying to put my spin on things,” Latham said. “It’s an exciting challenging going over to India and once we can go over there hopefully [we can] play with a bit of freedom, bit of no fear and try and take it to them. If we do that hopefully gives ourselves a good chance.”Think in India we’ve seen teams that have done well out there in the past have been quite aggressive towards them, especially with the bat they’ve looked to play a few shots, but also put them under pressure which is really important over there rather than sitting and waiting for something to happen. We’ll decide on how we want to play when we get over there, but guys have got plans around how they like to approach things and hopefully we can fine tune those.”Tom Latham faces some tricky selection questions in India•Getty Images

“We actually did some really good things in Sri Lanka,” Latham added. “We fell on the wrong sides of the results but there were some good things. The approach we had with the bat, apart from that one innings I thought we played really well. So it’s about continuing that as much as we can and trying to play a brand that we are proud of playing and if we do that hopefully it gives us a good chance.”Latham has previously led the Test side on nine occasions as a stand-in for Kane Williamson between 2020 and 2022 but now has the opportunity to leave a more permanent mark in the role.”Will certainly be leaning on those experiences,” he said. “Obviously a different situation being full-time where you can put your own spin on things but think what I want to do is encourage guys to be themselves, be leaders amongst themselves as well and hopefully if we can do that we can play the brand of cricket we want to play.”As captain, Latham faces being part of the tricky selection call as to whether former captain Southee continues to keep his place in the XI after a lean run of wicket-taking in Test cricket over the last 12 months. Will O’Rourke was outstanding in Sri Lanka while Matt Henry and Ben Sears were on the sidelines but at the very least Latham will be looking to tap into Southee’s knowledge.”If you look back, think in Bangalore [Southee] took seven wickets last time we toured there,” Latham said. “Someone with that amount of experience who’s done it for many years there’s certainly no reason why he can’t get back to where he’s been in the past. He’s been a fantastic bowler for us for many years, there’s a reason why he’s so high on the wicket list for New Zealand.”He’ll have a similar role that he has always had whether it’s as captain or in the past, someone like that who has a wealth of experience, a wealth of knowledge in all conditions and he’s done it for many years and has been successful. We’ll certainly be tapping into his mind, his ideas, so looking forward to it.”

Josh Hazlewood will return for the home side while Pakistan need victory to take the series to a decider

Tristan Lavalette07-Nov-2024Big picture: Pakistan out to keep series alive, last hit-out for several of Australia’s Test starsAfter falling short of an incredible heist in game one at the MCG, Pakistan will need to regroup and conjure a rare victory at the picturesque Adelaide Oval on Friday to keep the series alive.Pakistan’s quicks gamely attempted to defend a modest score of 203, with fiery bowling from Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah on a fast and bouncy surface almost leading to a dream start for new ODI captain Mohammad Rizwan.Related

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Short: Pakistan may have to change tactics in Adelaide

The short-pitched tactics worked well and rattled Australia’s batters, but Pakistan will likely need to change their approach on a ground with much shorter dimensions square of the wicket compared to the MCG. They will be wise to focus on bowling a disciplined line and length against an explosive Australia batting-order determined to stick with an ultra-aggressive method.To keep the series alive heading into Sunday’s decider in Perth, Pakistan will also need to defy a poor record against Australia having only won twice in the last 14 ODIs between the two sides.Australia weren’t overly convincing in game one, but can wrap up the series in what will be the final hit-out for skipper Pat Cummins, Steven Smith, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Marnus Labuschagne before the first Test against India.Starc has been in sizzling early season form, while Cummins was clutch with ball and bat at the MCG. Smith’s crisp 44 allayed fears over his form but Labuschagne is in the midst of a lean patch and scored just 16 in the first ODI before being hustled by the extra bounce of Rauf.Form guideAustraliaWWLLW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
PakistanLLWWLIn the spotlight: Matt Short and Babar Azam While the Test ‘bat off’ continues during the second Australia A match at the MCG, Australia also have David Warner’s shoes to fill in ODI cricket. With regular opener Travis Head on paternity leave, Matt Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk are trying to make compelling cases ahead of the Champions Trophy but both fell cheaply in the opening game. Short has been viewed as having the inside running after performing well against England in the UK recently but made just one run in the series-opener after top-edging Shaheen Shah Afridi to third man. He should relish returning to the Adelaide Oval, where he has made a heap of runs in the BBL over the years for Strikers. Short has a golden opportunity in front of him in conditions he knows very well.Babar Azam looked in good touch before being beaten by Adam Zampa in Melbourne•AFPPakistan’s batters were exposed in challenging MCG conditions after being sent in. The exception was Babar Azam, who was a class above his team-mates with an elegant 37 off 44. He got through Australia’s quicks until he stumbled trying to accelerate the run rate against legspinner Adam Zampa. Babar’s recent struggles have been well documented and led to his controversial axing during the England Test series. But he seemed well at home back in ODI cricket, his favored format where he averages 56.52 – the fourth highest all-time – and is one century away from equalling Saeed Anwar’s Pakistan record of 20. He’ll have fond memories of playing at the Adelaide Oval having scored an even century against Australia in January 2017 – the last time the teams clashed in an ODI at the ground.Team news: Hazlewood returns; Naseem expected to be fitHazlewood is likely to replace Sean Abbott in the XI and play his sole international match before the first Test. After a month’s break following the UK tour, Hazlewood made his return for New South Wales against Queensland in a Sheffield Shield fixture at Cricket Central that finished earlier in the week. He went wicketless from 24 overs in Queensland’s only innings of the drawn match.Australia (possible): 1 Matt Short, 2 Jake Fraser-McGurk, 3 Steven Smith, 4 Josh Inglis (wk), 5 Marnus Labuschagne, 6 Glenn Maxwell, 7 Aaron Hardie, 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Josh HazlewoodNaseem was forced to leave the field in the first ODI due to cramps but is expected to be available. Pakistan may need to consider playing a frontline spinner in Adelaide.Pakistan (possible): 1 Saim Ayub, 2 Abdullah Shafique, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 5 Kamran Ghulam, 6 Salman Ali Agha, 7 Irfan Khan, 8 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 9 Naseem Shah, 10 Haris Rauf, 11 Mohammad HasnainPitch and conditionsDespite its reputation as a batting paradise, Adelaide Oval has been tough to bat on as underlined in a low-scoring Sheffield Shield match between South Australia and Victoria that finished earlier in the week although that was designed to assist the home side’s spinners. The surface is usually considerably flatter for white-ball cricket with the short square dimensions leading to rapid scoring. There has been rain in the lead-up to the match and a shower is forecast on Friday morning. But play should be unaffected with sunny conditions expected throughout the afternoon.Stats and triviaMitchell Starc is six wickets away from becoming the fourth Australian to take 250 ODI wickets. He has the best strike-rate by an Australian in ODI cricket (minimum 50 wickets). Glenn Maxwell needs 66 runs to reach 4000 in ODIs.Shaheen Shah Afridi (25.99) and Haris Rauf (26.23) sit seventh and eighth respectively for bowling strike-rates in ODI history (minimum 1000 balls). Pakistan have beaten Australia just once from eight ODIs at the Adelaide Oval. Their only win was by 12 runs in December 1996.Quotes”The game is changing and we want to take the game on in the first 10 overs. Instead of scrapping to 240-250, which aren’t winnable scores out here, getting towards the high 300 mark is more of a winning total we think.”

Three River Plate players were sent off during their fiery clash against Real Madrid U-18 side in a quarter-final clash at the Youth Club World Cup. The Argentine club ended the game with eight players on the pitch as three of their youth stars were given their marching orders for violent challenges. Madrid won the clash 2-0 and qualified for the last-four as a result.

• Real Madrid U-18 beat River Plate
• Three players sent off in fiery clash
• Madrid youth side reached Youth Club World Cup semi-final

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Gonzalo Pereyra was the first River Plate star to see the red card for kicking Ruben López in the face in the 35th minute, following an aerial challenge. Cirilo Pereyra was then shown his second yellow card of the match in the second half, before Emiliano Quevado was sent off in the 79th minute for a rough challenge on Yeremaiah Ramos, according to .

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  The Spanish side won the game 2-0 courtesy of goals from Mateo Garrido and Bryan Bugarin. The win at Cordoba helped them to reach the last-four stage, where they join Barcelona, Palmeiras and Racing Club. 

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The 16th edition of the Youth Club World Cup is being hosted in Spain this year, with 12 clubs from Spain, Brazil, Argentina, Portugal and Italy competing against each other. 

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  WHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?

  The senior Real Madrid side will be back in action after the international break on September 13 as they face Real Sociedad in La Liga.

NZC want to take a “cautious approach” to have him fit for the three England Tests at home

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Oct-2024

Kane Williamson has missed the entire India Test series•AFP/Getty Images

Kane Williamson is not going to travel to India for the final Test of the ongoing series, to ensure he is fit for the upcoming three-Test series against England at home that starts on November 28. An NZC release stated it was a “cautious approach” as he continues his groin injury rehabilitation in New Zealand.”Kane continues to show good signs, but isn’t quite ready to jump on a plane and join us,” Head coach Gary Stead said in the release. “While things are looking promising, we think the best course of action is for him to stay in New Zealand and focus on the final part of his rehabilitation so he’ll be good to go for England.Related

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“The England series is still a month away so taking the cautious approach now will ensure he is ready for the first Test in Christchurch.”Williamson had suffered the groin injury on the tour of Sri Lanka last month, just before the India series.Despite Williamson’s absence, New Zealand have created history by winning the first two Tests – in Bengaluru and Pune – and handing India their first Test series loss at home since 2012, ending their streak of 18 straight series win on home soil. The 2-0 lead is also New Zealand’s first Test series win in India, under the new leadership of Tom Latham after Tim Southee stepped down from captaincy.New Zealand first handed India an eight-wicket drubbing by rolling them over for 46 in the first innings in the first Test, before spinning them out for 156 in India’s first innings in the second Test to set up a 113-run victory. While Bengaluru saw testing conditions for the batters in overcast conditions, the Pune pitch was a turner where Mitchell Santner’s haul of 13 wickets scripted the series win.The third Test starts on November 1 in Mumbai.The series loss has trimmed India’s lead at the top of the WTC points table, with 62.82% points, closely followed by Australia on 62.50. New Zealand, meanwhile, jumped to fourth place with 50% points to significantly boost their chances of making the WTC final next year.

Leeds United are currently building a squad that has the quality to avoid being relegated from the Premier League at the first time of asking next season.

The Whites have already done plenty of business throughout the summer transfer window, signing Gabriel Gudmundsson, Lucas Perri, Jaka Bijol, Sebastiaan Bornauw, Lukas Nmecha, Sean Longstaff, and Anton Stach.

You can see from the profiles of the players listed there that the Championship champions have placed a clear focus on bolstering the defensive side of the squad in the first part of the window, as Nmecha is the only attacking player among them.

Daniel Farke and his recruitment staff must shift their focus towards the attacking areas of the pitch in the coming days, though, as they need to add enough quality to score goals consistently in the top-flight.

The German head coach has to be ruthless with his squad by deciding which players in his attack are not suited to make the step up to the Premier League.

One player who the West Yorkshire outfit should be looking to replace as a starter before the end of the summer transfer window is Brenden Aaronson.

Why Leeds should replace Brenden Aaronson

Leeds should be replacing the USA international ahead of next season because he did not show enough quality in the Championship to suggest that he is ready to be a key player in the Premier League.

When Aaronson played in the top-flight for the Whites in the 2022/23 campaign, the attacking midfielder managed just one goal and three assists, underperforming his xG of 3.86.

The drop down to play in the Championship last season, after a year on loan at Union Berlin, did help him to contribute more at the top end of the pitch, and there were some impressive moments from him.

Aaronson ended the season with a return of nine goals and two assists in 46 appearances in the second tier, starting 43 of those games, which was a solid, but unspectacular haul.

However, the 24-year-old flop underperformed his xG once again in a Leeds shirt, with nine goals from 11.43 xG, and struggled badly against the top teams.

Bristol City (A)

0

0

Burnley (H)

0

0

Sunderland (A)

0

0

Sheffield United (H)

0

0

Coventry (H)

0

0

Coventry (A)

0

0

Burnley (A)

0

0

Sunderland (H)

0

0

Sheffield United (A)

0

0

Bristol City (H)

0

0

As you can see in the table above, the American midfielder did not produce a single goal or assist in any of his ten appearances against the other five teams that made up the top six in the Championship.

Supporters should, therefore, be happy to read that the club are reportedly interested in a deal to sign an attacking midfielder who would arrive as a big upgrade on Aaronson.

Leeds make approach to sign new attacking midfielder

According to GIVEMESPORT, Leeds United have made an approach to Leicester City over a potential deal to sign 21-year-old talent Bilal El Khannouss this summer.

The report claims that the Whites are pursuing a move for the Morocco international to bolster their options in midfield, and that they have made enquiries to the Championship side.

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It adds that West Ham United and a number of unnamed clubs are also interested in signing the attacking midfielder, which means that Leeds will face plenty of competition to land his signature.

GIVEMESPORT also reveals that El Khannouss has a release clause in his contract with Leicester. He is available for a fee of around £22m (£22.5m), as the release clause was activated when the Foxes were relegated from the Premier League.

Leeds have now made contact to find out what the terms are to pay the release clause, and it now remains to be seen what their next move will be.

Why this is bad news for Brenden Aaronson

This latest report should come as bad news to Aaronson, because El Khannouss could arrive at Elland Road to be a big upgrade on the USA international.

As aforementioned, the current Leeds dud failed to produce enough quality on the pitch in the Premier League when he last played in the division, and his underwhelming performances in the Championship do not suggest that he is likely to make the step up.

El Khannouss’ performances for the Foxes, meanwhile, suggest that he could offer more to Farke’s side in the number ten position if they sign him to come in and replace Aaronson in that role.

U23 scout Antonio Mango claimed that the 21-year-old’s talent is “unquestionable”, and it is not hard to see why he is held in such high esteem when you consider that he created eight ‘big chances’ in 27 Premier League starts in a team that got relegated, in his first year in England.

Non-penalty goals*

0.08

0.04

xAG*

0.19

0.16

Progressive passes*

5.28

3.26

Progressive carries*

3.01

1.63

Passes into the final third*

3.67

1.78

Through balls*

0.45

0.30

Take-on success rate

57%

34%

Miscontrols*

1.57

2.69

As you can see in the table above, the Leicester star’s output last season in the top-flight was significantly more impressive than what Aaronson produced two years ago.

These statistics suggest that the £22.5m-rated dynamo has the potential to offer more to Leeds in the final third and in build-up play, as he has the ability to progress attacks with passes and carries, whilst also being able to score and create chances more often.

El Khannouss is still a young player who is learning and developing, which also means that he could be a signing with the future in mind, as well as the here and now.

The Leeds target did only score two goals in 27 starts in the division, but those two goals came from an xG of 1.31. This suggests that Farke would need to find a way for the team to get him into more goalscoring positions throughout the season.

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Overall, though, the Moroccan magician’s creativity and dynamism could add a different dimension to the team’s attack that they lacked with Aaronson in the side in their last Premier League adventure, which is why this is bad news to the American, who may find himself on the bench more often than not.

Sheffield United are now on the verge of signing an “electric” £3.5 million attacker who Ruben Selles already knows well.

Like every other team up and down the country, the Blades are currently in the midst of their pre-season preparations as the return of domestic action gets closer and closer. United got another pre-season game under their belt on Tuesday night, as they faced non-league side York City and won 6-2.

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BySean Markus Clifford Jun 18, 2025

However, the Blades were without a few key players for the fixture, with midfielder Tom Davies one noticeable absentee. Selles has revealed that Davies has picked up a groin injury during their time in Girona, and he could now miss the start of the Championship season.

“With Tom Davies, it is a little bit different. He got an injury in Girona, and so we expect him to be out for some weeks. He will be back in approximately a month.

“He’s unlucky. The way we do things and the way we try to perform demand a lot from the players. And with Tom, the most important thing is that he recovers well, and when he comes back, he stays healthy for the rest of the season.”

Sydie Peck was another United player that missed out on Tuesday night, but Selles has revealed that Peck’s injury isn’t as serious: “Sydie picked up a late injury, so he has not been able to start pre-season with us.He has been training, but it was more about building him up, and hopefully, he will be involved in the next game.”

Sheffield United now close to signing Louie Barry on loan

As the Blades continue their pre-season preparations, they are now closing in on their third signing of the summer. According to Sky Sports, Louie Barry is now expected to join Sheffield United on a season-long loan from Aston Villa.

The report states that both clubs have agreed the deal, while Barry has also agreed to the switch, and he is now expected to join up with the Blades next week. This comes after Hull City agreed a deal worth £3.5 million with Villa to sign Barry, only for the deal to then fall through as the Tigers were hit with a three-transfer-window embargo.

This transfer will see Barry link up with Selles once again, as the pair worked together in the second half of last season, as Barry joined the Tigers after a successful first half of the campaign on loan at Stockport County.

Divisions

Apps

Goals

Assists

Championship

4

0

0

League One

47

16

6

League Two

53

17

6

Barry, who has been dubbed “electric” by reporter Sam Byrne, struggled to make an impact at Hull as he picked up a serious injury. But during his time at Stockport, the versatile forward scored 25 goals in 46 games across two separate loan spells, and Selles will be hoping he can get that productivity out of the youngster at Bramall Lane.

Thomas Frank will be the latest Tottenham Hotspur boss tasked with the responsibility of making the club Premier League title challengers in 2025/26, after taking the reins following Ange Postecoglou’s dismissal.

Whilst only being in the role for a matter of weeks, he’s already seen the challenges he faces in the role, with the Dane already embroiled in a saga over the addition of Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White.

A deal for his signature appeared to all be in order, after the Lilywhites decided to pull the trigger and activate the £60m release clause within his deal at the City Ground.

However, this is Spurs we’re talking about, and nothing ever comes easy – resulting in a missed opportunity after the player remarkably signed a new deal, in a move spearheaded by Reds’ owner Evangelos Marinakis.

Being unable to land the star will undoubtedly leave a sour taste in the hierarchy’s mouth, but ultimately, the show goes on, with other targets now being considered to help strengthen the squad this summer.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for new additions this summer

In an attempt to forget about the failed move for Gibbs-White, the Spurs board have since turned their attention to a potential deal for Liverpool star Harvey Elliott.

It’s been reported that the Lilywhites have made an approach to the 22-year-old’s representatives over a move to North London, with Arne Slot’s side demanding £40m for his signature.

However, he’s not the only Englishman currently on their radar, with want-away Manchester City star Jack Grealish another name being considered, according to GIVEMESPORT.

Their report claims that enquiries have already been made for the 29-year-old forward, who joined Pep Guardiola’s side for a then-English record £100m back in the summer of 2021.

The article also goes on to state that the player himself would be keen on a move to North London this summer, subsequently leading West Ham United in the race for his signature.

A move could cost £40m if previous reports are to be believed.

Why Spurs’ latest target would be a better signing than Gibbs-White

Given the addition of Mohammed Kudus already this summer, along with the offer for Gibbs-White, it’s evident the Spurs hierarchy are targeting Premier League-proven options for Frank’s side.

The Englishman has been key in Forest’s remarkable rise in England’s top-flight, notching 15 combined goals and assists last season, subsequently securing European football for the first time in 30 years.

Such a season saw him make his senior England international debut, making £60m an excellent deal had they managed to get it over the line before Marinakis’ intervention.

However, the Premier League is a ruthless division, with other sides able to completely bypass you if you rest on your laurels – something which the Lilywhites aren’t currently guilty of.

Their disappointment will be undeniable, but it could prove to be a blessing in disguise if they manage to pull off a deal for Grealish in the coming months.

There’s no denying his move to the Etihad has halted his progression; only starting seven league outings last season after falling down Guardiola’s pecking order.

However, he managed to outperform Gibbs-White in multiple key areas last season, handing Frank a proven winner and arguably a better option given his trophy collection and experience in major European competitions.

Games played

20

34

Goals & assists

2

15

Progressive carries

8.6

2.2

Progressive passes

6.5

5.2

Pass accuracy

88%

78%

Key passes made

3.1

1.6

Take-on success

45%

40%

Carries into opposition box

5.8

0.4

Crosses completed

2.5

1.4

Grealish, who has previously been dubbed a “monster” by Joe Cole, showcased his excellent ball-carrying ability last campaign, completing more progressive carries, with the vast majority being into the opposition’s box.

Such figures would massively bolster Frank’s side, as would the 29-year-old’s tally of key passes per 90, bettering Gibbs-White in such a department, able to provide a creative threat off the left or in central areas.

He also has the end product at the end of his mazy runs with the ball, completing more crosses per 90, having the talent to provide others in forward areas to improve their own goalscoring tallies.

It’s unclear whether a move for Grealish would be a temporary or permanent one this summer, but they could massively take advantage of his lack of game time with the Citizens.

The former Villa star has showcased he’s still capable of outperforming a £60m star despite his lack of action, potentially playing a huge role in any success endured during the Frank era.

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After dropping out of the race to sign Hugo Ekitike, Newcastle United and Eddie Howe have now reportedly turned their focus towards an alternative option who’s more clinical than the Frenchman.

Newcastle's current striker shortlist

Whilst Ekitike did sit top of their striker shortlist before Liverpool entered the race and left them reeling, Newcastle still have a number of options that they could turn towards. The striker market is wide open. Even after watching Joao Pedro join Chelsea and Liverpool take the lead in the race for Ekitike, the likes of Victor Osimhen and Yoane Wissa remain on the market.

That said, even Howe couldn’t hide his frustration about how the transfer window has gone so far on Tyneside, telling reporters: “It was a difficult summer (to switch off) with everything going on behind the scenes.”

“Obviously losing Paul (Mitchell) and all of the dynamics changing within (the club). The Sporting Director role is such a pivotal role at the club, so there was a lot (of work) to pick up.

“There has been a lot of work, transfer wise, for very little incoming action, although we are delighted to get Anthony Elanga in, who has done very well in training so far. But a lot more work (is needed) behind the scenes in preparation for the new season.”

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Howe’s verdict suggests that Newcastle’s work is far from over this summer. After missing out on Ekitike, all involved at St James’ Park will be desperate to ensure that their next pursuit goes off without a hitch – be it for Wissa or, as some reports have suggested is possible, Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez.

At this stage, the most ideal scenario for Newcastle is welcoming a striker who is even better than Ekitike and that’s exactly what one Bundesliga alternative would offer them.

Howe personally plotting Sesko move

As reported by The Boot Room’s Graeme Bailey, Howe is now personally plotting a move to sign Benjamin Sesko for Newcastle, having previously instructed St James’ Park chiefs to take a look at the Serbian.

The Magpies would once again have to spend big to secure his signature, with Leipzig reportedly demanding around €90m (£78m) to sell their star striker, but Sesko could prove to be worth every penny.

Bundesliga stats 24/25 (via FBref)	Ekitike	Sesko
Starts	31	30
Goals	15	13
Assists	8	5
Expected Goals	21.6	10

Ekitike may have outscored Sesko last season, but it was the latter who proved to be the more clinical finisher – outperfoming his XG by three goals whilst the Frankfurt star underperformed significantly. That would suggest that, in a side offering him more chances, Sesko’s numbers would soar.

It should come as no surprise that the talented forward has earned previous praise from the likes of former Leipzig technical director Christopher Vivell, who said: “Benjamin Šeško is among the game’s top young talents and has enormous potential to become a top player.

“He has all the qualities to do that. He’s extremely quick, has a great jump on him and is strong in the air. Benjamin is a real goalscorer, who despite his 1.95m (6’4″) is mobile and technically strong. His abilities make him a special player with a special profile.”

Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal has been sent a “lost along the way” warning, with Rodri passing on words of advice.

Teenager is starring on a global stageBeing tipped to reach the very topColleagues help to keep him groundedFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

At just 18 years of age, Yamal has become one of the most exciting talents in world football. He made his senior bow at 15 and now has La Liga and European Championship titles to his name.

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Many are predicting the teen sensation to come into Ballon d’Or contention, with Rodri aware of what it takes to land that prestigious crown. The Manchester City midfielder is looking to pass words of wisdom on to less experienced team-mates.

DID YOU KNOW?

He was caught on camera telling Yamal during the Euro 2024 final: “Keep working brother… Keep working because you can achieve whatever you want.” Others have echoed those sentiments, with there plenty of distractions for modern day players.

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Getty ImagesWHAT RODRI SAID

Rodri told reporters when asked about his interactions with Yamal and efforts to keep the hottest of prospects on the right track: “I didn’t want to be caught on camera. It’s sort of a reflection of the fact that they have to put their tremendous talent at the service of the team and football. We’ve seen many such cases get lost along the way. Lamine is an immense talent and an exceptional case. I see him happy and doing things well.”

Steven Smith has said Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne “hated” him opening the batting in the Test team, and believes it was a key driver behind his return to No. 4, but has insisted he did not request the move and would have continued to open if asked to.Australia’s chair selectors George Bailey confirmed last week that Smith would not be opening against India saying Smith “had expressed a desire to move back down from that opening position” and that captain Pat Cummins and Andrew McDonald had made the decision.McDonald stated on ABC Radio at the weekend that he and Cummins were the key decision-makers in the move, playing down Smith’s influence.Related

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• Steven Smith's Test opening stint over with middle-order return for India

• From wanting it, to not: the curious case of Steven Smith's opening career

• Australia's selection race: who is in the running to face India?

Smith wanted it on the record that he had not explicitly requested to move back to No. 4 but had rather been asked by McDonald what his preferred batting spot was. He also added that Khawaja and Labuschagne had both expressed their discontent at him opening.”I got asked where I’d prefer to bat, and I said four. I didn’t ask [to move] though,” Smith said. “I also said I’m happy batting wherever. I’m not really too fussed. I got asked where my preference would be, and I said four. I saw a few things last week saying that I’ve requested to bat at four. That wasn’t the case. I said I’m happy to bat wherever you’d like me to bat but, yeah, four would be my ideal position.”Asked what had changed since earlier this year, he said: “Obviously there’s a spot there now with Greeny [Cameron Green] out. And I think just conversations we had after New Zealand with particularly Marnus and Uzzie, they hated me up top, to be honest. They wanted me behind them.”They just like the…they call it security behind them, in a way. They were pretty strong on me not batting there. So that was a big part of it. And then obviously, I’ve got a decent record at four.”It was good fun having a crack at something new, batting up top. I still feel like I could do a job there for sure. It was a pretty small sample size. But I’ve done pretty well at four for a number of years now. I feel like it’s probably where I can have my best input for this team at the moment.”Smith was set to move regardless of Green’s injury as the conversations had taken place prior to the limited-overs tour of England.He was asked whether he felt like he could have continued in the role longer term given his average of 28.50 in the four Tests in the job was not that bad as no opener averaged more than 32 across those four Tests.In his own style: Steven Smith leaves the ball alone•Getty Images

“Honestly, I’m not that fussed,” Smith said. “I said it when I took that job, I’m not really fussed where I bat. The conversations I had with the other guys, they didn’t like it at all. They wanted some security, I suppose, behind them, where I’ve done really well for a number of years, and I can understand that as well. So it is what it is and I’m not going to be opening this summer. That’s it.”Smith made 3 off 29 balls for New South Wales against Victoria in his first red-ball innings since the New Zealand Test series in March and his first Sheffield Shield match since 2021.On a day when 15 wickets fell at the MCG in difficult batting conditions, Smith was upbeat about the innings despite being caught down the leg side off Fergus O’Neill.”I actually felt pretty good out there, to be honest, for the three that I scored strangely enough,” Smith said. “I felt like I was moving well. I was leaving well, and got a little bit unlucky with the one that sort of took off a little bit down the leg side. And that can happen. But I actually felt like I was getting in nice positions. My bat path was good and felt pretty good. So happy with that.”Meanwhile, Smith has been impressed with his limited time watching 19-year-old Sam Konstas who was lbw after 10 balls on the second day at the MCG”He got a bit unlucky there I reckon,” Smith said. “It looked like it might have been just darting down leg a little bit. I haven’t seen a lot of him. I would have liked to have seen a bit more of him out here in the middle for sure. But from what I have seen in the nets, he’s got a lot of time.Steven Smith threw in Nic Maddinson’s name as a potential opening option•Getty Images

“He’s very organised. He plays fast bowling and spin well from what I’ve seen in the brief couple of times I’ve seen him bat, it’s looked really good. He’s a bright prospect. We’ve got to remember he’s only 19 as well so you he’s got plenty of time. But what I’ve seen so far, it looks promising”He’s got all the makings to definitely be a really good Test player. That’s for sure. Whether it’s now or in the future, time will tell.”Smith also threw Nic Maddinson’s name in the mix as a possible candidate to open the batting for Australia against India given he is a similar type of player to David Warner.”There’s a few really good candidates, guys that have, done really well the last few years,” Smith said. “[Cameron] Bancroft and the usual suspects that have been talked about. Maddo I think is also another really good candidate. He’s had a good couple of years. If you’re looking for someone similar to a Davey replacement, he gets after the ball and can score really quickly.”So he’s someone who probably hasn’t been spoken about a great deal from all you guys in the last little bit, but I think he’s someone that could definitely play test cricket and have a similar impact to what Davey sort of had at the top, the way he plays. So plenty of options. We’ll wait and see.”