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Despite plenty of speculation over their futures at Ibrox, Nicolas Raskina and Mohamed Diomande both lined up for Glasgow Rangers in their first game of the season on Tuesday.

The duo both started and both registered assists in a 2-0 win over Panathinaikos at Ibrox in the first leg of the club’s second round Champions League qualifier.

It remains to be seen if Diomande, who assisted Djeidi Gassama’s goal, will still be in Glasgow at the end of the summer transfer window, though, amid interest from Besiktas.

The Turkish giants have already had one offer turned down for the central midfielder, and are reportedly expected to go back in with a second bid for the Ivorian star.

Why Mohamed Diomande is important to Rangers

Russell Martin may not want to lose the left-footed star, though, because he is an important player who provides quality in and out of possession in the middle of the park.

In the 2024/25 campaign, Diomande scored four goals, created 11 ‘big chances’, and registered seven assists in the Scottish Premiership for the Light Blues, which shows that he offered a strong threat at the top end of the pitch.

The 23-year-old talent also showcased his defensive talent in the Europa League, making 3.0 tackles and interceptions per game and winning 54% of his duels overall.

These statistics show that Diomande is important to Rangers as a midfielder who can impact games at both ends of the pitch, but the Gers could forget all about him with a move for Salvatore Esposito.

Why Rangers should sign Salvatore Esposito

It was reported earlier this month that the Light Blues are one of the clubs in the race to sign the Spezia central midfielder, who is valued at around £5m by his club.

The 24-year-old midfield star is the kind of signing that could make supporters forget all about Diomande, if the Ivorian whiz moves on to Besiktas, or elsewhere, this summer.

That is not a disservice to Diomande, of course, who has been a fantastic player for Rangers, but it speaks to the kind of quality that the Italian ace could offer in the middle of the park.

24/25 season	Diomande (Premiership)	Esposito (Serie B)
Appearances	36	34
Goals	4	7
Big chances created	11	18
Assists	7	9
Duels won per game	4.4	7.3
Ground duel success rate	57%	68%
Aerial duel success rate	48%	51%
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Esposito significantly outperformed the Rangers star at league level last season, offering more to his team in possession and defensively.

Whilst he is unproven in the Scottish Premiership, the Spezia star appears to have the potential to provide more quality, as both a scorer and a creator of goals, in the final third, whilst also being stronger and more efficient in his duels off the ball.

The Italy international was described as a “tenacious” midfield “controller” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, and his statistics from the 2024/25 Serie B campaign back those comments up, as he excelled in duels and offered quality on the ball.

Esposito is the kind of box-to-box midfielder that Rangers will desperately need if they lose Diomande this summer, which is why this is a signing that could make a lot of sense for Martin in the coming weeks if it becomes clear that the Ivorian gem is going to be on his way out of Ibrox.

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Ben Gray

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Whilst the Gers would like to keep their current number ten, the Spezia star is a player who has the quality and pedigree, as an Italian international, to make the Light Blues forget all about Diomande.

McCullum defends Smith after key drop, praises Carse for wholehearted bowling

Andrew Miller18-Oct-2024Ben Stokes, England’s captain, said he had apologised to his players for his show of frustration on the third evening in Multan, at the point that the second Test against Pakistan began to slip out of his team’s control in a spate of dropped catches and fielding lapses.Stokes, back in the side for the first time in nine weeks after a hamstring tear had ruled him out of their home series against Sri Lanka as well as last week’s first Test, told Sky Sports that he had behaved like a “tired and grumpy old man” when bawling out his players at a critical juncture of Pakistan’s second innings.The flashpoint came in the midst of a wholehearted spell of reverse-swing bowling from Brydon Carse, who had just dismissed Mohammad Rizwan for the third time in the series to raise England’s hopes of restricting Pakistan to a sub-150 second-innings total.Two overs later, however, with Salman Agha in his sights, Carse suffered two drops in the space of three balls – first as Jamie Smith spilled a regulation nick behind the stumps with Salman on 4, and then again on 6 when Joe Root, standing unusually close at first slip, couldn’t close his hands around a fenced edge off the back foot. Salman would go on to make an innings-defining 63 from 89 balls.Then, when Jack Leach fumbled at point to give away an unnecessary single in Carse’s subsequent over, Stokes let out a roar of exasperation – which, while understandable in the circumstances, was out of character for a captain who has extolled a blame-free environment in the course of his two-and-a-half year reign.Related

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“I actually apologised to the group up there last night,” Stokes said afterwards. “It’s the first time in my captaincy that I’ve let my emotions show in my body language, with how I was feeling as the game was unfolding. I owned up to that, and I’m very annoyed at myself for letting that out.”It’s something that I don’t want to do, or be seen to be doing,” he added. “No one means to drop catches, but it just proves how important catches are out in these subcontinent conditions, because they don’t come along that often. So I apologised to the group and said that was poor of me. I was a tired and grumpy old man last night. You won’t see that happen again.”Brendon McCullum, England’s head coach, admitted he had been surprised that Stokes had felt it necessary to speak out on the matter, but put his annoyance down to the passion that epitomises his character. Without it, he said, Stokes could not have driven himself back to full fitness so soon after suffering a serious hamstring tear.”I was a bit surprised, but we all know how passionate Ben is, and how much it means to him to play for England,” McCullum told Sky Sports. “We’ve seen that through his bloody-mindedness to get back from the injury, which was significant, and to do so in a nine-week timeframe, and in extreme conditions of 40 degrees.”I think maybe that’s where some of that frustration led to, certainly it wasn’t directed at any of the players,” he added. “It was more about trying to assess the rhythm of the game and to impact on it. But look, he’ll be better for the run. And I thought in the second innings [where he made 37 from 36 balls] he looked like he had that method where he could put pressure on the opposition. He’s at his best when he’s doing that.”Stokes himself acknowledged that the challenge of getting back to match fitness had been a tough one, having played no competitive cricket since tearing his hamstring while batting in the Hundred in August.”I’ve worked so, so hard to get fit for this Test match, but nothing can prepare you for standing out on the field in hot weather,” he said. “Training doesn’t do that, so it was great to be able to get through this Test match, it fills me up nicely going into next week, and it was nice to get some overs under the belt as well. That was the one thing which I felt like I was lacking. But obviously, when you get into the game, and you feel like it’s on the line, nothing can stop me from doing that.”In a match dominated by spinners, with Pakistan’s Sajid Khan and Noman Ali becoming the first bowling pair to share all 20 wickets since 1972, both Stokes and McCullum agreed that Carse’s luckless display had been one of the outstanding aspects of the contest. He finished with match figures of 5 for 79 across 29 overs, bowling with heart, pace and skill throughout, while also contributing a spirited innings of 27 from 32 balls on the final morning.”He’s been fantastic,” Stokes said. “He’s shown in these two games why we picked him in all formats, not just Test cricket, going forward. He just keeps charging in, ball after ball, spell after spell. Obviously, when the ball starts reverse-swinging, he comes into the game even more. Having his batting ability down the order again is massive for us. He’s been really good, and he’s going to raise his stock even higher than what it was already.”Ben Stokes disappointed after being stumped for 37•Getty ImagesMcCullum agreed Carse had been the “standout” of England’s attack. “I wouldn’t say he surprised me, because he came with the reputation of someone that could bowl good pace with a big heart, to keep charging in with some steepling bounce,” he said. “To be able to do it in England is one thing, to do it on a surface which didn’t offer a whole lot for fast bowlers is simply outstanding. We’re trying to build a battery of fast bowlers, and Carse has certainly put his name into that.”As a former Test wicketkeeper, McCullum also defended Smith’s display in the wake of his costly lapse on the third evening. After three sharp takes in the first innings, it was a rare blemish in what has been a fine start to Smith’s England career, while his twin scores of 21 and 6 amounted to his smallest contribution with the bat in course of eight Tests.”You will not get a tougher set of conditions to keep wicket on,” McCullum said. “Jamie’s very disappointed about dropping that catch. But you take that out, I thought his keeping was as good as I’ve seen in these conditions, particularly from a foreign wicketkeeper.”He’s just continuing to impress, and obviously in both innings, he’s trying to put pressure on the opposition on that surface, which is very difficult, but that’s his natural game. He’s turning into a really big player for us.”But that’s where you got to have the ability to turn the page pretty quickly as well, because if you ever let your mistakes dictate your attitude and your confidence, then you’re in for a hell of a time. Mistakes in this game are going to be part of it, but 99% of what Jamie has done in this Test match has been absolutely outstanding. And that’ll be the message to him.”

It’s fair to say Ruben Amorim’s reign at Manchester United to date has been a bumpy ride full of many ups and downs.

Amorim has collected 17 victories from the Old Trafford hot-seat, but that has been followed up by a worrying 17 losses being tallied up, which included a soul-crushing Europa League final defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur.

Even with the pain of this loss out in Bilbao still hurting – with no European football on the menu this coming season – the Red Devils have been able to flex their muscles in the transfer market, as seen in the notable £62.5m capture of Matheus Cunha.

But, what’s around the corner for the Red Devils?

Man Utd in surprise talks to sign £70m star

Well, Bryan Mbeumo is reportedly also edging closer to a switch to the red half of Manchester despite their aforementioned problems, with a hat-trick of standout purchases from within the Premier League perhaps on the cards if another deal is also secured.

As per a report by Football Insider, United have been in surprise talks recently over snapping up Everton star Jarrad Branthwaite.

It’s stated that a move was being explored after United had held talks with the 6 foot 5 man mountain’s agent, but it is looking more likely that Branthwaite will pen a contract extension at the Toffees, over moving to nearby Manchester.

Yet, as has been seen in the manic transfer window so far, many twists and turns can occur, with United known to be keen admirers of the £70m-rated centre-back for some time now, having been linked with the one-time England international last summer.

A move might well finally happen for Branthwaite and the Red Devils, with Amorim’s strugglers hopeful that the strong Everton number 32 can go on to be their modern-day iteration of Rio Ferdinand if a deal is finalised.

How Branthwaite can be Man Urd's next Ferdinand

It’s been nearly 23 years now since Ferdinand crossed enemy lines to leave Leeds United behind for the Theatre of Dreams for £30m.

Rio Ferdinand

But, even nearly two decades on, Ferdinand is still seen as the cream of the defensive crop from United’s recent and more success-laden years, with a mammoth 189 clean sheets coming his way from a stacked 504 Premier League outings, away from his ridiculous trophy collection boasting six top-flight title successes.

As it did at Elland Road over 20 years ago, Branthwaite’s exit would certainly upset the Everton masses if he were to shortly walk away from Merseyside, having showcased himself, just like Ferdinand, to be one of England’s finest young centre-halves.

Ferdinand did already have 54 Premier League clashes under his belt in West Yorkshire before sealing a major switch to link up with Sir Alex Ferguson’s side, and now Branthwaite will surely fancy a similar big move to elevate his game to the next level.

Branthwaite’s PL numbers for Everton
Stat	Branthwaite
Games played	75
Goals scored	4
Assists	1
Goals conceded	92
Clean sheets	21
Stats via the Premier League

After all, the now-retired United number 5 was only a year older than Branthwaite is now when he first made the leap to Old Trafford, with the 22-year-old also definitely capable of adjusting to the pressures of the Theatre of Dreams when glancing at his standout numbers from the table above.

Branthwaite would be able to chip in with goals and assists aplenty too, just like Ferdinand in his pomp, with his output during his breakout 2023/24 season seeing him fire home three strikes, away from further proving his imposing nature in the air by winning 3.9 duels per game throughout 2024/25.

Once lauded as a “colossal” presence by Statman Dave, on top of also being labelled as a “beast” by football analyst Ben Mattinson, this could be yet another signing that helps United push out of their current mire.

A positive new horizon could soon come Amorim and Co’s way as Branthwaite potentially goes down as a modern icon at the back, whilst Cunha and Mbeumo also aim to be heroes in their own right.

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Manchester United appear to be making serious moves in the transfer market.

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Ethan Lamb

Jun 28, 2025

Next-highest score George Balderson’s 41 but Notts made to pay after opting to bowl

ECB Reporters Network30-Jun-2024

Keaton Jennings made an unbeaten 183 as he put Notts to the sword•Lancashire CCC

A fourth century of the season by Keaton Jennings steered Lancashire into a strong position on 344 for 8 after the first day of this Vitality County Championship match against Nottinghamshire at Southport.It was a masterful, battling innings of 183 not out off 258 balls, with 26 fours and four sixes, by Red Rose captain Jennings that held the Lancashire innings together after the visitors had threatened to take charge after lunch.A sellout crowd had turned up hoping to see James Anderson in action for Lancashire one more time, evinced by the collective groan that rose around the Trafalgar Road ground when it was announced Haseeb Hameed had won the toss and opted to bowl. Those present had to settle for watching one of Anderson’s potential England successors instead.Dillon Pennington, selected for the first time alongside Anderson in the England squad to face West Indies, put in a strong shift that returned 2 for 70 from 23 overs across five separate spells on a slowish pitch.Pennington’s lively six-over opening spell conceded just three runs but went without reward and it was the first change bowler Dane Paterson who struck first, nipping one back to bowl Luke Wells for 7.Jennings and Bohannon steered Lancashire to 59 for 1 at lunch in a session shorn of 22 minutes due to rain but the visitors fought back strongly with three wickets in the afternoon.Wicketkeeper Joe Clarke, having taken over the gloves from Tom Moores, dropped an edge by Bohannon off Olly Stone but redeemed himself by holding onto a near identical edge by the Lancashire batter off the very next ball.Pennington snared his first wicket when George Bell edged to second slip for 8 after an uncomfortable 39-ball stay at the crease followed by Matty Hurst tamely chipping Lyndon James to Stone at midwicket for 2 to leave Lancashire 120 for 4 after the Notts attack had skilfully dried up the run scoring during the afternoon.It was Jennings who held the innings together with a mixture of calculated attack and strong defence that saw the left-hander deposit Paterson over square leg for six while his 16th four brought up a 179-ball hundred.Jennings found strong support from George Balderson, who made 41 and twice lofted consecutive Liam Patterson-White deliveries into the Harrod Drive gardens overlooking the ground, in an 88-run partnership that wrestled the initiative back for the hosts.In a lengthy 41-over final session that saw 194 runs scored, Chris Green and Tom Bailey were both lbw to James while Will Williams edged Pennington behind for a duck. But Jennings opened up as started to run out of partners, hammering a tiring attack and taking 47 balls to go from his hundred to 150 as he deposited Stone for six onto the adjacent railway line and ramped Paterson over long-on for six more.Notts cause was hardly helped by three chances of varying difficulty offered by Jennings being put down during the evening that ended with Lancashire having a strong total that they will look to bolster on Monday – and with, for those spectators attending, Anderson likely to both bat and bowl.

Arsenal are set for a very eventful first summer under Andrea Berta, with the north Londoners currently able to register players and take advantage of a mini-window which is open until June 10.

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ByMatt Dawson Jun 2, 2025

Arsenal missed out on the Premier League title to Liverpool by a seismic 10 points, and struggled to match their goalscoring exploits of previous seasons whilst drawing more games than any other side in the top half.

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

A combination of injuries and a failure to break sides down often enough resulted in Arteta’s side surrendering any prospect of a domestic crown to their Merseyside rivals, with Arsenal set to invest heavily in transfers as they bid to mount a more successful challenge for honours next term.

Arsenal have registered a net-spend of around £487 million on new signings since Arteta took charge in 2019, but there are still significant gaps in the squad which need to be addressed, perhaps most notably the absence of a prolific striker.

“It’s going to be a big one (summer) and we are very excited about it,” said Arteta on Arsenal’s summer window, when asked back in April.

“When you are going to go again, we want to increase the depth of the squad and the quality and the skills that we need to go to the next step. Every summer is big because it is an opportunity and especially because of the number of players we have in the squad right now that is necessary.

“But it’s a big summer for many things because first of all we have to maintain the good foundations that we have and then obviously how can we improve and evolve the team.”

Arsenal already appear set to sign Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi, and the Spaniard could be followed by either Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres or RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko (Sky Sports).

As well as this, Arsenal are chasing a new winger and back-up goalkeeper to David Raya.

Arsenal pull out of race to sign Espanyol keeper Joan Garcia

However, despite his credentials as a “powerful” and “exciting” shot-stopper (Ben Mattinson), it appears Arsenal are resigned to losing out on Espanyol star Joan Garcia.

Garcia is believed to be closing in on a move to Barcelona, with Berta and co seemingly dropping out of the race for his signature as a result.

That is according to journalist Carlos Monfort, who says that Arsenal don’t want to pay Garcia’s £21 million release clause and believe they have the goalkeeping position “covered”.

He adds that the 24-year-old was “on the verge of signing” for them last year.

Garcia has seriously impressed for Espanyol over their first campaign back in La Liga after winning promotion in 2023/2024, but it appears Barca are now the overwhelming favourites for his signature.

Over the years, the Chelsea fanbase has been blessed to witness countless strikers who have catapulted them to various levels of success in the Premier League.

Didier Drogba is arguably the club’s best-ever talisman, registering over 100 goals for the Blues over two separate spells at Stamford Bridge, including the equaliser in their Champions League triumph back in 2012.

The Ivorian cemented himself in the club’s history forever with such a moment, with his move from Marseille back in 2004 undoubtedly going down as one of the best in their history.

However, in the present day, the Blues lack that focal point at the top end of the pitch, with Enzo Maresca unable to rely on Nicolas Jackson, as seen in the defeat against Newcastle United last weekend.

As a result, groundwork has already been laid for possible additions, with the centre-forward positions likely to be the number one priority for the hierarchy.

The latest in Chelsea’s hunt for a new striker this summer

Over the last couple of weeks, Chelsea have been linked with a move for a whole host of attackers, as Maresca looks to make his mark on the current first-team squad.

Liam Delap has been the main name mentioned, with Lille talisman Jonathan David also on their shortlist, with his contract at the Ligue 1 outfit set to expire at the end of June.

However, despite the links with the aforementioned duo, another name has been thrown into the mix, in the form of RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko, according to TEAMtalk.

Their report claims that the Blues have already been in talks with the player’s agents over a move for the 21-year-old, who’s managed to net 21 goals across all competitions throughout 2024/25.

It also states that the hierarchy in West London view the Slovenian international as the ‘perfect transfer target’ and an upgrade on the currently suspended Jackson.

Why Chelsea’s latest target would be an upgrade on Osimhen

Despite the links to Leipzig’s Sesko in recent days, another name has emerged as a potential target, in the form of Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, who looks set to leave the Serie A side this summer.

The Nigerian is currently spending the year on loan at Turkish club Galatasaray after dropping down the pecking order after the appointment of former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte last summer.

His record of 24 goals in just 28 league games this campaign would undoubtedly add a different dimension to the Blues’ attack, handing Maresca the goal threat he desires.

However, any deal for the 26-year-old would set the hierarchy back £60m, with multiple other Premier League clubs also in the race for his signature this summer.

As a result, Maresca’s men would be better to prioritise a move for Sesko this summer, with the forward being a better option for the side based on the stats he’s produced to date.

The Leipzig star, who’s been labelled the “next Erling Haaland” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, may have registered fewer combined goals and assists, but has managed to post a higher shot on target accuracy rate – highlighting his clinical ability in the final third.

He’s also managed to complete more passes per 90, whilst achieving a higher take-on success rate, handing Maresca an all-round threat within attacking areas – something which current option Jackson has struggled to do as of late.

Games played

32

28

Goals & assists

18

29

Shot-on-target accuracy

46%

45%

Passes completed

23

14

Successful take-ons

1.5

0.9

Aerials won

64%

60%

Goals per shot on target

0.4

0.1

The biggest asset Sesko possesses is his aerial ability, winning more of the aerials he’s entered, allowing the club to improve on their current record, which has seen them achieve just a 22% successful cross accuracy this campaign.

Both players would undoubtedly hand the club added reinforcements in their quest for Premier League glory, allowing one of them to emulate the success endured by Drogba at the Bridge.

However, if they are to reach the next level under Maresca, Sesko is the man they should target, with his figures making him a better fit and solving their current striker woes in West London.

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Chelsea must sell this “waste of money” who is even worse than Nicolas Jackson.

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Liverpool have been boosted in their attempts to sign a £50m-rated Premier League player in the summer transfer window, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Liverpool days away from Premier League glory

The Reds’ 1-0 win away to Leicester City on Sunday afternoon edged them one step closer to winning the title, with glory now within touching distance for Arne Slot and his players.

Liverpool know they will be crowned Premier League champions if they win at home to Tottenham on Sunday afternoon, but in fact, they could even seal the title before then in the unlikely event that Crystal Palace prevail at Arsenal on Wednesday night.

Slot will know that a busy summer is still required at Anfield, however, with his squad flawed in certain areas, such as left-back and centre-forward, and new signings continue to be linked with the Reds.

Ballon d’Or favourite Raphinha has been mentioned as a surprise option for Liverpool, but he feels more likely to sign a new deal at Barcelona, while highly-rated Leicester City teenager Jeremy Monga has also been backed to come in and be a long-term acquisition.

Liverpool boosted in race to sign £50m Bournemouth star Huijsen

Speaking on Give Me Sport‘s Market Madness podcast, Romano claimed that Real Madrid may pull out of the race to sign Liverpool target Dean Huijsen, amid continued interest in the Bournemouth centre-back, who has a £50m release clause in his contract:

“I’m hearing that internally at Real Madrid, they have still not decided whether they want to sign a centre-back or not in the summer, how much they want to spend. They have Raul Asencio at the club who is doing very well. So that’s why Real Madrid are not so convinced, not about Huijsen, but about signing a new centre-back in the summer.

“And this is why the timing is helping the English clubs. So Liverpool will be there, Arsenal will be there, Chelsea will be there. The release clause is £50m, so the negotiation is on player side, basically. And I’m sure that all these three clubs will push and push again in the next days, weeks, to try reach an agreement with Dean Huijsen and his camp.”

This is a definite plus for Liverpool, who seemingly continue to see Huijsen as a leading option to come in and bolster their central defensive options this season, and rightly so.

The Spain Under-21 international has been superb for Bournemouth throughout the season, playing with a maturity far beyond his 19 years, averaging 5.9 clearances and 2.3 aerial duel wins per game in the league.

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ByAngus Sinclair Apr 22, 2025

If Liverpool manage to pip other huge clubs to Huijsen’s signature ahead of next season, it would feel like a major coup, with the former Juventus youngster having the potential to become one of the best centre-backs in Europe.

Where once greatness was expected, now only meaningful contributions are required, and Kusal Mendis is playing match-winning innings while also impressing with the gloves

Andrew Fidel Fernando19-Sep-20252:22

Maharoof: Mendis a nightmare for spinners once he gets going

“The prince”, “next great Sri Lankan batter”, “boy wonder” are some descriptions that have been assigned to Kusal Mendis. “Spoilt”, “useless”, “soft”, “touchy” are some others. Although at home he is a polarising cricketer, outside Sri Lanka, he is a pretty inoffensive presence – one of those South Asian wicketkeepers who doesn’t feel especially comfortable sledging in English, so there are no viral clips.And yet, few Sri Lankan cricketers have got into as many arguments with fans at the edge of the boundary as Mendis. When Sri Lanka were on one of their huge losing streaks in the late 2010s or early 2020s, Mendis was one of the guys to blame. Not taking sufficient responsibility was one accusation. Caring too much about social-media likes was another. People would say things like this to his face, and Mendis would respond just as quickly.But he is 30 now, and has, in his own way, carved out a place. He was a specialist batter for Sri Lanka when he started out, but had kept wicket at the age-group levels. Long after it became clear he was not about to be the saviour of Sri Lankan batting, choices were reassessed, expectations were toned down, and goals have been reset.Related

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He is now one of the few players that appears across formats for Sri Lanka. What is key to this deal is that he must keep wicket, and do it well. At international level, Mendis has been crushing it.Even just in this Asia Cup, he’s made his presence felt behind the stumps. Against Hong Kong – the opponents that tested Sri Lanka most in the group stage – he stuck pads out to stop extras, scrambled stumpings off bad ricochets, and took a high catch. The entire vibe of this team is that now, you find ways to make yourself useful. Nine years after he appeared in international cricket, perhaps Mendis has found his pocket.He is, as Afghanistan found out, brutal on errors of length, a master of varieties of the sweep, and an excellent manipulator in the middle overs. If there is a ball that can possibly be hit square of the wicket, Mendis tends to oblige. He also tends to far prefer spin. By necessity, he has now become a white-ball opener. But he’s always looked most comfortable when playing the sweep as often as possible.”We knew today they’d bowl a lot of spin,” Mendis said after the Afghanistan game. “What me and Kusal Perera talked about was to bat normally until the 12th over. But almost automatically, we were able to make eight or nine runs per over. That made things easier for us.”Even when Charith Asalanka came to bat, we were waiting for those seam-bowling overs, so we can score some runs off that.”If there is a ball that can possibly be hit square of the wicket, Kusal Mendis tends to oblige•Associated PressAlthough Asalanka faced zero seam-bowling deliveries through the course of his stay, Mendis’ theory held true – Afghanistan’s seamers are easier to get away with the older ball than their spinners. It was Kamindu Mendis, in the end, who helped Mendis take Fazalhaq Farooqi down. By that stage, there had been 12 successive overs of spin, through which Mendis’ sweeps, cuts, swivel-pulls and nudges had helped Sri Lanka stay in touch with the required rate.Then a 15-run over off Farooqi sealed the result. Mendis hit the winning runs, deservedly, crashing Mujeeb-Ur-Rahman through midwicket.Where once greatness was expected, now only meaningful contributions to the team are required. Mendis has had to reassess his role several times in his career. But he is now Sri Lanka’s wicketkeeper-batter across formats. And he is playing match-winning innings, while also impressing with the gloves.Sometimes all it takes is finding your niche.

Former Chelsea left-back and Strasbourg star Ben Chilwell has revealed that he is not giving up on his dream to play for England at the 2026 World Cup, despite being sold by the Blues over the summer. Chilwell claimed that he has already received positive responses during talks with national team boss Thomas Tuchel, adding that "it would be a nice feeling to prove some people wrong".

England squad shaping up ahead of 2026 World Cup

England will be heading into next year's World Cup in the United States of America, Canada, and Mexico as one of the favourites, led by Tuchel, whose pedigree at club level is both proven and widely respected. The Three Lions have experienced a tale of 'so near, yet so far' in recent major international tournaments. They lost the Euro 2024 final to Spain as the agonising wait to taste success continued, but Tuchel's troops look strong as things stand. 

Despite boasting ridiculous squad depth, with most positions stacked with talent in abundance, one of the weakest links in the England XI is the left-back spot. In recent times, Tuchel has called up the likes of Djed Spence, Miles Lewis-Skelly, and Tino Livramento, with Manchester City's rising star Nico O'Reilly starting there in the most recent pair of international fixtures.

AdvertisementAFPChilwell eyeing England's 2026 World Cup squad

It's anyone's guess as to who will be England's starting left-back at the marquee event next summer in North America. With no player seemingly nailing down that position as things stand, could there possibly be an opening for former Chelsea defender Chilwell to play himself into contention? The 28-year-old certainly doesn't rule it out. Chilwell last made an appearance for England in March 2024, but has since been an afterthought internationally.

"What a story it would be if I went to the World Cup after I was in the [Chelsea] bomb squad and everyone had counted me out 12 months prior," Chilwell told . "It would just be the biggest middle finger to so many people, which to me is a motivation. Chelsea were honest with me and there's no resentment, but of course I've got an ego, so it would be a nice feeling to prove some people wrong."

The ex-Leicester City man also revealed that he has kept in touch with the national team gaffer and initial talks have gone well. 

"Probably 99 out of 100 people are saying, 'No, he's not going, and it is impossible to go to the World Cup'," he admitted. "We've had conversations since he's got the job at England. I'll try and word it right – it has been said that it's not out of the equation.

"It makes me laugh that people think I'm an old player at 28 – I'm really in my prime. That's why the World Cup is an ambition… there's so much to achieve. First things first, I want to play well here, be healthy, and then the rest – the World Cup – may follow. If I can say I gave everything but don't achieve it then it's not the end of the world. I'll still be enjoying my football, and only be 29."

Chilwell reflects on his Chelsea departure

Last summer, Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca made it clear that Chilwell would not be a part of his plans for the 2024-25 season. Barring a second-half substitute cameo against Barrow in the Carabao Cup in September, he did not make a single appearance. His exile under Maresca came to an end towards the end of the winter transfer window, as Crystal Palace signed him on a short-term loan.

In the summer, with the chapter of his Chelsea career well and truly closed, he joined BlueCo's sister club Strasbourg permanently, moving to Ligue 1. However, the 2021 Champions League winner revealed that he doesn't hold any grudges over how he was treated by Maresca.

"I've never had anything against Enzo Maresca. I told everyone how much I respected the fact that he was honest, because at least then I could just go, 'alright, cool, I'm not wanted'," he explained. "Of course I wasn't happy with the decision – I didn't agree with it, but I respected it.

"I definitely feel like I suffered from it. I also completely knew I could have done the role [as an inverted full-back]. I played centre-mid until I was 12 and even with Thomas [Tuchel], when we played in a back three, I was making runs into striker positions, or because Toni Rudiger liked to drive with the ball, I'd go inside. I was able to do it – I just didn't have the opportunity."

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AFPAmbitions with Strasbourg – silverware & UCL dream

Things have been going well for Chilwell at Strasbourg, where he has earned the trust of head coach Liam Rosenior. The Milton Keynes-born full-back shared his ambitions for this season.

"It wasn't my top choice, but then I spoke to the manager. It was only a 10-minute call, and I rang my agent straight away after and said, 'Yes, let's get Strasbourg done,'" Chilwell added. "Liam said I'd be surprised how much I'd enjoy it. He still thought I could improve and said he would ask me to play certain roles I haven't played before, which has already started to happen.

"Then there's the leadership side of it. I've been in changing rooms with serial winners and know how to be in a group that wins stuff. It just seemed like a no-brainer and a pretty perfect fit.

"I'm definitely shocked at the quality. There are a lot of people going straight to the top here, and I include the manager in that. The league is good and the stadiums are full. We've shown we can compete with PSG and the manager has big ambitions to win stuff this season and qualify for the Champions League."

The 20-year-old allrounder from a small town close to Lucknow has already made a splash in IPL 2025

Shashank Kishore and Daya Sagar04-Apr-2025Vipraj Nigam, 20, is pleasantly surprised at how much recognition he has received over the past two weeks at IPL 2025.An allrounder signed by Delhi Capitals (DC) primarily for his legspin bowling, Nigam helped his team turn the tables on Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on his IPL debut when he smashed a 15-ball 39 after going out at 113 for 6 in a tall chase of 210. DC won, with Ashutosh Sharma overshadowing Nigam with an unbeaten 66 in 31 balls.”I was nervous, but also excited,” Nigam tells ESPNcricinfo. “The feeling of earning the respect of your team-mates and coaches is something I can’t express in words. It’s been amazing to come and play with the same people I’ve watched on TV.”Related

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Nigam’s batting chops were never in doubt – he broke through into the Uttar Pradesh Under-19s as a batter first, and then legspin took over. When he picked up “13 or 14 wickets in two crucial matches”, an opportunity to be part of a junior camp at the National Cricket Academy [now Centre of Excellence, in Bengaluru] opened up soon after domestic cricket resumed after Covid, sometime in 2022. It was there that he realised the need to develop his all-round abilities.”They [the coaches] told me legspinning allrounders are rare,” he says. “After that, I started working on my bowling seriously.”What he thought was a small step turned into a giant leap when he earned further recognition at the UP T20 League in 2024, where he was the second-highest wicket-taker. Blessed with a quick-arm action modelled on his hero Yasir Shah, the former Pakistan legspinner, Nigam found his way past batters with his fizz. Those performances earned him trials with DC, Mumbai Indians (MI) and Punjab Kings (PBKS).”A few other teams had invited me, but the Ranji Trophy was on, and I wanted to prioritise that,” he says. “But I did well at the trials wherever I went – they gave me good feedback. But there were no guarantees.”At the auction last year, Nigam was signed for INR 50 lakh, “big money” for the son of a primary schoolteacher from Barabanki, a small town near Lucknow. “My father never stopped me from playing cricket,” he says. “My mother would initially tell me it was important to study, but after a point even she started encouraging me. Sports wasn’t a thing at home.”

“I didn’t move to Lucknow initially, I’d do up and down by bus. There was this excitement of going every day to play, as a youngster you don’t think ‘oh, I have to travel this far’. It’s all you want to do. Now the journey has gotten more comfortable since I’ve bought a car”Vipraj Nigam

Sports wasn’t big in his hometown either. Those who aspired to play cricket had to move to Lucknow. Nigam, however, was fortunate to be under the mentorship of Sarwar Nawab, who had just started the lone cricket academy in Barabanki.As Nigam began to develop physically, Nawab worked on his power hitting, while state senior Zeeshan Ansari, who has also broken into the IPL this year, worked on Nigam’s legspin.Ansari played for India at the Under-19 World Cup in 2016 alongside Rishabh Pant and Ishan Kishan, but lost his way for a few years, failing to break into the UP senior team. During this period, Ansari kept his cricket dream burning by practicing and playing A-division cricket in Lucknow, while being a big brother for young Nigam.Nawab and Ansari helped enhance Nigam’s skills, but the proof of the pudding was in being able to play and perform in competitive games. Nawab happened to know Khaleeq Khan, who ran the UP Timber Cricket Club in the A division of the city’s club circuit. Khaleeq offered Nigam an opportunity to play for the club and he has been a regular since.”I didn’t move to Lucknow initially, I’d do up and down by bus,” Nigam says. “There was this excitement of going every day to play, as a youngster you don’t think ‘oh, I have to travel this far’. It’s all you want to do. Now the journey has gotten more comfortable since I’ve bought a car. Earlier, I used to walk, then take a bus, train there for five-six hours and come back. It used to be tiring.””I learnt a lot from several of my seniors,” Vipraj Nigam says of his UP team-mates•Delhi CapitalsAt the club, Nigam enhanced his skills by playing with the cream of UP’s next in line. “I learnt a lot from several of my seniors there,” he says. “Akshdeep Nath, Upendra Yadav, Mohammad Saif – all of them had Ranji Trophy experience. Playing and training with experienced players helped me tremendously.”Nigam also got to play with many of them when he earned a senior state debut in the 2024-25 season. UP made the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy quarter-finals after Nigam made an impression with the bat, an unbeaten 27 off eight balls against Andhra, a prelude of sorts to his IPL fireworks.”I feel very blessed to have had the journey I’ve had,” he says. “I’m learning from the best. KL Rahul is in my team. I’ve been speaking to him every day. Kevin Pietersen [the team mentor], Axar [Patel] , Kuldeep [Yadav] – they’re all amazing players. The IPL is such a platform where you see and learn from the best. I’d like to have a chance to speak to MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav.”For now, bowling and picking up wickets and being able to “make an impact” for DC and wherever he plays is enough for Nigam.