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Chelsea forward Cole Palmer found himself in the spotlight with his recent heroics in the Club World Cup final against Paris Saint-Germain making waves far beyond the pitch. The 23-year-old Englishman was filmed snapping a selfie with a New York Police Department officer outside the Peninsula Hotel on Monday, a day after Chelsea’s emphatic victory over Paris Saint-Germain.

• Palmer basking in CWC glory
• Winning hearts in the USA
• Was stopped for a selfie by an NYPD officer

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Palmer’s new-found status in the Big Apple comes after his sensational performance at the MetLife Stadium, where he scored twice and assisted another in Chelsea's 3-0 dismantling of the French champions. His dazzling display earned him the prestigious Player of the Tournament accolade, an honour which was presented by none other than U.S. President Donald Trump.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Palmer paused to engage with a member of the NYPD as he exited his hotel in midtown Manhattan. Captured in a video shared by the Palmer smiled for a selfie with the officer, an interaction that symbolised his rising stardom in the U.S.

• WATCH THE CLIP

• WHAT NEXT FOR PALMER?

  Following their Club World Cup triumph, Chelsea players and staff were treated to a private celebration to toast a remarkable end to their campaign. The trophy was their second piece of silverware as they previously earned Conference League glory, beating Real Betis in the final.

Details of how Pep Guardiola convinced Pep Lijnders to become Manchester City's new assistant coach have emerged after a previous spell at Liverpool.

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• Lijnders is Guardiola's new assistant
• Previously worked for Klopp at Liverpool
• Had failed spell as Salzburg manager

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  A half-hour conversation from City manager Guardiola was enough to convince Lijnders to join his old rivals, according to . Lijnders was Klopp's right-hand man as Liverpool battled the Cityzens for the Premier League title but his past allegiances haven't been an issue for the 42-year-old, even though he only left Anfield a year ago.

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  City confirmed Lijnders' move earlier on Tuesday, with the Dutchman arriving alongside new set-piece coach James French. Both will be in Guardiola's back-room staff for the Club World Cup, with their first match coming next week on Wednesday against Wydad Casablanca.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Lijnders left Liverpool at the same time as Klopp last year after two separate spells in his coaching staff. He has had two stints as a manager with NEC Nijmegen and Salzburg, but neither have been successful. His arrival at City comes after former assistant coaches Juanma Lillo and Inigo Dominguez left the club at the end of their contracts.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MAN CITY?

  City face Casablanca in their first Club World Cup game and then take on Al-Ain and Juventus in their remaining Group G matches.

Stats highlights from the second ODI at Eden Gardens between India and Australia

Bharath Seervi21-Sep-20173 – India bowlers to claim hat-tricks in ODIs. The first to achieve this was Chetan Sharma against New Zealand in Nagpur in the 1987 World Cup. The second and third have both come at the Eden Gardens – Kapil Dev against Sri Lanka in 1991 and Kuldeep Yadav against Australia. Overall, Kuldeep registered the 44th hat-trick in ODIs.2 – Wristspinners to achieve the hat-trick in ODIs. Both have come this year within 15 matches – Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga against Zimbabwe in Galle in July and Kuldeep. No wristspinner achieved it in first 45 years of ODI cricket in 3898 games.1 – Kuldeep is the first player to take hat-trick in Under-19 youth ODIs as well as ODIs. Kuldeep took a hat-trick against Scotland in the Under-19 World Cup in 2014 in Dubai.7 – Hat-tricks against Australia in ODIs, including Kuldeep’s. The others to do so are: Jalal-ud-din in 1982 (the first hat-trick in ODI history), Wasim Akram in 1990, Jerome Taylor in 2006, Shane Bond in 2007, Lasith Malinga in 2011 and Steven Finn in 2015. 5 – India players to take a hat-trick in International cricket. Apart from Chetan, Kapil and Kuldeep in ODIs, Harbhajan Singh and Irfan Pathan have done it in Tests. Three of those have come at Eden Gardens: Kapil, Harbhajan and Kuldeep.

England's Lionesses have been dealt another huge blow to their Euro 2025 hopes as Millie Bright has withdrawn from selection for the tournament.

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• Bright will not be part of England's Euro 2025 squad
• Chelsea captain has been taking extended period of recovery
• Now withdraws from Lionesses selection this summer

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Bright was initially included in Sarina Wiegman's squad for the penultimate round of Nations League fixtures this past week but withdrew to take "an extended period of recovery" after admitting that she was "mentally and physically" at her "limits". Now, the Chelsea captain has extended that period even longer, by choosing to make herself unavailable for selection for England at this summer's Euros.

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  It continues what has been a shocking week of news for the Lionesses, kicked off by Mary Earps' stunning retirement at the end of May. reported that Wiegman wanted the goalkeeper to be part of her England squad this summer as the back-up to Hannah Hampton, but Earps chose to instead step away from international duty with immediate effect. Then, on Tuesday night came the news that Fran Kirby would also be hanging up her boots on an England front, having not made the cut for the Euros. To also lose Bright is a huge blow, especially considering the cumulative experience the dressing room will be without.

• WHAT BRIGHT SAID

  In a statement on social media, Bright wrote: "This is one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make, but after careful thought and discussions with my team, I have decided to withdraw from selection for the England squad ahead of Euro 2025. Football has given me so much and representing my country has always been my greatest honour. My pride and ego tells me to go but I think the team and the fans deserve more.

  "Right now, I'm not able to give 100 per cent mentally or physically. As much as I want to be out there running through brick walls for England and fighting alongside my team-mates, stepping back is the right thing for my health, my future in the game and, most importantly, the team. It wouldn't be fair for me to take the place and opportunity away from another player who is ready and able to give everything for the badge and country.

  "I'll be supporting the team with everything I've got and hoping this incredible group of players will do the nation proud. Thank you to my team-mates, coaches and, most importantly, the fans for your unwavering supporting, it means the world to me."

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The good news, at least, is that England do have a lot of depth at the centre-back position. Bright's absence likely paves the wave for Alex Greenwood to start alongside Leah Williamson in defence, though Esme Morgan got the nod there in Friday's win over Portugal. Jess Carter will also compete in that spot, while Bright's withdrawal could open the door for Lotte Wubben-Moy to be included in Wiegman's final squad.

The trio shared all ten wickets, before Dimuth Karunaratne’s fifty took the visitors’ lead to 211

Madushka Balasuriya23-Mar-2024A day belonging to the bowlers ended with Sri Lanka 211 runs ahead, after their seamers ran through Bangladesh’s line-up to secure a healthy first-innings lead of 92 in Sylhet before the batters stretched it further. Dhananjaya de Silva (23*), one of two first-innings centurions, was at the crease alongside nightwatcher Vishwa Fernando, after Bangladesh again troubled Sri Lanka’s top order on a wicket that continued to prove further more challenging for batters.Nahid Rana continued his excellent debut, accounting for the wickets of Nishan Madushka and Kusal Mendis during a fiery opening spell. There was also finally some joy for the spinners, with Taijul Islam and Mehidy Hasan Miraz getting rid of Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal, respectively.But it was Shoriful Islam who grabbed the prized wicket of Dimuth Karunaratne. The former captain had been in the middle of one his patented scratchy but durable innings, notching his 36th Test fifty, when he top-edged a sharp bouncer straight to fine leg. That reduced Sri Lanka to 113 for 5, and produced a nervy final few minutes of play as Vishwa and Dhananjaya played out till the close.But despite the best efforts of the Bangladesh bowling contingent, it was Sri Lanka’s seamers who ensured their side would be ahead on the day after a disciplined and probing effort had been duly rewarded with the hosts being dismissed for 188 less than an hour before tea.Having begun the day with Bangladesh three down, Sri Lanka’s seamers hogged the ball across the morning session and for most of the afternoon as well – spinner Prabath Jayasuriya got just a solitary over – as they finished by grabbing all ten wickets, the first time the quicks did that in a Test innings in Bangladesh since 2008.In a display of endurance as much as patience, each of Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha and Vishwa Fernando produced tireless spells of disciplined and high-quality fast bowling.Shoriful Islam got Dimuth Karunaratne for 52 late in the day•AFP/Getty Images

Kumara did the damage early in the day, sending three frontline batters packing before lunch. The first to go was Mahmudul Hasan Joy, who hadn’t looked comfortable negotiating the seaming ball outside off and eventually pushed too hard at one that had a little extra bounce.Shahadat Hossain too fell prey to that nagging length outside off, edging into the slip cordon, but Kumara saved his best for Litton Das. Having bowled a couple prior that held its line outside off, he got one to jag back in and burst through bat and pad to crash into the stumps.Litton had been looking good up until that point, but his wicket just an over before lunch proved to be crucial, as it ended an innings-best 41-run stand and brought about the last recognised batter – Mehidy – to the crease.That said, Taijul, who had come in the previous evening as a nightwatcher, was still in and looking increasingly more confident. A couple of lovely drives earlier in the day, mixed in with surprisingly adept defensive resilience, had seen the spinner upstage his more illustrious batting counterparts.This was perhaps borne out of him being more aware of his limitations, and thus less likely to take the bait being offered by the Sri Lanka seamers outside off. But just as Bangladesh would have been hoping he would carry on, he flashed at a wide, full one from Rajitha and found the edge.Mehidy then attempted to shield Shoriful from the strike, but that strategy necessitated a more proactive approach, and so he wound up getting a leading edge looking to aggressively work a straight one through midwicket.Sri Lanka might have been hoping to wrap up proceedings swiftly from then on, but both Shoriful and Khaled Ahmed decided to shed any pretence of dragging the innings further and looked to slog at any available opportunity. A couple of lusty blows off Jayasuriya were the highlight, while some fortunate edges afforded runs even off the seamers.In the end, Shoriful top-edged one too many, and Khaled fell shortly after, getting a thick edge on a swipe across the line. The pair’s 40-run stand came off just 35 deliveries, and given the difficulty with which runs subsequently got scored, might prove pretty valuable in the grand scheme of the game.

After reaching an agreement to sign Fer Lopez to get their summer business underway, Wolverhampton Wanderers are now reportedly showing “intent” in the race to sign a veteran defender.

Premier League fixtures confirmed as Wolves plot signings

Whilst the chaos continues in the transfer window, the Premier League fixtures have now officially been announced. Discovering their fate, Wolves will have an interesting reunion on the opening day of the 2025/26 season, with the visit of Rayan Ait-Nouri and Manchester City kicking things off in difficult fashion for Vitor Pereira’s side.

Of course, the last thing that Wolves will want is to get sucked into another relegation scrap – especially after Pereira’s instant progress after taking the job last season. But if they do find themselves in trouble, then relegation six-pointers against Leeds United in April and then Sunderland and Burnley in May stand out as crucial fixtures.

Burnley away on the final game of the season could be particularly decisive and already looks like one to watch in the relegation battle. As much as Wolves are keen to avoid another season in and amongst the dropzone, there’s no denying that they could face a tough transition into life without Matheus Cunha and Ait-Nouri.

On that front, however, those at Molineux are already working on replacements. The big question will be whether the likes of Lopez and Evann Guessand are capable of replicating Cunha’s crucial output in the Premier League, which singlehandedly carried Wolves’ frontline at times.

It’s not just attacking additions that the Midlands club need either. Pereira and Wolves have also reportedly set their sights on some key defensive reinforcements and could even reunite with a familiar face as a result this summer and one that Molinuex would need no introduction to.

Wolves show "intent" in Conor Coady race

Just two years on from his departure, Molineux could have one of their favourites back this summer. According to Sky Sports (17:10pm), Wolves are now showing “intent” in the race to sign Conor Coady in a transfer battle against Scottish giants Rangers. The veteran defender has been shown the door at Leicester City, handing Wolves the chance to secure an important reunion with their former captain.

By rejoining Wolves, Coady would instantly become the most experienced Premier League player in the current squad and could even go on to break the record for appearances in the club’s Premier League history, jumping ahead of Ruben Neves in the process.

The veteran defender experienced it all at Molineux, from Championship failure and then Championship promotion all the way to a European tour. Now, at 32 years old, he could return to ensure that Wolves steer clear of the dropzone and so much more once again.

Molineux chiefs scrambling as Club World Cup side Benfica set to raid Wolves

A major European side have their eyes on an important member of Wolves’ team.

By
Brett Worthington

Jun 16, 2025

Whilst it remains to be seen how much Leicester demand to sell their defender, reports that they have opened the door for the £75,000-a-week defender to leave suggest that they’d be willing to accept a relatively cheap price this summer.

Arsenal are making an effort to restructure and revitalize their squad ahead of an all-important 2025/2026 campaign, with Mikel Arteta under some pressure to deliver a trophy after five years without major silverware, discounting the Community Shield.

Mikel Arteta set for a vital season with Arsenal silverware expected

Arteta delivered the FA Cup at the end of his first campaign in charge, but since then, Arsenal have had precious little to shout about despite some very close calls.

Fabrizio Romano says "deal is agreed" for "perfect" player to join Arsenal

Everything is in place for a move to be finalised.

1

By
Emilio Galantini

Jun 10, 2025

Arsenal registered an incredible 89 points during the 2023/2024 season, which would have been enough to win the Premier League title in many of the previous campaigns, but Man City’s imperiousness ultimately thwarted Arteta.

It was a similar story during the 22/23 campaign, but Arsenal were miles off this year’s eventual title winners Liverpool, having missed out on the domestic crown by a seismic 10 points.

The Gunners have also failed to deliver in all other domestic and European cup competitions since 2020, with Arteta now facing a vital next season where he simply must deliver glory to the Emirates after many years of building an elite-level squad.

“There’s no doubt next season the pressure will be on Arteta massively in terms of winning something and winning something big,” said Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher.

“If they don’t do that, the Arsenal board will have a massive issue, because they won’t want to change the manager, but there will be lots of people saying ‘five or six years without a trophy’ and they will be looking at how many managers can make that next step.

“The problem with changing Mikel Arteta is that Arsenal could easily become what Chelsea are now, a team finishing second year in, year out, to a team not getting into the Champions League.

“That’s the big conundrum Arsenal will have in 12 months if they go close again but don’t get over the line. It feels like next season has to be the season.”

Trimming the deadwood and making room for vital new additions is imperative, and they’ve now managed to get previous highly-rated youngster Marquinhos off the books for good.

Arsenal confirm Marquinhos has joined Cruzeiro permanently

The 22-year-old Brazilian, according to Arteta, was actually a “very popular” player behind-the-scenes at London Colney, but he could never quite cement himself as a part of the manager’s long-term plans on the field.

Marquinhos has been on loan at Brazilian side Cruzeiro since January, which included an obligation to buy based on certain conditions, and that now appears to have been triggered.

Arsenal announced on Monday that Marquinhos has joined Cruzeiro on a permanent deal, bringing an end to his three-year stay at N5, which initially brought so much promise, only for the forward to be deemed surplus.

“He’s very popular, with no English, just with his smile and attitude,” said Arteta about Marquinhos in 2022.

“He has earned the respect and admiration of everybody here.”

Marquinhos’ move to Cruzeiro was initially under threat, according to some reports in South America, but he’s now officially set to start a new chapter back in his homeland.

He’s been among South Africa’s most successful short-format bowlers but his brilliance in Tests eclipsed the rest

Firdose Moonda01-Sep-2021Remember the time Dale Steyn beat Rohit Sharma’s bat 15 times in a row? In an ODI? When Rohit finally made contact, he got a jeering round of applause from the Wanderers crowd and a sneer from Steyn.Remember the time Steyn defended six off the last over in a T20I by bowling five dot balls, taking two wickets and effecting a run-out to keep South Africa in contention for a semi-final spot at a T20 World Cup against the team that had knocked them out of a major tournament three years before?No? Of course you don’t.Related

• Frankly yours, Dale Steyn

• Dale Steyn brings curtain down on illustrious career

• 'The best' for Anderson, Neesham will 'have to find another source of joy'

Because the name Dale Steyn is synonymous with Test specials like Nagpur 2010 and Galle 2014. You remember a South African quick who bossed the subcontinent like no one else. You remember a red-ball magician who could swing the ball both ways, rip out the stumps, and stare down the batter for good measure during and after. You remember the scary eyes that speak, as Hashim Amla put it, of a spirit strengthened by the simplicity of humble beginnings and hard work; a bowler who broke the South African record for most Test wickets, at first with unmatched skill and in the end through sheer determination to fight back from a shoulder injury; you remember a champion cricketer in whites.Inevitably, that means his shorter-format game pales in comparison. The most memorable moment of Steyn’s white-ball career, which ended with his retirement announcement on Monday, came from the depths of despair at Eden Park. He lay on his back, his left hand cradling his head, his right outstretched to meet Grant Elliott’s. The South African-born Black Cap would pick a tearful Steyn up off the ground amid a million what-ifs.The image, from the 2015 World Cup semi-final, that has perhaps come to define Steyn’s white-ball career•Getty ImagesWhat if Steyn had bowled that last ball fuller? Or shorter? With only four runs to defend, why did he choose hard length for Elliott to get under and hit over long-on for the six that put New Zealand in the final and South Africa out of another World Cup?To some degree, we can understand why Steyn bowled the ball he did. The yorker hadn’t worked earlier in the over when Daniel Vettori made room and steered it to third man, and if Steyn missed – a distinct possibility because the ball was wet – the straight boundary was so short it was an almost certain maximum. We may never know why he didn’t default to the bouncer, which had beaten Vettori’s pull, except for the fact that it was not Vettori facing. Steyn had already bowled 8.4 expensive overs and there was a lot riding on the next ball. So much that maybe the what-ifs should be that minute.What if South Africa had picked a different team? What if they didn’t have outside interference in their selection? What if someone else had bowled the fifth over, the one in which Steyn conceded 25 runs? Or what if someone else had bowled the last one? Not a chance, on the last of those. As Steyn himself has said: “I was always going to bowl that over.” Whether that was stubbornness or pulling rank, ultimately, South Africa didn’t have anyone better for the job.Steyn’s economy rate of 6.45 between overs 41 and 50 in ODIs is the third best among pace bowlers since he made his ODI debut in 2005. Of the 45 seamers who have bowled at least 100 overs in 50-over cricket, only Jasprit Bumrah (5.91) and Mitchell Johnson (6.41) have more miserly numbers. It’s an obvious reminder that as a limited-overs cricketer Steyn was better than just good. He was exceptional.But against the record of his red-ball heroics, his shorter-format game has been overshadowed, even though that was the focus of the last phase of his career.Steyn retired from Tests in 2019 to pursue a World Cup dream that he has now confirmed will remain unfulfilled. He fell out of South Africa’s T20I plans as early as April last year when he was not given a national contract despite making his commitment to white-ball cricket clear. (As an aside, South Africa don’t seem keen on offering any of their greats limited-overs deals and neither Faf du Plessis nor Imran Tahir appears to be in contention for the T20 World Cup despite being available). At that stage, Steyn had played in five out of 11 T20Is for South Africa between March 2019 and February 2020 and before that, he had not played a T20I since the T20 World Cup in March 2016 thanks to a spate of injuries, a focus on breaking Shaun Pollock’s record as the leading Test wicket-taker in the country, and an unprecedented four-year gap (which has become five-years thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic) between the ICC hosting T20 World Cups.Steyn has been the most successful T20I bowler for South Africa, but was not given a national contract last year•Getty ImagesStill, Steyn remains South Africa’s most successful T20I bowler to date, and has the second best death-bowling economy rate in the world. Of the 34 bowlers who have delivered at least 200 balls between overs 17 and 20 in T20Is, Steyn’s economy of 7.27 is second only to Bumrah’s 7.23. Those numbers only pose more what-ifs. Like, what if Steyn had played more white-ball cricket at more crucial times?Steyn’s first ODI was for an Africa XI, and he did not play ODI cricket for South Africa for about a year after making his Test debut. In the first two and a half years of his ODI career, he only played six ODIs and he was not part of the squad for the 2007 World Cup, where South Africa relied on an experienced attack made up of Pollock, Makhaya Ntini, Charl Langeveldt, Jacques Kallis, Justin Kemp and Andrew Hall. In the first six years of his white-ball career, Steyn played in only 55 of South Africa’s 120 ODIs and 21 of their 39 T20Is.Perhaps it was all part of a master plan because, in that time, Steyn enjoyed his two most successful years as a Test bowler – 74 wickets at 20.01 in 2008 and 60 wickets at 21.41 in 2010 – and was part of the South African Test side that reached No.1 in the rankings.Accidental or not, Steyn’s workload management early on would doubtless have played some part in the champion Test bowler he became and perhaps the ODI and T20I team South Africa didn’t. The opposite also needs to be considered. If Steyn had been managed even further (or at all, considering that the word only became part of the professional sporting lexicon in the last few years), would he have played even less white-ball cricket and more Tests?Steyn’s recurring shoulder injury near obliterated his white-ball career•Getty ImagesThough Steyn was never one to turn down game time in any format, South Africa could have strategised a situation in which he played at least 100 Tests and pushed for 500 wickets, approaching his career the way England have for Jimmy Anderson, who has not played an ODI since the 2015 World Cup. If that had happened, would the Steyn-Anderson match-up still be playing out on the field today? Maybe, but luck had other ideas.The first of Steyn’s serious injuries was in November 2015 in the series in India, where he only played one of four Tests; South Africa went on to lose their first series on the road in nine years. The second was a shoulder issue later that summer that would go on to blight the remainder of his career and virtually obliterate his white-ball game.It took Steyn eight months to recover, only to break his shoulder again. Then he needed more than a year to come back. By that point, Steyn was returning for only one thing: to break Pollock’s Test record.His limited-overs participation dwindled to a trickle. In the last three years of his ODI career, he only played 13 ODIs and five T20Is, but his desire to keep contributing never dimmed. And so, to franchise leagues it was, where they got the best of Steyn off the field, but not on it.Steyn’s nice-guy demeanour always lurked in his Test career but blossomed as he mellowed on the T20 scene. Never one to shy away from a chat, Steyn has made a habit of informal mentorship. At the PSL earlier this year, Steyn spent significant amounts of time sharing his knowledge with a clutch of young Pakistani quicks, who relished every second of it. Fortunate for those hoping to learn from him; less so for cricket watchers. The result was that Steyn spent much less time bowling and when he did, it wasn’t always with good results.Steyn hasn’t found much success in franchise cricket, but he’s played willing mentor to bowlers in the PSL and the IPL•Getty ImagesHe played only three matches for Quetta Gladiators, and in his first, conceded 44 runs in four overs, including 21 in his final over when Wahab Riaz hit him out of the park for back-to-back sixes. He improved by the next match, taking 1 for 20 in three overs, and then signed off with 1 for 34 in 3.4 overs in his final outing.At least the last moments of Steyn’s white-ball career were a success, albeit not for South Africa and not in a global tournament. With 24 to defend and two wickets to get off the final over against Multan Sultans, Steyn conceded just one run from the first two balls and had two wickets fall off the next two – a run-out and a catch. Gladiators won their first match of the season. It’s no World Cup semi-final, but at least there are no more what-ifs.If we remember anything from Dale Steyn’s 18 years as a professional sportsperson, it will be that. He left it all out there. The emotions, the struggles and, most of all, the success. To borrow from his team-mate Amla again, that reel, on a loop. The legend will always be.

Jadhav, who had also registered for the WPL auction but went unsold, is one of the standbys for the upcoming Under-19 World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Jan-2025Fourteen-year-old Ira Jadhav scored an unbeaten 346 off 157 balls to launch Mumbai to 563 for 3 against Meghalaya in Alur in the Women’s Under-19 One Day Trophy. Jadhav smashed 42 fours and 16 sixes and finished with a strike rate of 220.38.In the chase, Meghalaya crumbled to 19 all out, with six players falling for ducks, as Mumbai posted a massive 544-run win.The record for the highest individual score in a women’s U-19 match belongs to South Africa’s Lizelle Lee. Playing for Mpumalanga, Lee scored an unbeaten 427 against Kei in 2010.Jadhav, who opened the innings, was part of a 274-run stand for the second wicket with her captain Hurley Gala, who made 116 off 79 balls. Jadhav’s contribution to the partnership was 149 off 71 balls. This was followed by a stand of 186 with Diksha Pawar – Jadhav’s share was 137 off 50 balls. Against such an onslaught, three of Meghalaya’s bowlers conceded 100 runs or more.A student of the Shardashram Vidyamandir International School, the alma mater of Sachin Tendulkar, Vinod Kambli and Ajit Agarkar, Jadhav was one of the youngest players to register for the WPL 2025 auction, but she went unsold. A few days later, she was named among standbys for India’s Under-19 T20 World Cup squad that will travel to Malaysia.

Arsenal are reportedly stepping up their pursuit of Crystal Palace midfielder Eberechi Eze after almost sealing a deal for Viktor Gyokeres. Having spent the past two months working to bring Gyokeres to North London, Arsenal are now ready to turn their full attention to bolstering their midfield by targeting Eze, who has emerged as one of their top priorities in the summer.

• Arsenal set to complete Gyokeres signing
• Gunners shift their focus to Eze
• Ready to shell out £60m for the Palace star

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  With the Gyokeres deal effectively in the bag, Arsenal are lining up a formal offer to lure Eze from Selhurst Park. According to the Gunners are preparing a bid worth approximately £60 million ($81m), which could be structured across three payment installments.

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  While this figure falls short of the £67m ($90m) release clause in Eze’s contract, the relationship between the two clubs’ hierarchies is said to be positive, creating a belief that negotiations could proceed amicably. Moreover, the player is believed to be enthusiastic about the opportunity to join Mikel Arteta’s project at Arsenal, which could expedite negotiations.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  To further sweeten the deal and reduce the transfer fee, Arsenal may consider including winger Reiss Nelson as part of the proposal to Palace. Nelson may find minutes limited next season given the club’s new arrivals, and a switch to Selhurst Park could offer him more consistent playing time, while aiding Arsenal’s pursuit of Eze.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

  Eze enjoyed a standout season under Oliver Glasner at Palace, registering eight goals and eight assists in the Premier League. His consistent output and match-winning goal in the FA Cup final against Manchester City were crucial in helping the Eagles reach new heights in the previous campaign. And should Arsenal complete the Eze transfer, Mikel Arteta will hope that he can finally conquer England after coming mighty close in the last few years.