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West Ham and Tottenham have held discussions over signing former Brentford striker Ivan Toney ahead of the looming January transfer window, and he’s now given a response to both sides.

Ivan Toney attracts Premier League interest after Saudi displays

Toney’s excellent since moving to Al-Ahli has reportedly prompted several Premier League clubs to consider bringing him back to English football, with his exceptional goalscoring record defying initial skepticism about his £40 million transfer.

The 29-year-old has silenced doubters emphatically, scoring 42 goals across just 62 appearances in all competitions since arriving in the Gulf state.

His output has spearheaded Al-Ahli to success, including their maiden AFC Champions League triumph and victory in the Saudi Super Cup after a penalty shootout victory over Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr.

Toney’s memorable hat-trick against 2024 champions Al-Hilal marked Al-Ahli’s first victory over their rivals in eight league games, with the striker going on to net 12 goals across just seven matches during one extraordinary purple patch.

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

Leeds 2-1 West Ham

West Ham 3-1 Newcastle

West Ham 3-2 Burnley

Bournemouth 2-2 West Ham

His performances even briefly earned the Englishman a spot back in Thomas Tuchel’s England setup earlier this year, but Toney has struggled to fire his way back into contention since then.

With the 2026 World Cup looming, reports have suggested that Toney could return to the Premier League in a bid to battle his way into Tuchel’s thinking ahead of the tournament next year.

West Ham now in pole position to sign "monster" striker after already making contact

The Hammers are after a new centre-forward.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 27, 2025

Of all the teams linked with a move for Toney, West Ham and Spurs stand chief among them as the two London clubs allegedly scour for striking options.

Tottenham are said to have held preliminary talks over a deal for Toney already, while West Ham have allegedly sounded out the striker as they look to replace the exit-bound Niclas Füllkrug.

Now, a report by talkSPORT has shed light on the situation, with Nuno Espirito Santo handed a key update.

West Ham and Tottenham get Ivan Toney response after discussions

West Ham and Tottenham have discussed January moves for Toney, but the England striker has made clear his intention to remain in Saudi Arabia, effectively ending hopes of an immediate Premier League return.

Sources close to the situation confirm Toney’s camp has communicated directly to interested Premier League clubs that the striker remains settled, content and unwilling to push for a transfer.

Al-Ahli sporting director Rui Pedro Braz reinforced this stance publicly, insisting speculation surrounding January departures holds no basis in reality and declaring the club counts on Toney moving forward.

Additionally, Toney must remain abroad until April 2026 to maintain his non-UK tax residency status. Returning prematurely would trigger significant tax liabilities estimated at around £14 million.

Al-Ahli would also demand more than the £40 million they paid for a permanent transfer.

The SPL club would only consider sanctioning Toney’s departure if they secured an elite-level replacement, something which could be very difficult to do in January’s limited window.

Right now, the odds are stacked against an exit for the ‘remarkable’ striker, so West Ham and Spurs may need to look elsewhere.

According to other reports, West Ham have already made contact over a deal for USG striker Promise David, who could be available for a generous £17.5 million.

Now a senior voice in a new dressing room, de Kock comes into the Proteas set-up with fresh perspectives

Firdose Moonda30-Oct-2025Quinton de Kock had to walk away from his childhood dream of becoming an international cricketer to realise he hadn’t quite fulfilled as much of it as he wanted. And he did it quietly.After South Africa lost last year’s T20 World Cup final in heart-wrenching fashion by seven runs to India, de Kock, in his words, “disappeared”.He hadn’t retired from T20Is, hadn’t said any goodbyes, and simply wasn’t named in any of South Africa’s squads. Rob Walter, now the former white-ball coach, spent press conference after press conference saying he hadn’t spoken to de Kock and had no idea of his future plans until, eventually we stopped asking.Everyone – with good reason – assumed, de Kock was done. He popped up in T20 leagues as one spring came and went, but by the time another arrived, de Kock had spent enough time in the cold.Related

• De Kock is back on his own with 'no strings attached'

• Bavuma 'excited' to have de Kock back in ODI fold

• Bosch, Hendricks and Linde brush aside Pakistan in series opener

“I missed the camaraderie and the whole thing of representing the Proteas,” de Kock said in his first media interaction post-comeback. “I’d played so much for the Proteas over the years that I kind of forgot about that feeling, as a kid that’s grown up to be a Proteas cricketer.”After having a bit of a break from the team, that childhood dream came back.”Many players say this kind of thing when they walk away: the achievements will blur into the background and it’s the friendships they’ll miss. Some keep them going at league level, and de Kock has, but not many return to make new connections. De Kock has decided that’s what he wants.”What I’ve really enjoyed is all the new faces,” he said. “There’s only a handful of the guys who are still here from when I left. Now I’m playing with a whole bunch of youngsters, new guys, new coaching staff, so it’s quite refreshing. I’m making some new friends now and there’s a new style within the team.”

“I’ve always been used to being one of the young guys in the team. So it’s a bit of a shell shock”Quinton de Kock

Those words may sound strange to those, like many of us, for whom de Kock is still the uber-talented 20-year-old who burst into South Africa’s squad in late 2012. But 13 years have passed, de Kock is 32 and is South Africa’s 10th most-capped international across all formats. Not much has changed about his public persona – he still “just doesn’t watch cricket,” – and didn’t say much about the women’s team making their first ODI World Cup final, but he’s no newbie. He is a senior and he intends to behave like one.De Kock’s second innings could see him play the 2026 T20 World Cup and the home ODI World Cup in 2027•Associated Press”Apart from trying to win games, I’m going to try to help youngsters grow in their careers. Obviously, I play a lot more international cricket than a couple of the guys on the team, so I’m just here to help them out where I can,” he said. “When I started, one of the big guys that I stuck close to, and is now one of my very good friends is Dale Steyn.”He taught me a couple of lessons along the way that really helped my career. A couple of the youngsters have been asking me questions and how to improve their game, so I’m happy to be here and help where I can, kind of like what Dale did for me. If I make an impact in their careers, it will be great. It’s very different, me coming back as one of the older guys. I’ve always been used to being one of the young guys in the team. So it’s a bit of a shell shock.”Equally, it will take some getting used to that de Kock, a former captain, is not guaranteed a place on reputation alone and he knows it. “I don’t think the door is completely open for me,” he said. “I still need to come here and score runs.”After only two matches, the comeback’s sample size is small but de Kock hasn’t had it all his way. He was out for 1 against Namibia earlier this month and made a good-looking 23 off 13 balls against Pakistan in the first T20I. Both times, he sliced the ball to fielders, which may indicate a little patience is required. De Kock’s time away, mostly spent as father to a young daughter, is likely to have taught him some. With the calendar head, he has more than enough matches to show it.De Kock has scored 24 runs in two T20I innings since his return•Getty ImagesSouth Africa play two more T20Is against Pakistan followed by three ODIs. Then, after two Tests in India (which won’t feature de Kock), they will play three ODIs and five T20Is in India in preparation for next year’s T20 World Cup. If de Kock is included in the India series, it would be a strong sign that he is being considered for the World Cup, but he isn’t thinking that way yet.South Africa are also co-hosts with Zimbabwe and Namibia for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Now that de Kock has reversed the ODI retirement he announced in 2023, he will also be eligible to play in that event.”When I spoke to Shukri [Conrad, head coach], I said I’d like to play for as long as I can, however long that’s going to be. Obviously, I’d like to play in a couple of World Cups in that timeline,” he said. “I said to him ‘Look, I’ve disappeared for a year or two but now I’m back to play for as long as I can. I’m still pretty fit. I feel fitter than ever at the moment. My body feels great, so I’m going to push it for as long as I can. I haven’t set a deadline or timeline.”

In the almost six years since he took the job, Mikel Arteta has helped to utterly reshape Arsenal.

He’s pulled a team out of midtable mediocrity and turned them into serious contenders for the Champions League and Premier League.

Now, part of this transformation is down to his philosophy and tactics, but also to the sensational players he has promoted and signed.

In fact, one of his signings is now undoubtedly one of the world’s best players and arguably Arsenal’s best since the likes of Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry.

Vieira and Henry's Arsenal legacies

Arsenal signed Vieira from AC Milan in the summer of 1996, after a season in which he sat on the bench watching the Italian giants win the Scudetto.

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However, he certainly wasn’t a bit-part player in North London; he ended his first campaign having made 31 Premier League appearances, and as the years went by, he only became more and more important to the Gunners.

For example, following Tony Adams’ retirement in May 2002, Arsène Wenger made the all-action midfielder the club’s new captain, and in the eyes of many, he is one of the best to ever wear the armband.

By the time the Dakar-born monster left the club for Inter Milan in 2006, he had made 405 appearances, in which he scored 32 goals, provided 47 assists, won three titles, four FA Cups and led the North Londoners on their legendary invincible campaign.

Now, for most clubs, the iconic midfielder would probably be considered their greatest ever player, but for the Gunners, there is only one man who can hold that title: Henry.

The legendary forward joined the North Londoners from Juventus in the summer of 1999, and while it sounds absurd today, he didn’t have the best of starts.

He failed to score a single goal across his first eight appearances for the club and later revealed in an interview that he had to “be re-taught everything about the art of striking” during that period.

Whatever Wenger taught him in those few months must have been pretty special, as he’d end his first season in red and white with a tally of 26 goals and 12 assists in 48 appearances.

By the time the Les Ulis-born superstar left the club for Barcelona in 2007, he had chalked up a frankly astounding tally of 226 goals and 104 assists in 370 appearances and won two Premier Leagues and three FA Cups.

He returned for a brief spell in the 11/12 season, scoring twice in seven appearances.

Overall, when it comes to Arsenal legends, few players can match up with Henry and Vieira, but one of Arteta’s best signings is undoubtedly on his way.

Arsenal's future legend

The good news for Arsenal fans is that the squad is full of players who could go on to become club legends, but when it comes to someone performing at a world-class level, it’s hard to ignore Declan Rice.

The £105m man has been incredible for the club since his move in 2023, but towards the end of last season, and especially this year, it feels like he has taken another step forward.

Whether it’s hunting opposition players to steal the ball from them, marauding up the pitch with it at his feet or creating chance after chance with his outrageous set-piece delivery, the Englishman is operating at a truly unbelievable level.

In fact, he’s playing so well and has become so important in everything the Gunners do that it’s become increasingly hard to disagree with Thomas Frank’s assertion that he is among “the best in the world.”

That might sound hyperbolic to some, but it really, truly is not, and for those still unconvinced, you only need to look at his underlying numbers.

Rice’s Scout Report

Statistics

Per 90

Percentile

Goals + Assists

0.49

Top 3%

Corner Kicks

3.15

Top 4%

Assists

0.27

Top 5%

Progressive Carries

2.75

Top 5%

Crosses

4.92

Top 5%

xAG: Exp. Assisted Goals

0.22

Top 6%

Non-Penalty Goals

0.22

Top 7%

Shots from Free Kicks

0.18

Top 7%

Key Passes

1.92

Top 8%

Switches

0.69

Top 9%

All Stats via FBref

According to FBref, he ranks in the top 3% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for goals plus assists, the top 5% for progressive carries and crosses, the top 8% for key passes and more, all per 90.

Moreover, something else that will help him reach the levels of Henry and Vieira is his mentality.

The England international is clearly someone who gives everything in every performance, and while he hasn’t got the armband, he is also undeniably a leader and will be a big reason for the Gunners winning anything this season.

Ultimately, while he needs those medals to get the respect he deserves, Rice is undoubtedly one of the best players in the world and will become an Arsenal legend.

Related He's becoming a Saka & Eze hybrid: Arsenal have signed an "agent of chaos"

The increible international has the ability to be as important as Saka and Eze for Arsenal this season.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 28, 2025

Former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has weighed into the Jude Bellingham debate and urged the Real Madrid and England superstar to focus on his job and not be distracted by his critics. Tension has developed between the midfielder and Thomas Tuchel, which has primarily focused on player behaviour and squad integration. The situation began in the summer when Tuchel referred to Bellingham's on-field demeanour as "repulsive."

Broken relationship between superstar attacker and boss

Tuchel later apologised for the comments he made, but also stressed the need for Bellingham to "channel" his competitive "fire" towards opponents, not officials or team-mates. This was followed by the high-profile omission of Real Madrid attacker from the October England squad, with Tuchel emphasising "team cohesion" over individual talent, stating "teams win trophies", and this was also set against the backdrop of the him recovering from a shoulder injury. 

The latest incident occurred during the recent World Cup qualifier against Albania where Bellingham, who was voted Player of the Match, was visibly frustrated at being substituted in the 84th minute, shortly after Harry Kane's goal. Tuchel addressed the reaction, reiterating that "behaviour is key" and players must "accept" his decisions for the good of the team, especially given Bellingham was on a yellow card and risked a suspension for a future game. 

And now, speaking at the press conference to formally announce Joshua’s fight with YouTuber Jake Paul, the two-time unified heavyweight champion has urged the former Birmingham City and Borussia Dortmund star to focus on his football.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportBellingham falls foul of Tuchel's strict regime 

Joshua said: "Talk to me… What's happened with Jude? Why (Shouldn't he be included in England squad)? "But why? I'm not exactly sure what's going on with the situation but everyone has their own personality. If he doesn't want to talk then that's up to it, if he wants to talk, if he doesn't, I don't understand exactly what's going on, I don't follow soccer, I follow the fight game. What like? Negative? The main thing for him to focus on is getting on that pitch and representing his country and doing a good job. It doesn't matter what you say, that's what we've got to focus on, he's probably just tunnel vision which most people don't understand what it takes to be in Jude Bellingham's position."

Joshua added: "Jude Bellingham is under immense pressure every day of his life, it might just be one of those days, one of those years but let him do what he does on the pitch, that's what we need to focus on."

Wright's forthright views on Bellingham saga

Former England and Arsenal striker Ian Wright has also had his say on Bellingham's critics, claiming some aren't "ready for a black superstar" because his confident energy challenges their expectations. Wright has argued that the media "hate that they can't get to him" or control his narrative because he plays abroad. Wright expressed his view with several key quotes. 

Wright said on the Rest is Football podcast: "I don't think they're ready for a black superstar who can move like Jude is moving. They can't touch him." He also commented that Bellingham's demeanour is "too uppity for these people", contrasting it with players like N'Golo Kante, who he described as a "humble black man". 

Wright suggested that the confidence shown by players like Bellingham or Paul Pogba "does not sit well with people". He believes someone like Bellingham "frightens these people because of his capability and the inspiration he can give", particularly because being "outspoken, black, and playing to that level and not caring, that frightens certain people."

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Getty Images SportWorld Cup looming large

The ongoing dynamic between Bellingham and Tuchel has become a major talking point ahead of the 2026 World Cup, with many analysts suggesting how the German boss manages his relationship with the Real Madrid star could define his managerial reign. The core issue revolves around integrating a global superstar's individual brilliance and passionate personality within Tuchel's strict team-first philosophy. 

The draw for the tournament in USA, Canada and Mexico is in December and Tuchel will announce his final squad some time in May next year.

The Baltimore Orioles' match-up against the New York Mets on Thursday included a bit of pregame entertainment that admittedly wasn't for everybody.

Electronic musician Dan Deacon performed his unique rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Camden Yards which, well… you can listen to below. Deacon, who has been meandering down his own psychedelic-esque path of music since the early 2000s, created a kooky, experimental piece that deviated from what one might expect for a standard national anthem performance and immediately elicited polarizing reactions from MLB fans.

Some called it bizarre. Others called it genius. One fan shared a video of Deacon's performance and wrote in the caption, "I think the Orioles have officially hit rock bottom."

That prompted plenty of people on social media to come to Deacon's defense, declaring that the Baltimore-based electronic composer is a legend in his own right. Judge it for yourself:

At the same MCG where, two years ago, 90,293 people had cheered for Kohli, this Boxing Day Test has panned out very differently

Alagappan Muthu27-Dec-2024Virat Kohli got booed at the MCG.Sound at this ground seems to bubble up, like in the old cartoons where witches prepare their potions, the pot frothing away with each new ingredient until one of them makes the whole thing explode.The shoulder barge with Sam Konstas happened between overs. It wasn’t caught live, like Mohammed Siraj’s send-off to Travis Head. That noise was full throated and organic and it was dwarfed on Friday when Kohli nicked off for 36 off 86. The crowd knew what had happened. They didn’t need help from replays on the big screen or nudges on social media. The displeasure was instant and it rolled down like thunder.”BOOOOOOOOOO!”India had gone from 153 for 2 to 154 for 4.Related

Smith finds his old self and Cummins finds a new batting spot

Steven Smith hits a new high, Rohit Sharma falls to a new low

Seven balls earlier, Kohli had been involved in a mix-up and India lost their top-scorer of both the innings and the series. Yashasvi Jaiswal looks up to Kohli. At training, he steps off from facing the bowler to gather his inputs. Here he barely looked at him. They were three feet apart, both stuck at the bowler’s end, and he barely looked at him. To be fair, though, the single wasn’t on. Pat Cummins was too close at mid-on. There was incredulity in Australia’s celebrations, and ferocity in everything they did afterwards. Those last five overs to stumps were pure theatre.Mitchell Starc came back into the attack. The slip cordon sprouted extra people. The idea that a ball could ever be left alone seemed increasingly obtuse. And half-an-hour’s play began to stretch to eternity. Eighty-five thousand people added to the occasion as they synced their hands coming together to the bowler’s feet pounding the turf.Kohli had been able to stay in his bubble for the entire time he was in the middle until right this very moment.Right this very moment, it popped.”He was really disciplined today,” Steven Smith said at the press conference. “He was leaving nicely, making the bowlers come to him a bit more, and scoring well through the leg side and when we went short. So yeah, I thought we were in for a bit of a masterclass there. But fortunately, Barrel [Boland] got one to sort of straighten, probably off the line on that fifth, sixth stump. And it probably was one of the only ones he played at.”Two years ago, Kohli had made 90,293 people sing his name here. A sizeable portion of the 172,389 that have come through the gates on days one and two of the Boxing Day Test have felt very differently. The put a big red ball on his nose and bumped subtlety off a cliff. “Clown Kohli” said the headline. Cutting Stuart Broad out feels less petty now.Australia’s tabloids haven’t shied away from saying what they think about Virat Kohli•The West AustralianKohli was name-checked by the head of the local organising committee for LA 2028 to explain how cricket got into the Olympics. He is the third-most followed sportsperson on Instagram after Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. More to the point, Australia have seen him as their kind of player. Gifted. Positive. Never-give-up. The respect he used to get here wasn’t grudging. It was genuine and it’s eroded because he hasn’t been making runs; far too busy making errors of judgment. There was one at Melbourne airport when he rounded on Australian media for disrespecting his privacy. Another at the ‘G when he disrespected an Australian cricketer’s privacy by making a beeline straight for him.Kohli was in the middle of turning all of that around. For 35 off 83 balls he was pristine. For the last 1 off 3 he was something else. Shaken. Resigned. Done. He didn’t even look back once he edged the ball. His hands just dropped. He just knew.India needed him in the middle when their best batter of the tour, KL Rahul, was dismissed last ball before tea. There were still seven minutes on the clock for the resumption when he and Jaiswal walked out to the dugout. There has always been an eagerness about this batting. It is supposed to translate as wanting to be out there. But it was coming off wanting it too much. The run-out in the dying stages of the second day’s play against New Zealand in Mumbai. Taking guard way in front of his crease in Perth. Chasing after that one cover drive that was supposed to get him into rhythm.On a Melbourne pitch that wanted to patch things up with the batters after putting them through the wringer for the last two or three years, all Kohli had to do was trust himself; trust his training to come through. And it did. The first thing he did once he made it to the crease was practice this leave. People sometimes do the front-foot push just to get a feel of the hands going through to the line of the ball. He’d done enough of that.He’s still popular in Melbourne, mind you, but the local fans’ patience is running thin•Getty ImagesWhen Kohli got off the mark, Cummins looked down at his hands curiously, as if to figure out just how he could bowl on the pads of one of history’s greatest flickers of the ball. He was responding to length a lot better in this innings, actually shifting his weight back when he had to instead of always lunging forward. Even with his leaves.There were a couple that were wide of off stump but he still shifted his weight back, in response to the shorter length, and pulled his bat up. Then there was another against Cummins that was pitched up and on that fifth stump line. He covered his stumps, pressed forward, and then left. The impact point with the ball on the cover drive that brought him his first boundary was right under his eyes. Reaching for the ball has been his forever problem. He wasn’t doing that here. He could only stomach shouldering arms to 34 deliveries across his five previous innings in this Test series. He did it 21 times here, in just two hours at the crease, and it looked so easy. He looked so good.Then came the run-out. Kohli looks for those rapid singles too. He managed one early in his innings, but that time he’d cushioned his shot and the man at short cover meant to prevent the rotation of strike became redundant. Later in his innings, he nudged one off his toes to the left of midwicket, who try as he might, couldn’t get there, and the right of mid-on.”Been stealing doubles since 2012,” he had said during one of his more dour centuries in the West Indies last year, pointing to the act of how he gets going simply by running between the wickets. The glamour shots look good on the reels but singles and twos are the essence of his batting. The fact that it led to his wicket two months ago and his partner’s wicket now – both resulting in the team’s implosion mere minutes before stumps – must be difficult to digest.Kohli got booed out of the MCG. But it almost seemed like he couldn’t hear them.He had looked so good.

Aasif and Jora’s half-centuries set the stage for a decimation of the former T20I world champions

Abhijato Sensarma29-Sep-2025

Aasif Sheikh scored a responsible half-century•Associated Press

As fans clad in red and blue danced in the Sharjah aisles, the result was a foregone conclusion: Zishan Morata was the last man out, caught in the deep by Karan KC, and West Indies had been bundled out for 83. Three days ago, Nepal had never played a T20I series against a Full Member nation. Now, they had sealed it 2-0, with one match to spare.West Indies struggled to move beyond single-digits in the powerplay. Only thanks to a boundary in the sixth over did they reach 16 for 2. By then, Dipendra Singh Airee had scalped the first wicket when he bowled Jewel Andrew (2), while Kushal Bhurtel had taken a stunning catch at cover to send back Keacy Carty (1).Nepal’s vice grip over the scoring rate was the result of their slower balls and full deliveries in the blockhole, with their quicks often marrying the two to great effect. An inexperienced West Indies unit kept mistiming their shots on a pitch where none of their batters, barring Jason Holder’s 15-ball 21, played with any degree of comfort. Eight-three all out represents the former T20 World Champions’ sixth-lowest total. The 90-run defeat is their joint fourth-biggest by runs.Medium pacer Mohammad Aadil Alam – who ended with figures of 4 for 24 – was the next bowler to get on the scorecard, thanks to the biggest point of difference between the two sides: Nepal’s fielding. Nineteen-year-old Gulsan Jha’s diving catch at sweeper cover in the eighth over bettered their previous effort, and sent Kyle Mayers back after a sluggish 6 off 16 balls.The going never got better for West Indies, as they kept losing wickets in the middle overs and found gaps in the field plugged by a Nepal team who threw themselves at the ball. Alam sent back Ackeem Auguste (17) and Amir Jangoo (16) in back-to-back overs. By then, West Indies had slipped to 63 for 5 and the required rate had leaped to above 13.Kushal Bhurtel took three wickets to mop off the West Indies tail•ICC/Getty Images

Bhurtel added to his contributions in the field with a three-for that swept up the tail. Holder – the last nominal hope for West Indies – fell to Lalit Rajbanshi in the 17th over, when Jha took his second screamer of the day. Soon after, Bhurtel came back to toss up a legbreak and fount it caught on the outfield once again. This was a day when West Indies kept finding fielders at the rope instead of clearing them.Earlier in the day, Nepal’s own innings had been one of two distinct halves: in the first ten, they did not hit a single six, but opener Aasif Sheikh had established a burgeoning partnership with Sundeep Jora, and a productive powerplay had taken them to 74 for 3 at the midway point of the innings.In the next ten, the pair raced away and put on what would end up being a 100-run partnership. Jora’s 39-ball 63 eventually ended in the 18th over. He had hit five of the nine sixes Nepal hit in the second half of the innings.Sheikh remained unbeaten on 68 off 47 himself. At the other end, Alam’s 5-ball 11 took Nepal’s total to 173. Alam was playing his first match for Nepal after more than three years, having last appeared for them in August 2022. His cameo would become a footnote to his starring role in the second innings.It would also overshadow the efforts of West Indies’ best bowler on the day – their captain Akeal Hosein – who took 2 for 21 and had reduced Nepal to 14 for 2 in the fourth over. However, any hopes of a rally after their loss in the first T20I were soon left far behind, as his team slipped to 83 all out – the lowest total by a Full Member team against an Associate nation – as well as a 90-run loss – the biggest margin by which an Associate team has defeated a Full Member nation.What makes this result more significant is that Nepal have secured it ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup qualifiers next month, and in the absence of their lead spinner Sandeep Lamichhane, who has sat out both matches of the series. Nepal coach, Stuart Law, said Lamichhane excused himself citing personal reasons.Nepal now know they will be favourites to win the third and final match of the series, to be played on Tuesday, having sealed the most significant series win in their cricket history.

They were deemed to have overshot the time limit by four overs and Afridi, Pakistan’s captain, accepted the sanction without contest

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Nov-2025

Pakistan won the first ODI by six runs•AFP/Getty Images

Pakistan have been fined 20 per cent of their match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate in the first ODI against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, the ICC said in a statement on Wednesday.Match referee Ali Naqvi imposed the sanction after Shaheen Afridi’s side was found to be four overs short of its target in an innings that ultimately took over four hours to complete. Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct states that players are fined five per cent of their match fee for each over their side fails to bowl within the allotted time.Pakistan had one extra fielder brought into the ring after the 46th over of Sri Lanka’s innings as the first ODI went the distance. Wanindu Hasaranga’s half-century kept the visitors in the hunt until the final over of the contest despite looking like Pakistan would coast to victory after Sri Lanka lost their seventh wicket still 88 runs adrift.Related

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SLC threatens players with 'formal review' if they leave Pakistan; remaining matches postponed by a day

The charge was levelled by on-field umpires Alex Wharf and Asif Yaqoob, with Sharfuddoula acting as third umpire and Rashid Riaz as fourth. Afridi accepted the sanction without contest, meaning no formal hearing was required.The second ODI was supposed to take place on Thursday. However, some Sri Lanka players expressed a desire to leave on Wednesday night following a terror incident in Islamabad, the city they are staying in. It led to a late-night meeting between the PCB chairman and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Sri Lanka’s players, who were ultimately persuaded them to stay when the SLC threatened any players who left with disciplinary action. As such the second and third ODI’s were pushed back a day, and the following T20I tri-series, which also includes Zimbabwe, will begin a day later.

This is not the finest version of Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United, but there’s no question that the Magpies have made a measure of headway after a tough summer transfer window and a tough start to the season.

It’s been a strange old season for the Premier League so far. Spoils are there for all, but there is also the threat of sunken expectations for many outfits across the division. We are approaching Christmas, and Newcastle are 12th in the standings, yet trail Crystal Palace in the top four by only four points.

Say what you will about United’s lack of eloquence on the field at times – they toiled through the opening half-hour against Burnley at the weekend, and came under the cosh late on against the ten-man relegation contenders – but there remains a spirit and resourcefulness about this team that few rivals can match.

However, improvements are needed, and no mistake, with Anthony Elanga in particular still yet to repay the faith invested in him this summer.

Elanga's start to life at Newcastle

Elanga enjoyed a bright cameo off the bench during Newcastle’s recent draw against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, but it was a case of one step forward and two steps back when he flattered to deceive from the opening whistle against Burnley.

The 24-year-old has yet to score for the Toon, having filled a long-running gap on ther right wing at St. James Park this summer when signing from Nottingham Forest for £55m.

Perhaps what’s most frustrating is that Elanga was profiled extensively ahead of the ultimate acquisition; indeed, Newcastle tried and failed to sign the pacy winger in 2024.

He is talented enough and has enough Premier League experience to turn things around, but this is becoming something of a problem for Howe’s side, who need his speed and creativity and fluency down the right flank.

Analyst Raj Chohan said the £100k-per-week talent has been “a massive overpay”, and on the basis of the evidence over the past few months, this may be on the money, as it were.

Matches (starts)

38 (31)

15 (6)

Goals

6

0

Assists

11

1

Shots (on target)*

1.1 (0.6)

0.5 (0.2)

Pass completion

78%

81%

Key passes*

1.3

0.5

Big chances created

9

1

Dribbles*

0.7

0.3

Tackles + interceptions*

0.7

0.5

Duels (won)*

3.0 (45%)

1.7 (36%)

Sadly, Elanga wasn’t the addition the Magpies seem to have blundered on, with another making the Sweden international shine in comparison.

Newcastle "wasted their bag" on summer signing

Since Howe and PIF changed the narrative on Tyneside, Newcastle have been widely praised for their shrewd and calculated transfer business.

However, that reputation was knocked askew this summer, with Alexander Isak forcing his way over to Liverpool and a multitude of targets rejecting the Toon.

Howe did end up packaging his squad with a range of players, but Jacob Ramsey might be shaping into the worst of the lot, having arrived from Aston Villa for a £40m fee in August.

Like Elanga, Ramsey played from the opening whistle against the Clarets, and though Elanga left something to be desired, the former Villan star struggled to provide even a measure of his quality on an afternoon that demanded a big performance, such is the competitive nature of Howe’s squad.

The aforementioned Chohan remarked that Newcastle “wasted their bag” on the English playmaker this summer, who has already endured a continuation of the injury problems that had plagued him at Aston Villa, limiting him to just two starting appearances, the second of which may lead to a return to the bench, overshadowed by Joe Willock against a Burnley side who were afforded too much time and space.

Chronicle Live were quick to draw attention to Ramsey’s poor performance, branding the 24-year-old with a 5/10 match rating and criticising the needless concession of a late penalty which set up a nervy finish.

Minutes played

89′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Touches

73

Shots (on target

1 (0)

Accurate passes

56/60 (93%)

Chances created

1

Dribbles

1/2

Recoveries

8

Tackles

1/2

Duels won

4/5

He was tidy enough and resilient in defence, notably winning four of five contested duels against Burnley and showcasing his athleticism with eight ball recoveries, but Ramsey was purchased for his flair and initiative on the ball, and it was a fine representation of neither.

While there’s a sense at the club that Joelinton is winding down after a long and tireless career of service, there have been more than a few murmurs pertaining to Howe’s desire to bring Elliot Anderson back home, and a move such as that would only hinder Ramsey in his hopes of nailing down a starting berth, especially given that he is contesting with Willock already for minutes.

While both Elanga and Ramsey have what it takes to raise their level at St. James’ Park, Howe will be determined to kick on after a testing start to the season and match, maybe even eclipse, last season’s trophy-winning success, qualifying for the Champions League too.

The importance of achieving their goals mean that Newcastle can take no prisoners, and must be ruthless in upgrading the squad to a level that sits comfortably alongside the game’s heavyweights both in England and across Europe.

Given that technical director Ross Wilson has suggested that Newcastle have money to burn heading into 2026, should they decide that signings are needed, someone like Ramsey must be a bit concerned for his role in the outfit, having completed a start that has left much to be desired.

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Wolverhampton Wanderers have now held exit talks over another key player as well as Joao Gomes, who has been strongly linked with a move to Manchester United.

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Gomes has recently emerged as a transfer target for United, with Ruben Amorim’s side keen to bring in the Portuguese midfielder this winter, and a €50m (£44m) fee has been touted.

It would certainly be a risk for the Old Gold to sell one of their key players, considering their Premier League status is already under major threat, having taken just two points from their opening 12 matches.

However, given that the central midfielder’s value will decrease if Rob Edwards’ side are unable to avoid the drop, it could make sense to cash-in and re-invest the money into other areas of the squad.

Gomes is not the only Wolves player who could be moving on in January either, as revealed by the Tenias Que Haber Tirado podcast on X, who state that Celta Vigo are now “considering the return” of former player Fer Lopez, who only arrived at Molineux in June.

The La Liga club have held talks over a loan move in the upcoming transfer window, which could make sense for all parties, given that Lopez hasn’t exactly made a flying start to life in the Premier League…

"Incredible" Lopez yet to prove himself in England

Wolves would’ve had high hopes after signing the attacking midfielder in the summer, considering the rave reviews from former coach Paul Grainger, who said: “I have seen some of the best players in the world play football. I have never seen a footballer like him. He was literally incredible. From the first day, I knew he was going to be a superstar.”

However, the 21-year-old is yet to reach those lofty heights, having started just one Premier League game this season, which was the 3-1 home defeat against Leeds United, and the youngster hasn’t received any minutes since the 2-0 defeat against Sunderland last month.

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In fairness, the Spaniard was one of very few players who impressed against Leeds, setting up the Wanderers’ only goal in style, and he is still young and adapting to life in the Premier League, so it would be way too early to sanction a permanent move.

However, if Lopez isn’t a part of Edwards’ plans, there is little reason to keep him around, and a loan move could make sense for all parties in the January transfer window.