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It’s been an incredible summer for Arsenal so far this year.

On top of kicking off their Premier League campaign with back-to-back wins, the Gunners have gone big in the transfer market, with Eberechi Eze arguably being their best signing in years.

The former Crystal Palace star could be just the player Mikel Arteta has needed for years, someone who’s a mercurial creator and dangerous goalscorer from several areas on the pitch.

Moreover, the North Londoners now look set to sign another international star who could form the perfect partnership with him.

Arsenal target perfect teammate for Eze

While Arsenal have spent big in previous windows, fans have not seen the club spend this much money and sign this many top-quality players in one summer before.

Transfer Focus

Andrea Berta has significantly strengthened the squad with the additions of Noni Madueke and Cristhian Mosquera, and has improved the starting lineup with stars like Viktor Gyokeres, Martin Zubimendi, and Eze.

Yet, the Italian journalist isn’t done there, as he now looks set to bring in another international ace who’ll be incredible alongside the Englishman.

At least that is according to a recent report from transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, who has provided an update on Arsenal’s pursuit of Piero Hincapie.

The Italian journalist has revealed that the North Londoners are now “closing in on” the defender and that an agreement with Bayer Leverkusen is “almost done.”

Interestingly, while reports from earlier this week suggested that the German side wanted £52m for the Ecuadorian, they have now accepted a loan deal with an obligation to buy.

Hincapie is an exciting signing in his own right, but he could be even more effective for Arsenal alongside Eze.

Why Hincapie will be unreal with Eze

So long as he lives up to the expectations people have of him, Hincapie will likely be a brilliant teammate for every player at Arsenal, but we think he could form an especially effective partnership with Eze.

One of the main reasons is where on the pitch the Englishman might play, as, although he spent most of last season in the middle of the park, there is a good chance he will start many games for the club from the left wing.

However, as his heat maps from the last couple of years show, even when he is out wide, he likes to move towards the centre of the pitch the closer he gets to the penalty area.

Now, given how Arsenal’s left-hand side currently functions, that wouldn’t be ideal, as it would make the team far narrower and make life easier for opposition defenders.

However, with the Leverkusen star in the team, that wouldn’t be the case, as while he might not be quite as gung ho as a Jeremie Frimpong, for example, he is still very much an overlapping full-back.

In other words, the “Ecuadorian football legend in the making,” as talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed him, will be the one to provide the width in place of Eze, bombing up and down the pitch and overlapping with the 27-year-old.

Interestingly, respected analyst Ben Mattinson has described him as “a left-sided Ben White,” which, given the Poole-born star’s partnership with Bukayo Saka on the right, should excite fans about what could happen on the left this season.

Bundesliga

116

10

Europa League

26

1

Champions League

14

1

DFB-Pokal

9

0

DFL Super Cup

1

0

Moreover, playing both the 23-year-old “beast”, as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, and the Greenwich-born star in the same team will mean Arteta can get the best out of both, as their natural games complement each other and cover for their deficiencies.

Ultimately, while Hincapie will be another defender for Arsenal, the impact he could have on the team could make them and Eze far more potent in attack.

Player pushing to join Arsenal for £43m as Berta hopes to strike late deal

The north Londoners are not done yet this summer.

ByEmilio Galantini Aug 29, 2025

Manchester City have now opened club-to-club talks over a deal for a “world-class” player, who may now be available at a 50% discount, according to a report.

City open account with dominant victory at Molineux

After falling way below their usual lofty standards last season, Man City may feel as though they have been somewhat written off, with several pundits predicting that Arsenal will finally end their long wait to win the Premier League title.

For instance, Roy Keane believes Mikel Arteta’s side will be able to get over the line, despite City making a solid addition between the sticks, saying: “I never usually bet against Pep and City. I just think maybe defensively, and I know that they’ve thrown James Trafford in there, and I think he’s a really top goalkeeper but I just have that gut feeling that I think Arsenal might do it this year.”

City laid down a marker in their opening game of the season, however, with their attacking quality on full show in a 4-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux, while Trafford kept a clean sheet, in what was a solid first competitive outing.

Statistic

Number completed

Saves from inside box

3

Runs out (succ)

3

High claims

1

As such, Pep Guardiola may not need to bring in a new goalkeeper this summer, but the manager is clearly still keen to get another one through the door, having entered club-to-club talks over a deal for another shot-stopper.

Indeed, according to a report from Football Italia, Man City have now entered direct negotiations over a deal for Paris Saint-Germain’s Gianluigi Donnarumma, with discussions progressing considerably over the past 24 hours.

PSG were initially set to hold out for a fee of €45m – €50m (£39m – £44m), but City have made it clear they are not willing to pay that, and a deal could be possible for around £19.5m – £22m, which would be a 50% discount.

Man City now hold talks with agents of "world-class" £86m Arsenal target

Pep Guardiola’s side have now contacted the agents of a forward.

ByDominic Lund Aug 19, 2025

The French club are aware they will lose the goalkeeper on a free transfer next summer, and they are eager to save on his huge salary, meaning the Blues should be able to hash out a deal before the September 1st transfer deadline.

Donnarumma could be "world-class" addition to Pep's squad

It is surprising that PSG are willing to sanction the Italian shot-stopper’s departure, given that he was their number one throughout their Champions League-winning 2024-25 campaign, while the 26-year-old has also caught the eye at international level in the past.

As such, it is clear to see why City hold an interest in the former AC Milan goalkeeper, but it seems a little harsh on Trafford, given that the 22-year-old is ready to be first-choice, rather than a back-up.

The situation that unfolded at Arsenal, with Aaron Ramsdale leaving after David Raya’s arrival, proves that clubs simply cannot have two top goalkeepers on the books at the same time, so it would be strange to bring in Donnarumma this summer.

The draft is likely to heavily tap into players who went unsold at the IPL auction

Danyal Rasool10-Dec-2024

The 2025 PSL is likely to be held in a four-week slot between early April and mid-May•Umar Farooq

The draft for the tenth edition of the PSL will take place on January 11. The date for the draft is later than PSL drafts have historically taken place, though that is partially down to the window for the tournament being pushed back by a month; it will now take place in a four-week slot between early April and mid-May, with the PCB no longer viewing a clash with the IPL as a no-go area.While no further details of player availability have been announced, the draft is likely to heavily tap into players who went unsold at the IPL auction. One of the factors that influenced the PSL moving into the IPL’s slot was the greater degree of certainty that players not at the IPL would be available due to the near-complete lack of any international fixtures during that period.At the IPL this year, David Warner, Kane Williamson, Akeal Hosein, Jonny Bairstow, Adil Rashid and Keshav Maharaj were among the players that went unsold, and while many may have had international commitments during the PSL’s window in other years, that will not be the case this time around.Related

Players threaten legal action over new ECB stance on NOCs

PCB confirms PSL expansion from 2026 with two new teams

PSL set to go head-to-head with IPL in 2025

This does not guarantee that all those players will be available to the PSL. The England Cricket Board (ECB) is currently embroiled in a dispute with the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) after they announced they would not issue NOCs for first-class cricketers to play any overseas league apart from the IPL that clashed with the domestic season. While the T20 Blast, which starts on May 29, will not clash with the PSL, the County Championship starts on April 4, and almost certainly will. What the terms of any resolution are is likely to have a significant impact upon the PSL, which has historically drawn overseas talent quite heavily from England.The move into the IPL window, which ESPNcricinfo first reported on in 2022, is one the PCB is looking to make permanent as it tries to move away from the increasingly cramped December-March window in which it operates currently, where it clashes not only with four other T20 leagues, but also a busy international cricket calendar. By contrast, moving to the April to May window means little to no Full Member international cricket and only the IPL, against which, officials acknowledge, it can’t compete but can try to co-exist with. And if, as expected, the PSL inducts two new teams from 2026, there remains potential to accommodate a longer season in that window.In the medium term, it will also help the PSL avoid being played almost entirely in Ramadan, as would have been the case in 2025. As part of the lunar calendar, Ramadan starts ten days earlier every year on the Gregorian calendar so it would clash with the PSL’s usual February-March window for the next few years. Ramadan not only affects timings of games and crowd turnout, it is also a big window for advertising; playing the PSL in Ramadan would impact advertising and sponsorship revenues for the league.The decision to switch windows was by no means one that met universal agreement. ESPNcricinfo understands a number of franchise owners were sceptical, if not outright opposed to the move at the time. However, the decision did not necessarily require the support of the franchises, with the PSL’s governing council possessing the authority to make a unilateral decision on the matter.

Liverpool have reportedly had a “phone call” with the representatives of a big-money attacking player, as they look to sign a replacement for Darwin Nunez.

Slot's beautiful Jota tribute before Preston

The Reds started their pre-season with a 3-1 win away to Preston North End on Sunday afternoon, on what was an emotional occasion after the tragic passing of Diogo Jota earlier this month.

Prior to the game, Arne Slot provided some beautiful words on the Portuguese, showing exactly why he was such a perfect successor to Jurgen Klopp.

“Nothing seems to be important if we think of what has happened. But we are a football club and we need to train and we need to play again, if we want it or not. What I’ve said to the players, I can say it here as well. It’s very difficult to find the right words because we constantly debate what is appropriate. What is appropriate in our actions? What is appropriate [for] what we have to say? Can we train again? Can we laugh again? Can we be angry if there’s a wrong decision?

“And I’ve said to them, maybe the best thing for us to do is handle this situation like Jota was. And what I meant with that is that Jota was always himself, it didn’t matter if he was talking to me, to his teammates, to the staff, he was always himself. So let us try to be ourselves as well. So, if we want to laugh we laugh; if we want to cry we’re going to cry. If they want to train they can train, if they don’t want to train they can not train. But be yourself, don’t think you have to be different than your emotions tell you.”

Now, it is a case of Slot and his Liverpool players trying to achieve lots of success with Jota in their thoughts, and further signings may help in that respect. A new update has now emerged regarding a potential addition in the final third.

Liverpool have "phone call" with £78m Nunez replacement

According to journalist Sebastien Vidal on X, Liverpool have been in contact with a “phone call” to RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko’s agents about a £78m move to Anfield, coming in to replace the likely-to-leave Nunez, who scored against Preston.

Sesko feels like an ideal option to come in and lead the line for the Reds, considering it looks increasingly unlikely that they will be able to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle United.

The 22-year-old is already such a prolific and dominant striker, scoring 39 goals in 87 appearances for Leipzig, as well as 16 in 41 caps for Slovenia.

Slot's next Wirtz: Liverpool in contact to sign "the new Haaland" for £78m

Liverpool are planning to sign a new striker in the summer transfer market.

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 14, 2025

If Liverpool could sign Sesko on top of Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez this summer, it would be outstanding business, with a new backup centre-back potentially the next priority after Jarell Quansah’s move to Bayer Leverkusen.

Former Australia head coach Darren Lehmann has abruptly resigned from his roles as a Brisbane Heat and Queensland men’s assistant coach to take up a full-time radio commentary job with ABC Sport for the upcoming summer of cricket in Australia.Lehmann, 54, had a year to run on his contract as an assistant coach with Heat and Queensland having been part of the Heat coaching group that won the BBL title last year, which was the Heat’s first title since he coached them to their inaugural trophy in 2012-13.Lehmann was set to continue his role under new head coach Johan Botha, following the departure of Wade Seccombe earlier this year, but elected to leave his role on the eve of the 2024-25 season in order to take up a commentary gig with ABC Sport for the summer which will include coverage of the Border-Gavaskar series and the BBL.Related

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• Paine makes rapid climb to Adelaide Strikers head coach

• Cameron White returns to Melbourne Renegades as new head coach

• Matthew Mott joins Sydney Sixers as assistant coach following England exit

It might signal the end of Lehmann’s coaching career after he applied for both the Adelaide Strikers and Melbourne Renegades head coaching jobs but missed out to Tim Paine and Cameron White respectively.”I’ve had a great time over the journey, with so many fond memories from that time,” Lehmann said.”I wish nothing but the best for the future for all at QC and the Heat and thank each and every member of staff and the playing group for making my time at QC so enjoyable and fulfilling.”Queensland Cricket CEO Terry Svenson paid tribute to Lehmann for his impact on Queensland cricket.”Throughout his long involvement with us, whether as a team coach with the Bulls and the Heat, or assisting individual players with their development, Darren has been a positive and proactive influence on cricket in the state,” Svenson said.”Being part of the group that won the BBL last summer is a fitting way to farewell him, and while we were looking forward to having him with us again this summer, we wish him every success in the commentary box with ABC Sport.”Andy Bichel will be the only remaining member of the coaching panel at both Queensland and Heat as a new era begins under Botha and general manager of high performance Joe Dawes.

Nadine de Klerk, who is recovering from an Achilles’ injury, is also part of the Laura Wolvaardt-led side

Firdose Moonda03-Sep-2024South Africa have named 18-year-old uncapped legspinner Seshnie Naidu and 20-year-old seamer Ayanda Hlubi in an otherwise experienced 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup in the UAE. Both players were part of the inaugural Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup held in South Africa last year.The rest of the squad members, apart from wicketkeeper batter Mieke de Ridder, were part of the playing group that reached the final of the 2023 T20 World Cup. From those, Lara Goodall, Masabata Klaas and Delmi Tucker miss out, and Shabnim Ismail has since retired.Dillon du Preez will continue to coach the side in an interim capacity, after taking over Hilton Moreeng in June. South Africa have yet to appoint a permanent head coach.The squad will be captained by Laura Wolvaardt, and includes the experience of allrounder Marizanne Kapp, opener Tazmin Brits and seamer Ayabonga Khaka. Nadine de Klerk, who is currently recovering from an Achilles’ injury, is expected to be fully fit for the tournament. Having last played against India in July, South Africa will play three matches in Pakistan en route to the UAE.The inclusion of Naidu and Hlubi comes amid talk of a comeback by Ismail and former captain Dane van Niekerk, suggesting South Africa are looking forward. While Ismail retired after the 2023 T20 World Cup final, van Niekerk quit amid controversy after she failed to make the T20 World Cup squad over fitness concerns. Ismail continues to play in T20 leagues. Convener of selectors Clinton du Preez said there was “no conversation” around a comeback but van Niekerk has signed with Western Province for the upcoming season. She told ESPNcricinfo she has “no timeline” on a possible return to the national side, and du Preez reiterated that she would have to re-earn her place.ESPNcricinfo Ltd”The message is very clear,” du Preez said. “She has opted to come back and play provincial cricket and she has got to try and knock down the door, do whatever she does best, and then we will consider and see how it goes forward.”Du Preez called the current status of the squad as being in “transition”, and Naidu and Hlubi are among the first to benefit from that. Both play their cricket at the Durban-based Dolphins team, where Hlubi was among the top ten wicket-takers in 50-over cricket in Division One last summer. She also toured to Australia with the national team.”She’s got good attributes as a quick bowler,” du Preez said. “We followed her in the provincial competition, and definitely look at her excitement as a bowler, and going into a World Cup as a player that is not known to quite a few countries. We are looking at what she can bring towards and complement her bowling attack.”Naidu’s career is in its infancy but she has already played in a major continental tournament as well. She was part of the South African Emerging Women’s squad that competed at the Africa Games in Ghana earlier this year and has been identified as a future star.”Seshnie Naidu has shown significant growth as a bowler within our camps, and we see her as an X factor for the World Cup,” du Preez said. “She brings a unique element to our bowling attack, offering something different that could be pivotal.”Ayanda Hlubi made her South Africa debut last year•Getty ImagesNonkululeko Mlaba, another Dolphins player, who was once ranked second in the world in T20Is, will lead the spin attack. South Africa have several seam-bowling options, including Kapp, Khaka, Tumi Sekhukhune and de Klerk. If there is a concern, it may be around batting depth with the squad overly reliant on Wolvaardt, Kapp and Brits especially as Sune Luus has struggled for form. Luus has not scored more than 19 in any of her six innings in T20Is this year and has been dismissed in single figures four times.Luus’ dip came after she led South Africa in their stunning run to last year’s T20 World Cup final and as a team, their performances have followed suit. Since that tournament, South Africa have only won five out of 18 T20Is and have lost series to Pakistan, Australia and Sri Lanka.At the upcoming World Cup, they will not play any of those teams in the group stage. They are in Group B and will open their campaign against West Indies in Dubai before playing England in Sharjah. They will then return to Dubai to play Scotland and Bangladesh.Like all the other teams at the tournament, South Africa have never played a T20I in Dubai but Luus and Khaka have some experience of Sharjah. They were in the squad that played against Pakistan in a T20I series in 2015.”The management group has consulted in depth in the past week around all the conditions and all the potential factors that could impact things,” du Preez said. “It’s going to be difficult to adapt. However, we feel that the squad that we have got will be able to complement us on the field of play.”South Africa squad for Women’s T20 World Cup 2024Laura Wolvaardt (captain), Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Mieke de Ridder, Ayanda Hlubi, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Sune Luus, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Seshnie Naidu, Tumi Sekhukhune, Chloe Tryon
Travelling Reserve: Miane Smit

Everton are now close to signing a “strong” £34 million player after agreeing personal terms, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Everton set to turn to alternative targets after missing out on Tete

Signing a new right-back has become one of David Moyes’ priorities in this transfer window, as the club decided to let Ashley Young leave, following the expiration of his contract. Seamus Coleman has signed a new one-year deal to remain, but Moyes wants more competition in that area of the team and earmarked Fulham’s Kenny Tete as a target.

Everton considering shock move to sign £40k-p/w ace likened to Messi

The Toffees could cause a shock…

BySean Markus Clifford Jun 29, 2025

The Toffees were confident of landing the defender after discussing details over a contract, but instead, Tete decided to sign a new contract at Fulham and remain at Craven Cottage. The right-back has extended his stay until 2028 and believes Fulham is a “special club where he can develop”.

This news means Everton have to continue their search for a new right-back, and the BBC have reported that alternative targets for the Toffees could include Kyle Walker-Peters, who is a free agent after leaving Southampton, or Vladimir Coufal, who is also a free agent and knows Moyes well from their time at West Ham.

While they assess their options for a new right-back, the Premier League side appear to be closing in on their second signing of the summer.

Everton close to signing £34m Barry after agreeing personal terms

According to Romano, Everton are now close to signing striker Thierno Barry from Spanish side Villarreal.

The Italian states that the deal has advanced, as the Toffees and the player have now agreed personal terms; all that remains are the final details, and then this transfer is complete.

It’s been widely reported that Barry has a release clause worth £34 million, and Villarreal’s sporting director, Fernando Roig Nogueroles, has been clear that if the player is to leave, it will be for around that price.

He said: “We want the player, and if he were to leave, it would have to be, if not for the release clause, something very close to it. If not, he won’t leave.”

Apps

35

Starts

25

Goals

11

xG

12.41

Goals per game

0.3

Shots on target per game

0.7

Goal conversion

15%

Assists

4

xAG

1.95

Big chances created

7

The Toffees are said to be prepared to pay that sum of money but may look to pay in installments to reach that figure in total. The arrival of Barry, who has been dubbed a “strong physique”, has just got more important for Everton, as on Monday, Dominic Calvert-Lewin announced that he was leaving the club following the end of his contract, meaning options at the top end of the pitch have just become even lighter.

Barry’s expected arrival will likely see him become Moyes’ regular striker, as his physical presence and stature make him the perfect striker in a Moyes team.

Arsenal are now seriously considering a move for a defender who has played every single minute for his club in the Premier League this season.

Gunners stepping up centre-back pursuit

Mikel Arteta has received criticism for not bringing in a new striker, which has arguably been costly in his side’s pursuit of the Premier League title, with Gary Neville recently questioning the decision prior to the 2-2 draw against Liverpool at Anfield.

As such, it is looking increasingly likely that the Gunners will pursue a new forward this summer, with an offer for Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak now in the works, but they are also keen to strengthen at the opposite end of the pitch.

The north Londoners have stepped up their pursuit of a new centre-back in recent weeks, having now made a formal offer for AFC Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen, but the Spaniard is not the only Premier League defender on the shortlist.

According to a report from The Boot Room, Arsenal are now seriously considering a move for Brentford defender Nathan Collins, who has impressed for the Bees since arriving from Wolverhampton Wanderers in a £23m deal last summer.

Newcastle United are also ramping up their interest in Collins, however, so there could be competition for his signature, and a move to St. James’ Park could be preferable, given that he wouldn’t have to compete for a starting spot with the likes of Gabriel and William Saliba.

Arteta's a fan: Arsenal racing to sign "entertaining" Hazard-esque maestro

The Gunners have set their sights on a midfielder, who has been likened to former Chelsea star Eden Hazard.

By
Dominic Lund

May 11, 2025

Collins among Premier League's "best" defenders

The centre-back has been indispensable for Brentford this season, playing every minute in the top flight, and he has received high praise for his performances from ESPN’s Mario Marra, who described the Irishman as “one of the best” defenders in the Premier League.

The 24-year-old’s defensive aptitude is also underlined by the fact he places highly on some key defensive metrics over the past year, when compared to other centre-backs in the big five European leagues.

Statistic	Average per 90
Blocks	2.0 (97th percentile)
Clearances	6.08 (82nd percentile)
Aerials won	3.22 (91st percentile)

Not only that, but the Ireland captain has also proven himself to be an attacking threat, picking up two goals and five assists for Brentford in the Premier League, underlining his ability to be a difference-maker at both ends of the pitch.

That said, it is likely to be very difficult to displace Gabriel and Saliba in the starting XI at Arsenal, so it remains to be seen whether Collins is willing to leave Brentford behind and play more of a sporadic role in north London.

Newcastle United are striding ahead in Eddie Howe’s mission to secure Champions League football and may elbow one of their Premier League competitors aside to bring in a talented star once the window opens, per reports.

Newcastle United look to make summer transfer statement

With their pursuit of a top-five finish in the Premier League gathering momentum, there is no surprise that the Magpies have one eye on potential reinforcements ahead of the summer.

Alexander Isak is set to attract much speculation over his future in the North East, leading Newcastle to pursue Benfica striker Vangelis Pavlidis despite further interest from Chelsea in the Greece international.

Following the theme of prospective striking additions, Moise Kean is another target at St James’ Park after contact was made with Fiorentina regarding whether the Italy international would be within their reach.

Given the former Everton star has a release clause of £45 million, all signs point to an affordable deal should circumstances align. Even if Isak stays, Callum Wilson’s impending departure on a free transfer has made room for another centre-forward to enter the fold.

Eddie Howe is recovering from a recent illness. Nevertheless, his group will be desperate to book a slot in the Champions League to reinforce the 47-year-old’s excellent performance in the dugout this season.

Related Newcastle to swoop for £100k-p/w ace as priority Callum Wilson replacement

Newcastle are ready for some exciting changes this summer.

Posts 1 BySean Markus Clifford Apr 11, 2025

The former Bournemouth boss has ended their 56-year trophy drought and looks on course to secure another tilt for the Geordies at Europe’s top table, which is bound to attract prospective recruits in the next few months.

Now, news has come to light revealing that Newcastle are in talks to sign a versatile star as they aim to beat one of their Premier League rivals to his signature.

Newcastle open talks to sign Marseille forward Luis Henrique

According to TBR, Newcastle have opened talks to sign Marseille forward Luis Henrique, who is also a target for Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United ahead of the summer window.

The Magpies view the Brazilian as a winger, as opposed to their divisional rivals’ opinion that a deeper role on the right-hand side would suit best. This campaign, he has registered nine goals and eight assists across 31 matches encompassing all competitions.

Luis Henrique’s key statistics in Ligue 1 – 2024/25

Chances created

48

Successful dribbles

45

Shots

27

Shots on target

13

Successful crosses

26

Duels won

67

Dubbed “fantastic” by Roberto De Zerbi, the 23-year-old is also attracting interest from Nottingham Forest, creating a potential battle for his services that could go the distance in months to come.

Capable of featuring on either flank or even as a foil for the central attacker, his versatility would likely appeal to any side set to be involved in European competition.

Depth is the watchword for teams such as Newcastle moving forward to avoid injury concerns. Either way, the onus is now on chiefs behind the scenes to accelerate talks surrounding the potential transfer.

New Zealand have reached the T20 World Cup semis as underdogs, and emotions are already running high for two of the team’s most celebrated players

Valkerie Baynes16-Oct-2024Sophie Devine struggled to keep it together.The emotions had already spilled over after reaching the T20 World Cup semi-finals as probably the biggest underdogs until West Indies did it 24 hours later. Now her focus turned to sharing that moment with fellow White Ferns stalwart Suzie Bates and it was almost too much.”Jeez, you’re going to make me cry again, get the tissues ready,” Devine said before taking a long pause and a deep breath to ensure she could get the rest of her words out.”Sometimes I forget how lucky I’ve been to play with Suze. I forget how lucky I am that not everyone gets to play with Suzie Bates and that’s not just what she does on the field, it’s what she does off the park.”You talk to any cricketer that’s had the joy of playing alongside her, playing against her, and they’ll say that she’s one of the greatest humans ever. For us to be here in this tournament, it might be our last, who knows?”But to be able to have a little moment there and just connect with one another, it is really special because we’ve been through a lot together. We’ve grown up together. She’s probably grown up a bit more than me, but she’s just such a special human, not only to me, but to New Zealand cricket and to world cricket.”She’ll go down as one of the absolute legends of the women’s game and to think that I’ve been so lucky to spend my whole career playing alongside her… she’s taught me so much, not only as a leader but just as a person and to always want to be better for yourself and for the group.”Related

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• Hope, grit, resolve: emotions overflow amid New Zealand's revival

Bates made her debut in an ODI against India in 2006 aged 19, just a few months before a 17-year-old Devine made her first appearance for the White Ferns on their tour of Australia. Devine also made her T20I debut on that trip while Bates had to wait until the following year.Back then, Bates was still maintaining a elite-level basketball career, representing New Zealand at the 2008 Beijing Olympics before switching her focus to cricket.She has now played 169 T20Is and 163 ODIs with more than 10,000 runs and 136 wickets across the two formats, while Devine has 7,233 runs and 208 wickets from a career punctuated by a brief mental health break in 2021.New Zealand hadn’t reached the knockout stages of the T20 World Cup in eight years so, with both approaching the end of their careers, this meant a lot.”She was a bit emotional, Soph,” Bates told ESPNcricinfo’s Powerplay podcast. “It just makes all those hard times when perhaps you’ve doubted yourself, you’ve doubted where the group’s heading and as leaders you’re trying to rack your brain about how to move forward, there’s some good times but there’s some dark times as well when you don’t quite achieve what you want to achieve.”Moments out there when you take that final wicket and realise we’ve made it to the semi-final for the first time in eight years, it makes all those tough times worth it.”Devine had said before the tournament that it would be her last assignment as T20I captain. She will continue to lead the side in ODIs but wanted to clear a path for the next generation.”Her leadership this tournament after announcing she was going to step down has just been absolutely brilliant,” Bates said. “She wears her heart on her sleeve and I know as a leader she takes the losses pretty hard so to be able to get that one for her in her last tour as captain, everyone was a bit emotional and she’s been such a great leader of this squad so it’s nice for her to have this feeling.”It wasn’t the first time Devine had been reduced to tears at a T20 World Cup but, unlike in South Africa 20 months ago, she was happy. Back then, the White Ferns’ campaign was in tatters following heavy back-to-back defeats at the hands of Australia and South Africa and the road ahead looked so very long.Even earlier this year, Devine had spoken of a lack of depth coming through the New Zealand system because of a small population, competing sports and a need to bridge the gap between elite and development pathways.Things didn’t look to be improving immediately before the World Cup either as New Zealand entered the tournament having lost 10 T20Is in a row to England and Australia. They even lost a warm-up game against England two days beforehand.But a comprehensive win over South Africa in another warm-up just before that, followed by their upset of India in their opening World Cup game gave the White Ferns confidence.Devine performed well in both those victories, but throughout the tournament she has been impressed by youngsters like spinners Eden Carson and Fran Jonas and 20-year-old wicketkeeper Isabella Gaze.On the bench for New Zealand’s final group game against Pakistan, whom they thrashed by 54 runs to seal their place in the last four, were young seamer Molly Penfold, and experienced bowlers Jess Kerr, Hannah Rowe and Leigh Kasperek, which Devine saw as a promising sign for the future, which had looked bleak not so long ago.”Well, one thing’s still the same, I seem to be crying,” Devine said. “It’s really important that we reflect on where we’ve come from in terms of that South Africa World Cup. We learnt a lot about ourselves not only from that World Cup but the following 12-18 months.”It’s going to take time to build depth, especially in a country as small as New Zealand, it’s not going to happen overnight. It’s really positive signs, but we know that this is just part of the journey. We’re moving in the right direction, but there’s still a long way to go.”Sophie Devine on her relationship with Suzie Bates: “We genuinely just love each other and love seeing each other succeed”•Getty ImagesWhile a T20 captain won’t be chosen until next year, a logical choice could be Amelia Kerr. She has acted as stand-in captain before and is often seen talking tactics and moving fielders with Devine and Bates, representing the blend of experience and youth between the squad’s newcomers and the old heads.At just 24, Kerr has played 83 T20Is and 74 ODIs and has been a fixture on the global franchise circuit. Heading into the semi-finals, she is the competition’s leading wicket-taker with 10 at an average of 7.20 and economy rate of 4.90.”That was probably one of my earliest learnings when I stepped into the leadership and captaincy role, I thought I could be everything to everyone and it’s just not possible,” Devine said.”I want to fix things and I want to help people and I want to make sure everyone’s okay, but I’m also not that person for everyone. So, to be able to call on the likes of Suzie and Melie as well, I feel really fortunate that I’ve got that support around me.”It’s taught me a lot around leadership. It’s not managing people, it’s just relationships and caring about people. That’s one of our greatest values in this White Ferns group, is we speak a lot about caring for one another as people before cricketers.”I hope that you can see that out there with the way that we celebrate one another’s successes. We genuinely just love each other and love seeing each other succeed.”