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They might not have the trophies to show for it at the moment, but this Arsenal team are stacked with sensational players.

One of the most impressive is undoubtedly Bukayo Saka, who has taken on the role of club talisman and has become an output machine in recent seasons.

Likewise, Gabriel Magalhaes has developed from a player often labelled as error-prone to one of the most reliable in the squad and someone who knows exactly how to throw his weight around.

So, fans should be delighted that Arsenal are close to signing a player who embodies some of the best qualities of both.

Arsenal close in on game-changing signing

It wouldn’t be hyperbolic to say that, in terms of signings, this has been one of the most exciting summers Arsenal fans have had for quite some time.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

For example, the highly-sought-after Martin Zubimendi has finally been announced, alongside the squad-bolstering acquisitions of Christian Norgaard and Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Additionally, the promising Cristhian Mosquera and potentially great Noni Madueke have already undergone their medicals, and the links to Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze persist.

However, there is still one more player, perhaps the most important of them all, yet to be officially secured, although that might be about to change.

At least that’s according to a recent report from transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, who has confirmed that Arsenal are nearing the final stages of their negotiations to sign Viktor Gyokeres.

The Italian journalist stated the following: “The conversation is still ongoing in London. The agents of the player are still in London to try resolve the agreement between all parties involved.

“Gyokeres is fighting to go to Arsenal. But obviously it’s really important to agree on the add-ons. They are really on it on every single hour, every single minute – Arsenal and Sporting are working on this deal.”

While we will have to wait and see what the overall package comes to, reports elsewhere have made it clear that the base fee will be around £55m, which seems like a fair price for a player of his calibre, especially as he could be described as a hybrid of Saka and Gabriel.

Why Gyokeres is a Saka & Gabriel Hybrid

Okay, we know this might sound a little out there to start with, but hear us out, as even though Gyokeres plays in a different position to both players and has some key differences, he also shares some unmistakable similarities.

Starting with Gabriel, for example, the former Coventry City star is a behemoth of a player, and while he might not have the heading ability of the Brazilian, he can certainly use his physique as a size advantage in the same way.

Don’t just take our word for it though, as The Athletic’s Thom Harris referred to the Swedish international as ‘a battering ram of a striker’ earlier this month, and you only need to look at the way he holds off defenders or simply barges past them in any of his numerous goal compilations.

In fact, while he couldn’t finish at the end, the 27-year-old demonstrated his brute strength against the Gunners in the Champions League last season, when he rode the challenges of both Gabriel and William Saliba to get into the penalty area.

Finally, he also has the mentality to match, with reports earlier in the window claiming that he was willing to give up millions to force this move and get the chance to win things at Arsenal.

This is also arguably something he shares with Saka, but the most significant aspect of his game that makes him similar to the Englishman is his output and willingness to put a team on his back.

For example, in 52 appearances last season, totalling 4248 minutes, the free-scoring “monster,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, put the ball in the back of the net 54 times and provided 13 assists.

In other words, the Stockholm-born machine averaged 1.28 goal involvements per game, or one every 63.40 minutes and was unsurprisingly his team’s most productive player.

While the Hale Ender wasn’t quite as prolific, he was still unreal in the games he played last season, racking up 12 goals and 14 assists in 37 appearances, totalling 2619 minutes.

That means the mercurial number seven averaged a goal involvement every 1.42 games, or every 100.73 minutes, and was the club’s most productive player, despite missing over three months of the campaign.

Just imagine how dangerous the Gunners could be next season with the two game-changers playing alongside one another.

Ultimately, it won’t be cheap, but Arsenal appear to be onto a winner with Gyokeres, and the fact that he embodies the best aspects of Saka and Gabriel is proof of that.

Arteta's new Xhaka: Arsenal hold talks to sign "monster" £30m CM

The impressive midfielder could add some extra bit to Arsenal this summer.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jul 17, 2025

Elland Road will no doubt be packed to the rafters when Everton travel across West Yorkshire for Leeds United’s hotly anticipated Premier League opener.

Plenty of new faces are likely to line up for Daniel Farke’s men to get the top-flight season underway, with Jaka Bijol aiming to impress in pre-season to seal a starting spot, alongside fellow fresh signing Lukas Nmecha.

Plenty more purchases are surely in the works ahead of Leeds bravely venturing up a league.

Leeds make £12m star a top priority target

It’s safe to say the Whites haven’t had it all their own way in the transfer window so far with key midfield target Habib Diarra heading to Sunderland instead with a club-record £30m wrapped up.

So, with that fresh blow still fresh in their mind, they could return to Ligue 1 to seal a different signing.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Indeed, as per a new report from French outlet L’Equipe, Leeds are very interested in securing the cut-price services of Lyon goalkeeper Lucas Perri this summer.

Lyon will be raided for all of their top assets off the back of the French giants being relegated to Ligue 2 following financial problems and the Whites have now made the Brazilian stopper a top priority target in a bid to improve their goalkeeper options up a division.

Leeds might well have an upper hand in the race to land the Brazilian if they are adamant he’s their desired man in between the sticks, with Saudi outfit Neom also keen on the 27-year-old ‘keeper amid rumours of a £12m bid potentially being put on the table.

Farke and Co. would happily fork out such an amount, with Bijol only costing £3m more to obtain from Udinese, as the newly promoted side continues to shop in Europe to land some gems.

How Perri could be Bijol 2.0

After all, this isn’t a transfer strategy that has just come from out of the blue for Leeds, with Raphinha once purchased for a mere £17m when leaving Rennes behind in 2020.

Obviously, the rest ended up being history for the Brazilian from that point on, with Bijol hopeful he can arrive on English shores and explode into life in a similar way to Raphinha by becoming a confident and assured performer in the deep-end of the Premier League.

His numbers when excelling in the Serie A indicate that he will be a hit at Elland Road, as seen in the Slovenian brute winning an imperious 4.8 duels on average last season in the Italian top-flight, on top of collecting eight clean sheets.

Therefore, landing the 26-year-old’s services for £15m might go down as a future steal if he is a rip-roaring success story in West Yorkshire, with the extra addition of Perri to the building potentially shoring up Farke and Co even more ahead of a daunting season.

Games played

33

Goals conceded

44

Clean sheets

10

Saves*

3.5

Goals conceded*

1.3

Goals prevented

+6.05

Much like Bijol, Perri was a consistent top performer in a top-five league all through last season, even as off-field turbulence threatened to derail the on-field situation, with a glowing number of +6.05 goals being prevented across his 33 league encounters.

To rubberstamp how much of an upgrade he would be, Illan Meslier’s tally in that department fell victim to -2.73 goals being prevented.

Even lauded as “the best goalkeeper in the world” by his manager Paolo Fonseca earlier this campaign, it feels like a no-brainer on Leeds’ end to try and capitalise on Lyon’s financial woes and land Perri as an upgrade on the shaky Meslier.

Of course, both of these deals could unfortunately go the other way, with the defensive duo finding their new terrain to be too extreme.

But, when assessing how well they’ve done in some tough European leagues to date, snapping up both Bijol and Perri might actually be heralded as a pair of genius deals down the line.

Leeds preparing bid to sign "powerful" captain for £12m this summer

The Whites have a midfielder in their sights this summer…

1 BySean Markus Clifford Jun 28, 2025

Liverpool’s attacking unit has been truly frightening this season, undoubtedly playing a massive role in their ability to claim the Premier League title in 2024/25.

Mohamed Salah was undoubtedly the shining light in such a department, netting 29 goals and registering 18 assists in his 38 outings for Arne Slot’s men.

Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz shared the responsibility on the left-hand side, with the aforementioned duo netting 23 goals between them in the league.

However, the one complaint was with the centre-forward position, with the Reds needing an elite-level talisman to further increase their chances of retaining their crown next time around.

With Darwin Núñez and Diogo Jota both touted with moves away from Anfield, the hierarchy may have funds to play with, allowing Slot to get his hands on the star striker he greatly desires.

The latest on Liverpool’s hunt for a new striker this summer

Alexander Isak has been the dream option over the last couple of months for Liverpool, but his £150m asking price has scuppered any chances of landing the Swede’s signature this window.

Viktor Gyokeres is another name who’s been mentioned with a move to Merseyside, but like Isak, a deal looks unlikely after claiming he’s keen on a move to Arsenal.

Such situations have led the Reds to other targets, with RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko the latest talent in their sights, according to journalist James Wathland.

He claims that the hierarchy have already made contact with the Slovenian’s representatives over a move to Anfield, with Arsenal also in the race for his signature.

It’s also been reported that the player himself would be keen on a move to join Slot’s side, potentially moving to the Premier League off the back of a 21-goal campaign in Germany.

Why Sesko would be a better signing than Ekitike for Liverpool

In recent days, Eintracht Frankfurt star Hugo Ekitiké has been a man in demand, with numerous Premier League clubs registering interest in a move for the forward this summer.

Liverpool are just one side in the race, with Manchester United and Chelsea just two of the sides battling it out for his signature during the off-season.

His tally of 22 goals across all competitions in 2024/25 makes the interest no surprise, with the Frenchman potentially able to be the number nine the Reds have been hunting for.

However, if they are to agree a move with the 22-year-old, they would have to fork out a fee in the region of £84m, potentially being a deal worth walking away from.

Should they decide to move onto other targets once more, Sesko should be their number one target to fill the void, with the striker being labelled the “new Erling Haaland” by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

He possesses a very similar frame to the Norwegian, whilst also having a lethal strike, which has seen him score numerous long-range efforts during his time in Germany.

The 21-year-old is also a huge threat in the air, similar to that of the Manchester City star, with Sesko potentially being the final piece in Slot’s Liverpool puzzle.

Games played

33

Goals scored

13

Shots on target per game

1.2

Goals scored per 90

0.5

Dribbles completed

55%

Aerials won

57%

Duels won

5.1

When comparing his stats to those of Ekitike this campaign, he may have scored fewer goals, but has managed a better goal per shot on target rate – handing the club the clinical option they’ve been hunting for.

He’s also dominated aerially, winning more of the aerial duels he’s entered throughout 2024/25, with his skillset allowing for a focal point for the likes of Salah, Diaz and Gakpo to play off.

Whilst both players would likely improve the options currently at the manager’s disposal, it’s pivotal that the Reds pursue a move for Sesko over Ekitike, with his stats backing up why he’d be a more effective option.

Should he manage to follow in Haaland’s footsteps in England, it would be a bargain regardless of the price tag, handing the club the added threat in their pursuit of back-to-back league titles.

Perfect for Isak: Liverpool told £75m bid for PL star will be accepted

Liverpool may need to sign a new left-sided forward this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 14, 2025

The summer transfer window has now closed. Well, the first window, in any case, opened to accommodate the needs of the incipient Club World Cup.

For Newcastle United, concrete movements have been withheld at this stage, albeit with the completion of Lloyd Kelly’s permanent move to Juventus banking £20m for the Tynesiders.

Eddie Howe does want improvements as his Magpies swoop back into the Champions League, however. England defender Marc Guehi and Brentford’s right-sided superstar Bryan Mbeumo have been shortlisted, but the latter has since stressed his desire to sign for Manchester United.

With Miguel Almiron having departed in January, right wing remains a priority position, and Newcastle have centred their sights on an interesting Mbeumo alternative.

Newcastle begin talks for new forward

Amid speculation over moves for Premier League wingers Anthony Elanga and Mohammed Kudus, it’s another plying their trade in England that’s of attention right now.

Indeed, according to transfer insider Graeme Bailey, Newcastle have opened talks with Brighton & Hove Albion forward Joao Pedro, with Howe a huge fan and the Seagulls ready to sell.

Available for a figure below £60m, the 23-year-old would fall into a similar financial ballpark as the £60m-rated Mbeumo, thus confirming United have the means to launch an official bid.

Pedro has even expressed a desire to play for Newcastle in a different role – and as it happens, Howe needs some more firepower on the right flank.

Why Newcastle should sign Joao Pedro

Two years ago, having signed for Brighton from Watford in a deal of roughly £30m, Pedro has established himself as one of the most dynamic forwards in England’s top tier, posting 30 goals and ten assists across 70 appearances.

Not just a goalscorer, Pedro ranked among the top 1% of forwards during the 2024/25 Premier League season for assists, the top 17% for passes attempted and shot-creating actions, and the top 12% for progressive passes per 90, as per FBref.

As it happens, such balanced performances have drawn Mbeumo up as one of his most comparable players. The Cameroon international, principally a right winger but more than capable as a focal frontman, scored 20 goals across 38 top-flight fixtures last year.

But he’s not just a marksman: Mbeumo created 17 big chances, and completed 1.4 dribbles and won 4.2 duels on average across the year; Pedro, meanwhile, created 11 big chances, averaging 1.1 dribbles and 4.9 duels per outing, metrics courtesy of Sofascore.

With Brighton’s star forward showcasing such an exciting range of creative and athletic qualities, and with a wealth of experience across various attacking roles, it might just be a deal that works out for the Toon, having profiled Mbeumo extensively.

Centre-forward

119

34

18

Left winger

40

14

0

Attacking midfield

27

11

1

Right winger

5

0

0

Mbeumo might be the talk of the town in the goalscoring department, but Pedro’s not exactly a shoddy shooter himself. In fact, content creator Ryan Adsett has praised the star’s “world-class” finishing, drawing attention to his “magnificent technique.”

Moreover, the Brazilian’s willingness to play ‘out of position’ bespeaks his intelligence and maturity, for he understands Alexander Isak is a moveless monolith at number nine, so staggeringly good at his job that few – if any – strikers playing football today would be able to take his place.

Who knows, Pedro’s ability to thrive across any number of areas could see him become an even better fit in the long term than the Bees man, with Howe known to use such protean profiles, like that of Anthony Gordon, across the frontline.

If Pedro really is willing to play out on the right to best serve the Newcastle project, this has got to be a deal PIF see over the line. His dynamism and desire to play at St. James’ Park suggest he could become the latest superstar created under Howe’s wing.

Better than Elanga: Newcastle holding talks over "generational" £84m star

Newcastle are in the market for a new right-sided forward this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 10, 2025

Burnley are preparing for their return to the Premier League next season and could now enlist Vincent Kompany’s support in their pursuit of an exciting signing.

Burnley look ahead to Premier League return

Scott Parker has emerged as something of a promotion specialist since stepping into the dugout, and he has repeated the trick with the Clarets in some style this term. Following another exciting Championship campaign filled with drama, Burnley have a chance to claim the league crown against Millwall on Saturday lunchtime before preparing for life back in the Premier League.

With the gap between England’s first and second tiers growing year-on-year, Turf Moor chiefs will have their work cut out in seeking reinforcements to give them a fighting chance of staying up in 2025/26.

Chelsea midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is a target for Burnley after being told he is free to leave Stamford Bridge after one season, which may be the sort of signing Parker is after to give his side a genuine shot at survival. Harrison Reed could also be on his way to the Clarets if Fulham are willing to cut a deal this summer, adding some experience to an engine room that is already bristling with talent.

Ipswich now pursue new deal for £27,500-a-week star amid Burnley interest

Burnley and Leeds are once again going head-to-head but this time off the pitch.

By
Brett Worthington

Apr 24, 2025

Bridging the gap won’t be an easy endeavour for Burnley. The Premier League is notoriously demanding at the best of times, but they have shown an ability in years gone by to mix it with the best.

Now, the newly-promoted outfit have set their sights on an international goalkeeper who could be on his way out of one of Europe’s most reputable clubs, per recent developments.

Burnley looking to sign Bayern Munich's Daniel Peretz

According to Sky Sports Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg, Burnley have initiated talks over signing Bayern Munich goalkeeper Daniel Peretz after making ‘specific enquiries’ through former boss Kompany regarding his availability. Hamburg are also keen on the Israel international, who is set to leave the Allianz Arena either permanently with a buyback clause or on loan over the next few months.

Commended for his “great potential” by Jan-Christian Dreesen, Peretz has made seven appearances for Bayern in total since joining from Maccabi Tel Aviv, keeping a solitary clean sheet. Despite being behind Manuel Neuer in the pecking order, the 24-year-old has made ten saves on Bundesliga duty this term, equating to a percentage rate of 66.7%.

Burnley will need to recruit stars with pedigree this summer and Peretz’ background at one of the world’s elite clubs could be an appealing factor as they look forward to life back in the Premier League.

Despite Chelsea’s dip in form during the second half of the season, Enzo Maresca has clearly improved the defensive level of his side, implementing a more control-based system with a man-to-man pressing approach.

The Blues were involved in plenty of high-scoring games last campaign, including a 4-4 draw against Manchester City, a 4-3 win against Manchester United and five 2-2 draws.

Whilst they were scoring lots of goals, it was also coming back the other way, giving them their worst defensive record in the last ten years.

Goals Conceded

1.58

1.22

xG Against

1.53

1.33

Shots Against

14.6

10.8

Shots on Target Against

4.79

4.19

Average Shot Distance Against

16.9 (yards)

17.5 (yards)

Under Maresca, these defensive metrics have begun to improve, conceding fewer goals per 90, conceding fewer shots against per 90 and forcing opposition teams into longer-distance shots.

However, we can still expect defensive reinforcement in the summer, as the Blues will likely want to take another step to further improving their defensive record next season.

Chelsea's centre-back conundrum

After Wesley Fofana has continued to struggle with injuries in the 2024/25 campaign, Chelsea are now looking to add a central defender in the summer transfer window, with one of the names highly linked being Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen.

Huijsen only signed for Bournemouth in the 2024/25 summer transfer window, joining from Juventus for a fee of around £12m.

That said, his excellent performances at just 20-years-old is already attracting interest from Europe’s elite, with the Spaniard’s £50m release clause now likely to be activated after just one season in England. The Blues are one of the interested parties with it reported that they and Arne Slot’s Liverpool are at the front of the queue for his signature.

The 20-year-old has made 30 appearances for the Cherries this season, scoring two goals, providing one assist, contributing to seven clean sheets and totalling 2,350 minutes played.

But, as talented as Huijsen is, could Chelsea already have their own young talented defender in the pipeline?

Chelsea's homegrown Huijsen

A certain Josh Acheampong has fully broken into the senior set-up at Chelsea this season, having made his debut under Mauricio Pochettino last term, coming from the bench against Tottenham.

The 18-year-old has made nine senior appearances throughout 2024/25 in what has been a real breakthrough year, contributing to five clean sheets in 511 minutes played.

One of his best traits is the ability to drive the ball out from the back, striding forwards and kick-starting attacks through progressive carries.

Especially against man-to-man pressing schemes (which are becoming far more common in the Premier League), this attribute can become a real game-changer.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Acheampong has already been labelled as a “dominant” defender by scout Jacek Kulig, who referred to the 18-year-old as the “definition of a modern defender”.

The England U19 star is versatile, able play as both a right-back and centre-back, even recently showing his ability to step into midfield, having the composure and elegance beyond his years.

Having been integrated slowly this season under Maresca, who has already stated Acheampong is “the one he fell in love with” after his performance against Legia Warsaw in the UEFA Conference League, next year could be a big season for the young defender, becoming more than just a bit-part piece for the Italian head coach.

A better signing than Huijsen: Chelsea preparing bid for £50m defender

Chelsea are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the Premier League defender this summer.

ByDan Emery Apr 14, 2025

There are still a couple of months of the season left to play, and following Tuesday night’s sensational result in the Champions League, we aren’t sure many Arsenal fans will be thinking about the transfer window.

However, the club certainly are, and they seem intent on improving the first team to make sure Mikel Arteta’s side have a far more successful Premier League campaign next year.

Moreover, while signing a new striker will undoubtedly be one of the club’s key objectives, there are other areas of the team that need reinforcing.

Recent reports suggest this is an opinion shared by the board, as the latest player touted for a move to the N5 is a winger who’d not only improve the starting lineup but also help the incredible Myles Lewis-Skelly reach another level.

Arsenal transfer news

On top of playing them off the park, reports have come out in recent weeks claiming that Arsenal are keen on signing Real Madrid’s Arda Güler.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The North Londoners are supposedly keen on paying around €30m for the Turkish prospect, which is about £26m, and considering he’s racked up a tally of ten goal involvements in just 1170 minutes, that might prove to be great value.

Another young talent the club are said to be interested in is German wonderkid, Florian Wirtz.

The Bayer Leverkusen star has scored 15 goals and provided 13 assists in just 39 games this season, but would cost around £112m, making it a transfer that seems rather unlikely, which might not be the case regarding Nico Williams.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, the Gunners are planning to ‘secure the signing’ of the Spain international this summer.

The report further reveals that the bid for the Athletic Bilbao star is now ‘underway.’

However, to ensure they get their man, the North Londoners will have to stump up enough cash to activate his €60m release clause, which converts to around £52m.

It would be an expensive deal to get over the line, but given Williams’ ability and potential, it is one worth fighting for, especially as he’d help Lewis-Skelly reach another level.

Why Williams would help Lewis-Skelly

So, if Arsenal are able to get their man in the coming weeks, there are two fundamental and intertwined reasons why Williams would be great for Lewis-Skelly, and the first is his output.

Since the start of last season, the Spain international has proven himself to be “one of the best wingers on the market” in the words of data analyst Ben Mattinson. He’s been a reliable source of goals and assists for Bilbao, scoring 17 of the former and providing 25 of the latter in just 76 appearances.

That means that despite still being just 22 years old, the Pamplona-born “level-raiser,” as Mattinson dubbed him, is averaging a goal involvement every 1.80 games.

Appearances

37

39

Minutes

2729′

2752′

Goals

8

9

Assists

18

7

Goal Involvements per Match

0.70

0.41

Goal Involvements per Minute

104.96′

172′

Now, just imagine how a consistent level of output like that from the winger in front of the Hale Ender would improve his own, be that from getting on the end of passes and slotting home the ball himself or playing a perfect ball over the opposite full-back for the winger to get on the end of and finish a move.

Lewis-Skelly has already proven himself a fantastic progresser of the football and the idea of him playing alongside such a dazzling winger on the left is a tantalising one. Ranking in the top 14% of positionally similar players in the top-flight for passes into the final third, Williams would know he’s going to receive plenty of service, and exceptional service at that.

Having such a frightening winger may well also free up extra room for the teenage superstar to operate in. Lewis-Skelly attracts and glides through opponents like a knife through butter as it is but with Williams in tandem, the left side of Arsenal’s attack would be truly menacing.

Ultimately, signing Williams would be good for the whole Arsenal team, but having him start ahead of Lewis-Skelly could help get so much more out of the already incredible teenager.

Arsenal have struck gold on "unplayable" star who's their own Bellingham

The incredible talent looks destined for greatness with Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 9, 2025

With Klaasen and Miller set, the equation was seemingly in their favour – only to meet with crushing disappointment once again

Matt Roller29-Jun-2024It was the over that should have decided the final. It was clinical, destructive and dismissive: Heinrich Klaasen picked his moment to hit the 15th over of South Africa’s chase for 24 runs, ruthlessly targeting Axar Patel. It was stunning hitting in any context, let alone on the biggest stage in T20 cricket.Klaasen calculated that this was his chance to grasp a game that was in the balance. He lofted the first ball back over Axar’s head, then had the presence of mind to leave two wides alone. Two enormous sixes followed: the first, measured at 99 metres, hit the roof of the Greenidge and Haynes Stand at midwicket; the second, measured at 103m, landed in the Garfield Sobers Pavilion.After a violent launch over extra cover for four more and another for two, Klaasen had iced the chase: South Africa needed 30 runs off the last 30 balls with six wickets in hand. At first glance, it was the unloseable game: even if they decided to block Jasprit Bumrah’s final two overs out, they would still be favourites with either Klaasen or David Miller at the crease.Related

• T20 World Cup 2024 – a zero for Bumrah, and other curious numbers

• Sometimes sports can be messy and without any explanation

• Rohit Sharma joins Kohli in retiring from T20Is after World Cup triumph

• Rohit: It's not what we did today, it is what we have done for three-four years

• Magic moments – Bumrah, Klaasen and SKY go flash, bam, alakazam

By now, you know what happened next. Forty-five minutes later, South Africa’s players sat disconsolately on the Kensington Oval outfield, waiting for their runners-up medals. Few words passed their lips. Those final 30 balls brought just 22 runs, four wickets and a single boundary, via Kagiso Rabada’s outside edge. There is no weight heavier than the burden of history.It is never quite as simple as a choke: one team being close to victory does not strip all agency away from the other. India’s bowlers were sensational at the death, none more so than Bumrah. South Africa were rendered shotless by his skill, his final two overs costing only six runs; it left Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya just enough to defend off the other three.But it is impossible to understand the last five overs of this final without acknowledging South Africa’s legacy. This was the first time they had reached this stage of a men’s World Cup in either format, a fact which owed to their repeated failures to win close knockout games – seven times exiting at the semi-final stage. How could it not have weighed on their players’ minds?This team thought it was different, finally overcoming the hurdle of a semi-final and winning countless close games along the way. One problem lingered: in choosing to play five specialist bowlers, South Africa were always vulnerable once they lost a fifth wicket. Against West Indies last week, they scrambled home regardless; in the final, their lack of batting depth proved costly.When Klaasen and Miller played out the 16th over, Bumrah’s third, South Africa needed 26 off the final four: it was a situation loaded in their favour. Time moves quickly in T20 finals and India realised they needed to win it back somehow. It was the mischievous Rishabh Pant who discovered a way to do so: he went down and called on India’s physio for treatment.

“It’s not the first game of cricket that’s been lost with a team needing 30 off 30. India are allowed to bowl well, they’re allowed to field well, they’re allowed to go from that position to a position of strength”Aiden Markram

This allowed Rohit Sharma the chance to rally his players. “The message was very loud and clear to everyone that until the last ball of the game is bowled, the game is not over,” he said. “My job as a captain is to make everyone believe that… Whether we were ahead in the game or behind, we wanted to keep fighting because moments like this will never come again.”It was only a short break, lasting barely three minutes, between the end of the 16th and the start of the 17th over. But it was long enough for the rhythm of the game to change: when Hardik sprayed the first ball of his over full and wide outside off, Klaasen could not quite reach it, and edged a catch through to Pant.This was the moment that the game changed for good, bringing Marco Jansen in at No. 7. It is a trade-off that South Africa have long accepted: rather than relying on part-timers in their top six, they have picked five specialist bowlers in their T20 team and backed their batters to get the job done more often than not.Jansen is not an overpromoted tailender but has been batting one spot too high. Suddenly, everything was on Miller; after he and Jansen exchanged four singles off Hardik’s over, the equation was 22 off 18. He seemed caught in two minds: should he take the responsibility of seeing off Bumrah himself, or get down the other end?The result was the worst of both worlds: two dots, a single which exposed Jansen, an unplayable ball which moved in late to hit leg stump, a firm block by Keshav Maharaj and then a single which kept Miller off strike for the start of the 19th. “Things happened very quickly,” Aiden Markram reflected. “They bowled really well at the back end.”Heinrich Klaasen left the job unfinished•AFP/Getty ImagesBy the time Miller got back on strike after Maharaj blocked, missed and finally connected at the start of the 19th, the equation was 19 off nine balls and India were favourites. He hauled Arshdeep away for two and inside-edged a yorker into the leg side to give Maharaj a free hit, but Arshdeep nailed his yorker to leave 16 required off the last.”A run a ball can go to 10 an over in the space of one over,” Markram said. “Your gameplan as a batter changes. You’re potentially thinking of keeping the ball on the ground, running hard until the job’s done. And then the bowler bowls a good over, and next thing you’d be searching for boundaries and everything changes quickly like that.”By the start of the last over, the plan was simple: swing, and swing hard. Finally, Miller got the ball he was after, a wide full toss from Hardik which he swung down the ground. It hung in the air, swirling towards the press box in the cross-breeze, as Suryakumar Yadav charged after it. He caught it, flicked it back up to himself as he ran over the boundary, and caught it again.Markram “couldn’t watch” as the TV umpire checked to see if he had stepped on the rope. “They were obviously pretty convinced that it was out, and that’s why it was a quick replay,” he said. Rabada edged his first ball for four but the game was up: South Africa only managed one more run off the bat, falling seven short of India’s total.”It’s not the first game of cricket that’s been lost with a team needing 30 off 30,” Markram said. “It’s more that India are allowed to bowl well, they’re allowed to field well, they’re allowed to go from that position to a position of strength. It happens often in this game.” He described the defeat as “gut-wrenching”, saying: “It stings a bit – but it’s good for it to sting.”The manner of this defeat will take some getting over. “When you get really close like that, especially the nature of how the game went, it obviously adds to the emotions,” Markram said.Ahead of the medal presentation, Miller spent 10 minutes by himself in the middle on his haunches; several players were in tears after this brush with immortality.For some, this was their final chance to write a new chapter in South African cricket’s World Cup story: Quinton de Kock’s reaction after his dismissal suggested that this was his final international appearance. Others will be wearing the same scars again in two years’ time, hoping that the ending will finally be different to this one.

With the T20 World Cup looming, the performances of Hendricks, Stubbs, Ngidi and others have made the selectors’ job exceedingly tricky

Firdose Moonda01-Aug-2022South Africa have five more T20Is to play before the World Cup, but just two more in which to finalise their squad (their three in India in October come just before the tournament) and there’s no better place to assess themselves from than the perch of a series win. From Rilee Rossouw’s comeback from Kolpak to Andile Phehlukwayo’s comeback from concussion, South Africa demonstrated what stand-in captain David Miller gleefully referred to as “great bouncebackability and character”, and found match-winners in different individuals.Only 15 can go to the T20 World Cup, though, and performances over the last 12 months mean South Africa will find themselves with several selection conundrums, though Miller doesn’t mind. “Its a great healthy space to be in,” he said. “We’d rather have those headaches than having no options.”With matches to play against Ireland in Bristol next week, we take a look at the main talking points ahead of the World Cup squad selection and some of those who’ve made strong cases to be included.Reeza Hendricks’ hot streak
In an opening partnership so often headlined by Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks does not often get to stand out but in his series, he has. Hendricks reeled off three successive half-centuries to finish as the leading run-scorer in the series ahead of much more well-known names on either side including the returning Rossouw and England’s man of the summer Jonny Bairstow. And he did it without much bludgeoning but with plenty of class. Hendricks is a smooth timer of the ball, has quick wrists, and is speedy between the wickets. He brings a sense of calm to the crease and allows the bigger hitters, like Rossouw, to bat around him, and on form should be part of the T20 World Cup group. Bur the reality is that Hendricks has often been a reserve. It’s only the ninth time in South Africa’s 18 series since 2018 that Hendricks has had the opportunity to play in all the matches in a series, and South Africa may need to start asking themselves why. The answer lies in the top-order bottleneck in the squad, and that will only become more complicated when Temba Bavuma returns from injury.Stubbs a shoo-in for the World Cup

There’s been plenty of hype around Tristan Stubbs – that’s what an IPL contract will do for you – and he lived up to it in this series. Stubbs is a big hitter in the truest sense of the words and has the power and the shots to clear the boundary. He is fearless against spin – long considered a weakness among South African batters – and earned the praise of Moeen Ali for being a “very, very good player”. With David Miller and Stubbs in the middle order, South Africa could have a threatening pair of finishers for the T20 World Cup, with the potential of more to come. They’ve so far resisted the urge to pick Under-19 World Cup record-breaker Dewald Brevis (who has yet to play a domestic first-class or List A game) but Dale Steyn reckons that in Stubbs and Brevis, the next decade of South Africa’s batting is safe.Tabraiz Shamsi overcame a difficult start to the series to end it as its highest wicket-taker•Getty ImagesThe case for Phehlukwayo
Dwaine Pretorius has proved his ability when there’s seam movement on offer but Phehlukwayo offers South Africa a point of difference when it comes to selecting one seam-bowling allrounder in their T20I XI. Given the pace of South Africa’s other specialist quicks, Phehlukwayo’s testing length – back of a good length but not short enough to be short – and his cutters are good variations to have in the attack. His challenge is consistency and he will want to to be able to string together several solid performances to secure the allrounder spot He didn’t get much opportunity to bat in this series but has shown he has big-match temperament in the past and a good return against Ireland could help him seal a spot in the T20 World Cup squad.Ngidi to lead the attack?
It seems impossible that Lungi Ngidi will warm the bench at this T20 World Cup, as he did in the previous one, after the way he has performed in the last few months. He only played in two of the five T20Is in India, and only bowled 4.3 overs, but was the leading wicket-taker among the fast bowlers in the England series. Ngidi, like Phehlukwayo, has a mix of slower balls at his disposal but can also turn up the heat to 140kph-plus, and has proved particularly difficult to get away, boasting an economy rate of 6.53 and an average of 7.81 this year. He is noticeably more agile in the field now, has been installed at backward point on occasion, and took two fabulous catches to dismiss Jonny Bairstow in the second T20I and Jos Buttler in the third. With Kagiso Rabada having two quiet series, Ngidi has stepped up and could be the bowler to lead South Africa’s quicks over the next few months.Shamsi still has it
After being spooked by short, straight boundaries in Bristol, Tabraiz Shamsi stormed back to finish as the series’ leading wicket-taker by trusting in his own game. Instead of rushing through deliveries and bowling quickly and flat, Shamsi returned to the fuller, slower approach that has worked for him in the past and it paid off. Shamsi grew more confident as the series went on, after he was reminded of what he was capable of by his team-mates.Miller said there were no major discussions over what went wrong in the first game but emphasis was placed on how Shamsi has elevated himself to the best in the world. “There were one or two pointers to remind him what he can do and what he is capable of, to build up his confidence rather than tell him what to do,” Miller said. “He knows what to do. You don’t want to harp too much on the negative but mention what his strengths are and remind him what he is capable of.”Shamsi remains focused on the dual role of wicket-taking and holding the game, as South Africa’s attack evolves from all-out pace to greater variety. “There was a big talk about Immi [Imran Tahir] retiring and I was expected to fill his shoes but I don’t see things that way,” Shamsi said. “Sometimes the captain wants me to hold the game. I don’t see it as a disappointing game if I don’t take wickets. We are all capable of taking wickets. We are also all capable of holding the game.” The return to Bristol will be a great test to see how he does.

The San Francisco Giants will never forget their 51st victory of the 2025 MLB season as it came in the most dramatic of ways courtesy of Patrick Bailey's three-run inside-the-park walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning at Oracle Park.

With one out and runners at first and third, Bailey pouned a ball to right field that hit the brick wall and then bounced right past Phillies center fielder Brandon Marsh. Bailey was able to circle the bases and made it home with ease to score the winning run and send the home crowd and his teammates into hysterics.

Giants announcer Duane Kuiper had an excellent call of the thrilling play, yelling "Bailey's on the move!" a few times as it became clear that was happening. His voice seemed to give out as Bailey crossed the plate, leading to a great quip from Kuiper as he said his voice didn't see this wild play coming.

Here's his call:

What a way to win a game.