Joao Palhinha has hit out at Bayern Munich for denying him the chances he “deserved,” describing his time in Germany as one of frustration and lost rhythm. The Portugal international, now thriving on loan at Tottenham, says he feels “happy and trusted” again as he enjoys a fresh chapter in familiar Premier League surroundings.
He got his chance because of an injury to Kane Williamson, and B Sai Sudharsan had done the work to make the most of it
Deivarayan Muthu08-Apr-20231:18
Sai Sudharsan: Knock against Delhi Capitals one of my best
On his IPL debut last season, he hooked Kagiso Rabada over the boundary. On Tuesday, he scooped a 144kph delivery from Anrich Nortje off the stumps for six over the wicketkeeper, and went on to ace the chase for Gujarat Titans. He’s only seven matches into his IPL career and 21-years old, but there’s something special about B Sai Sudharsan.R Ashwin wanted him to be fast-tracked into the Tamil Nadu side after he had played one TNPL game in 2021. It was after that TNPL season, in which he scored 358 runs in eight innings at a strike rate just under 144, that Titans bought Sai Sudharsan at his base price of INR 20 lakh for IPL 2022. Then, despite a bright start to his IPL career, he got only five games last season.
This boy Sai Sudarshan is special, get him into the TN team asap! @TNCACricket . He had such a good league season and has now seamlessly transitioned into the 20 over format. #solidtalent @TNPremierLeague #TNPL
— Ashwin (@ashwinravi99) July 19, 2021
Sai Sudharsan returned to domestic cricket and shattered List A records along with his opening partner N Jagadeesan. But he still wasn’t a sure starter for Titans this season as Kane Williamson slotted in at No.3 for the season opener against Chennai Super Kings. However, an injury to Williamson while fielding gave Sai Sudharsan an opportunity during the chase and he contributed 22 off 17 balls as the Impact Player. In Titans’ second game against Delhi Capitals, he was in the starting XI, and cemented his spot at No. 3 with a match-winning 62 off 48 balls.Nortje had bowled both Wriddhiman Saha and Shubman Gill with express pace in the powerplay, but Sai Sudharsan seemed to have that extra split-second to deal with that speed. His Tamil Nadu senior and childhood friend Washington Sundar, too, often has that extra split-second to play his shots. Sai Sudharsan’s dream is to emulate Washington and swiftly make the transition from domestic cricket and IPL to internationals. His Titans captain Hardik Pandya believes he can make the step up in about two years.”He has been batting terrifically,” Hardik said of Sai Sudharsan after the match against Capitals. “Credit to him and the support staff as well. The amount of batting he has done in the last 15 days … the result you can see is his hard work and going forward, if I’m not wrong, in two years he will do something great in franchise cricket and hopefully for Indian cricket as well.”After being bought for his base price in the IPL 2022 auction, B Sai Sudharsan became the highest-paid player at the inaugural TNPL auction in 2023•ESPNcricinfo LtdSai Sudharsan rated his knock against Capitals as one of his best. “I think it is one of my best so far because it was a difficult situation, and from that difficult situation we rose to the occasion,” he said. “We made the team win; so this has been one of my best knocks in domestic cricket.”He is also adept against spin and has added more power to his game. It was on display when he hit a six and splintered a seat in the stands in Hyderabad during his 20-ball 42 in a chase last December.”It [the confidence] actually started from last IPL … because of the confidence that we got after winning the IPL,” Sai Sudharsan said. “It helped me a lot to get better and even prepare for the domestic season. I think the domestic season has given me a lot of confidence, coming into the IPL, and we had two small camps and a great ten-day preparation ahead of the IPL and that has helped me a lot.”Sai Sudharsan leaps in the air to play a shot•BCCIThose who have followed Sai Sudharsan’s progress in Chennai’s cricket circles vouch for his work ethic. He didn’t take fitness too seriously during his age-group years – he was Yashasvi Jaiswal’s Under-19 batch-mate – and slipped down the pecking order at the time. However, during the Covid-induced lockdown in 2020-21, he shed weight and got into shape. His father Bharadwaj, a former athlete, and mother Usha, a former volleyball player who has worked as a strength and conditioning coach with the Tamil Nadu cricket team, have transformed his attitude towards fitness. Sai Sudharsan is now more agile on the field and while running between the wickets. Following a strict diet plan has also helped him.”The kind of work ethic that Sai Su has got, it inspires me,” Jagadeesan told ESPNcricinfo ahead of IPL 2023. “When I say that my work ethic is good, and when I came across Sai Su’s work ethic, I somehow got the feeling that he’s working harder than me and maybe this is what it takes to be more successful. The way he was batting and the way he was going with his game was just beautiful to watch. It was just poetry in motion. He inspires me. We started talking a lot about cricket and once we stepped onto the field, we always had an open discussion as to how we needed to counter the bowling.”Sai Sudharsan is only 21, but he is already an IPL champion, Syed Mushtaq Ali champion, and TNPL champion. In the inaugural TNPL auction in February this year, he earned a deal worth INR 21.60 lakh, which is more than his IPL contract of INR 20 lakh. He won the Player-of-the-Match award on Ranji Trophy debut last December and was named Tamil Nadu’s vice-captain in his maiden season. Having won his first Player-of-the-Match award in the IPL against the Capitals, Sai Sudharsan is now ready for the big time.
South African expected to be available across formats for the entire season
ESPNcricinfo staff08-Jul-2025Keith Dudgeon, the South African seamer, has signed as one of Kent’s overseas players for 2026. The 29-year-old will be available across formats for the full season.Dudgeon joined Kent on a short-term deal at the start of the 2025 summer and played one match – against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road, in which he claimed career-best innings figures of 7 for 36 – before a knee injury ruled him out.He will return next April for the start of the County Championship and is also expected to be involved in the T20 Blast and One-Day Cup competitions.”It’s a huge case of unfinished business for me, and I’m sure it seems that way for the Kent fans – I’m so pleased to be a Kent player again for the whole of next season,” Dudgeon said.”Everyone at the club made me feel so welcome in my short time in Canterbury and I have been avidly watching the lads as much as I can from South Africa as I continue to work hard to get back to full fitness. I wish them all the very best for the rest of this year.”I’m looking forward to making more appearances for Kent next summer – including my home debut.”I’d like to thank Adam [Hollioake], Simon [Cook] and the board at Kent for putting their faith in me coming back for 2026.”Although Kent won their first two Championship games, they have since drawn three and lost four to sit bottom of Division Two. Their Blast campaign has been more successful, with four wins and five defeats, but they currently sit outside the qualification spots with four games to go.Simon Cook, Kent’s director of dricket, said: “Keith made a lasting impression on us during his short but sweet time earlier in this season.”He is progressing well in his rehab work after successful knee surgery, and is due to start playing again before Christmas for his domestic side in South Africa, Boland. We’re all looking forward to welcoming back to the group for the whole of 2026.”
It’s almost time for Chelsea to return to action.
The Blues will very much undergo a truncated pre-season schedule, having won the Club World Cup on 13 July, surprisingly defeating Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 in the final in New Jersey.
Thus, Enzo Maresca’s team will have just two pre-season fixtures before their Premier League opener, welcoming Bayer Leverkusen to Stamford Bridge on Friday night, before taking on AC Milan in West London on Sunday.
Before then, will the Blues continue to make more signings?
Fair to say, Maresca has plenty of attacking options at his disposal.
Estêvão Willian, Jamie Gittens, João Pedro, and Liam Delap have all already arrived this summer, but the Blues are far from done yet, with potentially two new forwards on their way.
First, as reported by James Olley of ESPN, Chelsea are close to signing Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig for a reported fee of €50m (around £44m), with the Dutchman eager to make the move.
Meantime, as reported by Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea are still pursuing Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho, adding that “no talks” have begun just yet, but the Argentine is “keen” on the move.
Elsewhere, Romano notes that the transfer is “not expected to be imminent” but that Garanacho is prioritising a move to Chelsea, with the Blues focussing on outgoings for now.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Garnacho was told to find a new club by manager Rúben Amorim back in May. Currently part of Man United’s infamous ‘bomb squad’, not with the first-team squad in the US, rather left behind at Carrington, alongside fellow outcasts Jadon Sancho, Antony, and Tyrell Malacia.
Just a few weeks ago, it was reported that Man United valued Garnacho at £70m. Still, now that it’s public knowledge he has been cast aside, James Ducker of The Telegraph believes he is available for £40m, with Chelsea in pole position to snap him up.
At the start of the window, Jacob Steinberg of the Guardian reported that Chelsea are ‘prioritising the addition’ of a right-footed left-winger, with Garnacho very much their top target for this role.
His performances for Manchester United have certainly caught the eye, with Statman Dave labelling him one of the two “brightest young talents on the planet” as recently as October, alongside Lamine Yamal, which is high praise indeed.
Elsewhere, Kurosh Moghtader of Total Football Analysis labels him a ‘reliable attacking outlet’ who still has ‘room for improvement’, with Andy Mitten of The Athletic believing his ‘work rate’ and finishing have both got better in recent times.
When looking to compare Garnacho to a former Chelsea player of the not-too-distant past, he is stylistically most similar to Joe Cole.
Like Garnacho, Cole arrived from a Premier League rival as a 22-year-old back in 2003, namely West Ham United, having come through the Hammers’ academy, and made quite an impact during his seven seasons at Stamford Bridge.
In Chelsea blue, Cole made 282 appearances, scoring 39 goals and registering 47 assists, winning three Premier League titles, two FA Cups, and the EFL Cup.
At his best, Tom Mason of The Guardian believes Cole was ‘breathtaking’, praising his ‘creativity, flair, technical ability and vision’, adding that he was ‘always willing to receive a pass and take on the responsibility’.
Meantime, Sam Wallace of the Independent heralds his ‘silky touch’, noting that his best years came under José Mourinho when deployed as a left-winger in a ‘clearly defined’ role.
Well, in Maresca’s current set-up, Garnacho, who was hailed as “electric” by Statman Dave, could certainly thrive in a similar way.
So, let’s assess how Cole at West Ham and Garnacho at Manchester United compare to one another.
|
Joe Cole at West Ham vs Alejandro Garnacho at Man United comparison |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Statistics |
Cole |
Garnacho |
|
Appearances |
184 |
144 |
|
Minutes |
13,250 |
8,359 |
|
Goals |
18 |
26 |
|
Assists |
9 |
22 |
|
International caps |
10 |
8 |
|
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt |
||
As the table documents, when comparing Garnacho of the present day to Cole just before his move to Chelsea, the Englishman was more experienced, but the Argentine had produced a greater output in terms of goals and assists.
Cole arrived in the summer of 2003 as part of Roman Abramovich’s first spending spree, alongside Claude Makélélé, Hernán Crespo, Adrian Mutu, Juan Sebastián Verón, Scott Parker, Glen Johnson, Alexey Smertin, Geremi, Wayne Bridge, Damien Duff, and many, many others.
Well, 22 years on, Chelsea are adopting a similar approach in the transfer market, and all available evidence suggests that Garnacho could thrive in a similar way.
Chelsea looking to do "early deal" for potential £44m-plus striker after Hato
Another centre-forward signing on the horizon?
By
Emilio Galantini
Aug 2, 2025
It was San Francisco Unicorns’ fourth win in four games, and Texas Super Kings’ first defeat in MLC 2025
ESPNcricinfo staff21-Jun-2025Faf du Plessis slammed a 51-ball 100, but he had to do it alone, pretty much, for Texas Super Kings. That was the difference between Super Kings and San Francisco Unicorns on the day, since Unicorns had two men doing it, doing it at well over a-run-a-ball, and doing it for long enough. The quick half-centuries Matthew Short and Finn Allen hit were not only enough to take Unicorns over the line in a chase of 199, but get there with 23 balls in hand. The win kept them at the top of the MLC 2025 table with four wins in four, with Super Kings one spot below after their first loss.Super Kings were asked to bat, and du Plessis had two big partnerships for the first two wickets, but he had to contribute exactly 100 runs to those, which added up to 166. In the first stand, of 97, Devon Conway was unusually slow, scoring 23 in 23. In the second, worth 69, Saiteja Mukkamalla did better than Conway had, contributing 38 to du Plessis’ 30, though they went at roughly the same strike rate.To make matters worse for Super Kings, Mukkamalla, du Plessis and Marcus Stoinis fell in an eight-ball spell to Xavier Bartlett and Haris Rauf, and that derailed them at a point when they looked good to top 200.Faf du Plessis did most of the scoring for Texas Super Kings while he was around•Sportzpics for MLC
Du Plessis, though, was supreme in getting his first fifty-plus score since April 29, when he hit 62 in 45 balls for Delhi Capitals against Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2025. There were six fours and seven sixes in his innings as he scored at a strike rate of exactly 200 before being dismissed.But even if Super Kings had crossed 200, it’s unlikely Allen and Short would have cared.Allen barely got any of the strike in the first three overs as Short sped off the blocks, getting to 33 in 16 balls even as Allen was 1 off 2. After that, though, it was a different story. Over four, five and six went for 10, 23 and 15, and Unicorns were 83 for no loss after the powerplay and Allen was 34 off 16 to Short’s 46 off 21.The runs kept coming, and the half-centuries too, as the two took the total to 117 before being separated when Short holed out off Daryl Mitchell for a 29-ball 61. Allen was on 52 at that point in the ninth over, and batted on to score 78 in 35. When he was dismissed, by the impressive Adam Milne, Unicorns were just 30 runs away with 7.4 overs to go. Jake Fraser-McGurk took care of most of those with a 25-ball 37.
Former Bayern Munich and Manchester United midfielder Hargreaves has weighed-in on the debate surrounding Wirtz’s struggles since joining the Reds in the summer. Wirtz has failed recreate the stunning form he showed for Bayer Leverkusen and Hargreaves believes Liverpool are now unbalanced as boss Arne Slot tries to find his best system.
Tottenham Hotspur’s ambition to strengthen the squad throughout this summer has already been evident, already making key moves within the transfer market.
Mohammed Kudus is the first major signing of the Thomas Frank era, after joining the club in a £55m deal from London rivals West Ham United earlier this month.
However, despite the big money spent on the Ghanaian’s signature, other targets are still being pursued, with the club potentially being subject to external investment.
Various areas of the pitch have been of interest in recent days, but as of yet, no other key dealings have been completed ahead of the 2025/26 Premier League campaign.
Numerous players have emerged on their shortlist already this window, leading to work being done behind the scenes to ensure Frank has the best chance of success in North London.
Adam Wharton has been named as one of Spurs’ biggest targets this summer, with Frank evidently wanting to improve the options within his midfield department.
However, despite their interest in the Crystal Palace star, a deal for his signature is extremely unlikely, with the Eagles currently demanding £100m for the Englishman’s signature.
The 21-year-old isn’t the only player currently in their sights within such an area of the pitch, leading to Juventus star Douglas Luiz being another target, according to Dean Jones.
He claims that internal talks have been held behind the scenes in North London over a possible deal for the Brazilian, as he looks set to depart the Italian outfit this window.
Jones also states that no serious development has been made for his signature, but the player himself wants a return to England after leaving Aston Villa 12 months ago.
Despite the recent moves within the transfer market, Spurs still hold a keen interest in landing the signature of Bayern Munich star João Palhinha this summer.
Their interest in the Portuguese midfielder has been confirmed in recent days, with the 30-year-old allowed to depart the Bundesliga champions in the coming weeks.
He only joined the club last summer in a £47m deal from Fulham, but after making just six league starts in 2024/25, it’s safe to say he’s not a player in Vincent Kompany’s plans.
Palhinha has previously excelled in England’s top-flight, making 79 appearances for the Cottagers over a two-year spell, arguably being one of the best deep-lying options within the division.
However, despite interest being registered in his services, the hierarchy should be prioritising a move for Luiz this window, with the Brazilian undoubtedly a better option.
When comparing their respective stats from the recent campaign, the former Villa star has dominated in key areas, having the tools to improve the options at Frank’s disposal as a result.
Luiz, who’s been labelled “world-class” by journalist Adam Gilks, registered more key passes and progressive passes per 90, showcasing his ability to get the ball into forward areas, something which could massively bolster the attackers’ tally as a result.
|
How Luiz & Palhinha compare throughout 2024/25 |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Statistics (per 90) |
Luiz |
Palhinha |
|
Games played |
19 |
17 |
|
Minutes played |
529 |
673 |
|
Progressive passes |
5.9 |
4.2 |
|
Progressive carries |
2.7 |
0.4 |
|
Key passes made |
2.5 |
0.5 |
|
% of tackles won |
69% |
68% |
|
Interceptions made |
0.7 |
0.5 |
|
Take-on success |
79% |
50% |
|
Carries into final third |
1.7 |
0.4 |
|
Recoveries made |
5.3 |
2.2 |
|
Stats via FBref |
||
He also completed more of the take-ons he attempted, whilst making more carries into the final third, further demonstrating his dominance with the ball at his feet.
However, defensively, the former Villa star has also impressed, winning a higher percentage of tackles, whilst also registering more interceptions per 90, arguably being the perfect deep-lying option for the Lilywhites.
It’s unclear if the side are willing to pursue a move for Luiz’s signature, but it’s evident from their stats in the recent campaign that he would be a better signing than Palhinha.
Whether he joins on a temporary or permanent basis, it would be a signing that would hand Frank the midfield talent he craves, handing him the best chance of success in his debut campaign at the helm.
Dream Wharton alternative: Spurs working on deal to sign "outrageous" CM
Tottenham Hotspur are making a move for a star who could make them forget about Adam Wharton.
1
By
Ethan Lamb
Jul 25, 2025
Harry Kane has been praised by Bayern Munich sporting director Max Eberl for his “special development” under Vincent Kompany’s system. The England captain has been in lethal form at the start of the 2025-26 campaign, scoring 13 goals in just seven games across all competitions, and is already closing in on the 100-goal milestone for the German champions.
Warwickshire battle back from parlous position but can’t prevent hosts from marching on
ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay19-May-2025Charli Knott scored her third half-century in her last four Metro Bank One-Day Cup women’s competition innings as Hampshire beat Warwickshire at Arundel.Abbey Freeborn had underpinned a Warwickshire recovery from 93 for 6 to set Hampshire 244 with a patient 94 not out. But Knott followed up scores of 58 against Durham and 64 versus Somerset to crash a classy 82, with Georgia Adams picking up 68 to keep Hampshire top of the table heading into the Vitality Blast break.Warwickshire chose to bat first, less than 24 hours after nine of the players had featured in the Vitality T20 County Cup victory in Devon. The change of format appeared to frazzle the top-order on a slow pitch as they slumped to 38 for 4 inside the first 10 over, which continued to 93 for 6.Bex Tyson took the mantle of the main left-arm spinner, with Linsey Smith on England duty, and immediately struck as she pinned Meg Austin with her first delivery. At the other end, Freya Davies accounted for Sterre Kalis and Davina Perrin in back-to-back overs – Yorkshire loanee Kalis had her stump flattened while teenager Perrin steered to point.Mary Taylor entered the attack and bowled Katie George in her first over, before spin resumed its hold with wicketkeeper Rhianna Southby catching Bethan Ellis and Nat Wraith off Adams and Knott.Hampshire may well have be considering a short chase and an afternoon off, but Freeborn had other ideas. She manipulated the field to prevent her side from being routed, while striking semi-regular boundaries square of the wicket to build the foundations of a strong total.Charis Pavely gave her energetic support with the duo putting on 97 in good time, with Freeborn reaching her second fifty of the season in 84 deliveries.Pavely followed her in 70 balls as an above-par score looked on the cards, and when Pavely was stumped for 55, Georgia Davis took over. The pair put on an unbroken 53, including 40 off the last three overs, but they couldn’t contrive to take Freeborn – who swept strongly in the second half of her innings – to three figures.However, 243 for 7 was significantly competitive after Hampshire had allowed things to drift.Hannah Rainey hadn’t had to bat on her One-Day Cup debut but with the new ball, she began with a maiden.Ella McCaughan and Maia Bouchier cracked seven boundaries between them, but both fell to Davis when set. Bouchier flicked to square leg, while McCaughan was lbw. But Knott and Adams avoided a similar top-order slip to Warwickshire earlier, with both oozing class and timing.Australian Knott’s scoring was dominated by boundaries, eight of them in her 46-ball half-century. Knott gave Davis her third wicket when she top-edged a sweep on 82, before Southby chopped a pull onto her own stumps.Adams fell for 68 when she was leg-before to Hannah Baker, with Abi Norgrove slicing to point as Hampshire wobbled to 205 for 6 – still 38 runs short.In the reverse fixture at Edgbaston, the two teams tied, and they flirted with a similar outcome, especially when Nancy Harman was bowled with eight needed off 16 balls. But having taken it to the final over, Taylor secured the three-wicket victory with four balls to spare.
There's still a number of key areas for Los Blancos to address before they can consider their summer revamp complete
Xabi Alonso was in damage control mode after Real Madrid were knocked out of the Club World Cup. He described Los Blancos' loss to PSG as the final game of the 2025 season and pointed out that the real work starts a couple of weeks on from then, once Madrid have had time to rest and he can properly evaluate his squad.
The Club World Cup did, however, put into perspective how much of an issue he may well have. Madrid are full of world-class individuals, but lack in cohesion and their squad depth is shallow in a few areas. The signing of Alvaro Carreras has addressed one of those issues – bringing in a solid left-back – but as the summer drags on, there is a lingering sense that this Madrid rebuild isn't quite finished.
Indeed, there remain some missing pieces. Luka Modric's departure has left a need for a veteran presence, while they still have a Rodrygo issue to sort out, with the Brazilian's future remaining far from certain. Away from that issue, it's hard to imagine Alonso wouldn't welcome further reinforcements with open arms, with left-wing being the only area where Madrid are truly blessed with options.
So what comes next in the summer rebuild? GOAL takes a look at where Los Blancos' priorities should lie…