The promotion-winning campaign for Leeds United will live long in the memory of all supporters, taking them back to the Premier League after a two-year absence.

Daniel Farke was the man to lead the Whites back to the top division of English football, finishing top of the table and subsequently claiming the title on goal difference ahead of Burnley.

Such a feat was made all the more impressive after the sales of Archie Gray, Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter, who all departed after the play-off final defeat the year prior.

However, such departures allowed the likes of Ao Tanaka to move to Elland Road, securing his place at the heart of the side and subsequently being named in the division’s Team of the Season.

The Japanese international could be about to be partnered by another star at the base of the side, as the hierarchy looks to strengthen the side ahead of their top-flight return.

The latest on Leeds’ hunt for new signings this summer

Over the last couple of days, Leeds have ramped up their efforts in the market as they look to provide Farke with the tools to survive next campaign.

His side have had an offer for Udinese centre-back Jaka Bijol rejected, but it appears as though they are set to return with an improved offer to force the Italian side into selling the 26-year-old.

However, he may not be the only summer arrival from Serie A, with Leeds also having keen interest in a deal to sign Juventus star Douglas Luiz, according to GIVEMESPORT.

The report claims that the Brazilian international has been offered to the Whites this summer, with the hierarchy set to schedule talks over a potential deal with the Old Lady.

It also states that he could be sold for just £30m this summer, only 12 months on from his move from Aston Villa, after making just 26 appearances across all competitions throughout 2024/25.

Why Luiz could be Farke’s very own Phillips

Midfielder Kalvin Phillips was a crucial part of the Leeds squad back in their previous stint in the Premier League, operating at the heart of the side after emerging through the club’s academy.

The 29-year-old spent 12 years with the Whites in Yorkshire, amassing a total of 234 appearances in the first team, being a mainstay in the side and enjoying a huge rise to stardom under Marcelo Bielsa.

Such form led to the midfielder being named in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the European Championships back in 2020, as they fell at the final hurdle and lost in the final to Italy.

However, he would depart his boyhood side in a £45m deal to join Manchester City – a move that would subsequently ruin his career, only featuring 31 times in the last three years, with multiple loan spells at West Ham and Ipswich Town.

From a business perspective, it was great business for the club, with such funds allowing Farke to potentially have his own version of the Englishman in the form of Luiz.

When comparing their respective stats from Phillips’ final season at Elland Road, the former Villa star massively outperformed him, showcasing why he would be the manager’s own version of the fan favourite.

The Brazilian, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by one analyst, registered more goals and assists, having the attacking threat to contribute to the Whites’ ambitions within the final third.

Games played

34

20

Goals & assists

5

1

Pass accuracy

83%

80%

Key passes

1.2

0.5

Through balls completed

0.3

0.06

Tackles won

1.5

1.4

Fouls won

1.4

1.1

Aerials success rate

45%

37%

He also managed to complete more passes and more key passes, subsequently aiding attackers ahead of him, as demonstrated by his assist tally back in 2021/22.

Luiz’s dominance doesn’t stop there, winning more tackles per 90 and coming out on top in more aerial battles, having the tools to star out of possession for the Whites.

£30m for a player of his quality in today’s market is an absolute bargain, with the 27-year-old having the experience to thrive in such a division should he return to England.

It remains unclear whether he would be open to a switch to Elland Road, but Farke and the hierarchy must work tirelessly to convince the international star to move to Yorkshire this summer.

He'd be Farke's own Jansson: Leeds preparing bid for "monstrous" talent

Leeds United are set to make a move for a star who could become a fan favourite at Elland Road.

2 ByEthan Lamb Jun 13, 2025

They went behind by 356 runs but responded to it brilliantly to leave the Test fascinatingly poised

Sidharth Monga18-Oct-20241:08

Manjrekar: Kohli attacked really well against spin

Only one side has ever won a Test after scoring fewer than the 46 they did in the first innings of the match, but India were entertaining thoughts of doing it. They are onto something special in Bengaluru, and that through a sensational attacking approach with the bat. Don’t get it wrong, New Zealand were still ahead on cold numbers, but India have been pulling off unbelievable wins of late and a fourth-innings chase of even a 100 or so will not be easy.A day after being bowled out for 46 and falling behind by 136 runs, which then ballooned up to a total deficit of 356, India batted at well over five an over until the last few overs to finish 125 behind with seven of their wickets still in hand. New Zealand got themselves late fillip through Glenn Phillips, who snuck in an outside edge from Virat Kohli to the last ball of the day.When you get bowled out for 46 in the first innings, you need pretty much everything to go your way, but India kept marching on even when things didn’t go their way. Their testing bowling early in the day was interrupted by the quickest hundred-run stand against India in India, but their batters came out positive, putting New Zealand under immense pressure on what was now a flat pitch. The bowlers erred regularly, spread-out fields allowed easy runs, and a catch went down.Even the falling wickets failed to slow India down. When Yashasvi Jaiswal got out stumped, Rohit Sharma scored 16 off the next eight balls he played. Rohit’s freakish dismissal, played on off a dead defensive, brought out Sarfaraz Khan, who raced away to 23 off 16. Like Joe Root among the hectic England batters, Virat Kohli remained serene, but also skipped down the track to hit a six off Ajaz Patel almost as a nod to acknowledge the positive approach. However, this approach will be tested as a new batter will join Sarfaraz, unbeaten on 70, on the fourth morning.1:39

Manjrekar: Very rarely did Rachin defend against the spinners

A lot will also depend on whether Rishabh Pant’s movements will be hampered after he missed one-and-a-half day’s play because of a blow on the knee he had injured in his road accident. The good news for India is that he was padded up along with KL Rahul, and also that he removed the pads even without having to bat on day three.That was not the case in the morning. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj got India off to a relentless start, taking a wicket each in their five-over spells. The way Glenn Phillips and Matt Henry kept swinging at the ball didn’t inspire much confidence nor did it bring many runs. The first four wickets fell for 53, and India were now looking at a long tail.Rachin Ravindra, back to the city where his father was born, had other ideas. He and Tim Southee added 137 runs in a little over 20 overs, the second-quickest stand of 100 or more against India. Ravindra trusted Southee to an extent that he faced only the first three balls of the first 19 in the stand, which seemed to coax responsibility out of the seam bowler known for his six-hitting.Having started the day on 22 and having taken a boundary off the first ball he faced, a loosener from Siraj, Ravindra batted with urgency but also with respect. He scored 101 of his runs against spin because Bumrah and Siraj hardly gave him a loose ball.The first signs of any manufacturing of shots came 11 overs before the new ball became available when Ravindra charged Kuldeep Yadav and lofted him back over his head to get to his fifty. He then went over midwicket to take the lead past 200. In the same over, Southee got a half-volley, which he lofted for his first boundary.1:06

Stokes, McCullum, Gilchrist… Southee??

Just like that, the flood gates had opened. From waiting for the new ball, India went to delaying the new ball because it only became available close to lunch and they needed a breather to regroup. In the 12 overs leading up to the break, New Zealand scored 102 runs, Ravindra went from 48 off 86 to 104 off 125, and Southee hit three sixes to go past Virender Sehwag’s tally of 91. R Ashwin was taken down ruthlessly as he provided overpitched balls, his 16 overs going for 94 and one wicket off a reverse-sweep.Post lunch, the new ball kept going past the bat, but New Zealand managed to go past 400. India doubled down on their aggressive approach when they came out to bat, which did make sense on a flatter pitch. Jaiswal still needed some luck when the ball was new, but he also charged down the wicket to drill Matt Henry through mid-off for four.With the ball not seaming, Henry went too full looking for swing, giving Rohit early momentum in the innings. The run-rate kept growing progressively, but the attacking approach also comes with risk, which it appeared India were happy to live with. There were gasps when Jaiswal ran at Ajaz, and was stumped off a ball that didn’t turn, but this team was not going to give any mixed messages. This is the approach that had brought India a quick 72 runs and had spread the field, and they were happy to live with a dismissal doing this.Rohit’s immediate assault on Henry even as Kohli took 15 balls to get off the pair summed up India’s mindset. A drive for a four, a pull for a six, then a pull for a four brought up his fifty in just 59 balls.0:45

Manjrekar: Sarfaraz a 2024 version of Miandad

And then a wicket conjured itself. Rohit defended Ajaz with a dead bat, the ball hit the inner half of the bat and top spun onto the wicket after bouncing behind the crease. Rohit was not aware of where the ball was, which might suggest lack of awareness, but it is doubtful if he had enough time to kick it away.A delightful partnership of 136 followed. Sarfaraz was cheeky, playing the ball impossibly late or audaciously early. Spin was tackled with sweeps, pace was almost exclusively shown direction behind the wicket. At one point he was ducking William O’Rourke, but the ball nipped back at him, and he ramped it over the keeper just because he could. Kohli was more orthodox in skipping down and lofting Ajaz over long-off.Runs flowed, bowlers erred, a Henry spell of reverse swing was negotiated, Ajaz dropped Kohli at slip off Phillips, an odd choice for a slip fielder. Phillips is a wicketkeeper who has forced himself to become a utility offspinner to survive in international cricket. It seems he puts a lot more body into the ball than fingers, but he keeps using the angles and keeps trying. With the last ball of the day, he managed to get less turn than expected, and took the faintest of edges to lift New Zealand.

Gaby Lewis’ smashing second T20I century backed up by Orla Prendergast’s all-round show helped Ireland record a close seven-run win in the second T20I against Sri Lanka to level the two-match series 1-1.Batting first in Dublin, Ireland lost Amy Hunter inside the powerplay, but Lewis kept the hosts going. She found an ally in Prendergast with the duo adding 119 runs for the second wicket off 80 balls. Lewis did the bulk of the scoring in the partnership with 78 off 49 balls while Prendergast scored 38 off 31.Lewis reached her fifty off 40 balls with both batters upping their pace after the halfway mark. Prendergast struck Achini Kulasuriya for back-to-back fours in the 12th over before Lewis followed suit in the next striking Shashini Gimhani for two fours of her own. Even with Prendergast not finding the boundaries often, Lewis made sure to keep the scoreboard ticking.Lewis raced to her second T20I century in the 19th over smashing Kanchana for a six and four, getting to the mark in 68 balls. An emotional Lewis hugged her partner and removed her helmet raising her bat to the crowd and her team-mates. She then took three fours off Kulasuriya in the final over and was run out off the final ball for 119 off 75 ball as Ireland raced to 173 for 3, their sixth-highest total in T20Is. Lewis struck 17 fours and two sixes in her innings.Sri Lanka lost Vishmi Gunaratne early in the chase but Harshitha Samarawickrama threatened to repeat her first T20I heroics once again. She started with two fours in the first over against Freya Sargent before hitting Jane Maguire for six.Samarawickrama got good support from No. 4 Kavisha Dilhari with the duo adding 72 off 49 balls for the fourth wicket. Just when things looked to be going Sri Lanka’s way, Jane Maguire struck a telling blow removing Samarawickrama for a 44-ball 65.Dilhari, however, kept finding the boundaries at regular intervals even as Sri Lanka lost wickets at the other end. The visitors required 22 off the last two overs and 16 off six. Dilhari struck a six in the final over to reach her fifty but with eight needed off two, failed to get a clean connection as the hosts managed to level the series.

Fast bowler to use competition’s month-long window to continue rehabilitation

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Jul-2024Mahika Gaur, England’s highly-rated left-arm seamer, has withdrawn from this year’s Women’s Hundred, to continue her recovery from a side strainGaur, 18, had been retained by Manchester Originals after impressing in her debut season last year, but will instead use the competition’s month-long window to continue her rehabilitation, under the supervision of the medical teams at both the ECB and her regional side, Thunder.Gaur was not available for England’s early-season white-ball series against Pakistan, as she was completing her A-levels, but was then ruled out of the T20I squad to face New Zealand this month after picking up her injury.Her absence from the Hundred could impact her hopes of breaking into England’s squad for the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh, with that competition set to form a key part of the players’ preparation in the absence of any other bilateral cricket prior to their departure in October.Gaur, who represented UAE from the age of 12, made a strong impression in her first England appearances against Sri Lanka last summer, including with figures of 3 for 26 on her ODI debut at Chester-le-Street in September.

Milos Kerkez is edging toward a move from Bournemouth to Liverpool, with sporting director Richard Hughes discussing the final details with his successor in the Cherries transfer seat.

This in itself is a fantastic deal for Anfield, whose veteran left-back Andy Robertson is an “absolute legend” but one “hanging on in every game” for Arne Slot’s side this season, says pundit Jamie Carragher.

With Trent Alexander-Arnold signing for Real Madrid at the end of his Liverpool contract, it was also important for FSG to welcome a successor, and Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong has been picked as the man for the job, signed for £29.5m.

Further change is afoot higher up the field, but Liverpool have already shown a willingness to secure a new centre-back this summer, pushing to sign Dean Huijsen before he rejected a wealth of Premier League interest for Real Madrid.

Why Liverpool need a defender

Virgil van Dijk is now a two-time Premier League winner, dominant and immense as the captain guided his team through the campaign with elite consistency.

It’s brilliant that Van Dijk signed a new deal on Merseyside, extending his stay for two more years, but he turns 34 next month and Liverpool need to find a long-term heir.

That could have been Huijsen, who was hailed as “the perfect left centre-back” by analyst Ben Mattinson after his campaign on the south coast. Complete in an age-belying fashion, the Spain international, only 20, would have secured Liverpool’s backline for years to come, had he joined.

And though FSG are big on acting upon unique market opportunities, they must surely recognise the need for a fallback. Ibrahima Konate arrived in 2021, and no first-team centre-back has since followed him.

Konate, moreover, is being courted by Los Blancos, who want to snap him up as a free agent next summer. Liverpool are currently locked in talks over a new deal with their French defender.

Given Jarell Quansah’s future is also uncertain, a Huijsen alternative to ease the burden on Van Dijk and co would be great, and the Premier League champions have identified the man for the job.

Liverpool begin move for new CB

As per Caught Offside, Liverpool have entered the race for Bayern Munich centre-back Kim Min-jae, with sources close to the South Korean claiming he will be allowed to leave the Allianz Arena this summer.

With the various parties all seeking a swift resolution, Bayern have reduced their asking price from €50m (£44m) to about €35m (£30m), which would work well for the Reds given their need for reinforcements across a myriad of positions.

With Chelsea and Newcastle United also exploring a move, Liverpool would be wise to take their interest up a notch, ready to pounce.

What Kim Min-Jae would bring to Liverpool

Kim has struggled to truly hit his stride for Bayern, but certainly showcased his quality as an elite-level central defender when in the Serie A with Napoli, heralded as an “iron barrel” of a player by his former teammate Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

According to Luciano Spalletti, former Napoli boss, Kim has the minerals to become “the best centre-back in the world”, keeping 14 clean sheets from 35 matches as the Blues won the Scudetto in 2022/23, a colossus in protecting his side’s goal.

A player capable of getting stuck in and performing with a more elegant touch, Kim’s is the prototypical modern profile, his strength suggesting he would thrive in the rigorous Premier League.

Bayern signed the 28-year-old from Napoli in July 2023 after meeting his £43m release clause, and though he’s since recovered the Bundesliga from Leverkusen after missing out in his debut term, it hasn’t been the smoothest sailing for the left-sided defender, who made four direct errors leading to a goal this term, as per Sofascore.

Still, such lapses haven’t prevented the £194k-per-week titan from producing otherwise impressive performances, completing 93% of his passes, averaging 5.7 ball recoveries per game and winning 65% of his aerial battles.

His aerial dominance, crisp and progressive passing and left-sided berth suggest Kim could be the perfect foil for Van Dijk, especially when data-led site FBref suggest the two players bear a tactical likeness.

Goals

0.09

0.08

Assists

0.02

0.00

Touches

87.13

103.14

Pass completion

91.7%

92.9%

Progressive passes

5.05

6.45

Shot-creating actions

1.19

1.02

Progressive carries

0.50

0.62

Ball recoveries

3.11

5.51

Tackles + interceptions

2.31

3.06

Clearances

4.55

3.60

Aerials won

2.85

3.06

Securing a new centre-half who can ease Van Dijk’s defensive burden wouldn’t be a bad thing, especially with Liverpool determined to go one better than this term and compete for silverware across four different major fronts.

There’s clearly a likeness to the players, who both employ confident passing games but maintain creative flair too. Moreover, they are persistent commanders of aerial traffic, directing whipped-in danger away from the box.

If Liverpool wish to maximise the time they have left with their legendary skipper, overloading him with minutes might not actually be the best track to take. Instead, Van Dijk could thrive in an environment that allows him to step away from the action without sending Slot’s system into a spin.

Kim’s similarities to the Dutchman would allow him to do exactly that, regarded in the past as ‘the South Korean Van Dijk.’

Given Quansah was used so sparingly this season, and indeed Konate’s future is uncertain (as is his fitness, routinely missing chunks of the campaign), this would be the perfect, affordable deal for an experienced and dynamic defender who could fill in for the captain or play alongside him.

He'd be incredible with Wirtz: £80m star dreaming of signing for Liverpool

Liverpool are making some serious moves in the transfer market.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 6, 2025

It’s likely to impact the confidence of other teams due to tour Pakistan over the coming months

Danyal Rasool04-Mar-2021It’s difficult to overestimate the impact of Thursday’s dramatic developments for Pakistan cricket. The decision to indefinitely postpone the Pakistan Super League strikes at the heart of one of the most salient buds of optimism that had begun to pervade cricket in the country. It throws a T20 franchise competition that didn’t exist five years ago, and rose to become arguably the world’s second-most valuable league of its kind, into some jeopardy; the possibility, at least, that this season may never be completed looks the likeliest scenario.Since Fawad Ahmed tested positive for Covid-19 earlier this week, organisers scrambled to try and get a potential outbreak under control, but it was already too late. Further cases were discovered at several different franchises, meaning the league wasn’t just dealing with one outbreak, but any number of them. The decision, taken late on Wednesday to vaccinate all participants, in the desperate hope it would stop the outbreak in its track, looked neither feasible nor scientific; vaccination takes weeks to have an impact. On Thursday morning, when further cases at various franchises turned up, the inevitable happened: the league was off.Compared to last year’s postponement when the pandemic first hit, this is different – and by an order of magnitude – more damaging on two counts. To the PCB’s credibility as a board that can responsibly organise cricket during a pandemic, and to the chances of this season ever being completed. Little was known about the virus when one player displayed symptoms and tested positive last year, and even less about the measures necessary to prevent an outbreak. Cricket across most of the world was being called off, and the PCB was desperately trying to get through the final few games of 2020’s season, even getting rid of the playoffs to try and shave a few days off the competition’s length. Even when the season had to be postponed, there was an inevitability it would be back on at some point; there were only four games remaining, and with most teams unable to play almost any cricket due to global restrictions, there would always be time to carve out a week-long window.Related

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There will be lesser sympathy, and even fewer excuses, this time. PCB CEO Wasim Khan said on Thursday the players and franchises needed to take individual responsibility, but expect that responsibility to be passed around between the league, the franchises, the officials and the board over the coming days. It has been observed throughout the world that without effective centralised standard operating procedures that are enforced, cracks invariably appear. For a virus that spreads collectively through populations, quixotic expectations of individual responsibility don’t cut it.The PCB will have had the best part of nine months to analyse how the likes of England, India, the UAE and New Zealand pulled off extended cricket events in their countries without much of a hitch, and cautionary tales with regards to how England’s tour of South Africa last year panned out. They will have had the chance to consult doctors, pandemic experts and sports organisers. Test and tracing procedures will have been fine-tuned, isolation protocols perfected. With the experiences of others who have had success in staging complex, lengthy cricket tours, the PCB will have backed themselves to possess the professionalism and expertise to follow in those footsteps.With PSL 2021 indefinitely postponed, it’s time for the broadcasters to pack their equipment up•Getty ImagesThe failure to do that is likely to impact the confidence of other boards whose cricket teams are due to tour Pakistan over the coming months. There was great excitement in Pakistan over a two-match T20I series England were due to play just before the T20 World Cup. Whether they opt to do that now, and potentially expose their players days before the start of the world’s biggest T20 event is a much bigger doubt, now.A New Zealand tour later this year was also pencilled in, but that country’s confidence in Pakistan’s pandemic protocols was already at a low following the eventful – and at times bitter – three weeks Pakistan spent in quarantine in New Zealand, leading to the Director General of Health berating the side for violating safety protocols, and veiled threats of deportation. What has transpired in the PSL over the past few weeks is unlikely to have bolstered confidence that Pakistan has learned lessons from what happened there.With a congested international window coming up that stretches right through to next year’s PSL, it isn’t yet obvious when the PCB can find the time, not to mention the availability, of most of their star foreign players to viably conduct this tournament. The T20 World Cup in October and November means the window that was used last year doesn’t exist.Another possible avenue to go down is to conduct the remainder of the competition in May. That has the considerable disadvantage of clashing with the latter stages of the Indian Premier League, with which no T20 competition can currently compete for eyeballs and financial might. However, fewer than ten players who are part of the PSL are also scheduled to play the IPL, meaning if the PCB went down that route, player unavailability might not be as significant a concern as at first it appears.Laughed at, even as a concept, five years ago, because Pakistan weren’t able to play these matches in front of its home crowd, the PSL survived those nascent years, and games gradually trickled their way back to Pakistan. Last year, with the entire league played in Pakistan to overflowing crowds, it looked like fate had been kind, even to Pakistan, of all countries. Unbeknownst to all involved, an incipient threat, one far more potent than security concerns or TV viewership figures, was awakening from its slumber. Enter the Covid-19 pandemic.Being compelled to organise the latter stages of last season – and then played in front of no crowds in Pakistan – was a cruel twist of fate for a league whose for returning to Pakistan was to avoid empty stadia. Following that, the PCB established what it believed were stringent security protocols, and conducted its fullest home season in over a decade, albeit not without some alarm bells. It looked like the PSL would pass off with just a few problems, but little could be further from the truth.

Also, who holds the record for the most 0 not-outs in Tests?

Steven Lynch18-Jun-2019Josh Hazlewood, missing from this year’s World Cup, played five matches in the last one without ever batting. Is this a record? asked Jenny McDonald from Australia

You’re right that the Australian seamer Josh Hazlewood played five matches in the 2015 World Cup – including the final – without being called on to bat. And it is indeed a bit of a surprise that he wasn’t selected for this one: as reported on ESPNcricinfo last week, he hasn’t been glued to the screen back home watching it, either.As it turns out, Hazlewood is second on this particular list, behind another tall Aussie seamer: the World Cup career of Nathan Bracken amounted to ten of his side’s 11 matches when Australia won the 2007 tournament in the West Indies, but he never batted. As I write, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has played four World Cup matches for India (one in 2015), and hasn’t batted yet.In the just-finished women’s one-day series, the England captain was Knight and their wicketkeeper was Taylor, while the West Indies captain was Taylor and their wicketkeeper was Knight. Can you think of anything similar? asked Paul Jacques from England

That’s a neat observation: England’s captain in that series against West Indies was Heather Knight, and their wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor, while West Indies were led by Stafanie Taylor, with Kycia Knight behind the stumps (and her twin, Kyshona, elsewhere in the field).I can’t instantly think of any parallels. I do remember a men’s Test, in Bulawayo in 2011-12, where both sides were captained by a Taylor – Brendan for Zimbabwe and Ross from New Zealand, but the wicketkeepers didn’t share a name. And for many years Warwickshire were captained by a Smith (M. J. K.) while their wicketkeeper was A. Smith (Alan). I’m not sure if that counts, though!Sri Lanka’s batting in the World Cup match against Afghanistan was opened by their captain and their wicketkeeper. How rare is this? asked Rajiv Radhakrishnan from England

Sri Lanka’s openers in that match in Cardiff were Dimuth Karunaratne, the captain, and wicketkeeper Kusal Perera, who had gone in at No. 3 in their first game. It worked: they put on 92 against Afghanistan. I thought this might have happened reasonably frequently, but actually the only other pair to do it in the World Cup were England’s Andrew Strauss and Matt Prior, in two matches in 2011. Alec Stewart captained, opened and kept wicket in seven World Cup games for England – two in 1992 and five in 1999 – while Andy Flower did it twice for Zimbabwe in 1996.Jimmy Anderson has 31 nought not-outs to his name, three more than the next player on the list, New Zealand’s Chris Martin•Getty ImagesI noticed that Jimmy Anderson has had 86 not-outs in Tests. Is this the record? Has he also had the most nought not-outs? asked Alastair Spiers from Scotland

Jimmy Anderson has held this particular record since 2017, when he chalked up his 62nd Test not-out, against South Africa, to pass the record previously held by Courtney Walsh (61 not-outs). Next come Muttiah Muralitharan (56), Bob Willis (55), Chris Martin (52, exactly half his innings), and Glenn McGrath (51), before the first two specialist batsmen, Shivnarine Chanderpaul (40) and Steve Waugh (46).Anderson does also lead the way for Test innings of 0 not out – he’s had 31 so far, three ahead of Martin. Makhaya Ntini comes next with 18.Who is England’s oldest surviving Test player? asked Michael Robertson from England

I’m always slightly nervous about answering questions like these, but the man who holds this distinction as I write is the Sussex left-hander Don Smith, who played three Tests against West Indies in 1957. Smith has just celebrated his 96th birthday – on June 14, the same day the Australian allrounder Alan Davidson turned 90. There are currently 13 former Test player who are now in their nineties. The only other Englishman is Smith’s longtime Sussex team-mate Ian Thomson, who reached 90 in January.Don Smith was the subject of a recent booklet produced by the Sussex Cricket Museum. In it he remembers receiving his England colours: “Today it is carried out in front of the spectators. At Lord’s in the basement a minion handed over to me my England cap and two sweaters. I still thought it was great.”On the list of oldest surviving Test players, the only one older than Smith is the South African allrounder John Watkins, who was born two months earlier, in April 1923.Use our feedback form or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

Barcelona have turned down a proposal to sign Denzel Dumfries, opting to focus on keeping Jules Kounde amid interest from Manchester City.

Jorge Mendes offered Dumfries to Barcelona€25m release clause expires July 31Barca planning long-term deal for KoundeFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to , agent Jorge Mendes offered Dumfries to Barcelona in a summer proposal, but the club have declined to move forward with the deal. While the Dutchman was once on Barca’s radar, the Catalans have chosen not to act, largely due to their confidence in Kounde, who is set to remain their primary right-back.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Dumfries is reportedly available for just €25 million (£21m/$29m) due to a temporary release clause that expires at the end of the month. Yet, with City circling Kounde, the Blaugrana are instead working on convincing the France international to sign a new contract and join their bid to retain their La Liga crown.

DID YOU KNOW?

Dutch international Dumfries has been a key figure for Inter, recording 22 goals and 26 assists in 179 appearances since joining from PSV for around €15m in 2021. He renewed his contract until 2028 and reportedly earns €4m net per year.

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA?

Unless Barcelona face a sudden departure or bid for Kounde, they are unlikely to revisit Dumfries. Their focus remains on keeping their current defensive core intact. City’s interest in Kounde could force Barcelona to act fast in securing a new contract to ward off any serious advances before the transfer window closes.

كشف الإعلامي أحمد شوبير عن آخر مستجدات ملف تجديد عقود بعض لاعبي النادي الأهلي، وعلى رأسهم أحمد عبد القادر وأليو ديانج، موضحًا الموقف الحالي من المفاوضات وقرارات الجهاز الفني الجديد بشأن قائمة الأجانب.

وقال شوبير في تصريحات عبر برنامجه الإذاعي صباح اليوم الثلاثاء: “هل أحمد عبد القادر جدد عقده مع الأهلي؟ لا، لم يُجدّد بعد، والنادي لم يفتح معه ملف التجديد حتى الآن”.

وتابع: “هل الأهلي يرغب في التجديد له؟ نعم، الأهلي يريد تجديد عقده، وهل عبد القادر منفتح على الأمر؟ نعم، اللاعب أيضًا منفتح ومستعد للتجديد مع الأهلي”.

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وأضاف: “أما عن موقف أليو ديانج، فما زال غير محسوم، حيث تم ترك القرار للمدير الفني ليُحدد موقفه، وهو من سيقرر من بين اللاعبين الأجانب من سيستمر ومن سيغادر الفريق”.

ويستعد النادي الأهلي لمواجهة فريق إيجل نوار البوروندي، يوم السبت 18 أكتوبر، في إطار مباراة الذهاب لدور الـ 32 من بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا.

da pinup bet： Liverpool have been the team to watch in the transfer window so far and could now look to strike for a star who has previously been labelled “fantastic” by Jordan Henderson, according to reports.

Liverpool march on in the transfer window

da aviator aposta： Exciting times are on the horizon at Anfield and Jeremie Frimpong is set to be joined by Milos Kerkez at Liverpool as the latter edges closer to signing on the dotted line for a move to Merseyside, as per David Ornstein and Fabrizio Romano.

Florian Wirtz is also signing for Liverpool for a record fee, creating a triple-axis of exciting transfers that have placed Arne Slot and his side in a great position to retain their Premier League title.

Incredibly, The Reds are said to be plotting a blockbuster bid for Newcastle star Alexander Isak in a deal that could be worth £100 million and add-ons, exceeding any fee paid for Wirtz.

Nevertheless, that is likely to be contingent on whether Darwin Nunez leaves the club, albeit there is plenty to marvel about regarding Liverpool’s commitment to conducting smart business.

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There is plenty of speculation surrounding the reigning champions, and nobody is expecting that to slow down anytime soon. The dust has now settled on their title victory, and hard work is well underway ahead of another campaign fraught with excitement.

Now, there is another name on their radar that could stir up headlines across Europe if Liverpool are able to push a deal over the line.

Liverpool hold talks over move for Jorrel Hato

According to journalist Duncan Castles on the Transfers Podcast, Liverpool are in talks to sign Ajax defender Jorrel Hato and could face competition from Arsenal and Chelsea for the versatile Netherlands international.

He stated: “There have been direct conversations between Liverpool and Hato over joining the Premier League champions this summer, and those talks are taking place with the knowledge of Ajax, who are open to selling the player.”

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Later, he added: “Now we have a situation where Liverpool are looking at the player, with Arsenal and Chelsea also seriously interested in him.”

Labelled “fantastic” by former teammate Jordan Henderson, Hato registered three goals and six assists across 50 appearances in all competitions last campaign, and can play left-back or centre-back.

Intriguingly, this news comes as Atletico Madrid begin to step up their interest in Liverpool’s Andy Robertson, potentially offering a clue into who his replacement will be alongside Kerkez.

As talks continue, Reds supporters will hope they come to a satisfactory conclusion as the club look to stock up with elite arrivals ahead of the new campaign.