Chelsea are reportedly in pole position to sign Bournemouth centre-back Dean Huijsen this summer as doubts surface over Real Madrid's pursuit.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
| Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱 |
The allrounder is still building up to full capacity but Australia are never short of options with the ball
AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff29-Sep-2023Ellyse Perry’s knee injury could keep her from bowling for the entire white-ball series against West Indies that kicks off the women’s home summer.Perry hurt her left knee playing the second one-day international of Australia’s series against Ireland in July. The injury forced her out of the final match against the Irish, as well as England’s franchise tournament the Hundred.In early September, Cricket Australia (CA) named the 32-year-old allrounder in the squad for the white-ball series against West Indies that begins with a T20I at North Sydney Oval on Sunday.CA said at the time Perry was expected to be “fully available” for the six-match series, and on Tuesday she had her first competitive hit-out since July in a one-dayer for Victoria against Western Australia.Related
West Indies women mix experience with youth for upcoming Australia tour
Megan Schutt: 'I didn't have the skill or work ethic, I just happened to be able to swing a ball'
Perry did not bowl in that match and said she may not do so again until after the West Indies series finishes in mid-October.”Nothing’s wrong, it’s just building workloads back up again so I’m fully prepared for the summer,” she said. “In terms of my full fitness, bowling will probably be something that I still work through across this series.”It might mean that I’m not available to bowl until late in the piece or perhaps towards the start of the WBBL.”Australia used Perry’s bowling sparingly during the white-ball legs of the women’s Ashes that preceded the Ireland tour and she has not sent down more than two overs in a T20I since the 2020 T20 World Cup.Australia are rarely short of bowling options in their limited-overs teams. Fellow allrounders Ash Gardner, Annabel Sutherland, Tahlia McGrath, Jess Jonassen and Georgia Wareham have all been selected in the squad to face West Indies.Perry shrugged at criticism of CA’s decision to schedule the first match of the women’s summer on the same day and in the same city as the NRL grand final.”The summer scheduling, and how much cricket we need to fit in, you can’t always get things 100 percent in a clear window,” she said. “Given the time of the match, being played early in the day, at a wonderful venue, there’s plenty of value in this fixture. I’m sure we’ll get a good crowd.”Perry played alongside Meg Lanning as Australia’s captain made her return to cricket this week following a four-month medical absence.Lanning hit a half-century in the first of two matches and CA is hopeful she will return to the national side later in the home summer. Perry heralded Lanning’s return to state cricket as a big step towards an Australia comeback.”That’s absolutely significant,” she said. “At the same time, it’s just significant that she’s back and she’s enjoying playing her cricket. She really just picked up where she left off in terms of her batting.”
Gregor Kobel is one of the best goalkeepers in the Bundesliga. Two financially strong clubs from England are now said to be interested in signing him.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
| Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱 |
Former Australia opener says it’s a “good strategy” to have “outliers” in the squad that can keep the other players “honest”
Sruthi Ravindranath21-Aug-20231:29
Moody: Tilak’s selection is down to his temperament
Matthew Hayden believes Tilak Varma’s inclusion in India’s squad for the men’s Asia Cup is a “good strategy” as it would put pressure on Suryakumar Yadav and keep the rest of the frontline batters in the side “honest”.”We’ve seen the class of Tilak Varma. I think it’s a good strategy in terms of not just this World Cup but even potentially getting into the next World Cup as well,” Hayden said on the sidelines of the CEAT Cricket Rating Awards ceremony in Mumbai. “The great thing about India is it’s got a really solid one-two-three combination. Similar to Australia actually, when you look at their last four or five months, they’ve had a really good and strong – what we like to call – the engine room. And then they’ve got some good problems to solve through the middle order.”And if they can fill spots with talented young players like Tilak Varma, put pressure on someone like Suryakumar Yadav, I think that’s a good strategy. Keep everyone honest in the side and performing. So not a bad move. I think it’s a great side.”Related
Rahul, Shreyas and Tilak make it to India's Asia Cup squad
Ganguly feels Kohli, Iyer and Rahul can all bat at No. 4 if required
Rohit wants India to be flexible, in mind and batting order
Tilak, who hasn’t played an ODI yet, was included on the back of his promising performances during the T20I series in the Caribbean. Hayden said the emergence of such young talents is one of the positives to come out of injuries to various senior players in the Indian side. Jasprit Bumrah, India’s No. 1 bowler, has just returned from a 11-month hiatus and has been named in the 17-member squad. Ditto with KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer, who have missed the last few months because of injuries too.”In the landscape of modern cricket now, you’re going to get injuries,” Hayden said. “We’ve seen that with Jasprit Bumrah and we’ve seen the emergence of players in and around him that have had an opportunity because he hasn’t been playing. They look at their bench strength as much as they look at their playing make-up because ultimately you’re going to be challenged.”When I look back at the World Cup campaigns that I was a part of, I remember [Shane] Warne was out with a drug-related incident [in 2003] and then [Brad] Hogg comes into the side and has an unbelievable series in South Africa. So as much as we’d love to see superstars feature in World Cups, the outliers tend to be those players that might win you a World Cup. It might be Ishan Kishan, for example. He might have an unbelievable World Cup and blast everyone away. The selectors don’t write their names down first, but they have something special and they can deliver it on a World Cup stage.”There are some key questions for India heading into the 50-over World Cup at home this year: who will be their No. 4? What will their middle order look like? While captain Rohit Sharma said he wanted to keep the batting order flexible, Hayden said the Asia Cup would give India a chance to fine-tune their plans and possibly find answers they need.”The Asia Cup is kind of where you’re going to see a lot more answers to those questions,” Hayden said. “Playing in their home conditions, in the build-up to the World Cup – the World Cup’s on our doorstep – that’s about as good as you get from the subcontinent teams, playing in Sri Lanka, in Pakistan, ahead of an enormous campaign here in India. There’s no question that you’re going to have bench players playing in this World Cup. Your outliers are as important as your key players. And it’s in your favour.”But we all know how much everyone loves cricket here as well. To be at home, there’s an enormous pressure that will come with that. But I think that you’ve got good lead up time and good preparation.”
Wayne Madsen adds fifty as Derbyshire wicketkeeper plays vital hand
ECB Reporters Network19-Jul-2023Derbyshire wicketkeeper Brooke Guest scored a career-best unbeaten 145 to frustrate Division Two leaders Durham in the LV=Insurance County Championship game at Derby.Guest backed-up his hundred against Sussex at Hove last week with another accomplished display to steer Derbyshire to 317 for 6 after Durham had put them in. Wayne Madsen made 62 and shared a third wicket stand with Guest of 118 in 32 overs before he fell to England fast bowler Matt Potts who took 2 for 57 from 20 overs.Durham’s decision to bowl first was probably based on the overhead conditions rather than the pitch which played well once the sun broke through. But while there was cloud cover, the openers were challenged by Potts and Ben Raine who saw Luis Reece dropped on 3 at second slip by David Bedingham.It did not prove costly as Reece, who along with Harry Came has signed a two-year contract extension, offered no shot to a ball from Raine that took out his off stump in the 11th over of the morning.Durham had to wait another 14 overs for their second success with Potts removing Came with a full length ball that straightened to bowl him for 16.Madsen almost went first ball, edging Potts just short of first slip and there was more frustration for the paceman when he squared Madsen up but the ball flew over the slip cordon.Potts had the chance to remove Madsen on 14 in the fourth over after lunch when an edge off Brydon Carse went low to him in the gully but the ball went through his hands. It was a miss Durham were made to pay for as Guest and Madsen played with increasing authority in bright sunshine.Guest drove Migael Pretorious through the covers for his ninth four to reach 50 from 103 balls before Madsen greeted Matt Parkinson by sweeping him for four. He came down the pitch to the legspinner and lifted him over mid-on for his eighth boundary to go to 50 off 73 balls and the runs continued to flow with the century stand coming up from 157 deliveries.Durham were desperate for a wicket and Potts provided it when he found some extra bounce to have Madsen caught in the gully by Alex Lees.Haider Ali survived a close lbw shout against Potts but announced his intentions in the last over before tea by launching Parkinson into the seats behind long-on. It completed a good session for the hosts with Guest 13 runs short of another hundred which he completed in the eighth over after the restart by sweeping Parkinson for his 15th four.Guest faced 181 balls and showed good judgement to bat his side into a promising position against the top side in the division.The stand with Haider was worth 70 when Durham got a fourth wicket in bizarre fashion. The Pakistan right-hander went to sweep Scott Borthwick, survived a confident lbw appeal but set off for a run that was never on and was stumped.That brought in Leus du Plooy who needed 21 to complete 1000 Championship runs for the season but made only 2 before he scooped Borthwick low to cover.Durham should have removed Guest on 122 when he edged Raine behind but Ollie Robinson could not hold on and he took advantage to pass his previous best score of 138 against Glamorgan last season.Raine claimed his second wicket when he bowled Anuj Dal but Guest made sure it was Derbyshire’s day.
The Padres are reportedly keeping their managerial job within the organizational family.
San Diego is hiring front-office assistant Craig Stammen as its next manager, according to a Thursday morning report from Jon Heyman of the . Stammen, 41, pitched for the Padres from 2017 to '22.
In 2024, Stammen assumed a baseball operations role with San Diego focused on player development.
Born in rural Ohio, Stammen pitched collegiately for Dayton before the Nationals drafted him in 2005. After several up-and-down years shuttling between the rotation and bullpen, he broke through as a reliever for the Nationals' first playoff team in 2012.
He spent seven years with Washington and six with the Padres in all, and now will be tasked with injecting life into a San Diego team that disappointed in 2025. The Padres went 90–72 but failed to advance out of the wild-card round; since their ballyhooed postseason return in 2020, San Diego hasn't gone farther than the NLCS in Stammen's last season.
The Padres will open Stammen's first season on March 26 against the Tigers.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is desperate to bolster his attacking options this summer, and Hugo Ekitike is a major target.
The Blues face competition from Manchester United, however, as the Red Devils have entered the race for the young Frenchman.
This could put Maresca on high alert, and he will do everything he can to try to lure the Eintracht Frankfurt striker to Stamford Bridge.
He isn’t the only transfer target to emerge from the Bundesliga, as news has emerged about their potential interest in a current RB Leipzig starlet.
If a move for Ekitike does go through, Maresca will be keen on linking up with players who will be able to provide him with plenty of chances in the final third.
Of course, Cole Palmer will be ideal for him, but how about having a talent like Xavi Simons available?
Writer Bobby Vincent stated during a Q and A for football.london could perhaps be a target.
“As for Xavi Simons, I’ve heard his name mentioned a couple of times this summer as a potential option but nothing absolutely concrete yet,” said Vincent.
“He is someone who has cropped up in the past as well, so there is definite interest there.”
The Dutchman is still only 22 years of age and would make an ideal long-term option for Maresca, especially as he could work wonders with Ekitike.
Last season in the Premier League, Palmer created 24 big chances. Next on the list were Enzo Fernández with 13 and Pedro Neto with 11. These were the only players with over ten big chances created.
By signing Simons, Maresca would be getting a player who will be able to generate plenty of opportunities for Ekitike, who scored 22 goals in all competitions for Frankfurt this season.
Indeed, across 25 domestic matches last season, the youngster created 12 big chances, while also averaging two key passes per game and recording seven assists for Leipzig, which speaks to the kind of quality that he could provide the French striker with in front of goal.
|
Xavi Simons’ statistics last season |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Metric |
Bundesliga |
Champions League |
|
Goals |
10 |
0 |
|
Assists |
7 |
0 |
|
Big chances created |
12 |
4 |
|
Key passes per game |
2 |
1.4 |
|
Successful dribbles per game |
1.3 |
1.4 |
|
Via Sofascore |
||
It is no wonder he has been hailed as a “fantastic talent” in the past by talent scout Jacek Kulig. Now, Simons is finally delivering on his massive potential.
While Leipzig may have underwhelmed in the Champions League last season, Simons, who has been hailed as a “pocket rocket” by analyst Raj Chohan, shone from an individual perspective.
Indeed, when compared to his positional peers in the tournament, the 22-year-old ranked in the top 2% for shot-creating actions (5.91) and total shots per 90 (2.69) while also ranking in the top 9% for successful take-ons (1.88) and in the top 12% for touches in the opposition penalty area (3.49) per 90.
This set of statistics proves that Simons is among one of the finest attacking midfielders on the continent when it comes to creating chances, which is why he would be a dream signing alongside Ekitike as they could link up in the final third with the Dutchman creating chances for the striker to tuck away.
It could be a dream duo for the club next season, and if the club go far in the Club World Cup, there will be money to spend.
Chelsea can sign a bigger talent than Ekitike with move for £65m "maverick"
Chelsea could have the chance to reignite a move for a former target
By
Ross Kilvington
Jun 14, 2025
Barcelona star Gavi has claimed Real Madrid are understandably worried after being humiliated in all four Clasicos last season under Hansi Flick.
| Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱 |