Unbeaten 67-run stand with Marizanne Kapp takes charge of run chase after hosts’ 125 for 4
ECB Media06-Aug-2024
Paige Scholfield heaves one down the ground•Nathan Stirk/ECB via Getty Images
Oval Invincibles returned to winning ways with a comfortable seven-wicket win over Manchester Originals in the Women’s Hundred at Emirates Old Trafford.An unbeaten 67-run stand between Paige Scholfield and Marizanne Kapp from 37 balls took charge of the run chase after the hosts managed 125 for 4. In-form Scholfield crashed 48 from 27 balls after opener Chamari Athapaththu laid the foundation with 33 from 36 balls.Invincibles were equally as impressive in the field, highlighted by a host of sharp catches, with Aussie leg-spinner Amanda-Jade Wellington the pick of the bowlers with 2 for 22.Both teams were looking to bounce back after disappointing results on Sunday. The Originals lost to cross-Pennines rivals Northern Superchargers, while Invincibles arguably let one slip in their derby draw with London Spirit to mark a rare two-game winless run, Tuesday’s result putting the Oval outfit in second place on the points table.After a slow start, which saw the Originals manage 25 without loss after the powerplay, openers Laura Wolvaardt and Beth Mooney found the rope seven times in 15 balls.Mooney, the No. 2 draft pick, was just getting going when Seren Smale held a sharp chance at short third off Ryana MacDonald-Gay, who snapped up an even better catch at mid-on moments later to remove the competition’s second-highest runscorer Woolvardt.Originals started to slow, they went 34 balls without a boundary, before skipper Sophie Ecclestone added some much-needed late power to finish unbeaten on 26 from 15 balls.Invincibles set about proving that was not nearly enough on a good pitch with Sri Lanka star Athapaththu and captain Lauren Winfield-Hill adding 48 for the first wicket.Alice Monaghan removed Winfield-Hill and Alice Capsey in quick succession and when Athapaththu was lbw to Kathryn Bryce there was work to do at 60 for 3.Scholfield ensured any nerves were short-lived though as she found the rope on seven occasions, while Kapp added 19 from 11 to power the Invincibles home with seven balls to spare.Meerkat Match Hero Scholfield said: “I really enjoyed it. We’ve had a couple of tough games in a row. You learn more from losing than winning and we went away and studied what was going on and I think we were more disciplined today.”We just spoke about nudging her (Sophie Ecclestone) around and getting rotation of strike going and then going after the other bowlers.”
Leeds United are not messing around in their efforts to build a squad that can avoid being relegated from the Premier League at the first time of asking next season.
It is clear that Daniel Farke and the recruitment team have placed an early emphasis on strengthening the defence, as three of the club’s four summer signings so far are defenders.
Leeds officially completed the signing of Sweden international left-back Gabriel Gudmundsson from Lille on Tuesday, to replace Junior Firpo as the first-choice left-back at Elland Road next term.
The Championship champions have also added two new central defenders to their squad this summer, as Sebastiaan Bornauw and Jaka Bijol have joined the club, from Wolfsburg and Udinese respectively.
Leeds will need to turn their attention to the attacking areas of the park before long, though, to make sure that their attack is ready for the Premier League.
TEAMtalk recently reported that the club would like to sign Manor Solomon permanently, but that negotiations have reached a deadlock, which means that it remains to be seen whether or not he will be returning to West Yorkshire.
Why Manor Solomon would be a risky signing for Leeds
Bringing the Israel international back to Elland Road ahead of a season in the Premier League could be a risky move for the club, given that he previously played at that level and had to drop down to the Championship.
Solomon first made the move to England with Fulham in 2022 and the winger enjoyed a decent, yet unspectacular, time at Craven Cottage, with a return of five goals in and zero assists in 24 matches in all competitions.
The 25-year-old then signed for Tottenham Hotspur the following summer and managed zero goals and two assists in six games for Spurs in all competitions before joining Leeds on loan last year.
Premier League
Manor Solomon
Appearances
24
Goals
4
Big chances missed
0
Big chances created
1
xA
1.43
Assists
2
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Solomon was far from an outstanding performer during his time in the top-flight, as he rarely contributed as a scorer or a creator of goals for Spurs or Fulham.
However, the right-footed sensation did produced ten goals and 12 assists in 39 appearances in the Championship for Leeds last season, as he hit his stride on the left side of Farke’s 4-2-3-1 system.
This shows that he knows the system and has proven that he can deliver in the pressure cooker that is Elland Road, but there is no guarantee that the forward will translate those performances up to the Premier League.
That is why Solomon is a potentially risky signing for the Whites to make this summer, and may be why they are looking at an alternative target.
Leeds submit bid to sign new winger
According to Africa Foot, Leeds United have made contact to sign Jeremie Boga from OGC Nice before the end of the summer transfer window.
The report claims that the Premier League side have already submitted an offer of €15m (£13m) to snap up the Ivorian talent, although it remains to be seen whether or not that is enough to tempt the French club to part ways with him.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Boga’s contract with the Ligue 1 side is due to expire in the summer of 2027 and this means that the current window could be their last chance to extract maximum value out of him, as he will only have one year left on his deal next year.
The outlet adds that there is interest from teams in the Turkish Super Lig, which could offer competition to Leeds, but it does not reveal whether or not they have also made offers for the 28-year-old attacker.
Africa Foot does state, though, that the former Chelsea youngster, who also played for Birmingham City, would not be against a return to England this summer.
Why Leeds should sign Jeremie Boga
Leeds should push to win the race for the 28-year-old attacker because he could be an even better option than Solomon to fill the hole on the left wing for Farke in the Premier League.
Whilst he has not played, bar one game for Chelsea, in the English top-flight, Boga has proven his qualities in Ligue 1 and the Serie A during his career, two of Europe’s biggest leagues.
The Ivorian ace is coming off the back of a disappointing season, with three goals and one assist in 24 games for Nice, but Leeds could see that as a positive as it could allow them to land a bargain deal for the forward, who has offered far more in front of goal in previous campaigns.
In fact, Boga’s performances in the 2023/24 campaign in Ligue 1 for Nice suggest that he has the ability on the ball to offer even more to the team in the Premier League than Solomon.
23/24 Ligue 1
Jeremie Boga
Percentile rank vs wingers
xG
4.23
Top 22%
Goals
6
Top 13%
Shots on target
19
Top 16%
xA
4.26
Top 18%
Assists
6
Top 15%
Chances created
33
Top 21%
Stats via FotMob
As you can see in the table above, the former Chelsea youngster ranked highly among his positional peers in Ligue 1 as both a scorer and a creator of goals, ending the season with more goals and more assists than Solomon has managed in the Premier League in his career to date.
On top of that, Boga, who was hailed as a “unique” talent by coach Michael Beale, also showcased his quality in Italy with Atalanta and Sassuolo, with 20 goals and 13 assists in 136 matches in the Italian top-flight.
The Leeds target, who scored 11 Serie A goals in the 2019/20 season, is an experienced and quality left-sided attacker who has shown that he can deliver goals and assists in multiple major European leagues.
There would be some concern over his disappointing form last term, though, but Farke will surely back himself to help Boga to get back to his best, which would make him an even better option than Solomon, who has not delivered anywhere near the same level of quality in a major league.
Their new Klich: Leeds considering move for PL star after internal talks
Leeds United are reportedly considering a deal to sign a star who could be their next Mateusz Klich.
Celtic continued to ramp up their preparations for the 2025/26 campaign with their latest pre-season clash against Portuguese giants Sporting earlier this week.
Goals from Reo Hatate, who scored from the penalty spot, and Luke McCowan in the second half secured a comfortable 2-0 win for the Hoops over the Liga Portugal champions.
Brendan Rodgers’ side have now won three of their four pre-season friendlies this summer, having also beaten Cork City and Queen’s Park, and they face Premier League side Newcastle United this weekend.
These pre-season games are primarily fitness exercises to prepare players for the upcoming season, but they also serve to identify who is ready to be a frontline option and who may need to take a backseat in the squad.
One player who has not furthered their cause to be a starter in the 2025/26 campaign is centre-forward Adam Idah, who missed several big chances in the win over Sporting.
The former Norwich City striker is currently the only senior number nine option available to Rodgers at the time of writing, but that may change before the end of the window.
Why Adam Idah may not be a starter next season
When Celtic agreed a deal worth up to £9.5m to sign Idah from the Canaries last summer, the Scottish Premiership champions may have been thinking that they had their starting striker for the foreseeable future in the building.
However, Idah’s performances in his first full season at Parkhead did not live up to the expectations that came with such a hefty price tag, despite the fact that he ended the campaign with 20 goals in all competitions.
That haul of 20 goals did come in 54 appearances, though, and consistency was an issue for the Ireland international, who failed to keep his place in the starting XI on a regular basis, starting 22 of his 45 appearances in the Premiership and the Champions League.
As shown in the clip above, former Celtic boss Neil Lennon explained that the striker needs to find more consistency in his all-round performances and needs to think more about his decisions on the pitch.
Idah’s inconsistency in front of goal in the Premiership was an issue for him in the 2024/25 campaign, as his finishing left a lot to be desired at times.
Highest xG for Celtic
24/25 Premiership
xG
Goals
xG differential
Daizen Maeda
14.95
16
+1.05
Adam Idah
14.77
13
-1.77
Kyogo Furuhashi
14.14
10
-4.14
Nicolas Kuhn
11.4
13
+1.6
Arne Engels
9.26
9
-0.26
Stats via WhoScored
As you can see in the table above, the Irishman had plenty of high-quality openings in front of goal for the Hoops, but failed to make the most of them as he underperformed his xG by almost two goals.
All of this together illustrates why Idah may not be viewed as a starter for Celtic next season, particularly amid interest in another centre-forward.
Celtic eyeing £7m centre-forward
According to TEAMtalk, Rodgers has identified Wycombe Wanderers number nine Richard Kone as a new target for the Hoops to potentially bolster their squad before the end of the summer transfer window.
The report claims that the Scottish giants are lining up a swoop for the 22-year-old marksman as a possible replacement for Daizen Maeda, who is attracting interest from a host of teams in the Premier League.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Brentford, Everton, and West Ham United are among the clubs eyeing up a possible move for the Japan international, who is valued at £25m by Celtic.
TEAMtalk adds that it will take a fee of around £7m to prise Kone away from Wycombe, and that is a fee that the Hoops are only willing to pay if they cash in on Maeda for a huge transfer fee.
Daizen Maeda
This suggests that it is a transfer pursuit that could rumble on late into the window, as it is linked to Maeda’s future, but it is a potential deal that should concern Idah.
Why Celtic signing Kone should concern Idah
The current Hoops number nine should be concerned by the club’s interest in Kone because the arrival of the £7m-rated star could result in the Irishman being consigned to the bench for the majority of the season.
As aforementioned, Idah did start 22 of his 45 outings in the Premiership and the Champions League, which means that he started just under half of the games in those competitions. He also started 19 of his 35 appearances in the Premiership, specifically, as Rodgers gave him plenty of opportunities to shine.
Kone’s arrival at Parkhead, though, if they manage to sign him from Wycombe, would send the former Norwich man to the bench almost permanently, because he could be an upgrade for the Hoops.
The Ivorian number nine’s performances for Wycombe in League One during the 2024/25 campaign suggest that the potential is there for him to be an excellent all-round centre-forward for Rodgers.
24/25 League One
Richard Kone
Percentile rank vs STs
xG
15.89
Top 7%
xG on target
16.84
Top 6%
Goals
18
Top 7%
xA
3.33
Top 8%
Assists
3
Top 32%
Successful dribbles
44
Top 6%
Duels won
240
Top 5%
Aerial duels won
131
Top 9%
Stats via FotMob
As you can see in the table above, the Celtic target plundered 18 goals from 15.89 xG in the division, which shows that he was a ruthless and efficient finisher for his side, ending the campaign with five more league goals than Idah managed for the Hoops.
Kone, who was hailed as a “goal machine” by teammate Joe Jacobson, also ranked highly among his positional peers when it came to completing dribbles, winning duels, and winning aerial battles, which shows that he is also a dynamic and physical striker.
This suggests that the £7m-rated star offers an all-round presence at the top end of the pitch, which is what Lennon suggested Idah was missing from his performances, which is another reason why he could be an upgrade on the Irishman.
Therefore, the Celtic number nine could be sent packing to the bench as a regular super substitute next season if the club can secure a deal for Kone, who may have the consistency in his all-round game that he lacks.
Balikwisha will love him: Celtic exploring deal to sign "exciting" star
Celtic could land a dream signing alongside Michel-Ange Balikwisha by landing this star.
ByDan Emery Jul 17, 2025
The Wycombe star has shown consistency as a finisher, a dribbler, and a dueller in League One, which is the same league that Matt O’Riley was recruited from, and his impressive attributes and performance suggest that Idah could be a bench warmer next season if he joins the club.
Foxes bowled out for 98 on 18-wicket day after Ben Cox rescues them from 15 for 7
ECB Reporters Network09-Sep-2024
Jonny Tattersall kept Yorkshire on top•Getty Images
Skipper Jonny Tattersall’s fine, unbeaten 90 enabled promotion-chasing Yorkshire to close on 263 for 8 for a lead of 165 after 18 wickets fell on day one of their Vitality County Championship match against Leicestershire.It came after Leicestershire’s decision to prepare a pitch as green as the outfield had threatened to backfire on them historically as they were reduced to 15 for 7 inside the first hour after Yorkshire won the toss.They recovered somewhat thanks to an unbeaten 51 by Ben Cox, but in the last of this Championship season’s four rounds using the Kookaburra ball were bowled out for 98 nonetheless. Pace bowler Ben Coad took 5 for 15 and his Surrey-bound strike partner Matthew Fisher returned from injury with 3 for 38 in his first appearance since May.Yorkshire stumbled to 30 for 3 at the start of their reply. Yet as batting became easier, Tattersall’s assured performance, with support from James Wharton (41), Dom Bess (33) and Fisher (28 not out), gave them the upper hand – albeit with only one batting bonus point in 71 overs after Tom Scriven took 4 for 69.Relegated in 2022 in the wake of the Azeem Rafiq affair, Yorkshire began the day a point behind second-placed Middlesex in the Division Two table, with three matches remaining.Leicestershire, outsiders but still in the hunt for promotion, had not bargained on being all out for less than 100 before lunch. The absence of top scorer Peter Handscomb, who has returned home for the Australian domestic season, was hardly an excuse.Yet it could have been much worse. As Coad and Fisher laid waste to their top and middle order, it seemed quite possible that Leicestershire would be shot out for the lowest total in their history, not even matching the 25 for which Kent dismissed their forebears at Aylestone Road in 1912.After Rishi Patel edged Coad to third slip with no runs on the board, the next three wickets fell with the total on three. Lewis Hill nicked Fisher to second slip, Coad brought one back to bowl Ian Holland leg stump and then had Rehan Ahmed caught at second slip.Two more wickets fell on 11. Louis Kimber swung and missed to be leg before to Coad as the fourth duck in the top six, then Fisher nipped one back to trap Ajinkya Rahane. Liam Trevaskis perished in the same over, also leg before, making it 15 for 7.It took Cox and Tom Scriven to disrupt the pattern by going on the attack. The first of Scriven’s three boundaries ensured that the 1912 record would stand before Cox damaged Coad’s figures with a top-edge for six. The pair added 37 in 26 balls before Scriven was caught behind swinging as Coad completed his five-wicket haul – his second with the Kookaburra after taking 5 for 33 against Worcestershire last season.Cox reached 51 from 31 balls by hammering Fisher for his second six. Jordan Thompson had Scott Currie leg before but the last wicket added another 39 before Chris Wright was bowled by George Hill.Leicestershire should have had a wicket first ball as Yorkshire’s first innings began immediately after lunch, Wright dropping a return catch offered by Lyth. The visitors found themselves 30 for 3 in the 18th over nonetheless. Finlay Bean was caught at gully, Lyth caught behind off a wafer-thin edge and Will Luxton, driving, fell to a brilliant one-handed grab by Currie at third slip.Jonny Bairstow followed his attacking instincts but after four boundaries he departed to a catch at first slip, at 56 for 4, which would have become 63 for 5 had first-slip Patel not dropped Wharton on 14 off Scriven.The error cost 46 runs, Wharton raising his boundary count to eight before his eyes lit up when presented with a long-hop by Rehan Ahmed and was caught at long-on.From 109 for five, Tattersall played with calm assurance to head off the threat of another crash of wickets. George Hill was bowled by Wright for 12 but Dom Bess played some attractive strokes as he and Tattersall added 42.Scriven got one through Bess’s defences for his third success and had Thompson caught off a top-edged pull. Tattersall and Fisher added 53 before the close.
استطاع دومينيك سوبوسلاي لاعب خط وسط ليفربول أن يتفوق على زميله المصري محمد صلاح ويخطف منه أولى جوائز الموسم الجديد.
وقد أعلن الموقع الرسمي لنادي ليفربول عن اسم الفائز بجائزة هدف الشهر خلال أغسطس الماضي في افتتاح موسم 2025-2026 من خلال المباريات التي لعبها في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.
وقد حصد دومينيك سوبوسلاي لاعب خط وسط ليفربول جائزة هدف الشهر الأولى خلال موسم 2025-2026 بعد تفوقه على العديد من منافسيه.
وسجل لاعب خط الوسط المجري الدولي هدفاً رائعاً من ركلة حرة بعيدة المدى، والتي ضمنت تحقيق الفوز والثلاث نقاط لفريقه على حساب آرسنال في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.
أقرأ أيضاً.. مدافع جديد يعود لقائمة المرشحين لتدعيم صفوف ليفربول بدلاً من جويهي
وجاء فوز سوبوسلاي في استطلاع رأي الجماهير الأول خلال شهر أغسطس هذا الموسم، وحصل على نسبة أصوات تقارب ل80% تقديراً لمجهوداته الرائعة التي حسمت المواجهة بين أفضل فريقين في الموسم الماضي.
وتفوق سوبوسلاي على هدف ريو نجوموها الذي جاء في المركز الثاني والذي سجله في مرمى نيوكاسل يونايتد بعد أن دخل بديلاً من على مقاعد البدلاء.
بينما حل هوجو إيكتيكي ثالثاً بعد هدفه في الدرع الخيرية على ملعب ويمبلي ضد كريستال بالاس، وجاء هدف محمد صلاح ضد بورنموث في المركز الرابع وفي المركز الخامس جاء هدف الجناح الإيطالي فيديريكو كييزا ضد نفس الفريق.
Everton’s centre-forward issues date back several years. Indeed, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin looked like he could be the new messiah, his final few years at the club were poor.
Not since Romelu Lukaku left in the summer of 2017 have the Toffees enjoyed the services of a striker who knew how to find the back of the net on a regular basis.
Ex-Everton forward Romelu Lukaku.
David Moyes has splashed out £27m to sign Thierno Barry in the hope that the Frenchman could finally be the answer to the club’s centre-forward dilemma.
The Scot won’t stop there, however, as he looks keen on adding another attacking player this summer. Could he be close to hijacking a deal for a recent target?
Everton's search for another striker
Hamza Igamane is on the club’s shortlist, as Moyes looks to potentially hijack Lille’s deal to sign him from Glasgow Rangers.
It might not be the only deal Everton are set to hijack. Recently, the club showed interest in Stuttgart striker Nick Woltemade, but it appeared as though Bayern Munich were going to secure his signature.
Stuttgart's Nick Woltemade
According to journalist Sebastien Vidal, however, the German side have temporarily pulled out of any potential deal, leaving the door ajar for Everton to swoop in and hijack a deal.
Any move could cost Moyes around £42m, but given he is a young striker with plenty of room for development, it might be a masterstroke.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
He could even turn into Lukaku 2.0 for the club.
Why Everton must sign Nick Woltemade
Lukaku arrived at Goodison Park as a young, strong centre-forward. Fast-forward four years later, and he departed after scoring 87 goals in 186 appearances for the club.
The bustling striker was a menace in front of goal, and Moyes would dearly love someone to replicate these types of performances.
Woltemade doesn’t look like a typical centre-forward. Possessing a hulking frame like Lukaku, the 6-foot-6 German might not offer the most aesthetic-looking performances, but there is no denying how effective he is.
Indeed, last season for Stuttgart, Woltemade scored 17 goals in all competitions, helping the club win the German Cup in the process.
Following his stunning campaign for the club, Antonio Mango hailed the striker as “exceptional”, and he looks set for a bright future indeed.
Not just competent in front of goal, Woltemade is also impressive at taking on opposition defenders and working the ball into the box, as Lukaku was in Everton blue.
Indeed, when compared to his positional peers across Europe’s big five leagues, the German ranks in the top 1% for touches in the penalty area (8.82), in the top 4% for successful take-ons (1.72) and in the top 3% for shot-creating actions (4.38) per 90.
Nick Woltemade’s Bundesliga stats last season
Goals
12
Assists
2
Shots per game
1.8
Big chances created
8
Key passes per game
1.3
Big chances missed
11
Via Sofascore
These are the sorts of statistics which Lukaku has exuded throughout his career, turning into a powerful centre-forward capable of moments of magic.
Should Moyes manage to hijack a move for the current Stuttgart starlet, it would prove to be a significant coup for the club. The next few weeks will be interesting indeed.
Everton in contact to sign "fantastic" defender who pocketed Calvert-Lewin
The Toffees are in the hunt for defensive reinforcements…
وصلت بعثة فريق بيراميدز إلى مدينة جدة استعدادًا لمواجهة الأهلي السعودي، المقرر لها ضمن منافسات بطولة كأس الإنتركونتيننتال.
ويلتقي بيراميدز مع الأهلي السعودي، مساء الثلاثاء 23 سبتمبر في تمام التاسعة مساءً، على ملعب الإنماء (الجوهرة المشعة) بمدينة جدة.
ويؤدي بيراميدز تدريبين في جدة، حيث سيكون الأول مساء الأحد بالملعب الفرعي لاستاد الإنماء، على أن يخوض مرانه الأخير مساء الإثنين بملعب المباراة.
طالع أيضاً.. قائمة بيراميدز لمباراة الأهلي السعودي في كأس إنتركونتيننتال
وكان بيراميدز قد استطاع أن يحقق الفوز على أوكلاند سيتي النيوزيلندي بنتجة 3-0، في المباراة التي أقيمت بالقاهرة ضمن مواجهات الدور التمهيدي الأول للبطولة العالمية.
بيراميدز شارك في بطولة كأس الإنتركونتيننتال، للمرة الأولى في تاريخه بعد التتويج ببطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا الموسم الماضي.
Hardik Pandya climbed four places up to No. 3 among T20I allrounders after contributing in India’s win against Bangladesh
ESPNcricinfo staff09-Oct-2024
Arshdeep Singh took 3 for 14 in the first T20I against Bangladesh•BCCI
India’s left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh has risen to joint-eighth among bowlers in the latest update to the T20I rankings. This comes on the back of his Player-of-the-Match performance of 3 for 14 in the first T20I against Bangladesh in Gwalior on Sunday. Arshdeep went up by eight places and is level with South Africa’s Anrich Nortje in the top 10. He also achieved his career-best rating points tally – 642.Arshdeep’s team-mate Hardik Pandya, meanwhile, moved up four places to No. 3 among T20I allrounders. After sharing the new ball with Arshdeep and bagging 1 for 26 in four overs against Bangladesh, Pandya smashed an unbeaten 39 off just 16 deliveries. Thirty-two of those runs came in boundaries as India finished the 128-run chase with 49 balls to spare. The win gave India a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.While the bowlers’ rankings continue to be led by legspinner Adil Rashid, his England team-mate Liam Livingstone and Nepal’s Dipendra Singh Airee form the top two on the T20I allrounders’ charts.Full rankings tables
Click here for the full team rankings
Click here for the full player rankings
Ireland trio gain in ODI rankingsIreland beat South Africa by 69 runs to wrap up the ODI series with a consolation win, and batter Curtis Campher, who scored 34 in the win, climbed up two places to No. 62 among batters.Seamers Craig Young and Graham Hume were beneficiaries too, although Ireland lost the series 2-1. Young’s seven wickets in three games – including 3 for 40 in the win – helped him rise 12 spots to No. 44, while Hume, who also bagged 3 for 29 in the third ODI against South Africa, jumped 23 places up to No. 47.
Arsenal are closing in on their next major signing of the summer, with sporting director Andrea Berta sealing a huge transfer coup.
Earlier this week, the Gunners officially announced Cristhian Mosquera’s arrival from Valencia – nearly a fortnight after news emerged that they reached an agreement to sign the defender for a potential £17 million.
Player gets green-light to join Arsenal, medical scheduled in next 24 hours
He could play a part in their pre-season tour.
2 ByEmilio Galantini Jul 24, 2025
Arsenal have paid Valencia an initial £13 million for the 21-year-old, but it could rise by a further £4 million with add-ons. According to Fabrizio Romano, Mosquera “only” wanted to join Mikel Arteta’s side, and Berta thinks he’s a very exciting new addition to the squad.
“We’re very happy and excited to have signed a hugely talented young player in Cristhian Mosquera,” said Berta in an official statement.
Real Betis' Vitor Roque in action with Valencia'sCristhianMosquera
“We identified Cristhian as one of the strongest young defenders in European football, and he is an important signing for our future.
“Cristhian is a versatile defender who will strengthen our squad. We cannot wait to see him playing for us. Together with everyone at the club, we warmly welcome Cristhian and his family to Arsenal.”
Arsenal transfer spending under Arteta (via Sky Sports)
Money on new signings
19/20 – winter
£0
20/21 – summer
£81.5m
20/21 – winter
£900k
21/22 – summer
£156.8m
21/22 – winter
£1.8m
22/23 – summer
£121.5m
22/23 – winter
£59m
23/24 – summer
£208m
23/24 – winter
£0
24/25 – summer
£101.5m
24/25 – winter
£0
25/26 – summer
£153m
After Mosquera, it is widely reported that Arsenal are about to end their long-winded pursuit of a prolific number nine with the signing of Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres.
Berta and co actually reached an agreement in principle to sign Gyokeres at around the same time as they made a breakthrough for Mosquera (The Athletic), but negotiations dragged out due to issues surrounding bonuses and add-ons in the deal.
However, a breakthrough has since been made, and Gyokeres is set for an imminent Arsenal medical ahead of his potential £64 million move (Fabrizio Romano).
Viktor Gyokeres agrees £135,000-per-week Arsenal contract
Now, A Bola have also lifted the lid on some key contract details.
Sporting CP's ViktorGyokerescelebrates scoring their first goal
According to the Portuguese newspaper, via The Daily Cannon, Gyokeres has agreed a £135,000-per-week contract to join Arsenal, which will run for five years, and they back up that the 27-year-old will soon be announced as Berta’s next new incoming in a major boost for Arteta.
One of this summer’s most drawn-out transfer sagas is now coming to an end, and barring a last-second catastrophe, supporters can look forward to having a proven goalscorer lead their line next season.
According to journalist Duncan Castles this week, Gyokeres and his camp even had to navigate a legal row with Sporting before sealing his move to N5.
“Sporting wrote to Gyokeres to inform him he was in breach of contract, to which his lawyers replied, saying they didn’t feel he was in breach of contract because Gyokeres had promises from the club that they would allow him to leave this summer if his agents brought a certain fee and the club had reneged on those promises,” said Castles on The Transfers Podcast.
“There’s now a legal dispute between player and club in the background, and a general sense that I’m getting from Portugal is that Sporting want to make this as difficult for Gyokeres as possible.”
Lancashire were already relegated but showed fight with the ball on final day of season
ECB Reporters Network29-Sep-2024
Joe Leach ended his career with Worcestershire achieving a Division One high•Getty Images
Worcestershire sealed their highest position in the Vitality County Championship since it was split into two divisions in 2000 after drawing with relegated Lancashire at Visit Worcestershire New Road.They secured sixth spot in Division One after recovering for the second time in the game from a precarious position with the bat thanks to the efforts of Matthew Waite, Adam Hose and Logan Van Beek.It enabled them to surpass their previous best performance of finishing seventh in Division One in 2011.Worcestershire have defied the pre-season predictions of being favourites to make an instant return to Division Two after last summer’s promotion campaign.A run of three successive wins against Durham, Kent and Essex effectively made sure of top-flight cricket in 2025.It was a fitting way for long-serving all-rounder Joe Leach to end his career after being Worcestershire’s leader of the attack for the past decade and a haul of 467 first-class wickets for the County.He received a standing ovation when he came out to bat for the second time in the game and signed off with 30 not outWorcestershire can be proud of their efforts after the well-documented challenges on and off the field that have confronted them during the past 12 months.They have shown a tremendous team spirit and an abundance in skill but also their determination in adversity when recovering from challenging positions in games.Worcestershire triumphed away to Durham after being bowled out for 112 in the first innings and then recovered from 10 for 4 on the first morning to defeat Essex at Chelmsford.Relegated Lancashire’s fate had been sealed on Saturday after their failure to secure a single batting bonus point for the ninth time in 14 games this season.But there was the encouraging sign of a return to form of pace bowler Tom Bailey.He had picked up just 16 wickets in his first 10 Championship appearances of the summer but was back to his best against Somerset and Worcestershire with a haul of 11 scalps.West Indian paceman Anderson Phillip also impressed during his short spell at the club and ended this game with nine wickets.Phillip struck with his first ball of the day as Jake Libby played too early at the delivery and offered a gentle return catch.Phillip struck again when Kashif Ali, Worcestershire’s leading run-scorer in the Championship this summer, went for a flashing drive and edged through to keeper Matty Hurst.Gareth Roderick completed 2,000 first class runs for Worcestershire when he reached nine but added only five more before he was run out.Rob Jones turned Phillip towards cover and he and Roderick set off for a single but the keeper-batter was unable to make his ground before Will Williams direct hit at the non-striker’s end.Jones (17) was lbw after aiming to drive Tom Bailey and Club Captain Brett D’Oliveira lost his middle stump to the same player.Ethan Brookes was lbw to a delivery angled in by Williams at 78 for 6.But for the second time in the game Waite led a counter-attack, this time in partnership with Adam Hose.He pulled Phillip for six and a similar shot off the same bowler brought another boundary.Hose provided excellent support, mixing solid defence with a series of fine strokes, on driving George Balderson and straight driving Williams to the ropes.Waite raced onto 37 from 27 balls before he aimed another pull at Phillips but this time picked out Harry Singh at deep square leg.The seventh wicket pair added 55 in just nine overs.Hose’s determined knock of 41 off 109 balls came to an end when he was lbw to give Bailey his third wicket.Van Beek advanced to 44 before he holed out to deep mid-wicket off Phillip but then Leach had time to end with a flourish in making 30 not out before bad light halted play at 3,30pm with 41 overs remaining.