USA go into this game high on confidence, having shown heart against Canada and recently upsetting Bangladesh. Pakistan could hardly say the same

Danyal Rasool05-Jun-2024

Match details

USA vs Pakistan
Dallas, 10.30am local time

Big picture

“Pakistan the heavyweight, the USA the plucky underdog” isn’t a phrase that rolls off the tongue neatly enough, but those are the sobriquets thrust upon these two sides when they take each other on in Dallas. Cricketing matters aside, this game has enough of a tinge of off-field spice, but add to that an American uptick in form combined with a vulnerable Pakistan unit and the cricketing matters provide intrigue of their own.USA’s win over Canada in the first game neatly illustrates the danger the hosts pose. The temperament the hosts showed, turning what appeared a near-certain losing position into a comfortable victory, is emblematic of a side high on confidence following on from their stunning 2-1 series win over Bangladesh in the build-up to the tournament. The relative familiarity with the venue also gives USA an added edge, having played against Canada at the same ground.Pakistan meanwhile, have struggled to get a proper training session in, let alone an actual game, warm-up or official. Rain in Dallas for much of the past week forced Pakistan to move two practice sessions to makeshift indoor facilities, and instead of arriving early to acclimatise, Pakistan spent the past three weeks playing T20I series in Ireland and the UK. They didn’t exactly showcase a fearsome side in search of a title, as inconsistent performances saw them lose one of the three games to Ireland, and comfortably beaten in both completed matches against England.Pakistan’s woes have been compounded by the confirmed injury to Imad Wasim, specifically brought back to the squad for his US and Caribbean experience. In addition, as the final game against England made crystal clear, the opening combination of Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam appears their only viable option, meaning much of the experimentation in the build-up over the past five months has not borne fruit. Several players severely struggling for form means there are points of weakness dotted throughout the order, with Saim Ayub, Azam Khan and Shadab Khan particularly beleaguered at present.If the tendency to hop about from triumph to disaster without warning is a characteristically Pakistani trait, belief and self-confidence is unabashedly American. You couldn’t set a better scene or plot more amenable circumstances for an upset, or at the very least a Texan thriller.

Form guide

United States of America: WLWWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Pakistan: LLWWL

In the spotlight

Aaron Jones would be a problem for any bowling side, but he matches up particularly well against Pakistan. Jones’ takedown of Canada’s pace and spin bowlers in the middle overs places a lot of pressure on Haris Rauf, Pakistan’s most in-form bowler in that phase. With Imad out and Shadab severely out of nick, there remains the potential for Jones to lead a middle-overs onslaught similar to the one that saw the US storm past Canada in the tournament opener.As the final T20I against England last week made brutally plain, there is no hiding place for Azam Khan. After a shocker of a game with both bat and gloves, he was singled out for the ire of Pakistan’s media and fans. Some of it was justified, the rest way over the top. But it is obvious Pakistan are struggling to answer the question of what to do with him. Having, in part, selected him because of his recent CPL pedigree, dropping him leaves them light on options for lower-order death-overs hitting. Selecting a player that low on confidence, though, brings its own conundrums, not least whether to give him the gloves when Mohammad Rizwan – a stratospherically better keeper – is a confirmed starter.

Team news

USA have no injury concerns following their win over Canada, and with the hosts playing at the same venue again, they are unlikely to tinker with a winning combination.USA: 1 Steven Taylor, 2 Monank Patel (capt), 3 Andries Gous (wk), 4 Aaron Jones, 5 Nitish Kumar, 6 Corey Anderson, 7 Harmeet Singh, 8 Shadley van Schalkwyk, 9 Jasdeep Singh, 10 Ali Khan, 11 Saurabh NetravalkarImad has been unable to shake off a side strain that kept him out of Pakistan’s final T20I against England last week, meaning balancing the side is a problem for Pakistan. It likely means Shadab will keep his place for all-round potential, while Babar and Rizwan go back up top.Pakistan: 1 Mohammad Rizwan 2 Babar Azam 3 Usman Khan 4 Fakhar Zaman 5 Azam Khan 6 Iftikhar Ahmed 7 Shadab Khan 7 8 Shaheen Afridi 9 Haris Rauf 10 Mohammad Amir 11 Abrar Ahmed

Pitch and conditions

Rain sprayed Dallas in the week leading up to the tournament, but has for the large part stayed away since the World Cup began. That should continue to be the case on Thursday, with a full game expected.The wicket offered early seam movement in each of the first two games with decent bounce and carry, with the opening game – held at this venue – throwing up the two highest scores of the tournament so far.

Stats and trivia

• Pakistan’s attempt to break up Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan failed on just about every count. Saim Ayub scored 229 runs in 15 T20I innings as opener, at an average of 15.26 and a strike rate of 126.51. That average as well as strike rate is lower than either Babar or Rizwan’s as opener since January 2022
• Haris Rauf is five wickets away from becoming just the second Pakistani – after Shadab Khan – to reach 100 T20I wickets
• Of the 23 sixes Aaron Jones has struck in 25 T20I innings, 10 came in his innings against Canada in the World Cup opener

Quotes

“Certain things are outside your control. We can’t control the weather. In the circumstances, we used the facilities available to us, with the batters and bowlers training indoors. Our team drills also took place indoors, so we’re just trying to utilise the best possible options we have.”
“You know, it’s T20. Once we have good 30-40 minutes on the field, you never know. We can take the game away.”

The SRH allrounder said he didn’t know whether his bowling would be needed against RR but he was prepared just in case

ESPNcricinfo staff24-May-2024

Abhishek Sharma had bowled only three overs this season before his spell of 2 for 24 against Rajasthan Royals•Associated Press

Abhishek Sharma said he “didn’t know” whether he would have to bowl for Sunrisers Hyderabad in Qualifier 2 against Rajasthan Royals in Chennai but was ready in case the call came. And despite bowling just three overs previously in IPL 2024, Abhishek sent down a match-winning spell of 2 for 24 to put SRH in the IPL final.”To be honest, I didn’t know I will bowl this match but I was very much ready with my bowling because I’ve been working really hard on my bowling,” Abhishek said after the game. “The last two years it’s been really good with my batting so I wanted to work on my bowling with my dad. So special mention to my dad.”Abhishek’s had a blockbuster season with the bat, scoring 482 runs at a strike rate of 207.75 in 15 innings. His 42 sixes are the most this season, and the most for an Indian batter in any IPL season. On Friday night, however, it was his left-arm spin that came to the fore against RR’s middle order. He had Sanju Samson caught at wide long-on with his third ball and bowled Shimron Hetmyer with a carrom ball in his third over to leave RR six down. Abhishek did not concede a boundary in his first three overs.He was the sixth bowler used by SRH in their defence of 175 as the Chennai pitch began to offer lots of turn in the absence of dew. Though he hadn’t bowled much for SRH this season, Abhishek had bowled 20 overs in Punjab’s successful campaign in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy last season.Related

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“When I saw the starting XI, I knew he’s [Abhishek] going to bowl today,” Varun Aaron said on ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out show. “He’s a really good bowler. I’ve seen a lot of him in domestic cricket. He’s one of those bowlers who tosses it up a little bit, more than the others. He bowls that carrom ball which comes out from the front of the hand, that was a really good ball. That shows he has a lot of tricks up his sleeve and he’s a full-time bowler for Punjab. He’s one of those who likes to bowl and tells the captain, ‘I want to bowl in domestic games, it helps me be in the game more.’ He’s one of those allrounders who look forward to bowling. The other thing is he would have been wanting this chance to bowl for the longest time and he lapped it up really well.”Though he hasn’t bowled much this IPL season, Abhishek is one of only a few Indian batters who can bowl as well in limited-overs cricket, along with the likes of Shivam Dube, Riyan Parag and Nitish Kumar Reddy. That skill-set has been missing in the Indian team for a while – none of the specialist batters in the squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup can bowl.”He backs himself 100%,” Tom Moody said on ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out show. “Yes, he doesn’t bowl as much as he needs to bowl in domestic cricket for whatever reasons but for the future of Indian cricket he needs to be bowling because he is a serious package to be reckoned with. [Bats] at the top of the order, someone who can bowl left-arm spin whatever the format, he’s going to be a real asset going forward.”The reason that makes him unique as a spinner is he tosses it up and what he tries to do is get overspin on the ball, so the ball comes down like that (with seam upright and facing the batter, not sideways), Nathan Lyon style, it dips. So he doesn’t bowl side spin, he bowls overspin and he’s got that clever carrom ball he’s been working on which is the one Hetmyer got and was an absolute peach.”

Cameron Bancroft was sent to hospital after a cycling accident left him concussed and ended his Sheffield Shield title dreams, with Western Australia captain Sam Whiteman expressing relief that his opening partner avoided further injuries.Bancroft, a keen cyclist, fell off his bike and landed on his head on Sunday. He was riding by himself when the incident took place and he’s since been ruled out of the final against Tasmania starting on Thursday at the WACA.”[I’m] pretty gutted, but nice to hear he’s okay and out of hospital,” Whiteman told reporters on Wednesday. “I think it’s pretty lucky that it wasn’t much worse. He’s got plenty of scratches. Hopefully we’ll see him around the WACA this week, and I know that he’s gutted to miss it, but he’ll get around the team.”He’s done a lot of heavy lifting this year to get us into the final.”Related

• WA chase historic hat-trick while Tasmania look to break 11-year drought

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• Bancroft out of Sheffield Shield final due to concussion after bike accident

Bancroft’s loss is a huge blow for WA’s bid for a hat-trick of Shield titles after another impressive season where he is the second-highest run-scorer with 778 at 48.62.WA’s batting order is built around the reliable opening partnership of Bancroft and Whiteman, who this season became the state’s most prolific first-wicket pair. But Bancroft’s absence means WA will need to rejig their opening combination with D’Arcy Short and Teague Wyllie in contention to come into the XI, while No.3 Jayden Goodwin could be promoted.The experienced Short has only played one Shield match this season although he did make a gritty 49 batting at No.5 against Queensland on a tough WACA surface earlier this month.Goodwin, the son of former Zimbabwe Test batter Murray Goodwin, has enjoyed a breakout season and stamped himself as WA’s No.3 with a maiden first-class century against Queensland. He also scored 85 in difficult batting conditions at Bellerive Oval against Tasmania last month.WA’s hierarchy may be reluctant to move Goodwin, 22, from the No.3 position with Wyllie firming as the likeliest candidate to replace Bancroft at the top of the order.Teague Wyllie is in-line to replace Cameron Bancroft•Getty Images

But Wyllie, 19, has not played in the Shield since early February after struggling this season with an average of 17.80 from six matches. He started the season with a gutsy 94 off 251 deliveries at No.3 against a full-strength Victorian attack but fell away and was unsuccessfully moved down the order.Wyllie, who played in WA’s two previous title-winning teams, particularly struggled against the seaming ball and was often stuck on the crease. But he’s found form in WA premier cricket with two centuries in his last three innings for Rockingham-Mandurah.Wyllie opens at club level but has never performed the role in first-class cricket. “He’s been an opener his whole career. It’s where he feels most comfortable,” Whiteman said. “He hasn’t had the best season but I love the way he’s been constantly trying to improve himself.”We’ve seen some big innings from him over the last few years. So if he gets his opportunity, I’m sure he can step up.”Tasmania captain Jordan Silk said his team would not underestimate Bancroft’s replacement.”I’m sure whoever they bring in… they’ve got Shield hundreds and I think [WA] will be confident they can replace him,” Silk said. “[Bancroft’s] obviously one of the batters you talk at length about in team meetings, because he’s such a prolific run scorer and he’s hard to remove.”You want the best players playing on this stage, so my thoughts go out to him.”

Yet more dropped points for Rangers in the Scottish Premiership, although, on this occasion, at least Barry Ferguson’s men didn’t lose.

On Sunday, the Gers seemed set for yet another defeat, 2-0 down against Aberdeen at Pittodrie and a man down too.

However, Hamza Igamane halved the deficit immediately after half time before, right at the death, after Cyriel Dessers had thwacked the post, Ianis Hagi curled home a stunning equaliser with, virtually, the last kick of the afternoon.

During Sky Sports’ coverage, Rangers legend Kris Boyd, rather jokingly, exclaimed that the title race is still on, with the Light Blues now 15 points behind Celtic with five games to go, albeit their goal difference is 42 inferior.

One player in particular came in for scathing criticism for his performance at Pittodrie.

Yet another Rangers red card

40 minutes into Sunday’s visit to Aberdeen, Ross McCausland was sent off for a second bookable offense, making a very rash challenge on Topi Keskinen.

This came just three days after Robin Pröpper was dismissed only 12 minutes into their Europa League quarter-final first leg against Athletic Club Bilbao, with Barry Ferguson’s side doing incredibly well to hold on for a goalless draw given the circumstances.

This is the Gers’ fifth red card of the campaign, after Jefté vs Dynamo Kyiv, Mohamed Diomandé vs Dundee United and Hagi vs St Johnstone, so let’s see how that compares to previous seasons.

As the table shows, one more sending off for Rangers this season would be their highest amount in a single campaign since 2018/19 when, mind-bogglingly, they collected 12, albeit five of which were brandished in the direction of a certain Alfredo Morelos.

Rangers number of red cards per season
Season	Red cards
2024/25	5
2023/24	5
2022/23	3
2021/22	4
2020/21	2
2019/20	4
2018/19	12
2017/18	6
2016/17	4
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt

However, it was not the dismissed McCausland who came in for the most criticism on Sunday.

Rangers star must be dropped after early substitution

Fair to say, Danilo has not lived up to expectations since arriving at Rangers from Feyenoord two years ago.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

However, his display at Pittodrie must surely be one of his worst in red, white and blue, as these statistics outline.

Danilo’s performance vs Aberdeen
Statistics	Danilo	Match rank
Minutes	45	N/A
Shots	0	12th
Dribbles attempted	3	5th
Dribbles successful	0	N/A
Possession lost	9	14th
Duels lost	7	6th
SofaScore rating	6.5	23rd
All statistics courtesy of SofaScore

The fact Danilo lost the ball nine times in just 45 minutes is very concerning, having no shots, successfully completing no dribbles, and winning only four of 11 duels.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Kris Boyd exclaimed, “Danilo. £5m… WOW!”, adding “some of these Rangers players should never be seen again”, labeling the team’s first half performance “lethargic” and “embarrassing”.

Danilo has so far scored just 12 goals in 43 Rangers appearances, which is even more concerning considering there have been 68 matches during this period that he has not featured in, either due to injury or simply because he hasn’t been selected.

Thus, Ferguson is not likely to give the Brazilian forward any minutes against Athletic Club at San Mamés on Thursday, and his days as a Rangers player might be numbered.

Rangers have a "powerful" star who's on his way to becoming the new Bassey

Barry Ferguson could unearth his own version of Calvin Bassey by unleashing the youngster.

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Dan Emery

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Tottenham Hotspur are in ongoing talks with a “superstar” player who’s already announced that he’s set to leave his club this summer, with chairman Daniel Levy attempting to reinforce the Spurs squad early doors after an injury-ravaged campaign.

Ange Postecoglou dealt injury headache ahead of Europa League final

Whether or not Ange Postecoglou remains at N17 beyond 2024/2025 is up for debate right now, and reports suggest that the 59-year-old is highly likely to depart regardless of their success in the Europa League final next week (David Ornstein).

£19m "wizard" privately tempted by Tottenham move after "fresh" discussions

The Lilywhites have made contact.

ByEmilio Galantini May 16, 2025

Statistically, Postecoglou is Spurs’ worst-ever manager of the Premier League era, having recently guided the club to their record number of defeats in a single campaign since the competition’s inception.

Their dismal number of top-flight losses this season now stands at 21, following Spurs’ 2-0 defeat at Aston Villa on Friday, but Postecoglou still has a chance to etch his name into the club’s history books in much more positive fashion on Wednesday.

Son Heung-min

7.00

Pedro Porro

6.98

James Maddison

6.98

Dominic Solanke

6.85

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

The Lilywhites face-off against fellow strugglers Man United in a blockbuster Bilbao encounter, where Postecoglou could win Spurs their first major trophy in 17 years while simultaneously qualifying for next season’s Champions League.

However, the tactician, akin to the vast majority of this campaign, has been dealt an injury headache going into the final – with Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison and Lucas Bergvall all set to miss the Europa League final next week.

Postecoglou was also dealt a major Pape Sarr scare, after the Senegalese went straight down the tunnel following his substitution against Villa through injury.

Even though Postecoglou has since confirmed that he doesn’t think Sarr’s problem is too serious, the series of aforementioned injury blows highlights Tottenham’s need for reinforcements in key areas, as Spurs head into their biggest game of the season with a weakened squad.

Injury absences have debilitated Postecoglou’s options and chances of success throughout 2024/2025, and it’s made the need for Tottenham to strengthen this summer pretty evident.

Tottenham in talks with Lille striker Jonathan David

The trouble for Levy is that credible media sources report Spurs may need to operate on a sell to buy policy, with transfer funds seemingly limited.

That makes world-class free agents, like Lille star Jonathan David, all the more tempting for Tottenham’s recruitment team.

The Canada international has been free-scoring in Ligue 1 since his move there five years ago, racking up strikes in big Champions League games this season against the likes of Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid and Liverpool.

Earlier this week, David announced that he is set to leave Lille when his contract expires, and this has piqued interest from a host of top sides, including Spurs.

Postecoglou’s side have had some contact with the 25-year-old’s camp leading up to the summer (Graeme Bailey), but as per esteemed French newspaper L’Équipe, Tottenham are in ongoing talks with David over joining them right now.

The north Londoners, despite murmurs of advanced Napoli talks for the Brooklyn native, haven’t given up hope of striking a deal for David, with Spurs, Antonio Conte’s side, Juventus and Aston Villa all in the mix.

While David is technically a free agent, Levy could still end up forking out around £28 million for his signature when factoring in salary, various commission fees and his signing bonus (Sacha Tavolieri). That being said, his impressive goalscoring record still marks the “superstar” out as a serious bargain.

Yorkshire fall narrowly short in chase of 215 on high-scoring night at Headingley

ECB Reporters Network05-Jul-2024

Sam Hain made 98 not out from 48 balls•Getty Images

Sam Hain’s stunning 98 off 48 balls set Birmingham Bears on their way to a fifth straight win in the Vitality Blast as they beat Yorkshire in a high-scoring thriller by four runs to take a significant step towards the quarter-finals.Hain crashed eight sixes in an innings more power than poise on an excellent Headingley surface as the Bears amassed 214 for 7.The North Group leaders then wrapped up a seventh win in nine matches, but not without drama. Dawid Malan opened with an excellent 54 and Donovan Ferreira blasted 66 off 32 balls with seven sixes. But George Garton brilliantly defended 11 off the last over and six off the last ball, the Vikings finishing on 210 for 5.Yorkshire lost their fifth match in nine and will see this as a missed opportunity given they needed 18 off the last two overs.Meanwhile, Hain’s fourth fifty of the ongoing campaign took him to the top of the Blast runs chart on 395.Bears captain and opener Alex Davies, who elected to bat, also contributed a brisk 43, though he later left the field with a finger injury sustained whilst keeping wicket.Hain was more powerful than he is known for and hit the majority of his sixes to the leg-side, though not exclusively to the short side over towards the Western Terrace. He left Yorkshire faced with what would have been a club record chase in this format.Vikings, who now have significant work to do for a top-four finish, made the perfect start as left-arm spinner Dan Moriarty bowled Ed Barnard with the fixture’s first ball.Birmingham’s innings kicked into life in the fourth over as Davies took the lion’s share of 24 off Matthew Revis. And after Davies was trapped lbw by a Jordan Thompson yorker – 79 for 3 in the eighth over – Hain, having come in at No. 4, took on the lead role in stunning fashion.Hain hit three leg-side sixes off seam in reaching his fifty off 34 balls on a true pitch with a fast outfield. By that stage, Bears were 141 for 4 in the 15th over.Hain looked nailed on for a second career T20 century as he went into the final over on 98. But he didn’t face another ball.In fact, he watched New Zealander Zak Foulkes whip his first ball as a Bear for six off Conor McKerr over fine leg and over the imposing Howard Stand into the neighbouring rugby ground.Seam bowling allrounder Foulkes continued his excellent start to his short-term overseas spell with the Bears when he had Adam Lyth caught behind with his third ball – 18 for 1 in the second. Davies took the catch but immediately left the field having taken a blow moments before.But, despite the wicket, Yorkshire started nicely thanks to classy Malan and inventive James Wharton. They shared 62 in six overs for the second wicket, the latter reverse sweeping a six off Dan Mousley’s spin in a rapid 29.Like Birmingham had been, Yorkshire were 98 for 3 after 10 overs, with left-arm spinner Danny Briggs having removed Wharton caught at deep midwicket and George Hill bowled.With those dismissals, Vikings’ task was getting tougher. Not that Malan agreed. He lofted Briggs over long-on for six and reached his second fifty of 2024 off 38 balls.He found a partner in ferocious South African Ferreira, and they shared 57 inside six overs for the third wicket before Malan slapped a Briggs full toss to deep midwicket – 155 for 4 in the 16th.But Yorkshire had plenty of batting left, not least Ferreira, who hit four sixes in a five-ball period off Jake Lintott’s spin and Foulkes’ seam. He reached his maiden county fifty off 26 balls.Yorkshire needed 18 off the last two overs, but Ferreira was caught at long-off against Mousley at the start of the penultimate – ultimately the key moment, leaving Vikings 197 for 5. Left-arm quick Garton then expertly closed things out, with Shan Masood failing to hit the final ball for six.

da premier bet： Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta would reportedly approve the signing of an all-round player who Son Heung-min thinks is “incredible”, with sporting director Andrea Berta and the Gunners boss now having one eye on the next transfer window.

Arsenal turn attention to next season after PSG defeat

da betcris： Their 3-1 Champions League semi-final loss to PSG means Arsenal no longer have any silverware to play for next season, meaning attention is continues turning further to Berta’s debut summer at the Emirates Stadium.

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The ex-Atletico Madrid chief is expected to be very busy in the coming weeks, and a major squad overhaul has already been mooted by sections of the press.

Berta could even orchestrate a summer spend worth up to £300 million on seven signings across the squad, according to GiveMeSport, and it is highly anticipated that forwards will arrive at Arsenal among them.

Arsenal’s final Premier League games

Date

Liverpool (away)

May 11th

Newcastle United (home)

May 18th

Southampton (away)

May 25th

Injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus have seriously debilitated Arteta’s forward options and exposed their lack of a potent goalscorer to lead their line, while there are also precious few options on the right-wing behind star man Bukayo Saka.

Some uncertainty also surrounds the long-term futures of Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli, who’ve been sporadically linked with potential exits from N5, so Arsenal’s forward line could be looking significantly different by the time next season commences.

Arsenal could sign a striker, left-winger and right-winger this summer (GiveMeSport), but Arsenal will only have so much money to spend on high-profile stars and competition is set to be rife for their signatures.

However, one man who could cover a lot of bases in the attacking areas, and a player they’re now believed to be interested in, comes in the form of versatile PSG ace Lee Kang-in.

A report from The Sun claimed earlier this week that Berta personally wants Lee at Arsenal, and PSG are prepared to sell the South Korea international who can play as an attacking midfielder, on the right, on the left and even as a striker when required.

Mikel Arteta would "welcome" Lee Kang-in signing at Arsenal

Berta was apparently driving a move for Lee when he was at Atlético, only for the Italian to miss out on his signature to PSG.

Following on from these claims, a Spanish media source now states that Arteta would “welcome” the signing of Lee at Arsenal as well, so it appears both the manager and sporting director are in agreement over his quality.

The 24-year-old has bagged six goals and six assists in all competitions this term, across 44 total appearances, but a fair portion of his minutes have come off the bench.

Enrique, who called Lee a “complete” player, has found real use of him as a utility man at the Parc des Princes, and judging by praise from international teammate Son, he could end up being a very useful addition for Arsenal, even if reports late last year claimed PSG could demand £51 million to let him go.

“Kang-in Lee’s talent is incredible,” Son told Sungmo Lee in 2023.

“I believe he could grow even further. We have to help him not to get too much pressure.”

Bayern Munich star Jamal Musiala has had successful surgery on his broken left fibula, the club has confirmed. The Germany international suffered a horrific injury during Saturday's Club World Cup quarter-final clash against Paris Saint-Germain. The midfielder had to be stretchered off the pitch after a painful collision with Gianluigi Donnarumma.

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Musiala underwent surgeryWill start rehab from TuesdaySuffered horrific injury vs PSGFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Bundesliga champions have confirmed that the 22-year-old has undergone successful surgery and will begin his rehabilitation programme from Tuesday. The shocking incident happened in the first half of the quarter-final match against PSG as Musiala raced to the byline. He found himself sandwiched between Willian Pacho and the onrushing Donnarumma. In an attempt to collect the ball, the Italian goalkeeper launched himself forward, but in the process, Musiala’s leg was caught awkwardly underneath his body.

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Disturbing images appeared of Musiala's twisted ankle as he received immediate medical attention on the pitch, before being stretchered off. Vincent Kompany's side eventually lost the clash 2-0 and were eliminated from the competition. Bayern have now confirmed that Musiala is facing "months" on the sidelines.

Watch every game of the FIFA Club World Cup live on DAZNStream nowWHAT BAYERN SAID

The official statement from the club read: "Jamal Musiala has undergone successful surgery after returning from the Club World Cup in the USA. In the quarter-final between FC Bayern and Paris St. Germain, the 22-year-old attacking player suffered a fractured fibula as a result of a broken and dislocated ankle and was substituted at half-time. He will begin his first rehabilitation sessions tomorrow, Tuesday, and will be unavailable to the German record champions for the next few months."

AFPWHAT NEXT FOR BAYERN?

The German giants will reconvene for pre-season at the end of July and play their first friendly game against Tottenham Hotspur in the Telekom Cup on August 7.

Newcastle United are said to be “ready” to make a move for an “international” level midfielder this summer, according to a new transfer report.

Newcastle may need midfielder if Tonali leaves

The future of Sandro Tonali at St James’ Park is up in the air currently, with no guarantee that the Italian will still be at the club next, following two seasons there. One report has claimed that Newcastle are willing to listen to offers for the 24-year-old, with bids of around £68.5m possibly being accepted in the summer transfer window amid interest from Man City and Juventus.

Meanwhile, a swap deal involving the Magpies hero and Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic has also been mentioned, with the Serie A giants happy to let the Serb leave this summer.

Tonali himself played down a return to AC Milan earlier this year, prior to the EFL Cup final victory over Liverpool, saying: “I have never ever spoken about it with my agents. And I know, from experience, that if you don’t get to that point there is nothing. And in any case, I am happy with myself here [at Newcastle]. I have found my line and there is no need to upset it again. I want to win for the Newcastle United fans.”

Newcastle "ready" to sign Saelemaekers this summer

Now, according to Il Messaggero [via Sport Witness], Newcastle are “ready to invest” in Milan midfielder Alexis Saelemaekers this summer, with the 25-year-old out on loan at Roma currently. Milan are believed to value the midfielder at £17m, which is too much for Roma, with the Magpies and Nottingham Forest potentially looking to strike a permanent deal instead.

Whether Saelemaekers is seen as a possible replacement option for Tonali remains to be seen, but there is plenty for Eddie Howe to admire about him. The Belgian has enjoyed a good season out on loan at Roma, scoring six times in Serie A, which is two more than Bruno Guimaraes has managed in the Premier League.

Meanwhile, Claudio Ranieri lauded his quality and versatility earlier in the season, saying: “Saelemaekers is an international player, a good player who can play different roles. I needed him on this wing to execute certain plays, and he is doing well in interpreting what I want from him.”

Saelemaekers could add great energy to Newcastle’s midfield next season and beyond, with Howe no doubt liking the fact that he can shine in various central and wide roles, and he is a 14-cap Belgium international, which is no mean feat alongside some stellar names.

Juventus director wants to sell £320k-a-week star amid Newcastle interest

Newcastle have been linked with a move for a “world-class” striker.

1 ByHenry Jackson Apr 21, 2025

At 25, there is a lot more to come from him, too, and while £17m could be a steal, his arrival hopefully wouldn’t be at the expense of Tonali, who the Magpies must look to keep hold of.

The Blues do not consider the England man untouchable, and he would tick a lot of boxes for the Gunners given their need for a versatile attacker

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Article continues below

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Heading into the summer transfer window, it felt like the world knew exactly what Arsenal had up their sleeve. Manager Mikel Arteta had alluded to a need and know-how to fix their problems from the 2024-25 season, before laying out how Kai Havertz, injured for the final third of the campaign, needed further support up front.

So how have the Gunners conducted their business so far? Well, they barely have at all. A deal for Martin Zubimendi is in its closing stages despite late interest from Real Madrid, though the north Londoners were confident this one was wrapped up all the way back in mid-January and yet it still isn't official. Kepa Arrizabalaga is set to come in from Chelsea as backup to David Raya, their eighth goalkeeper signing of the Arteta era. The search for a new No.9, though, is still rumbling on despite being in the market for that position for nearly two years.

Amidst all that, Arsenal are also supposedly on the lookout for another winger, but this could perhaps be an area to strengthen with a market opportunity given how expensive most top quality players in that position. Last week, it was reported they are one of several teams keeping tabs on Noni Madueke, who too could be sold by Chelsea. This is the opening the Gunners have been waiting for.

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  Chelsea's surplus of wingers

  If the three years of this Chelsea ownership group have taught us anything, it's that you can never predict what BlueCo are going to do next. When Todd Boehly had control of transfers for a short period as interim sporting director, he sought to continue the work of Roman Abramovich's tenure, spending lavishly on proven superstars such as Raheem Sterling and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Once more of a structure was put in place – not necessarily a coherent one, but a structure nonetheless – the strategy pivoted to becoming a rich man's Brighton, casting the net wide to secure the game's premier young talent.

  That's how Madueke ended up at Stamford Bridge. In January 2023, the Blues spent close to £100 million (€117m/$134m) on him and Mykhailo Mudryk to improve their options on the flanks. Two-and-a-half years on, Madueke is seemingly up for sale and Mudryk has been charged with doping offences.

  Ahead of 2025-26, Chelsea will have Madueke, Pedro Neto and Palmeiras' teenage sensation Estevao Willian competing for minutes. They are also expected to restart talks with Borussia Dortmund over Jamie Gittens after the Club World Cup, while Cole Palmer has been tested on the right again as Enzo Maresca looks ahead to another lengthy season on multiple fronts. Given their propensity to conduct business erratically and without rhyme or reason, you can't rule out another winger coming through the Cobham doors this summer.

  That, in part, is why Chelsea are a bit more open-minded about a Madueke sale than they were a few months ago. He isn't being forced out, but it appears increasingly likely they are heading towards a parting of ways. That feels a lot more plausible than beginning the new season as a starter.

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  Better than Palmer?

  Right, there is a very short and simple answer to this question. No. Obviously not. There is no chance any logical supporter even thinks this is up for debate, mostly because it isn't.

  However – and this is a big 'however' – do you reckon Madueke either thinks this right now, or at least thinks it could be true in the near future? The answer could be yes. You can argue that would be a sense of misplaced arrogance, but professional athletes are often wired different to the average human. And this isn't to put words in Madueke's mouth. This is all based in theory. It's a fun one, is it not? 'Does Madueke think he could be as good as or better than Palmer?' Come on, that's a doozie.

  Personal football coach Saul Isaksson-Hurst, who has worked with Madueke for over four years, admitted in an interview with that the winger has tried to add bits of Mohamed Salah to his own game, and that his mindset is a massive asset.

  "Noni has tremendous self-belief – and so he should," Isaksson-Hurst said. "He is one of the top young talents in world football but there is no arrogance there. He understands talent is nothing without hard work. He is also genuinely one of the nicest guys in football and very humble.

  "I can only talk about my experience with Noni and I've said it many times before, I've never come across a more hard working and determined individual. This guy is a mentality monster."

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  Slow striker search

  Let's have a gander at what's going on in N5. Arsenal have made little progress in their bid to add a new striker to their squad. Though Viktor Gyokeres is said to prefer a move to the Gunners over Manchester United, dealmakers in north London are refusing to give in to Sporting CP's demands. Similarly, RB Leipzig are playing hardball over Benjamin Sesko, and there are also concerns over personal terms with the Slovenian.

  In all likelihood, Arsenal will open 2025-26 with Havertz starting up front again, even if they do get in a new striker. That may be underwhelming, but it could be the best port of call, particularly given how tricky their first few Premier League fixtures are. They need to hit the ground running, and Havertz is a solid bet for double figures of goals as long as he stays fit.

  In this day and age, you don't necessarily need the most prolific or traditional of No.9s in order to claim major honours. Liverpool leant on wide forward Salah and a rotating cast of other versatile attackers to win the Premier League. Paris Saint-Germain ended their Champions League hoodoo with touchline winger Ousmane Dembele in a central role. A frontline with Havertz in the middle of it finished only a point off the top in 2023-24. There is a blueprint for Arsenal to succeed without the a centre-forward being pivotal to their transfer plans.

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  Waiting for Rodrygo?

  Arsenal fans' desperate plea for more goals and dynamism in attack has overlooked the possibility of a winger being their marquee signing this summer. Whoever that is doesn't even need to be on Salah's level either, rather combine the scoring instincts of a declining Leandro Trossard with the liveliness of a wasteful and one-dimensional Gabriel Martinelli.

  Links to Rodrygo, who could leave Real Madrid, are continuing to linger as well. With the Gunners on the lookout for a player of both his skillset and calibre to take them to the next phase of their project, it feels like a no-brainer should the Brazil international actually hit the market. At this point, wage demands may also seem prohibitive, but at some point Arsenal are going to have to commit money to somebody.

  There would be shades of Mesut Ozil in 2013 and Alexis Sanchez a year later about any Rodrygo swoop, except this time Arsenal are actually ready to compete for the game's most major of honours. Alas, it's a window of opportunity that has not yet opened and may not until the very end of the window, by which time the Gunners will be preparing for a massive early-season trip to Liverpool. They cannot afford to be chasing in another title race, given their rivals from Anfield have already added Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong to their ranks for a full pre-season.