Crystal Palace are no strangers to losing some of their best assets to Premier League rivals.

Wilfried Zaha is the first obvious example that springs to mind, with the Eagles academy star ditching Selhurst Park for Manchester United back in 2013, only to then return to solidify his presence among the Palace greats.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka travelled down the same Zaha path in 2019 when he also relocated to Old Trafford, with Yannick Bolasie also another notable exit to Everton in 2016, when the enigmatic attacker left South London for good, for around the £30m mark.

The departure that could sting the most, however, is the impending exit of Eberechi Eze to Arsenal – no, not Tottenham Hotspur – having been catapulted to star-man status at Selhurst Park over the past few seasons, culminating in a hefty haul of 40 goals and 28 assists being tallied up.

Palace will aim to dress up their wounds quickly, though, as some statement arrivals look to be in the works.

Crystal Palace add £45m star to shortlist

The South London outfit already has targets in mind to fill Eze’s void, with the former Queens Park Rangers midfielder’s move away from the club looking inevitable, even if the destination has been altered.

Reports have suggested that the Eagles could explore bringing in Hwang Hee-chan from Wolverhampton Wanderers to add in some needed firepower, alongside other rumours indicating that the top-flight outfit is edging ever closer to adding Bilal El Khannouss from Leicester City to boost their options in the number ten spot on the pitch.

Away from both of those options, other rumours are circling involving Palace going after Southampton youngster Tyler Dibling.

TalkSPORT has recently revealed that the Eagles are the next Premier League club to enter into the queue for the standout teenager’s services, with Palace going as far as to shortlist Dibling as a potential heir to Eze.

It could cost Oliver Glasner and Co. a whopping £45m to land the Saints prodigy, but this might well be viewed as a worthwhile gamble, with the 19-year-old already possessing the potential to be a bigger talent than the soon-to-be Spurs midfielder down the line.

Why Dibling could even be a bigger talent than Eze

After all, when placing both their career trajectories side-by-side, Eze is a relative slow burner in comparison to Dibling’s explosive ascent.

The London-born midfielder wouldn’t make his debut in the bright lights of the Premier League until he was 22 years of age, while the Saints number 33 already has 33 top-flight clashes next to his name, having made his own first steps in the tough division aged just 18.

Just a mere five clashes into this top-flight journey on the South Coast, Dibling would find the net with some confidence against Ipswich Town, with a further three big chances carved out across his 20 Premier League starts in the league. That reinforces the notion that he is a “special” talent to keep an eye out on, as he was labelled by former U21 coach Adam Asghar.

At a similar point in his own development as a teenager, Eze was making waves in the Championship with QPR, but it would take him a lot longer to get up to speed with the pressures of the Premier League, compared to his 19-year-old counterpart.

His first two campaigns at Selhurst Park would see him collect a reasonable 12 goals and assists from 53 first-team outings, not helped by Achilles tendon issues that derailed his 2021/22 season.

All of this is in the past now, obviously, with Eze going on to be known as an “unbelievable” ace for the South London side, as he was dubbed by Glasner last season, on the way to the Eagles triumphantly lifting the FA Cup in part because of the 27-year-old’s heroics.

While it has taken Eze time to get to the level he is at today, Dibling looks ready-made right now – at just 19 – to take the top-flight by storm, donning Palace claret and blue.

In time, the much-talked-about attacker could be viewed in the same light as Zaha and Eze before him, as the Eagles hope landing Dibling’s signature makes the painful loss of the 12-time England international more manageable.

Crystal Palace eyeing marquee signing of "incredible" £40m Eze replacement

The Eagles have now set their sights on a new target, who could replace Eberechi Eze.

By
Dominic Lund

Aug 20, 2025

Four days after the shortest outright result in Sheffield Shield history, considerable pace and bounce was still evident at the WACA ground as South Australia continued their stranglehold over Western Australia with a pivotal One-Day Cup victory.South Australia, who have not won the title since 2011-12, moved to the top of the table with one match to play before the final after dismissing last-placed WA for 164 in the 39th over with quick Liam Scott taking 3 for 16.Related

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The pitch used for this match had limited grass coverage and contrasted with the nearby green-tinged surface, which had just 763 deliveries bowled on it during South Australia’s six-wicket victory in the Shield.But the quicks still relished the conditions with 19-year-old WA paceman Mahli Beardman bowling with rapid pace to finish with 4 for 46 in his second List A match as South Australia reached a seemingly modest total.Tall offspinner Corey Rocchiccioli also enjoyed the bounce and finished with 2 for 38 off 10 overs in his List A debut. It was a tonic for him after missing out on the tour of Sri Lanka.”The wicket was fine, don’t think you can read [the low scores] too much into it…just one of those weeks,” said Rocchiccioli, who also said he’s eyeing playing in the UK during the off-season.Chasing 209 was never going to be easy for WA, who had five of their top six batters looking to make amends after being part of the side that capitulated for 120 and 66 in the Shield.Opener Sam Fanning did not have nightmares with his 49 in their first innings being the top score of that match. And his form continued as he drove well and attacked short-pitched bowling to dominate an opening stand of 40 with Jayden Goodwin.But Fanning was cut short on 34 after Jason Sangha took a brilliant one-handed catch above his head in the slips to trigger a collapse of 4 for 4. Skipper Ashton Turner has rescued his side plenty of times over the years and appeared to be on a mission with D’Arcy Short as they combined for a 77-run stand.But Turner almost out of nowhere on 43 was clean bowled by Scott in a misjudgement after he decided to let the ball go. WA’s slim hopes rested on Short, who notched the first half-century between the teams across the Shield-One-Day Cup double.The task proved too difficult with Short holing out on 55 to effectively ice the match for South Australia.Earlier, openers Henry Hunt and Mackenzie Harvey scored quickly against the new ball after the visitors were sent in to bat. There wasn’t the tennis ball bounce and prodigious sideways movement that was evident throughout the five sessions of the Shield.But speedster Lance Morris bent his back and Hunt was late on a short ball to hook straight to fine leg. Beardman entered the attack and almost matched Morris’ pace as he reached speeds of around 140kph. He got through the defences of Daniel Drew and hit the top of off-stump in a sign of things to come.South Australia slumped to 51 for 3 when Harvey fell to Rocchiccioli. With left-arm spinner Ashton Agar sidelined with a calf injury sustained in the ILT20, Rocchiccioli finally got his opportunity having been WA’s frontline spinner in the Shield in recent seasons.South Australia recovered with captain Nathan McSweeney, on his return from the Sri Lanka tour, and Sangha playing with relative ease in a 54-run partnership.Sangha had been the standout batter during the Shield match with 45 and 24 not out as his technique and application thwarted the minefield. He raced to 38 before throwing his wicket away out of nowhere after hitting a short and wide delivery from Morris straight down third man’s throat.McSweeney had toiled to 28 before uncharacteristically losing patience and being stumped after missing a straighter Rocchiccioli delivery. South Australia appeared in danger of a score of under 150, but Scott held the backend together with 47 as they batted through the 50 overs.South Australia, however, didn’t have a late flourish with Beardman completing an eye-catching performance with a further three wickets, including clean bowling Scott and Harry Matthias with piercing yorkers.But they had more than enough on the board as their quicks went about once again tormenting WA’s beleaguered batters.

It’s set to be a massive season for Wolverhampton Wanderers this year.

Vitor Pereira took over a struggling relegation-threatened side from Gary O’Neil early last season and guided them to a 16th-place finish in the Premier League, 17 points away from the drop zone.

However, the next ten months could be even tougher for the Portuguese coach, as he’s already lost two of his best players in Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri.

Fortunately, Jørgen Strand Larsen’s stay has now been made permanent, and if reports are to be believed, the club is closing in on a striker who could be the next version of the Norwegian.

Wolves target the next Strand Larsen

It would be fair to say that with Cunha and Ait-Nouri leaving for other Premier League sides, this summer has not exactly gone the way many Wolves fans were hoping it would.

Transfer Focus

However, it’s not been all doom and gloom on the transfer front, as Jhon Arias and Fer Lopez have both made their way to Molineux and produced a combined 28 goal involvements last year, which is the sort of output that could help Pereira keep his side in the top-flight.

Moreover, the Old Gold appear determined to bring in some more new faces before the window slams shut next month, including a young forward who could be the next Strand Larsen.

At least that is according to a recent report from Sebastien Vidal, who claims that Wolves are very interested in David Datro Fofana.

In fact, the journalist has revealed that the West Midlands outfit have already approached Chelsea over the player and would be willing to pay £15m for his services, which could also be enough to seal the deal.

Now, there is undoubtedly a risk in signing a young player who hasn’t played that much football in recent seasons, but when he has played, he’s looked great, and on top of that, he shares some similarities with Strand Larsen.

Why Fofana could be the next Strand Larsen

It’s important to clarify that while we and many others believed Fofana to be an incredibly talented striker, he is three years younger than Strand Larsen, and therefore, it would be unfair to expect him to join Wolves this summer and instantly be as effective.

However, with that said, the two share some similarities, and there is no reason why the Ivorian couldn’t reach the level of the 25-year-old, or even surpass it, within a couple of seasons.

The first and most significant similarity between the pair is where they both started to make waves in senior football: Norway.

Before earning his move to Dutch side Groningen in September 2020, the Wolves star racked up a decent tally of nine goals and nine assists in 61 appearances for Norwegian outfit Sarpsborg 08.

Interestingly, the Ouragahio-born gem did even better than that during his time in the Nordic country, winning the league and cup while scoring 24 goals and providing eight assists in 65 appearances, totalling 3414 minutes.

Appearances

65

61

Minutes

3414′

3316′

Goals

24

9

Assists

8

9

Goal Involvements per Match

0.49

0.29

Minutes per Goal Involvement

106.68′

184.22′

That means the 22-year-old averaged a goal involvement every 2.03, or every 106.68 for Molde FK, and helps justify talent scout Jacek Kulig’s bold claim that he was “one of the biggest jewels in Norway.”

Unfortunately, his move to Chelsea in January 2023 hasn’t worked out for him, and while he impressed on loan with Burnley two seasons ago, scoring four goals and providing one assist in 15 Premier League appearances, his subsequent loan move to Goztepe was ruined by injury.

With all of that said, it is clear that the “outstanding” forward, as dubbed by former Clarets boss Vincent Kompany, is an incredibly talented player, and in the right environment, if he can remain fit, there is no reason his career couldn’t follow the same path as Strand Larsen’s.

Therefore, Wolves should do what they can to bring Fofana in this summer, as even if he only scores a handful of goals this season, that could be the difference between survival and relegation.

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The tremendously exciting talent could become as crucial to Wolves as Cunha was.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 13, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur are now pushing hard to finalise a deal for a “mind-boggling” rival, with talks recently being accelerated.

Spurs remain keen on another attacker after Simons

After missing out on Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze in disappointing fashion, Tottenham managed to get one over on Chelsea by completing a deal for Xavi Simons earlier this week.

Simons arrives at N17 with a good reputation, having performed very well for RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga across the two seasons, and at just 22-years-old, he could be Thomas Frank’s number 10 for many years to come.

Season

Bundesliga appearances

Goal contributions

2023-24

32

21

2024-25

25

17

However, the Dutchman is yet to prove himself in the Premier League, and with James Maddison set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to an ACL injury, Frank appears to be keen to bring in one more attacking midfielder before the transfer deadline.

According to a report from The Boy Hotspur, Tottenham have now made a decisive move to sign West Ham United’s Lucas Paqueta, having accelerated talks in recent days, but the operation could be costly, with the Hammers looking to receive £50m – £60m.

Spurs are undeterred, however, and they are now pushing hard to finalise a deal, but there could be competition for Paqueta’s signature, with Premier League rivals Aston Villa and Crystal Palace also known to hold an interest.

Tottenham make highest bid for 71-cap star who's scored at the World Cup

Spurs are in talks for him right now.

ByEmilio Galantini Aug 30, 2025

There is confidence the Brazilian could be a statement signing for the north Londoners, having been cleared of betting allegations and rediscovered strong form, but it could be difficult to get a deal over the line, with West Ham reluctant to lose another key player to their rivals.

"Mind-boggling" Paqueta would be exciting addition for Spurs

Former teammate Declan Rice lauded the Brazil international not long after his arrival at the London Stadium, saying: “I think now you’re seeing the real Lucas. Some of the stuff he does, even in training, it’s just mind-boggling how good he is.”

A drop-off in form coincided with betting allegations, with the 28-year-old chipping in with just four goal contributions in the Premier League last season, but he has made a strong start to the new campaign, having scored two goals in three matches in all competitions.

It was absolutely vital that Tottenham got a new attacking midfielder through the door, having lost Maddison to injury, while Son Heung-min has signed for LAFC, and Paqueta has proven what it takes to perform in the Premier League.

However, having now signed Simons, it would perhaps make more sense to focus on bringing in a new winger as a direct replacement for Son, and Manchester City ace Savinho remains keen on a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

After exiting the Champions League in shock fashion at the hands of Kairat, one Celtic player is now reportedly in advanced talks to leave the club in a last-ditch move.

Rodgers: Celtic manufactured "own stress"

Not only did Celtic qualify for the league phase of the Champions League last season, but they managed to find a route out of it into the last 16 for just the first time since 2013.

The Bhoys showed their best progress in over a decade and only exited at that stage thanks to Alphonso Davies’ late winner to send Bayern Munich through. Yet, one season later, Brendan Rodgers’ side won’t even be in the league phase and have been knocked out by a Kairat side who had never advanced beyond this stage in their entire history before the Scottish Premiership champions came to town.

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Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers must drop this flop who was even worse than Adam Idah against Kairat.

3 ByDan Emery Aug 27, 2025

It was the ultimate evening to forget for Celtic, who could not find a breakthrough across two legs – drawing 0-0 twice – before heading out on penalties in the most frustrating fashion possible. The makers of their own downfall, according to Rodgers, the Bhoys must now settle for a Europa League place.

It could be argued that not one Celtic player had a particularly good game across the two legs, but one substitute particularly had an evening to forget in midweek and is now heading for the exit door.

Idah now in advanced talks to leave Celtic

According to Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke, Adam Idah is now in advanced talks to leave Celtic just days after coming from the bench and enduring quite the horror show in the Champions League. The forward, who only arrived in a deal worth £9.5m last summer, now looks set to join Championship side Swansea City in a return to English football.

Playing 50 minutes in the second leg against Kairat, Idah failed to register a single shot as Celtic pushed for a goal and completed just one pass in the final third before missing his penalty in the shootout. Nothing went right for the former Norwich City man in a performance that sums up what has been a slow start to his season, having so far failed to score once across four games.

With a matter of days remaining until the transfer window slams shut, Celtic have seemingly shown the 24-year-old the door in ruthless fashion with his Champions League display likely to be his last for the Scottish champions.

The ECB has succeeded in its goal of selling stakes in eight Hundred franchises. Here’s how it all stands

Matt Roller13-Feb-2025

What are investors actually buying?
Each successful bidder has bought shares in one of the eight teams in the Hundred, the ECB’s 100-ball competition which launched in 2021. The deals are subject to exclusivity agreements over the next eight weeks – in the event an agreement with the chosen investor is not reached in that time period, the team will go back on the market.And who has bought what?
Reliance Industries Limited, the Ambani-owned conglomerate who run Mumbai Indians, are buying a 49% stake in Oval Invincibles. Surrey will retain 51%. Knighthead Capital, a New York-based investment firm, are buying a 49% stake in Birmingham Phoenix. Warwickshire will retain 51%. Cricket Investor Holdings Limited, a consortium of Silicon Valley tech entrepreneurs, are buying a 49% stake in London Spirit. MCC will retain 51%. Sanjay Govil, an Indian-American tech entrepreneur and the owner of Washington Freedom, is buying a 50% stake in Welsh Fire. Glamorgan will retain 50%. RPSG Group, Sanjiv Goenka’s conglomerate who run Lucknow Super Giants, are buying a 70% stake in Manchester Originals. Lancashire will retain 30%. Sun Group, the media conglomerate who own Sunrisers Hyderabad, are buying 100% of Northern Superchargers. Yorkshire will not retain a financial interest. Cain International, backed by Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly, and Ares Management Credit, both private equity firms, are jointly buying a 49% stake in Trent Rockets. Nottinghamshire will retain 51%. GMR Group, the Indian conglomerate which co-owns Delhi Capitals, are buying a 49% stake in Southern Brave. GMR are also taking over host county Hampshire.How will the deals work?
The ECB say the investors have committed to a minimum five-year period, which will run through to the end of 2030. The deals do not include a franchise fee like those paid annually by IPL franchises to the BCCI.Do they know own the teams outright?
It’s complicated. The ECB has sold its 49% interest in each team, while the eight host clubs had the choice whether to sell some, all, or none of their 51% stakes. The majority have opted to retain their shares, but three have sold at least some, and Yorkshire are selling their entire share to the Sun Group.Related

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But they’re not buying the counties?
No. The majority of counties remain members’ clubs, and the sales process relates only to the ownership of the eight Hundred teams – not their host clubs or their venues. That said, it could open the door for further investment down the line, with the GMR Group becoming the first foreign owners of a county last year when they bought Hampshire.What happens to the money raised by selling the ECB’s stakes?
Ten percent of the revenue will be invested in recreational cricket. The rest will be split as follows: the first £275 million is divided 19 ways between the 18 first-class counties and MCC; the next £150m is divided 11 ways between the non-host counties; and anything over £425m is divided 19 ways again. The Raine Group, Deloitte and the ECB’s lawyers will also take a percentage for their role in the sale.And what happens when a host club sells some of their stake?
The host club keeps 80% of the revenue raised from selling its own stake, with 10% going to the recreational game and the rest shared among the other counties (and MCC).What does 49% of a Hundred franchise actually get you?
It depends. Investors have been speaking to counties for some time, and arrangements will be different at each venue. Each investor has an eight-week exclusivity period with their host county in which they will sign legal agreements and contracts outlining the details of their joint-venture. But the franchise itself represents two teams (men’s and women’s) with a right to play in the Hundred, rather than any tangible assets like a stadium.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

How will they make money?
The Hundred teams have been run by the ECB to date, but will now take control of their own sponsorship, ticket sales (including hospitality) and merchandise. The biggest source of revenue will be a central distribution from the ECB, with the eight Hundred teams set to split 80% of domestic and international TV rights between them. Investors will also hope that the enterprise value of their franchise increases as the Hundred grows.How valuable is the broadcast deal as things stand?
The Hundred forms part of the ECB’s deal with Sky Sports for all cricket during the English summer, including internationals and county cricket. Around a quarter of the overall value of that deal (£51 million approx. annually) is ascribed to the Hundred. There has also been a much smaller deal with the BBC (as free-to-air broadcasters) which is up for renewal. The ECB may consider selling the Hundred’s broadcast rights separately from 2029. It also hopes that international TV rights will rise significantly in the next rights cycle.Will the teams be renamed?
Probably, although not this year. The ECB is treating the 2025 edition of the Hundred – which runs from August 5-31 – as a transitional season, with new owners assuming full responsibility ahead of the 2026 edition. Some teams may retain their names and kits but the expectation is that several will change, particularly those who are majority-owned by established franchise brands.Could it be MI Oval from 2026?•Getty Images

Will this investment mean the Hundred gets better players?
Quite possibly, for a number of reasons. Salaries are increasing at the top end in 2025 and the ECB told investors that they should prepare for them to be even higher when they take over. New ownership could also see players who are associated with a particular franchise involved in the Hundred, while the overlap between investors in the Hundred and Major League Cricket should ensure those leagues do not clash again going forwards.What about Indian players?
Several women’s cricketers from India have already played in the Hundred, including Jemimah Rodrigues, Smriti Mandhana and Deepti Sharma, but no male Indian player has. While the involvement of four IPL ownership groups could help to prompt change in time, the ECB has been working on the belief that the BCCI is not planning to change its stance on active Indian men’s players featuring in overseas leagues.When will the Hundred become a T20 competition?
The 100-ball format has generally proved popular with broadcasters, allowing them to fit games into a three-hour window. But there has been plenty of speculation that the tournament could change to the more familiar T20 format at some stage. In practice, the format is highly unlikely to change before the existing broadcast deal runs out at the end of the 2028 season.On an ECB call to mark the conclusion of the process, Vikram Banerjee, director of business operations, said: “The aspects of the Hundred that have worked well in terms of reaching out to a new market, the fact that it finishes at 9.30pm so families can attend and watch – all those sorts of things are part of what’s appealed to investors. So at this point in time, we haven’t had a huge amount of clamour for changing the format.”Will more teams be added?
Similarly, this is unlikely to happen in the next four years – though several counties have expressed an interest in hosting a Hundred team if the tournament does expand in future, including Durham, Somerset, Kent (at Beckenham) and Gloucestershire. Richard Gould, the ECB’s chief executive, said last summer that there is ambition for expansion at some point.Banerjee said on Thursday: “Expansion is a good sign if it happens, so I’ll be delighted if it does… If the tournament grows and cricket grows across the country, then it’ll be almost a no-brainer.”

A win at home on Thursday will put them top of the table in WPL 2025

Ashish Pant26-Feb-2025Who’s playingRoyal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Giants
M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, 7.30pm ISTWhat to expect: Can Giants find form?Two teams coming off back-to-back losses, but in no way comparable. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have actually been really good in WPL 2025. Yet, they find themselves under pressure as they get ready to face Gujarat Giants at home.After two commanding wins, they went down to Mumbai Indians off the second-last ball of the game, and then lost to UP Warriorz in a Super Over, despite dominating most of the match. Momentum in cricket is a double-edged sword. Wins under the belt can act as a confidence booster, but losses can be deflating. And having suffered two heartbreaking losses, RCB will want to get back to winning ways, especially with the tournament entering its business end.RCB have a good record against Giants. They have won three out of five matches, which includes a solid win in this year’s season opener. In addition, they have never lost to them in Bengaluru. They also have the current purple cap holder and an all-time great in touching distance of the orange cap, and will want to move up the points table before the Bengaluru leg ends.Giants, on the other hand, have a number of problems to sort. They ended WPL 2023 and 2024 bottom of the pile, and are down there again. They are too dependent on Ashleigh Gardner and Deandra Dottin, who have also failed to get going in the last two matches.Their problem starts right from the top in the batting. Giants have the worst run rate (5.79), least runs, least boundaries (16 fours and four sixes) and have lost the most wickets (11) in the powerplay this season. With Beth Mooney not in form, and Harleen Deol not a natural striker, do they need one of Gardner or Dottin to go up the order and go on the assertive?Recent resultsRoyal Challengers Bengaluru: LLWW
Gujarat Giants: LWLLESPNcricinfo LtdTeam newsIt is unlikely that RCB will make any changes to their playing XI from the previous match against Warriorz.Royal Challengers Bengaluru (likely): 1 Smriti Mandhana (capt), 2 Danni Wyatt-Hodge, 3 Ellyse Perry, 4 Raghvi Bist, 5 Richa Ghosh (wk), 6 Kanika Ahuja, 7 Georgia Wareham, 8 Sneh Rana, 9 Kim Garth, 10 Ekta Bisht, 11 Renuka SinghGiants made three changes to their playing XI in the previous game, but didn’t have Phoebe Litchfield open the innings. There is a chance she moves to the top with Harleen Deol moving to the No. 3 position. Simran Shaikh has failed to make an impact so far in the tournament, and it is possible Giants might draft in Dayalan Hemalatha to shore up the batting.Gujarat Giants (likely): 1 Beth Mooney (wk), 2 Phoebe Litchfield, 3 Harleen Deol, 4 Ashleigh Gardner (capt), 5 Deandra Dottin, 6 Dayalan Hemalatha, 7 Bharti Fulmali, 8 Kashvee Gautam, 9 Tanuja Kanwar, 10 Priya Mishra, 11 Meghna SinghPlayers to watch: Ellyse Perry and Kashvee GautamEllyse Perry seems to have gone up a gear with the bat in WPL 2025. The second-highest run-scorer this season with 235 runs in four innings at 117.50, Perry, in the last game, also went past Meg Lanning to become WPL’s overall highest run-scorer. Coming into the tournament with a hip injury, Perry did not bowl in RCB’s first three games, but sent down two overs against Warriorz, picking a wicket. If she can contribute with four overs, it could help in balancing the RCB unit even better.In an otherwise demoralising tournament so far, Kashvee Gautam has been a bright star for Giants. She was picked up for a whopping INR 2 crore ahead of the WPL auction for 2024, but was ruled out of the season due to an injury. Giants still retained her, and she is repaying the faith. She started poorly against RCB going for 22 off her two overs, but in the next three games, the 21-year-old has picked five wickets at a miserly economy. Out of all the bowlers who have bowled a minimum of 30 balls this WPL, Gautam’s economy of 6.00 is the fourth-best. Apart from the 15-ball 20 against Mumbai, Gautam hasn’t done much with the bat, and that’s one area she might want to improve.Stats that matterMandhana has been dismissed by Gardner nine times in 26 T20 innings and three times in five innings at the WPLGiants have won just five matches in the WPL and two of those wins have come against RCBGiants have the two lowest scores this season – 120 against Mumbai and 127 for 9 against Delhi CapitalsRCB have the worst economy rate in the powerplay this season: 9.04. Giants have the best, 7.29Giants have conceded 175 runs across four innings in the powerplay this season. Only Mumbai with 142 runs in three games have conceded fewer

Liverpool had more salt rubbed into their wounds after a cheeky Crystal Palace supporter decided to troll them following his side's 2-1 Premier League victory on Saturday afternoon. The Reds' misery was compounded as their team bus was initially unable to drive away from Selhurst Park following their first defeat of the 2025-26 campaign.

Liverpool second-best in loss to Palace

In a match which saw goalkeeper Alisson make a number of brilliant saves, Liverpool were second best as they came unstuck against high-flying Palace. The Eagles took the lead from a corner when Ismaila Sarr – so often the scourge of Liverpool – converted from Ryan Gravenberch’s fluffed clearance. Arne Slot’s side have scored a number of late goals so far this season and they got another through substitute Federico Chiesa, but Palace snatched all three points late on when Eddie Nketiah, also a substitute, converted from a long throw in stoppage time.

AdvertisementWATCH: Cheeky Palace fan trolls Liverpool bus after the game

And in the aftermath of the affair, Liverpool were prevented from leaving Palace’s ground when one fan decided to hold up their team bus. In a video which has since been widely shared across social media, the supporter decided to kneel down in the middle of the road and tie his shoelaces, to the delight of his fellow Palace fans. Liverpool’s coach was eventually able to head down the road but only after a painful delay amidst a chorus of jeers from the home supporters.

Palace last unbeaten side in Premier League after downing Liverpool

Palace fans are understandably in great spirits at the moment following their side’s excellent start to the season. Oliver Glasner’s men are now the only unbeaten side in the top flight having won three and drawn three from their opening six league fixtures. Palace also defeated rivals Millwall in the third round of the Carabao Cup earlier this month and they are due to get their Conference League campaign under way against Dynamo Kyiv on Thursday. The south London club qualified for the competition after defeating Norwegian outfit Fredrikstad 1-0 on aggregate in a two-legged qualifier.

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Liverpool have still made an excellent start despite Palace loss

Despite suffering their first defeat of the season against Palace, Liverpool have also made a terrific start to the season. The Merseysiders have won five of their six league games contested, against Bournemouth, Newcastle, Arsenal, Burnley and Everton, while they also defeated Atletico Madrid and Southampton in the Champions League and Carabao Cup respectively.

Tottenham Hotspur are now leading the race for an “excellent” player, who is also being targeted by AC Milan and one of their Premier League rivals.

Spurs keen on new defender after Bournemouth defeat

Tottenham suffered their first Premier League defeat of the season on Saturday afternoon, coming up short in a 1-0 loss at home to AFC Bournemouth, and Thomas Frank wasn’t impressed with his side’s defensive performance.

The Spurs boss criticised his side’s ability to deal with balls in-behind, saying: “Not a shock if I’m honest but not what I expected. I hoped for more. We played against a good Bournemouth team. I don’t think we handled the balls behind and the second ball game very well for whatever reason.

“They play behind as soon as they can and have willing runners. A few passes and they play the ball behind. That’s difficult to play against.

“In football, it goes so quick. We can still find good bits but overall, it’s not a good performance.”

Defensive issues plagued the north Londoners throughout the 2024-25 campaign, given that Ange Postecoglou was known to be uncompromising on his attacking principles, but Frank is well-known to be more pragmatic.

As such, the Dane’s side have kept two clean sheets in their opening three Premier League games, but the manager still remains keen on bringing in another centre-back, who could provide competition for Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero.

That is according to a report from Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness), which states Tottenham have now moved into pole position in the race for Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji, who is also being targeted by AC Milan and Crystal Palace.

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Crucially, Spurs have Champions League football on offer this season, which gives them a key advantage over rival suitors in the race for Akanji’s signature, and City are only looking to receive a fee of €15m (£13m) plus bonuses.

"Excellent" Akanji could be solid signing for Spurs

Lauded as “excellent” by The Telegraph’s James Ducker, the 30-year-old has proven himself in the Premier League over a number of years, making a combined 59 appearances for City as they secured back-to-back titles in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 campaigns.

The Switzerland international’s experience could make him a solid signing for Frank, and his versatility would also be of great use, with Pep Guardiola praising his player for being able to play in a multitude of positions.

Guardiola said: “He is a lovely guy, can play in different positions. Normally a central defender but (he can play) right back, holding midfield. He is open minded, well educated, so intelligent.”

Although Akanji is now 30-years-old, he would be a low-cost addition to the Tottenham squad at just £13m, and the defender’s versatility would make him a useful option for Frank, in what is set to be a congested campaign.

نجح الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي المصري البورسعيدي في خطف تعادل سلبي من الاتحاد الليبي، في لقاء أقيم ضمن منافسات بطولة الكونفدرالية الإفريقية.

والتقى المصري نظيره الاتحاد الليبي، ضمن منافسات ذهاب دور الـ32 من بطولة كأس الكونفدرالية الإفريقية على ملعب 11 يونيو.

طالع|الزمالك يبحث عن استعادة نغمة الانتصارات أمام ديكاداها في الكونفدرالية

وكان الاتحاد الإفريقي، أعفى المصري من المشاركة في دور الـ64 من الكونفدرالية بسبب موقفه في التصنيف الإفريقي.

ولم يستغل المصري الفرص التي أتيحت للاعبيه على مدار اللقاء، وفي نفس الوقت نجح مدافعوه في الحفاظ على نظافة شباكه والتصدي لهجمات الاتحاد الليبي لينتهي اللقاء سلبيا كما بدأ.

ومن المقرر أن تُلعب مواجهة الإياب في السويس يوم 25 أكتوبر، وستحسم المتأهل لدور المجموعات حيث يحتاج المصري للفوز بأي نتيجة للتأهل.