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Manchester City are looking ahead to another season of Champions League football next campaign and could now aim to beat rivals Manchester United to a talented midfield addition, according to a report.

Man City looking to challenge for Premier League title in 25/26

Pep Guardiola will be more aware than anyone that his side need to improve on what ended as a trophyless season just gone. However, they will have a chance to bounce back swiftly at the Club World Cup next month.

Chelsea and Manchester City provide Premier League representation at the United States-based tournament, which could carry a bounty worth nearly £100 million for the competition winners.

Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has promised an aggressive recruitment drive will be underway at the Etihad Stadium following a first campaign without silverware since 2017, serving as a warning to top-flight competitors.

He stated: “It’s a lot of lessons learned. I can assure you, this club will do everything possible to come back to the standards that we know we all can achieve.”

Talks have been held over a deal that could see Wolverhampton Wanderers left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri move to Manchester City, with the Algeria international high on their left-back shortlist heading into the window.

Man City make offer for "insane" £50m star who's "said yes" to Etihad move

The Blues are now stepping up their pursuit of a midfielder, with the deal “almost done” on the player’s side.

By
Dominic Lund

May 29, 2025

In addition, AC Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders could be a Citizen before the Club World Cup, indicating the priority is to bring through a swift stream of arrivals to replace outgoing figures such as Kevin De Bruyne before the competition begins.

Now, Manchester City have set their sights on beating Manchester United to another operator in the engine room as they aim to go from strength to strength.

Man City making £42m offer to sign Atalanta midfielder Ederson

According to reports in Italy via Sport Witness, Manchester City are offering around £42 million for Atalanta midfielder Ederson, and he is said to be at the top of Guardiola’s summer shortlist.

Hugo Viana has been assigned the specific task of bringing the Brazil international to the Etihad Stadium, while the Serie A outfit have reportedly lined up Celtic’s Arne Engels as a replacement should a deal go through.

Manchester United have been in the race to sign Ederson and have made contact over a swoop for the midfielder, who has also been linked with reigning Premier League champions Liverpool in recent weeks.

Labelled “powerful” by Tiago Nunes, the 24-year-old won 161 tackles over the course of the campaign on league duty, lending credence to his reputation as a dogged operator in the engine room.

With Rodri back and Mateo Kovacic also capable of playing in a holding role, it remains to be seen where Ederson would fit in at Manchester City if a deal were to come to fruition in the summer window, but it looks as if it will be one to watch.

As Sunderland prepare for life back in the Premier League, they have suffered a blow this week with news emerging of Jobe Bellingham’s pending exit, but the Black Cats are acting quickly and have already found a Premier League talent to replace him, according to a recent report.

Bellingham set for Borussia Dortmund move

Since arriving at the Stadium of Light in July 2023, Bellingham has been a breath of fresh air for the Black Cats. While the midfielder didn’t manage to score as many goals in the 2024/25 campaign as he did in the 2023/24 season, his overall performances were very consistent and helped Sunderland seal a return to football’s biggest league.

Sunderland now set to sell "excellent" 19 y/o for £9m less than they wanted

He is now reportedly in advanced talks over a move away.

By
Henry Jackson

Jun 3, 2025

Despite that accomplishment, Bellingham has been weighing up his future in the last couple of weeks. The 19-year-old is under contract until 2028, but there has been significant interest in a possible transfer this summer, particularly from Germany.

Eintracht Frankfurt and RB Leipzig were two teams who made a move to sign Bellingham, but the young Englishman has decided to follow in the footsteps of his brother and make a move to Borussia Dortmund. Bellingham wants to join Dortmund, and now, according to Keith Downie, Sunderland are in advanced negotiations and are set to sell the midfielder for £25 million.

Sunderland want to sign £3m Wolves ace as Bellingham replacement

So as the Black Cats work on selling Bellingham to Dortmund, the club’s hierarchy already have a player in mind when it comes to replacing him. According to TEAMtalk, Sunderland are interested in signing Tommy Doyle from Wolves this summer.

The report states that the Black Cats want to strengthen the spine of their team as they prepare for life back in the top flight, and Doyle has been earmarked as a potential arrival. Sunderland tried to sign the 23-year-old on loan back in the January transfer window, but ultimately failed.

Now they want to try again, but this time on a permanent basis, as Doyle has been told by Wolves that he is free to leave the club. The midfielder has fallen out of favour under Vitor Pereira, failing to make five of the last nine Premier League matchday squads.

Wolves have put a £3 million price tag on Doyle’s head, but the Black Cats are not the only team chasing the former Man City man, as Sheffield United, whom Sunderland beat in the play-off final, are also interested in a deal, as well as Wrexham, who are playing in the second tier next season.

But Sunderland may hold an advantage – Doyle has the same agent as current Sunderland defender Luke O’Nien, who has been key for the club for a number of seasons now, perhaps smoothing negotiations along.

Indeed, it is claimed that Sunderland are in the box seat to sign Doyle, who was dubbed “unbelievable” by former Wolves boss Gary O’Neil. He’s played over 50 games in the Premier League, so his mixture of top flight experience and youthful exuberance could go a long way to replacing a departing superstar.

After what was a dire season for Manchester City, they ruined their chance to end it all on a high note on Saturday. Pep Guardiola’s side travelled to Wembley for the FA Cup final with Crystal Palace, but came out second best, much to the dismay of their manager come full time.

They will hope to right their wrongs just a few weeks on when the East Mancunian outfit travel to the United States of America for the Club World Cup, where they will compete for the competition for the first time in its 32-team format. Moroccan side Wydad AC, UAE outfit Al Ain FC, and Italian giants Juventus are their three group stage opponents.

One player who will play a huge role in any success over the next few weeks is Josko Gvardiol.

Gvardiol’s importance for City

There are not many players in the City squad whose form is as important to their success as Croatia international Gvardiol. The 23-year-old was described as a player who “does stuff very few can” by football analyst Umir, who also said the defender has been “brilliant” going forward this term.

There have been just four games in which Gvardiol has not appeared this term, further highlighting his importance to Guardiola’s side. In total, he has played 51 times across all competitions, including all but one in the Premier League.

One of the biggest benefits of the former RB Leipzig is his versatility. A centre-back by trade, he has featured more often than not at left-back for the Citizens this term, which has been important for Guardiola amid injuries and a lack of options.

The other thing that the 23-year-old offers to this City side is goals. He had found the back of the net six times this term, which has been bettered by just five players at City.

The fact that he is such a rich source of goals shows just how important the left-back is to Guardiola.

Interestingly, City are linked with a player who could join the club and become just as important to Guardiola as Gvardiol has this term.

Man City's search for a defender

If a report from Fabrizio Romano earlier this week is to be believed, then City are plotting a move for Newcastle United right-back Tino Livramento.

The 22-year-old is ‘under consideration’ at the Etihad Stadium, with City looking to sign a new right-back. A price tag is not clear at this time, but he cost the Magpies £40m including add-ons almost two years ago.

Described as a “superstar” by Newcastle content creator Kendall Rowan, Livramento has played an important role for Eddie Howe, in a side pushing for a second-place finish this season. That would see them leapfrog City in the Premier League.

The London-born right-back, who is a product of Chelsea’s academy, has played 44 games in all competitions this campaign for the Magpies. Perhaps one of the biggest worries for City is the fact that he has just one assist, which came in a 3-0 win away to Leicester City.

Like Gvardiol, Livramento is a versatile player. This term, he has featured at right-back, left-back and even as a wing-back for Howe’s side.

Admittedly, he has made 29 appearances on his favoured right side, but with another 12 coming on the left, it shows dependable versatility.

In fact, the similarities between the two players do not stop there. The underlying numbers on FBref highlight how alike they are, too. For example, the Newcastle star averages 0.78 key passes per 90 minutes, compared to 0.73 each game for Gvardiol.

There is evidence to suggest that Livramento could be City’s best defensive signing since Gvardiol. Vitor Reis was one of two defensive signings in January, but he is unproven and has played just three first-team games.

Fellow winter addition Abdukodir Khusanov did well to bounce back from a nightmare start to his City career, following his error on debut against Chelsea, but is also largely unproven at Premier League level, despite glimpses of promise shown.

Matheus Nunes, a midfielder by trade, has been playing right-back this term but “doesn’t know how to defend”, according to Man City content creator Steven Mcinerney.

This could be a wonderful signing for City. There is no doubt about just how important Livramento can be under Guardiola, given his attacking capabilities and how reliable he is defensively. He could certainly be their best signing since Gvardiol, given the lack of experience or struggles those made since have experienced.

If he can replicate anywhere near the impact Gvardiol has had at the Etihad Stadium, this is a signing that City fans can surely get excited about.

Arsenal and Liverpool are both ready to pay up to £50 million for a “quick” Premier League star who PSG have held talks over signing, according to a report this week.

Arsenal lose Champions League semi-final tie against PSG

Mikel Arteta watched on from the sidelines as his side succumbed to a crushing defeat at the Parc des Princes – a loss which ended Arsenal’s hopes of winning a first-ever Champions League crown.

Arsenal: Berta wants £119k-per-week PSG star after failed Atletico deal

Berta attempted to sign him for the La Liga side.

By
Emilio Galantini

May 7, 2025

Arsenal’s 5-1 dismantling of Real Madrid in the last round had a lot of tails up around the Emirates Stadium, and the prospect of Champions League glory was made very real by their statement two-legged display against the 15-time European champions.

However, this year’s standout team in PSG, who many are backing to win the competition, ultimately outclassed Arsenal over two semi-final clashes where Arteta’s side weren’t quite ruthless enough in the final third.

The Ligue 1 champions have now booked their place in this year’s Champions League final against Inter Milan, with Arteta making a humble statement to the media in the aftermath of their 2-1 loss on Wednesday.

“I can take a lot of positives, and I’m very proud of the team,” said Arteta after Arsenal’s defeat to PSG.

“We have to arrive in the competition at this stage with a full squad, fully available, in the best condition. We haven’t got that, so let’s put that aside. It’s still the team that I’ve seen today against, probably one of the best, if not the best team in Europe. It gives me so much pride, but at the same time, I’m so upset, so annoyed that we didn’t manage to do it. And two things that are on us, probably not together. Another thing is that, obviously, the opponent at this level has the quality to deliver like Donnarumma has done today again.”

With Arsenal’s European adventure now officially over, attention is set to switch to the summer transfer window, and how new sporting director Andrea Berta will react to the Gunners’ disappointing 2024/2025 campaign.

Berta has been tipped to spend around £300 million on seven major signings (GiveMeSport), and one of them could be a new right-winger to alternate with Bukayo Saka.

Arsenal ready to pay up to £50 million for West Ham star Mohammed Kudus

Arsenal are believed to remain keen on Bayern Munich winger Leroy Sane as an option to give Saka competition on that side, but West Ham United star Mohammed Kudus is also attracting their attention.

According to The Boot Room and journalist Graeme Bailey, Arsenal and Liverpool are prepared to pay up to £50 million for Kudus, but have no intention of going anywhere near the Ghanaian’s £85 million release clause.

West Ham are apparently holding out for his exit clause to be paid in full, but neither side is willing to go that high.

Graham Potter’s men do hold some hope of an auction for Kudus, though, with other reports from Africa recently claiming that PSG have already held talks with the 24-year-old’s camp, as the Ligue 1 champions seek to bolster their own attacking options.

Teammate Aaron Cresswell is on record praising Kudus’ “quick” speed, branding him a “top” player, even if Ajax’s former sensation hasn’t enjoyed the best 24/25 campaign.

Kudus also bagged a stunning goal against Arsenal in the EFL Cup last season, so Arteta is fully aware of the winger’s quality when at his devastating best.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is now ready to cash in on a £150,000-a-week player who is happy to leave the club, according to a new report.

Aston Villa face Man Utd in two separate transfer battles

As the Premier League enters the month of May, transfer business is expected to heat up, and at Villa Park, there is an expectation there is going to be a lot of coming and going, as there has been ever since Emery joined the club.

Aston Villa's "little warrior" out on loan could be their next Asensio

Aston Villa have a star out on loan who could be a dream replacement for Marco Asensio.

By
Dan Emery

Apr 30, 2025

The transfer window has yet to open, and already the Villans find themselves in two separate battles with Manchester United. The first is for goalkeeper Joan Garcia, who currently plays for Espanyol.

The shot-stopper has impressed in La Liga, and he is now wanted by both Premier League teams, as they have their eyes on strengthening their goalkeeper department. Villa are looking to win the race for Garcia by acting fast, and they are willing to trigger his release clause, which stands at £21 million. United are not out of the race though, as they have made contact with the player’s representatives over a deal to come to Old Trafford.

The second battle Villa face against United is signing teenager Christian Kofane from Albacete Balompié. The 18-year-old is wanted by Villa, United and Newcastle United, as well as many other top teams across Europe. His recent form in front of goal has put him further in the spotlight, and once again, he is a player who has a release clause, but this time a low one, as he would cost as little as £4.2 million.

Emery ready to wave goodbye to Emi Martinez

Winning the race to sign Garcia may be more significant for the Villans, as according to TBR Football, Emery now wants to sell goalkeeper Emi Martinez, who is ready to leave the Premier League club.

The report states that Saudi Pro League clubs are ready to make a move for Martinez, who won the World Cup with Argentina back in 2022. It goes on to add that Villa are interested in doing business over a possible sale, despite the fact that he is still under contract until 2029. Meanwhile, Martinez is also interested in a move away from Villa Park, after joining the club in September 2020.

The 32-year-old, who earns a weekly wage of £150,000 at Villa Park, has become one of the strongest keepers in the Premier League as well as European football. But the fact that Villa have shown an interest in Garcia could mean they see now as the ideal time for the club to cash in and bring in a younger replacement.

This season has been a slight struggle for Villa and Martinez in terms of keeping out the goals, as they have conceded 45 goals so far in the league with Martinez in goal, and the Argentine has kept just five clean sheets, which is lower than the nine he kept last season.

Aston Villa could win the race for an “incredible” £100m forward, whose club may now be willing to cash-in this summer, according to a report.

Villa's summer transfer plans

It was a valiant effort against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night, with Villa overturning a two-goal deficit to win 3-2 on the night, but the result wasn’t enough for Unai Emery’s side to progress to the Champions League semi-finals.

Having had their first taste of Champions League football in quite some time, however, Villa will be eager to have more special nights in Europe in the future, and they could go even deeper in the competition if they strengthen their squad this summer.

After selling Jhon Duran to Al-Nassr back in January, the Villans are keen on bringing in a new striker, and they are now ready to spend £75m on Wolverhampton Wanderers star Matheus Cunha.

Aston Villa working to seal deal for £12.5m player keen on Villa Park move

The Villans are working on a move for a midfielder, who is interested in a move to Villa Park.

By
Dominic Lund

Apr 15, 2025

Not only are Emery’s side pursuing an out-and-out striker, but they are also keen to bolster their wide options, and they remain in a strong position to complete the permanent signing of Marcus Rashford.

According to a report from GiveMeSport, Aston Villa could also win the race for Manchester City winger Jack Grealish, with Pep Guardiola’s side giving indications they could be willing to cash-in on the Englishman this summer.

The 29-year-old joined City in a £100m deal back in August 2021, but he has fallen down the pecking order at the Etihad Stadium, which could open the door for a return to Villa Park.

However, there is widespread interest in Grealish’s signature, with Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United also in the picture, while Serie A giants AC Milan headline the interest from abroad.

"Incredible" Grealish may need to leave City

The former Villa man probably has no regrets about joining Man City, given that he played a major role in their treble-winning 2022-23 campaign, but there are signs he may need to leave this summer for the good of his career.

Theo Walcott has particularly scrutinised the impact Guardiola’s coaching methods have had on the “incredible” winger’s ability to express himself on the pitch.

The Birmingham-born forward has amassed just two goal contributions in the Premier League this season, although he has impressed on some other key metrics over the past year, most notably ranking in the top 1% for progressive carries, when compared to his positional peers.

A move back to Villa Park could be exactly what Grealish needs to reignite his career, and Emery should definitely consider making a move, should he be available for a suitable fee.

Burnley are now in a transfer battle with Leeds United as they both want to sign a “unique” Ipswich Town star, according to a recent report.

Burnley begin transfer plans as they eye midfield reinforcements

The Clarets only confirmed their promotion to the Premier League on Monday evening, but already Scott Parker and club chiefs are working on transfer business ahead of the summer transfer window opening.

Burnley want to sign Fulham ace who previously won promotion under Parker

Burnley are now looking to sign a player who has worked with their manager before.

By
Brett Worthington

Apr 24, 2025

It’s been claimed by EFL pundit Lee Hendrie that Jonjo Shelvey will likely not be at Turf Moor next season. The midfielder’s contract expires at the end of the campaign, and it is likely that he will not be offered a new deal, according to Hendrie.

That might be because Burnley already have his replacement in mind, as according to Give Me Sport, the Clarets are now interested in signing Harrison Reed from Fulham, a player who Parker knows well from his time working at Craven Cottage.

Fulham are said to be looking to strengthen their midfield this summer, and Reed could be allowed to leave should they receive the right offer. This has alerted Burnley, who are looking to strike a deal as the Clarets try to bring Premier League experience to their team.

Burnley in transfer battle for Ipswich star Hirst

But it is not just the midfield that the Clarets are looking to strengthen, as according to journalist Pete O’Rourke, Burnley are interested in signing George Hirst from Ipswich this summer.

O’Rourke states that as well as the Lancashire side holding an interest in Hirst, Championship rivals Leeds are also keen on securing a deal for the striker, as the Tractor Boys look set to return to the second tier in English football.

However, while both sides can offer Premier League football, Ipswich are not willing to let Hirst just leave, as O’Rourke states that the Tractor Boys are desperately looking to tie the striker down to a new contract to ward off the interest, with Liam Delap expected to leave Portman Road this summer.

Hirst currently earns £27,500 a week at Ipswich, so the interested parties may have to stump up a significant increase to better whatever his current employers are offering.

The 26-year-old, who has been dubbed “unique” by Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna, has had to be very patient this season, starting just three of the 21 Premier League games he’s played. Hirst has scored two goals in the process, his latest coming in the 4-2 defeat to Nottingham Forest in March.

The Scotland international is still under contract until 2027, so Ipswich still have time on their hands, but Burnley and Leeds can both offer the forward another chance of playing in the Premier League, and this may be too hard for Hirst to turn down.

Leeds United are now weighing up whether to make a £3.5 million bid to sign a 26-year-old defender who will likely replace Maximilian Wober, according to a recent report.

Leeds already planning exits ahead of new arrivals

Daniel Farke’s men moved a step closer to the Premier League over the weekend, as a win over Preston North End moved them five points clear of third-place Sheffield United. The Whites now know they need just eight points from the 12 possible to secure a place in the top flight.

Ruthless from Farke: Leeds feel £85k-p/w duo aren't Premier League quality

Leeds want to replace the pair this summer.

By
Barney Lane

Apr 14, 2025

So as the Premier League dream moves ever closer, Leeds are already looking ahead to the summer transfer window. There are a number of positions that Farke will want to strengthen, as signing a new goalkeeper has become a priority given the poor form of Illan Meslier this season. The Frenchman may soon be on his way out of Elland Road, but he may not be alone, as according to Football Insider, Leeds want to sign a new striker as they believe Patrick Bamford and Joel Piroe are not good enough for the Premier League.

There are doubts at the club about the pair, and therefore, they could be moved on in the hope they can find a better striker in the transfer market.

The departures may not stop there, as Leeds United News states that defender Max Wober is expected to leave the Whites at the end of this campaign. The 27-year-old has had a terrible season with injuries, playing just seven games in the Championship, and despite being under contract until 2027, he could be moved on by Farke, especially if a replacement is found.

Leeds now considering £3.5m bid for Modibo Sagnan

So, given Wober is heading towards the exit door, signing a new defender has become a priority, and according to Africa Foot, Leeds are now considering a move to sign Modibo Sagnan from French side Montpellier.

The report states that several teams are interested in signing the centre-back, who can also play left-back, with the Whites already identifying the 26-year-old as a recruitment priority. It states that Leeds chiefs will have already made contact with Sagnan’s entourage over a possible move to Elland Road in the summer transfer window. Leeds are considering making an offer for the defender, worth €4 million, which is roughly £3.5 million.

Montpellier find themselves in relegation trouble towards the end of this season, and should they be relegated to Ligue 2, it could benefit Leeds when it comes to negotiating a transfer for Sagnan.

His potential arrival would see him join Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk, who have been Leeds’ main centre-back pairing in this campaign. The Whites are already incredibly short at centre-back, so if Wober does leave in the summer, Sagnan arrives as an important player and one who could play a lot in the Premier League.

From watching videos of Kohli, the Tamil Nadu and Gujarat Titans batter has come a long way and is on the verge of stepping into his idol’s boots

Deivarayan Muthu07-Jun-2025″ [Very proud]. To play for the country in Test cricket…”B Sai Sudharsan’s mother, Usha Bharadwaj, says she is very proud, and then trails away, lost for words, when asked about the prospect of her son making his Test debut in England.”We Face-timed him as a family after he got picked in India’s Test squad,” she says. “Me and my husband are here in Chennai, [our] elder son is working in Australia, and Sai Sudharsan was in Ahmedabad.” Sai Sudharsan piled up a chart-topping 759 runs in 15 innings at a strike rate of 156.17 for Gujarat Titans this IPL season.Related

• Gambhir to rejoin India squad in Leeds on Tuesday

• Sai Sudharsan: 'I'm more confident now, and that helps me express myself and play my shots'

• Sai Sudharsan: 'I have expanded my batting; mentally I'm a bit more free and expressive'

• Sai Sudharsan: Feels 'surreal' to be part of India's Test squad

“We are in different parts of the world now, but that call took us back to 2020, when we trained together as a family,” she says.In December 2019, Sai Sudharsan was in tears after he was dropped from Tamil Nadu’s Under-19 team. He was not in great physical shape, and acknowledging it, channelled his hurt into working towards becoming a fitter, stronger player. Early the following year, he began training with his mother, a strength and conditioning coach, who used to be a volleyball player for Tamil Nadu. His father, R Bharadwaj, a former track athlete who represented India at the South Asian Games in Dhaka in 1993, also played a key role.”During the [pandemic] period, we started training together,” Usha says. “I took care of his strength and conditioning, while my husband took care of Sai Sudharsan’s running and ground training. We wanted to make sure he had strength and endurance – the foundation for fitness. If you have both, you can push to play any sport. Flexibility is also important.”Because of Covid, all of us had to be indoors, and fitness became a family activity for us. Sai Sudharsan got addicted to it, and I also showed him videos of Virat Kohli, which motivated him and encouraged to become fitter and stronger. His brother also chucked a lot of balls to him at the nets. He used to do push-ups and then challenge Sai Sudharsan to do it.”It takes a village: Sai Sudharsan with his brother, B Sairam (second from right) and his parents, who have all had played a part in his cricket success•B SairamFrom there on, Sai Sudharsan became obsessed with improving himself and evolving. Having grown up playing on extreme turners in Chennai, he was always good against spin, but his batting against pace needed some fine-tuning. He exposed himself to side-arm throwdowns at speeds upwards of 140kph, and picked up the ramp shot from Gujarat Titans team-mate Matthew Wade.Most batters would have been satisfied with the kind of returns he got in this year’s IPL, but Sai Sudharsan is not most batters. He signed off from the tournament saying he has “a lot of things to improve” as a T20 batter.His coaches and seniors have marvelled at his hunger to train harder and bat longer than anyone else. He has had to be dragged out of the nets by his coaches on occasion. Even when he travelled to Ahmedabad to collect a number of awards after the IPL, he managed to squeeze in some net sessions.”Sai Su is someone who is religious about his nets and practice,” R Sai Kishore, Sai Sudharsan’s captain at Tamil Nadu and long-time IPL team-mate at GT, says. “How do I put it? He’s mad about practice and there is no room for complacency at all – something that we spoke about even after the IPL ended.Sai Sudharsan receives his Surrey cap from Alec Stewart in 2023. He averages 35 in his five innings in the County Championship, including a hundred against Nottinghamshire last year•Ben Hoskins/Getty Images for Surrey CCC”From 2021 to 2022, there was a massive difference in Sai Su’s game, 2022-23, there was again a massive difference, and so on every year.”That drive to keep getting better is the most amusing thing about him. To do this at 23, the sky is the limit for him.” Sai Kishore considers Sai Sudharsan an inspiration. “I might be a senior to him in terms of age and all, but I’ve learnt a lot from him.”Sai Sudharsan’s first-class average of 39.93 after 49 innings isn’t flash, but India’s selectors see potential and a high ceiling. He also has experience of playing in England, having turned out for a handful of games for Surrey across the 2023 and 2024 seasons.When the club first picked Sai Sudharsan, he had played fewer than ten first-class games and had not made his ODI debut. He made up for the lack of experience with his meticulous preparation. Alec Stewart, the former England wicketkeeper-batter, who was Surrey’s director of cricket at the time, was impressed.Before playing his first game for Surrey, against Northamptonshire in September 2023, Sai Sudharsan turned up for the county 2nd XI in Guildford, trying to acclimatise to the English conditions and the Dukes ball.With Gujarat Titans team-mate Sai Kishore, who says Sai Sudharsan has been an inspiration to him•BCCI”Sai came as an unknown and his experience of the English game was very limited,” Stewart says. “Vikram Solanki [the former England batter and current GT director of cricket] was massive in recommending him to me, and I have so much respect for Vikram. From his first training session, you could see that he was a special talent, and he hasn’t looked back. He loves to bat – whether in the nets or in the middle – and just fitted into our set-up perfectly.”Stewart reckons Sai Sudharsan’s soft hands and his range of shots will serve him well in English conditions.”He plays the ball late, and that’s the most important thing here. If you go too hard and get too far out in front of yourself, when the ball seams, you’re not in control, then your bat can get outside of your eyeline, whereas he plays it under his eyeline, plays it under his eyes, and plays it late. And even if he does nick it a little bit, like Kane Williamson, for example – you can nick it, but it still falls short of slip and that again is a real attribute of Sai’s.”The pitches are quicker here, certainly at The Oval, and to succeed, you have to be able to play off the back foot. You’ve got to be selective to pull, hook, cut or let go. He gets out of the [line of the] short ball well but can also play the uppercut over the slips. He’s got a full array of shots, and he gets them in right order.”The Dukes ball has a tendency to swing more than the Kookaburra and the SG ones, but Sai Sudharsan has had enough practice with it.You shall know him by the colour of his cap: Sai Sudharsan with his harvest of trophies for topping the run table and other feats in this year’s IPL•BCCI”When he’s gone back home, he’s taken some of our Dukes cricket balls back with him,” Stewart says. “I didn’t charge him for them and just let him have them,” he laughs. “But, no… he had that forward-thinking [mindset] and trained with those balls, so that when he comes back to us, or hopefully [is] picked for India on tour, he’ll have had nice practice against the Dukes cricket ball as well.”Some of those will probably be worn out by now because I gave them to him last year, but he’s a quick learner and he practises with a purpose. Yes, he likes volume, but he also likes to improve.”From watching videos of Kohli shown him by his mother, Sai Sudharsan is now a frontrunner to slot into India’s top four in the post-Kohli Test era. Stewart, a veteran of over 130 Tests, has some advice for the young batter.”Obviously big shoes to fill, with Mr Kohli standing down,” Stewart says. “But no one can do what Virat has done. If he can go in and almost not think of ‘I’m Virat’ because he’s not replacing him… Virat has retired. And therefore, can he not be the next Virat but can he be the best version of Sai Sudharsan? Then India have got yet another high-quality cricketer.”Sai Kishore believes Sai Sudharsan won’t be weighed down by the pressure of expectations and backs him to make the step up to Test cricket successfully. “Sai Su has no stage fright,” he says. “He made his IPL debut before he made his first-class debut. Be it TNPL [Tamil Nadu Premier League], TN, county, IPL or India, he was never taken aback by the situation or by the atmosphere. You come across a lot of skilful players, but they may not have the right mindset. Sai Su is supremely skilled and mentally strong, which is quite a rare combination.”India will enter a new era in England without the old firm of Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Sai Sudharsan could be one of the new faces who defines that new era.

Are bettors for some MLB playoff madness? 

The last week in MLB has seen a ton of changes to the playoff picture, starting with the San Diego Padres briefly taking the division lead in the NL West from the Los Angeles Dodgers.

A Dodgers win on Sunday put the teams into a tie atop the standings, but San Diego has been making a serious push to win this race for quite some time.

In the American League, the Boston Red Sox shot themselves back into the top spot in the AL wild card race, taking three of four games from the New York Yankees. 

New York’s win on Sunday gave it a slight edge over the Seattle Mariners — who are just two games back in the AL West — for the No. 2 wild card spot.

Injuries have taken a toll on a contender as well, as the Philadelphia Phillies lost ace Zack Wheeler for the rest of the season due to thoracic outlet syndrome, which will require surgery. 

Philly has a massive lead now over the New York Mets in the NL East standings, but can it make a deep playoff run without Wheeler? 

Speaking of the Mets, they have just a 1.5-game cushion in the wild card over the pesky Cincinnati Reds? Once again, I’ll examine the chances of the Reds sneaking into a playoff spot based on the latest odds.

A new week means that we’re taking a look at the latest betting odds to make the playoffs at SI Betting, and there may be a couple teams with some value to either win the division or make the postseason via the wild card.

American League Playoff Odds

Division Leaders

• Toronto Blue Jays: N/A
• Detroit Tigers: N/A
• Houston Astros: -2000

The division leaders in the American League have remained the same, only now oddsmakers have taken both the Blue Jays and Tigers off the board – a sign that they are locks to make the postseason.

Houston still has a lot of work to do, as it only has a two-game lead on the Mariners in the AL West. 

Wild Card Race

• New York Yankees: -1400
• Seattle Mariners: -575
• Boston Red Sox: -575
• Kansas City Royals: +290:
• Texas Rangers: +550
• Cleveland Guardians: +1000
• Tampa Bay Rays: +2000
• Minnesota Twins: +4000
• Los Angeles Angels: +4000

Even after dropping three of four games to Boston, New York’s playoff odds increased from -1100 to -1400. Vegas appears to be very high on the Yankees, even though they’ve been awful against their own division, going 17-22 overall and 5-15 against division teams that are over .500.

Boston isn’t getting much love in this market, as it remains tied with the Mariners in the odds to make the playoffs despite moving back to the top wild card spot.

Kansas City, the only team that has a chance to really dethrone this top group, sits three games back of Seattle at the moment. At +290, the Royals certainly have a chance to get in, but they’re not nearly as close as the Reds in the NL – despite having better odds. 

National League Playoff Odds

Division Leaders

• Philadelphia Phillies: N/A
• Los Angeles Dodgers: -20000
• Milwaukee Brewers: N/A

Even with Wheeler’s injury, the Phillies have joined the Milwaukee Brewers as the only teams in the NL with their odds off the board to make the playoffs. Both squads have sizable leads in their division races heading into the home stretch of the regular season.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers are in a dead heat with San Diego in the NL West, although both teams are -20000 to make the playoffs this season. 

Wild Card Race

• San Diego Padres: -20000
• Chicago Cubs: -20000
• New York Mets: -350
• Cincinnati Reds: +310
• San Francisco Giants: +2500
• St. Louis Cardinals: +2500
• Arizona Diamondbacks: +3000

San Diego and Chicago appear to have locked up wild card spots – at least – in the NL, but the final spot appears to be a two-team race between the Mets and Reds.

Despite remaining just 1.5 games out, the Reds’ odds to make the playoffs actually fell from +280 to +310, although the Mets fell from -370 to -350 in the process.

Cincy is certainly within striking distance, but it has the second-hardest remaining schedule in MLB.