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Crystal Palace are now in talks over signing a 32-year-old international on a free transfer, according to a recent report.

Crystal Palace stepping up transfer plans

The Eagles have been waiting for clarification on their participation in the Europa League for next season, and with reports now emerging that they could be allowed in the competition, the club are likely to go ahead with their transfer business.

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The Eagles could get a player in return.

By
Tom Cunningham

Jun 11, 2025

It’s already been reported in the early parts of this transfer window that Palace have made an approach to sign Ousmane Diomande from Sporting. The Portuguese side want £40 million for his services, and his arrival could be seen as a replacement for Marc Guehi, who is continuing to be linked with a move to Newcastle United.

In fact, Andrew Musgrove has now revealed that Palace could be open to the idea of letting Guehi leave as long as they get Matt Target in a swap deal. That is because Ben Chillwell has returned to Chelsea, and the Eagles want another option behind Tyrick Mitchell, with some cash coming their way as well.

They are not the only defenders the club are looking at, as it’s also been reported by The Sun that Oliver Glasner is pushing the South Londoners to sign Strahinja Pavlovic from AC Milan. Glasner is a big fan, and while Milan value the Serbian at £40 million, Palace may look to start the bidding at around the £25 million mark.

Crystal Palace now in talks to sign goalkeeper Walter Benitez

It appears that Glasner wants to strengthen the spine of his team, as according to reporter Uriel Lugt, relayed by Ben Jacobs, Crystal Palace are also in talks to sign goalkeeper Walter Benitez.

The 32-year-old has been at Dutch side PSV Eindhoven since July 2022, but he is now coming to the end of his contract this month, and the Eagles are looking to swoop in and sign him on a free.

Benitez has been a regular in the PSV side since joining the club and, in the last two seasons, has been a key performer in the club winning the Eredivisie, the Dutch Cup and the Dutch Super Cup. In the 2024/25 season, Benitez, who has been capped by Argentina, kept nine clean sheets in 34 league games.

Walter Benitez’s PSV stats
Apps	134
Goals conceded	152
Clean sheets	43

His potential arrival at Selhurst Park would see him go up against Dean Henderson for the number one spot. That is because Matt Turner’s loan spell at Palace has now come to an end after playing just four games for the club, which all came in the cup competitions.

Despite being older, Benitez may be seen as an upgrade to Turner, as his experience and track record of winning and playing in Europe is something that Glasner will want to have more of in his squad as they look ahead to the 2025/26 season.

Glasgow Rangers have enjoyed the services of several loan players over the years, with the majority being overwhelmingly successful.

Ryan Kent spent the 2018/19 campaign at Ibrox on loan from Liverpool under the watch of Steven Gerrard, and he was excellent at times.

The English forward excited the Ibrox support with his quality at the top end of the pitch, as the forward registered 15 goal contributions – six goals and nine assists.

A few years later, Malik Tillman used his spell at Rangers to seal a move to PSV Eindhoven. The youngster may have struggled at times with the physicality in Scotland, but that didn’t stop him scoring 12 goals and grabbing five assists at Ibrox.

This theme continued last term when Abdallah Sima, on loan from Brighton, showcased his abilities on the left wing regularly for the Light Blues during his temporary spell, with 16 goals in all competitions.

Vaclav Cerny was the annual loan signing last summer, and he produced better numbers than all of those who preceded him at the club, that’s for sure.

Vaclav Cerny has been one of Rangers’ best signings this season

Philippe Clement secured the services of the winger on loan from Wolfsburg last summer, and it looked like a shrewd move.

He scored five times for the German side in just 25 appearances last term and even netted against Celtic back during his days at Ajax. It may have taken a few weeks for him to get out of second gear, but when he did, the Ibrox faithful were in for a treat.

Indeed, across his 51 matches for Rangers, the Czech forward has scored 18 goals and registered nine assists across all competitions.

Metric

Cerny

Tillman

Sima

Goals

12

10

11

Assists

4

4

2

Big chances created

7

12

2

Key passes per game

2.4

1.6

0.8

Successful dribbles per game

1.5

1.5

1.2

Shots per game

2.9

1.7

2.9

Wonderful numbers, yet it looks as though he will return to his parent club when the season finishes, as it is unlikely Rangers can afford him.

In the January transfer window, Wolfsburg claimed that they would be expecting to recoup the majority of the £8m that they had paid for him should the Gers seek a permanent move.

Even with the 49ers Enterprises closing in on their takeover, a move to sign the winger this summer looks unlikely, especially as a new manager has yet to be appointed.

Rumours are circling that Davide Ancelotti – Carlo’s son – is the frontrunner to take charge at Ibrox ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Despite the lack of a full-time manager, the club are still looking ahead to the transfer window as they seek to strengthen.

Why Rangers could get bargain deal for League One winger

Rangers are in the market for several attacking players this summer, which has seen them turn to League One in England for potential signings.

Peterborough United winger Kwame Poku has been on the radar since late last year as the club plan ahead for the future.

His contract is set to expire at the end of the campaign, which opens the door for Rangers. Birmingham City are also keen, but the Scottish club have the advantage as they will only have to pay the cross-border compensation fee and this doesn’t apply to English sides.

“Celtic and Rangers have been at most of our games this season, but I don’t believe Kwame will go to Scotland.” Said Barry Fry recently, and it will be interesting to see what happens over the next few weeks.

Much will depend on just who takes over as the new manager of the Gers, but if it is Ancelotti, then Poku may prove to be a solid signing who could make the club forget about Cerny once his loan is over.

Why Kwame Poku can shine under Davide Ancelotti

Carlo Ancelotti may have won everything there has to be won in the game, especially during his time with Real Madrid, but Davide has played a huge role tactically in his second spell at the club.

Judging by the way Madrid have set up, Ancelotti would likely utilise a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-4-3 system, which could work well with those in the squad.

He would certainly start his teams on the foot, enabling the starting XI to attack high up the pitch. Working under his dad, however, will ensure he can be flexible with his playing style, depending on who the opponent is.

An attacking philosophy could suit someone like Poku, who thrives when his team are attacking in the final third.

This season, the Ghana winger has scored 12 goals and contributed 11 assists across just 31 matches for the Posh. Of course, it may be League One, but it still proves how effective he is in the final third, whether it is scoring or generating chances for his teammates, and shows that he could deliver as much as Cerny at Ibrox.

His manager at the Posh has lauded Poku previously for his starring role in their 2024/25 campaign, saying: “The boy is unplayable at the moment, he’s just so good. He deserves all the plaudits and all the credit.”

It looks as though he is now ready to leave the club and a move to Rangers could be perfect as he seeks to take the next step in his development.

Not only will he challenge for domestic trophies, but Poku will get the chance to play in Europe for the first time.

Across 27 games in the English third tier, Poku has averaged 2.4 shots per game, along with recording a goal conversion percentage of 19%, created nine big chances and averages 1.2 key passes per match for his club.

These are impressive statistics regardless of the league he is playing in, and Poku could be an excellent option for Ancelotti to call upon next season, should he become the new manager.

The next few weeks are extremely important for the club. If Ancelotti is the man set to take charge, he will have to be backed significantly.

While he hasn’t managed before, his ability to think on his feet and help power Madrid to plenty of titles has drawn plaudits. Could he do the same at Rangers?

Only time will tell.

Rangers could sign the next Ryan Kent with move for "outstanding" star

As the 49ers look to rebuild Rangers’ squad during the summer, could they secure an “outstanding” winger on a free, who could be the next Ryan Kent?

May 16, 2025

Chelsea are prepared to open talks over re-signing a former “leader”, who one source describes as the perfect player for Enzo Maresca’s dressing room.

Enzo Maresca makes "very important" Conference League claim

The west Londoners take a commanding 4-1 lead into their Conference League semi-final second leg against Djurgardens tonight, and all signs point towards Chelsea easing past Jani Honkavaara’s side as they look to confirm a spot in the final on May 28.

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Maresca has a golden chance to win his first piece of silverware as Chelsea manager during his debut season in charge, and a lot of expectation is riding on him, as they’ve been backed as solid favourites to lift the trophy since the beginning of 2024/2025.

Newcastle (away)

May 11th

Man United (home)

May 16th

Nottingham Forest (away)

May 25th

While Chelsea have much grander ambitions in the long-term, being knocked out of the Conference League at this stage would arguably be a disaster, and Maresca says winning the competition is “very important” for many reasons.

“Very important, very important for sure, 100 per cent,” said Maresca on Chelsea’s Conference League ambitions.

“For different reasons but the main reason is because we want this club winning trophies. In this moment we are in the Conference so we have to try to win the trophy in the competition that we are.

“So yeah, it’s important personally, but for me, it’s much more important for the club, for the fans. We said many times that it’s the only trophy that Chelsea didn’t win in the past and Chelsea can become the first club in Europe to win all the European competitions so it’s also good for the club.”

It would also end the campaign on a high, even if Chelsea’s race for Champions League qualification is taking centre stage right now.

The club’s ambitions to compete in Europe’s most prestigious competition will also have a knock-on effect when it comes to summer transfers, and it is believed the signing of a new centre-back is a top priority for Chelsea ahead of next term.

Bournemouth starlet Dean Huijsen and Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi are among Chelsea’s rumoured central defensive targets, but according to Football Transfers, they now have their eyes on a possible reunion with Antonio Rudiger.

Chelsea ready to open talks over bringing back Real Madrid star Antonio Rudiger

According to their information, the Blues have made contact with their ex-defender’s camp “in recent days” to be informed on his future at the Bernabeu – as they lay some groundwork over a potential deal.

The Germany international, while generally satisfied with life at Real, has apparently become “increasingly difficult” to deal with, and one source describes his situation as “tense” amid clashes with those in his inner circle.

The reasons for Rudiger’s dissatisfaction are kept vague, but this has apparently alerted Chelsea. Indeed, as well as reaching out to the £238,000-per-week defender’s representatives, it is believed Chelsea are “ready to negotiate” re-signing Rudiger if they get the green-light from him or Real.

The 32-year-old, despite some drama behind-closed-doors, has been described by an FT source as “exactly what the dressing room needs”. Rudiger’s experience could also be vital for Maresca’s very young squad, and he’s already a proven Premier League defender.

“He’s a leader, a warrior, exactly what this Chelsea dressing room needs,” said the source.

“There’s no fear about his personality. If anything, that fire is what we’re missing.”

With the end of the campaign in sight, the race for the Championship automatic promotion places and playoff slots is heating up, and excitement is starting to build over who will earn a shot at Premier League stardom.

Promotion hopefuls planning for top flight return

Sheffield United retain a two-point lead at this stage, but know that Leeds United and Burnley lurk directly below and will be on hand to deal a blow to their title aspirations at the first sign of complacency.

Evaluating wider competition, Sunderland, Coventry City, West Bromwich Albion, Middlesbrough and Bristol City are directly contesting each other for a place in the playoffs, creating a tense atmosphere across the division ahead of this weekend’s matches.

How the race looks with eight matches left

1. Sheffield United

83

2. Leeds United

81

3. Burnley

81

4. Sunderland

72

5. Coventry City

59

6. West Bromwich Albion

57

7. Middlesbrough

57

8. Bristol City

57

Undoubtedly, the pick of the round has to be West Brom’s home clash with Sunderland on Saturday lunchtime. The former are desperately clinging to sixth place after a run of only one win in five league games.

Tony Mowbray may even find his side knocked off their perch by Middlesbrough amid the latter’s kick-off against Blackburn Rovers on Friday evening. Either way, there is a lot of tension brewing between divisional rivals desperate for a shot at top-flight football.

On one end of the scale, Burnley would be devastated to miss out on an automatic return at the first time of asking. Meanwhile, clubs such as the Baggies and Boro have strong Premier League pedigree, even if they have spent a few years away from the dizzying heights of England’s most prestigious domestic environment.

Championship Table: Latest standings for the 2024/25 season

Latest English Football League Championship standings 2024/25.

ByStephan Georgiou Apr 22, 2025

Intriguingly, the trio mentioned aren’t only battling on the pitch, they are also now fighting for the signature of an international player who could be available for free this summer.

West Brom, Middlesbrough and Burnley want to sign Tom Lawrence

According to The Daily Mail, West Brom are joined by Middlesbrough and Burnley in the hunt to sign Rangers midfielder Tom Lawrence, who is out of contract in Glasgow at the end of the campaign.

Competition is fierce for his signature, with Coventry City, Wrexham, PAOK, Olympiacos and Besiktas also in the mix to tempt the 23-cap Wales international elsewhere on a free transfer.

Having previously played in the Championship with Derby County, Wayne Rooney paid tribute to his “excellent” leadership skills while captain of the Rams under his stewardship.

Nevertheless, the 31-year-old’s injury struggles have limited him to just 25 appearances at Ibrox this term, during which time he registered six goals and two assists across all competitions.

No confirmation has emerged regarding Lawrence’s next steps, creating an opportunity for interested parties to present a vision that could tempt the Wrexham-born man to seek regular football in an alternative environment.

Who will win the race for his signature? It is too soon to say, but achieving promotion to the Premier League would certainly help West Brom, Middlesbrough and Burnley make a compelling case.

No team before New Zealand has won a Test by over 300 runs after losing the previous Test in the same series by over 300 runs

Sampath Bandarupalli17-Dec-2024423 – New Zealand’s victory margin of 423 runs in Hamilton is their joint-highest by runs in Test cricket. They won by the same margin runs against Sri Lanka in 2018 in Christchurch after setting a target of 660 runs.1 – New Zealand is the first team to win by a margin of over 300 runs after losing the previous Test in the series by over 300 runs – they lost the second Test of the series against England by 323 runs in Wellington.This has never happened before.England beat Australia by 322 runs in the first match of the 1936-37 Ashes before Australia returned the favour with a 365-run win in the third Test.Related

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Twice before has a team won consecutive Tests in a series by over 300 runs.South Africa beat Australia by 307 and 323 runs in consecutive matches in the 1970 home series and did the same in the home series in 2018 with victories by 322 and 492 runs.10 – New Zealand have played ten Tests at Seddon Park since their previous defeat there, in 2012 against South Africa. They have won eight out of these ten, while the other two ended in draws.1 – England is the first team to lose by a margin of 400-plus runs twice in a calendar year – they suffered a 434-run defeat against India in February in Rajkot.Six of the 15 instances of wins by 400-plus runs in Tests have come against England.13 – Men to have scored 40-plus runs and taken three or more wickets in both innings of a Test match, including Mitchell Santner in Hamilton. He is the first player to achieve this feat in men’s Test cricket since Daniel Vettori against Bangladesh in Chattogram in 2008.ESPNcricinfo Ltd1925 – Runs by Joe Root in Tests against New Zealand, the most by any batter, surpassing Javed Miandad’s tally of 1919. Root also has the most runs by a batter in Tests against India, with 2846.Root is only the second player to be the leading run-scorer against two different teams. Kumar Sangakkara is the top-scorer in Tests against both Pakistan (2911) and Bangladesh (1816).1006 – Root’s runs in New Zealand in Tests, making him the first visiting player to score over 1000 Test runs in the country. Root also has the most 50-plus scores in New Zealand by a visiting player – he has done it eight times.27 – Test wickets for Santner in 2024, making it the joint-most wickets by a New Zealand spinner in a calendar year since Vettori took 54 in 2008. Vettori also took 27 wickets in Tests in 2009.7 – Hauls of four or more wickets by New Zealand spinners in Tests in 2024. Santner and Ajaz Patel each took three, while Glenn Phillips contributed one. This tally is the second highest for New Zealand’s spinners in a calendar year, behind the nine they recorded in 2008, of which eight were by Vettori.

South Africa’s new T20I captain begins his long-awaited tenure with a three-match series against West Indies

Firdose Moonda24-Mar-2023It has been more than nine years since Aiden Markram captained South Africa’s Under-19 side to victory at the World Cup, and more than five since he led the senior side in five of the six ODIs they played in a marathon series against India. Those were tasters of what seemed to be Markram’s birthright as skipper of South Africa’s men’s national team, and they gave him opposite experiences of what the role would ultimately entail.His U-19 experience was successful and fun. “Everyone just wanted to play and you just had to make sure the team was getting on and guys understood their roles and that was pretty much as simple as it was,” Markram said at a press conference on the eve of the first T20I against West Indies.The ODI experience was chastening, for both the team and for him. South Africa lost the series 5-1. Markram’s top-score was 32. He was dropped from the side shortly after and was bitterly disappointed with how things had gone because he expected much more from himself. “I was quite fresh back at that young age, I was quite hard on myself,” he said. “I always wanted to do well and we know that in sport, it doesn’t always work out that way.”Related

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In between that, Markram was led by Faf du Plessis, Quinton de Kock, Temba Bavuma and Dean Elgar at national level; by Sam Northeast at Hampshire and by Kane Williamson and KL Rahul at the IPL. Of those, du Plessis made the biggest impression. “How Faf managed to marshal his troops was something I really looked up to and something I strive to become. I’ve learnt a lot from him – probably without him knowing – just observing from the side,” Markram said. “The years of being in this environment has helped. We’ve had some great leaders around, so to sponge information off them and see how they operate has also shaped the way I am starting to think as well.”Now, after cutting the last of his teeth at Sunrisers Eastern Cape, the team he led to the inaugural SA20 title, Markram is finally, really ready to fulfil what many thought was his destiny. He has been named South Africa’s new, permanent T20I captain and begins his tenure with a three-match series against West Indies this weekend.As far as challenges go, although playing the former world champions always asks questions of a team, there is not much in the way of consequence for Markram’s inaugural outing. It’s not a T20 World Cup year, so the squad does not need to stack up a string of good results for anything other than pride and putting in place a few foundation stones for his tenure. Still there is excitement in the air. “West Indies are a great team to be able to test our skills against, see where we are with regards to our T20 side,” Markram said.

“You have to try to take performances and outcomes out of things and focus on the things that give you the best chance to succeed on the day, whether it works or not”Aiden Markram

South Africa have already had their high this year. Their franchise T20 tournament was played to mostly sold-out crowds, and even better than that, their women’s team made it to the T20 World Cup final. “We are almost seeing it as them setting the standard, and it’s something for us to chase,” Markram said. “They’ve inspired us to try and get there as well.”But there’s no expectation on the men’s team to reach those heights anytime soon. South Africa aren’t yet sure of a place in the 2023 ODI World Cup. Their set up, led by white-ball coach Rob Walter, are focused on 2027. By then, Markram will be 32 and there is a strong chance he will be captaining his team in a home World Cup.Before getting there, he will first need to accumulate a wealth of knowledge and maybe take some of his own advice as well. “You have to learn to take things in your stride,” Markram said. “You have to try to take performances and outcomes out of things and focus on the things that give you the best chance to succeed on the day, whether it works or not. Those things have helped me so far.”

She is the most genuine allrounder imaginable

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Oct-2020The 50 Greatest Australian Cricketers (Affirm Press), in which Dan Liebke charts the careers, characteristics and enduring legacies of the finest Australian players of the last half-century.

‘She’s totally amazing’ – Amy,
‘Watch the ball. Make good decisions’ – Ellyse Perry

If I told you that Australia had a batter who averaged 78.10 in Tests, 52.10 in ODIs and 29.07 in T20Is, you’d probably consider them the kind of player you’d want batting in your top order.If I told you that Australia had a bowler who averaged 18.19 in Tests, 24.29 in ODIs and 18.97 in T20Is, you’d surely want them to lead your bowling attack.If I told you that those figures belonged to the same cricketer, you’d probably smack me upside the head and tell me to stop lying. After all, the Australian men’s team, as a rule, haven’t had a true allrounder – one who could comfortably hold their spot with their prowess in either discipline – for decades.ALSO READ: Profile: Ellyse the incredible (2017) In the last 50 years, which man comes close? Shane Watson was handy with the ball, but if you had to choose him as a bowler only, you’d be in a perilous state of affairs. Steve Waugh in his youth was a handy ODI allrounder, as was Simon O’Donnell. But neither reached that standard in Tests. Mitchell Johnson has a Test century, but no sane person would ever have picked him as a specialist batter.However, over in the women’s side, we have Ellyse Perry, the most genuine allrounder imaginable.Perry made her debut for the Australian ODI side in 2007. She was 16 years old, the youngest ever cricketer to represent Australia. Her T20 debut came six months later, where she was awarded player of the match for her 29 not out with the bat and her 4 for 20 with the ball. Her Test debut came two weeks after that. Not yet old enough to vote or legally drink, Ellyse Perry was an allrounder in all three formats of the game.At this stage, however, she was primarily a bowling allrounder, who batted in the bottom half of the line-up and was only expected to contribute occasional runs. This would be her position for the first half of her career.Despite an ankle injury bothering her when she started bowling in the 2013 World Cup final, Ellyse Perry took 3 for 19 to help dismiss West Indies for 145•Pal Pillai/Getty ImagesThis slightly reduced role didn’t stop her from having an impact. In the 2010 World T20, the still-teenaged Perry was given the last over of the final, with New Zealand needing 14 to win and the big-hitting Sophie Devine at the crease. Perry saw the game out, using her football skills to intercept with her foot a straight drive from the final ball that would have sent the match into a Super Over. She was player of the match.Three years later, in the 2013 World Cup, Perry was struggling with an ankle injury. She’d missed a good chunk of the tournament because of it, but was determined to play in the final against the West Indies. She batted with no apparent discomfort, contributing 25 not out (22) to help Australia to 259 for 7 from their 50 overs.When it came time to bowl, however, with the West Indies moving comfortably along at 32 for 0, Perry’s ankle wouldn’t support her. Attempting to bowl her first ball, she was forced to abort her run-up, and limp back to the top of her mark. Her second attempt was no more successful, the pain evident with every step.Yet somehow, Perry fought through the pain and forced herself to bowl the over. It was a maiden. A wicket maiden to be precise, as she removed Kycia Knight lbw from the final ball of the over. From the first ball of her next over, she caught the edge of Stafanie Taylor’s bat. However, the third umpire adjudicated that the ball didn’t carry to Meg Lanning at slip. So three balls later, Perry had Taylor caught and bowled instead. Still no runs had been taken from her. In her following over, Perry had Natasha McLean lbw. After three overs, she had the figures of 3 for 2 with two maidens. West Indies were done. Ellyse Perry had won the World Cup on one leg.ALSO WATCH: 25 Questions with Ellyse Perry: ‘Fast bowlers are cooler than spinners. Just look at them!’Even if you only considered her bowling feats at this stage of her career, that would have been enough to see her acknowledged as one of Australia’s finest ever cricketers.From the middle of 2013 on, however, Perry suddenly decided to become not just a handy lower-order batter, but instead one of the best batters in the world. Perhaps, given that her international soccer career was winding down, she was bored and looking for a new challenge.The improvement in Perry’s batting from 2013 on was most noticeable in the longer forms of the game. Her batting average in ODIs, which was 21.86 from 54 matches up to the 2013 World Cup final, transformed into an average of 70.58 from 58 games afterwards. In Tests, her batting average of 22.66 from three Tests prior to 2013 jumped to 111.20 from five Tests afterwards.Granted, those Test figures are a very small sample size. On the other hand, they’re the only Tests that the women get to play, and jumping from 22.66 to 111.20 is certainly better than moving in the other direction. Furthermore, given the jump in her ODI batting records, which is over a far more statistically significant sample, it’s not crazy to think Perry’s Test batting might genuinely have improved dramatically as well.Certainly, when she was compiling a patient 213 not out in the 2017 Ashes Test and then following it up with 116 and 76 not out in the 2019 version, one got the distinct impression that her batting at Test level had advanced a notch or two.Perry’s 213 not out in the 2017 Ashes is the highest Test score by an Australian female batter•Getty ImagesRegardless of how precisely Perry’s astonishing Test batting figures reflect her true ability at that level, there’s little doubt that she’s one of the elite batters in women’s cricket these days.Oh, and her bowling has also maintained its previous spectacular standard throughout this period of her batting improvement.All of which makes Ellyse Alexandra Perry an impossibly good package of a cricketer.A decent trick question a seasoned cricket fan can ask a more casual fan is to name the greatest cricketer of all time. Most such casual fans will unhesitatingly blurt out “Bradman” as the answer.But Bradman was merely the greatest batter of all time. The more nuanced answer is to consider both batting and bowling and pin your vote on Sir Garfield Sobers, who had a batting average of 57.78 and a bowling average of 34.03.Despite the difficulties of comparing different eras and the different formats played, it’s not crazy to consider Ellyse Perry the Sobers of women’s cricket. She’s got a similarly mind-boggling record with both bat and ball over a similarly long career.And so if I told you that Ellyse Perry was Australia’s greatest cricketer of the last 50 years, you’d have to at least consider the possibility that I was telling the truth.Which is convenient, because that’s exactly what I am telling you: Ellyse Perry is Australia’s greatest cricketer of the last 50 years.This excerpt has been edited lightly to ESPNcricinfo house style

The Texas Rangers and San Diego Padres kicked off a weekend series at Petco Park on Friday.

With one out in the bottom of the 5th inning, Trenton Brooks hit a ball off the wall in right field. Right fielder Adolis Garcia fielded the ball off one bounce and made a good throw to second base, but Brooks beat the tag of Corey Seager.

Then he popped up.

The Rangers challenged the play and it was confirmed that Seager had kept the tag on him as he levitated above the bag. It almost doesn't seem fair when you consider middle infielders are allowed the latitude of the "neighborhood play," an unwritten rule widely accepted to the point where MLB.com has a page defining it.

This is the second time this happened this season. In April a game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Texas Rangers ended when Wyatt Langford stole second, but was called out because he popped off the bag.

Mikel Merino salvaged a 1-1 draw for Premier League leaders Arsenal, but they will feel like this was two-points dropped against a Chelsea side who were reduced to 10 men after just 38 minutes when Moises Caicedo was sent off. In an extremely feisty London derby that was littered with early yellow cards, it was no real surprise to see a dismissal, with Caicedo seeing red for a brutal tackle on Merino seven minutes before the interval.

It was a big blow to Chelsea, but they dealt with it well and got themselves in front just after half-time when Trevoh Chalobah flicked on Reece James' corner and his header looped over everyone and into the far corner.

Arsenal hit back quickly, however, and got back on level terms when Merino rose to power Bukayo Saka's cross past Robert Sanchez, and you felt at that point the visitors would go on to make their extra man advantage count.

But they struggled to create any clear cut chances and had to settle for a point which keeps them six points clear of the Blues and moved them five clear of second-placed Manchester City.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from Stamford Bridge…

AFPGoalkeeper & Defence

David Raya (6/10):

Got caught out a bit by the free-kick that led to the corner which Chelsea scored from. Didn't have much to do in terms of saves.

Jurrien Timer (7/10):

Class act as always. Amid all the chaos, especially in the first half, he was the one calm head in the Arsenal back four.

Cristhian Mosquera (6/10):

Surprisingly named in the XI due to the training ground injury suffered by William Saliba. Looked edgy on the ball as Chelsea pressed, but never hid and played his part,

Piero Hincapie (6/10):

You could see him trying to talk Mosquera through the game at times. Played the senior defensive role quite well. Almost set up a late winner with his cross into the box. Booked.

Riccardo Calafiori (5/10):

Stupid booking in the first half. Chelsea dealt with him quite well, so he wasn't his usual attacking threat. Replaced by Lewis-Skelly at half-time.

AdvertisementAFPMidfield

Martin Zubimendi (6/10):

Booked in the opening minutes so was always walking a tightrope. Found very little as was in a constant battle with Enzo.

Declan Rice (7/10):

Probably the one player who showed any consistent quality for Arsenal. Produced one exceptional tackle to deny Neto. 

Eberechi Eze (5/10):

Never really got into the game. Looked frustrated by the constant fouls and stop-start nature of the game.

Getty Images SportAttack

Bukayo Saka (6/10):

Was in and out of the game, but found a moment of real quality when he got to the touchline and picked out a perfect cross for Merino to score.

Mikel Merino (6/10):

Not his best game. His touch and passing range was off at times, but still popped up with a crucial goal.

Gabriel Martinelli (5/10):

Had one shot well saved in the first half. Looked rusty, which is no surprise given this was his first start in well over a month.

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AFPSubs & Manager

Myles Lewis-Skelly (5/10):

On at half-time to replace the booked Calafiori, but picked up a yellow himself almost immediately.

Martin Odegaard (6/10):

Good to see him back. Got involved, but was unable to unpick the lock in the Chelsea defence.

Noni Madueke (6/10):

Booed relentlessly on his return to Chelsea. On the fringes of things. 

Viktor Gyokeres (N/A):

Couldn't get into the game, though did look like he was about to score the winner right at the death, but Timber took Hincapie's cross off his head.

Mikel Arteta (6/10):

It felt like his late attacking changes didn't work. It made the game more open and Arsenal lost any control.

Winter is here, and Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank knows he is staring down the barrel of a gun as he looks to find form and consistency after a tough start to his tenure.

That may be an understatement. Spurs have lost three on the trot, and Saturday’s home defeat against Fulham in the Premier League means the 3-0 victory over Burnley in August remains an outlier in regard to three points down N17 this season.

The fans are frustrated, no doubt about that. And they have a right to be. Tottenham have lacked sparkle in their attacking play this season, though Frank will feel that injuries to Dominic Solanke, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski have put him on the back foot.

Much has been made of the Londoners’ creativity (or lack thereof), but it’s also clear that the Lewis Family need to authorise the signing of a centre-forward.

Why Spurs need a striker

Harry Kane and Heung-min Son have both left the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in recent years, and the superstars have not really been replaced with elite options.

Mathys Tel is young and talented, but he is also raw. Solanke is a proven Premier League star, but his entire stint in north London has been blighted by setbacks. Richarlison is in fine form, but probably not the long-term solution at number nine.

What Frank and the fanbase need is an up-and-coming superstar to spearhead this next era at the club.

That’s why Samu Agwehowa has been earmarked. According to TEAMtalk, Tottenham have joined the race for the 21-year-old Porto striker after his convincing performances in Portugal.

The Spanish international has a €100m (about £88m) release clause in his contract, though Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange would be certain to lodge an offer far south of that daunting figure.

What Samu would bring to north London

Richarlison is a curious striker. He is capable of so much, and yet he performs to his full capacity with consistent inconsistency.

25/26

13

5 + 2

24/25

14

4 + 1

23/24

28

11 + 4

22/23

27

1 + 4

Injuries have not helped the Brazil international, but it’s clear that he is not Kane. That said, Richarlison has been in moderately good form this season, essential in providing an outlet as Solanke founders in the infirmary.

But in Samu, Frank would land a goalscorer who has the potential to be “one of the best strikers in Europe”, according to journalist Zach Lowy, so powerful and potent in the final third.

Joining Porto from Atletico Madrid in 2024, Samu has chalked up 37 goals and four assists across just 62 appearances, including ten from 17 outings in all competitions this season.

He ranks among the top 8% of forwards in the Primeira Liga for progressive carries and the top 3% for successful take-ons, emphasising not only his pace but his control and force when on the ball and driving forward.

His athleticism and natural poaching instinct earn him a certain likeness to Richarlison, but given his age and the consistency of goalscoring, Samu might actually prove an upgrade on the South American.

Take, for example, his Europa League performances this year, winning 57% of his duels and averaging a tackle per game, as per Sofascore.

Combativeness forms a key part of Richarlison’s toolbox, and if Spurs are to upgrade on the 28-year-old, who has actually been linked with a move away from the club of late, they will want to sign someone who can emulate him while building up a skillset that transcends what Spurs have hosted in recent years.

Samu is all that and more, and he would be a fantastic signing for a Tottenham team in need of a new talisman.

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