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One player still on the books at Manchester United has been told that his Old Trafford “career is over” by a former Red Devils midfielder.

Players who could leave Man Utd in 2026

2026 could be another busy year at Old Trafford in regards to incomings and outgoings, with Ruben Amorim and INEOS continuing to make their mark in Manchester.

The Red Devils have four players out of contract at the end of the season, one of which is midfielder Casemiro.

Players out of contract at Man Utd in 2026

Harry Maguire

Casemiro (option until 2027)

Tom Heaton

Tyrell Malacia

Man Utd have the option to extend that by a further 12 months, however, Amorim and INEOS seemingly clashing behind the scenes regarding the Brazilian. Amorim wants to keep Casemiro whereas INEOS want him to take a pay cut from his current £350,000-a-week wage.

There are also numerous loanees away from Man Utd who could seal permanent exits at the end of the season. Rasmus Hojlund is at Napoli, Marcus Rashford is at Barcelona, Jadon Sancho is at Aston Villa and Andre Onana is with Trabzonspor.

United could look to move the quartet out on a full-time basis, with options to buy inserted in Rashford’s move to the Nou Camp and Hojlund’s move to Napoli. Now, another one of the four has been told he has no future at the club by a pundit.

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Posts ByTom Cunningham Nov 21, 2025 Strachan tells Onana his Man Utd “career is over”

Former Man Utd midfielder Gordon Strachan, speaking to Esports News relayed by The Manchester Evening News, feels that Andre Onana “has played his last game” for Man Utd and would be “shocked” if he played for the Red Devils again.

Onana’s Man Utd contract is worth £120,000-a-week and there is no option to buy for the Turkish side at the end of the season, with the ‘keeper’s Manchester deal not expiring until 2028.

United forked out just under £50m on Onana back in 2023, but after numerous errors at Old Trafford and Amorim now having Senne Lammens, a permanent exit could make sense for all involved next year.

Forget Anderson: Man Utd in talks to sign "world's most underrated footballer"

Hossan, Beg make half-centuries for visitors as Minto impresses again with three wickets

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay07-Sep-2025

Isaac Mohammed was in the runs for England Under-19•Getty Images

England U19 273 for 6 (Mohammed 104, Basir 3-35) beat Bangladesh U19 272 for 9 (Hossan 57, Beg 51, Minto 3-48) by four wicketsA superb Isaac Mohammed century guided England Men U19s to a four-wicket win against Bangladesh Men U19s in the second Youth one-day international at Loughborough.The Worcestershire batter, who was dropped on six, was the backbone of a potentially tricky run chase after half-centuries from Rifat Beg and Rizan Hossan helped Bangladesh post 272 for nine.James Minto claimed three for 48 from his 10 overs – to follow his five-wicket haul in the opening-match defeat – although the highlight of the innings was arguably Joe Moores’ stunning catch to remove KS Aleen off Manny Lumsden.Moores dived full length to his right at a floating slip to haul in a remarkable one-handed catch and then struck 47 alongside Mohammed at the top of the order to put the hosts on track in their pursuit.Mohammed went on to reach 104 from 95 balls, which included nine sixes, before Jack Nelson, who made his debut in the opening game on Friday, saw the Young Lions over the line with an unbeaten 35 from 38 balls.The five-match series is level 1-1 heading into the next match at Bristol on Tuesday.Despite the early loss of Zawad Abrar, caught at mid-off from Matthew Firbank’s bowling, Bangladesh edged the initial stages, reaching 67 for one after 10 overs.The drinks interval proved pivotal, as three wickets fell in three consecutive overs, after the break. The pace of Hampshire’s Manny Lumsden rushed Beg into a mistake, ending a promising knock of 51 from 52 balls. The soft dismissal of Azizul Hakim Tamim followed, as he offered a simple chance to square leg and Lumsden claimed his second wicket courtesy of Moores excellent catch.At 126 for four inside 20 overs, Bangladesh were precariously placed but Hossan, a centurion in Friday’s game and wicketkeeper Mohammed Abdullah rebuilt with a partnership of 69. It was ended when Abdullah mistimed a pull shot off Minto.Hossan, displaying power and subtlety, got to his fifty soon after, off 54 balls. His crucial wicket was taken the ball after he deposited a huge six onto the roof of an adjacent building, Jack Nelson being rewarded for perseverance.At 218 for six Bangladesh’s innings never really regained impetus, as Nelson’s leg-spin claimed another wicket in his next over, with Samiun Basir Ratul’s top edge being caught by Bryon Hatton-Lowe.Two further cheap wickets followed as the England bowlers continued to apply themselves, although late innings hitting from Al Fahad elevated the final total to 272-9 off 47 overs – three overs being reduced due to rain.In response, the England openers raced to f50 off 6.5 overs, to get ahead of the asking rate. Mohammed’s graceful straight hits and Moores’s scooped six, were highlights of a partnership worth 68. Moores was out gloving the ball behind, from Shahrir Al-Amin’s first delivery.The next wicket came somewhat against the run of play, Ben Mayes bowled by Ratul when the second-wicket partnership looked well set, leaving the score on 120 for two. Mohammed’s second successive fifty came shortly afterwards off 69 balls, and in a run soaked 26th over he struck three sixes off Hossan’s medium pace.At the other end, a sharp stumping sent Will Bennison back for 12, before skipper Thomas Rew departed for 14 to a catch in the deep, which just kept Bangladesh in the game with 59 runs needed off 14 overs.Mohammed was dismissed, holing out off Fahad, two balls after completing a composed century. The sixth-wicket pair of Nelson and Ralphie Albert took England to the brink of victory, which eventually came with 3.5 overs remaining.Moores said: “It was a really good win, I though last game we were pretty close for a lot of the time, we had a lot of good moments, we spoke about trying to build that for longer.”Obviously Isaac batted really well, he set the tone really nicely, the lads who came in after him followed it up really nicely as well. Everyone chipped in, it’s definitely good to get the win and go one-all.”Speaking about his scoop for six, Moores added: “It’s just going to your strengths as quickly as possible, I feel like those kinds of shots are one of my strengths. It felt like it was a good option.”Moores added about his diving slip catch: “I was very pleased, it’s one of those that sticks, it felt like it was going in slow motion, it was a nice feeling (to take the catch).”

Liverpool are a team with distinct flaws, and yet they are also breathtaking and brilliant when firing on all cylinders.

Too often this season, Arne Slot’s side have failed to get going, outthought and outfought across the past few months, losing six of seven matches across all competitions before a controlled win over Aston Villa in the Premier League stopped the rot.

The 1-0 victory over European nemeses Real Madrid was something different, though. Anfield roared and cheered Virgil van Dijk and his Redmen, bayed and bellowed at Los Blancos and ex-Liverpool man Trent Alexander-Arnold, who received a frosty reception when welcomed after 80 minutes.

1

Goals

0

2.51

Expected goals (xG)

0.45

17 (9)

Shots (on target)

8 (2)

4

Big chances

1

111.4km

Distance covered

112.7km

38.8%

Possession

61.2%

4

Corners

2

45%

Duels won

55%

This is the Liverpool we know. Energy and intensity and purpose across every area of the field. However, while Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate stood firm against Kylian Mbappe, with the full-backs excelling too, the plain truth remains of the Merseysiders’ desperate need for reinforcements in central defence.

Liverpool searching for a centre-back

Of course, Liverpool did sign a centre-back this summer, adding Giovanni Leoni to their ranks for a £26m fee. The 18-year-old is worth his wait in gold, but ruptured his ACL on his debut against Southampton and now sits sidelined for around a year.

The inability to prise Marc Guehi away from Crystal Palace, however, is surely the bigger blow. A deal was almost in place on deadline day, but the Eagles had not found a suitable replacement, and with such little time to pull out the stops, the move disintegrated, with the player having been permitted to carry out a medical with the Anfield side.

It still could come together. Guehi, 25, has entered the final year of his contract at Selhurst Park and has no desire to pen a fresh deal. The issue now is that a host of Europe’s top outfits want his signature, though Spanish paper AS have confirmed with week that, alongside Bayern Munich, the Reds are still leading the race, ahead of the likes of Real Madrid.

Liverpool will hope to snap Guehi up on a Bosman by the end of the campaign, but if they fall short in that race, sporting director Richard Hughes has lined up the perfect alternative in Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni.

As per further Spanish sources, Liverpool have been named as potential suitors for Italian defender Bastoni, with FSG considering making a €100m (£87m) bid this January.

The veracity of this developing story is uncertain at this stage, but the 26-year-old is undoubtedly talented enough to stand out under Slot’s wing, with the style and experience to make a marked difference as Van Dijk inches ever closer to the autumn of his illustrious Anfield career.

What Bastoni would offer Liverpool

Liverpool need a centre-back; they’ve needed one for some time. While Guehi was the first-choice option this summer, Bastoni might actually prove a more compelling option for the Anfield side, having been hailed for his “world-class” ability by commentator Matteo Bonetti.

This is a defender who is at the top of their game, one of the most important cogs in an I Nerazzurri machine that has won two Scudettos and two Coppa Italia titles in five recent seasons, winner of the 2021 European Championship with Italy besides.

And, aged 26, he falls into a similar bracket as Guehi: a centre-back with the talent to make an instant impact and the prime years still ahead to grow deeper into their role in Slot’s squad and reach entirely new levels of performance.

He’s one of the best players in his position worldwide. In Serie A this season, Bastoni has scored a goal and supplied two assists across nine outings, winning 70% of his aerial duels and averaging 1.8 tackles per game (data provided by Sofascore).

A strong passer and outside-the-box thinker, he could even trump Guehi across ball-playing metrics, with the Palace man renowned for his cool, composed and creative presence on the ball.

Goals

0.05

0.06

Assists

0.05

0.09

Touches

89.54

60.67

Pass completion (%)

86.5

83.5

Progressive passes

5.29

4.09

Shot-creating actions

2.36

1.53

Progressive carries

1.88

0.77

Successful take-ons

0.31

0.26

Ball recoveries

3.53

4.12

Tackles + interceptions

2.62

3.12

Clearances

2.85

4.56

Aerial duels won

1.53

1.91

As you can see, Guehi has been more active in defensive contributions over the past year. This you would expect from an outfit like Palace in the Premier League when compared to Italian giants like Inter. But Bastoni is slicker and more able on the ball, and that when Guehi shines in that regard.

Sure, Guehi is a free agent come the end of the campaign, and that counts for a lot, but whether Liverpool and FSG would be willing to pass up an opportunity to sign a talent of Bastoni’s ability is another question entirely. After all, the reports suggest that a bid is currently being packaged together.

Here is a fearsome centre-half with the passing range of a maestro. Liverpool could do a lot worse than add Bastoni to their ranks, securing a long-term Van Dijk heir with the perfect skillset to ease the agony of his moving on.

Bastoni. The perfect, elite bastion to secure Liverpool’s backline for many years to come. He has a wealth of experience at the highest level and the hunger to achieve even more.

He is immensely talented, perhaps more so than Guehi, and Slot’s defence would reach frightening levels of security and balance and progression with him added into the mix.

Not Bradley: Liverpool have found the new Trent & he's not even a defender

Arne Slot has now uncovered Liverpool’s next Trent Alexander-Arnold, and it’s not Conor Bradley.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 6, 2025

To say Arsenal are in form at the moment would be an understatement.

Mikel Arteta’s side are flying and, following their 3-1 win over Bayern Munich in the Champions League, are starting to get the recognition they deserve.

Moreover, while there is still a long way to go before anything is settled, the Gunners could go a long way in cementing their grip on the Premier League title race by beating Chelsea on Sunday.

However, it will be a tough game, and on top of Estevao, Arsenal may have to be on their toes regarding a certain Cole Palmer, who’s previously been compared to another international star the Gunners have been linked with.

Arsenal team news

Arsenal’s recent run of results and performances have been hugely impressive, and are made only more so by the fact that the team have been plagued by injuries.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

For example, the team tore Tottenham Hotspur to pieces without a recognised number nine on the pitch, or bench for that matter, and without Gabriel Mageheles, who has arguably been their player of the season so far.

Fortunately, Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard are all back in contention again, with all three coming off the bench against Bayern.

Moreover, during his pre-match press conference, Arteta revealed that there is “a potential chance” that Leandro Trossard could be available for the game this weekend.

He was a little less clear when it came to Gabriel Jesus, as he confirmed that the striker took part in a behind-closed-doors friendly, but said “We have to see” when it comes to his availability for Sunday.

Finally, while it seems unlikely, the boss didn’t rule out the possibility of Viktor Gyokeres and Kai Havertz making it into the squad, saying, “We have another day tomorrow, so let’s see how everybody is tomorrow.”

So, it’s mostly good news on the injury front for the Gunners, but the Blues have also received a big boost, with Enzo Maresca confirming that Palmer is now available to start the game.

The Englishman is a world-class player, and based on reports from earlier this month, Arsenal could potentially sign someone who has been compared to him in the past.

The Palmer-like star Arsenal could sign

Arsenal have already been linked with a host of seriously exciting players over the last month or so, but arguably the most exciting and the one who has been compared to Palmer is Michael Olise.

Now, it should be said that the two internationals, of course, have their differences, but according to FBref, the Englishman was the third-most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Frenchman in the 23/24 Premier League season.

To gain a better understanding of how this conclusion was reached, you can take a look at the underlying numbers in which the pair ranked so closely.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.74

0.76

Key Passes

2.54

2.47

Passes into the Penalty Area

2.39

2.37

Crosses into the Penalty Area

0.21

0.17

Live Passes

42.6

44.6

Shot-Creating Actions

5.79

5.57

Goal-Creating Actions

0.99

0.89

These metrics included things like non-penalty expected goals plus assists, key and live passes, shot and goal-creating actions, passes into the penalty area and more, all per 90.

In other words, both players were attacking monsters, both from a goalscoring perspective and a creative one.

Now, on top of the undeniable statistical similarities between them, they can also both be described as entertainers; they are players who’ll produce the output, but will also get the fans on their feet with a piece of skill and trickery.

Moreover, the pair of them are quite nonchalant in the way they go about their business on and off the pitch, making the former Crystal Palace star someone who’d probably fit in quite well at the Emirates.

Ultimately, while the comparisons to the Chelsea star are great, the Gunners should be looking to sign the Bayern Munich star regardless, as in just 74 appearances for the German giants, he has already produced 62 goal involvements, which more than justifies Serge Gnabry’s claim that the 23-year-old is “one of the best players in the world.”

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 28, 2025

Liverpool have made some key changes to their squad in recent times and could now be about to step up their pursuit of Mohamed Salah’s eventual long-term replacement.

The Reds have been out of sorts this campaign and appear to be suffering from a serious case of second-season syndrome after claiming the Premier League title last term, with several of their big hitters falling below usual standards in a frustrating period for Arne Slot.

Notably, Salah has struggled to adapt to changes around him such as Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak’s arrivals at the club. Now, that isn’t to say he hasn’t contributed, but shifting dynamics and a need to accommodate new stars have left the Egyptian hero caught in an awkward movie.

Five goals and three assists in 17 appearances across all competitions isn’t a bad record by any means. However, his overall influence on the side hasn’t been as prominent, something that may also be underpinned by Luis Diaz’s move to Bayern Munich.

Salah and Cody Gakpo lost the ball a combined 53 times against Nottingham Forest, something that made it difficult to string together consistent attacking passages of play in the cold light of day.

While nobody could’ve argued with Liverpool’s recruitment in the summer, football is never cut and dry and their collapse over recent weeks has definitely redefined what their priorities will be for the rest of the campaign.

Ultimately, the Premier League title may be a bridge too far unless there is a dramatic change in circumstances, but there is still plenty of glory to be derived should the Reds manage to get their act together over the coming months.

Eventually, Salah will be replaced, and Liverpool may now have identified the star that could succeed him at Anfield amid recent developments.

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Liverpool willing to pay big money for Mohamed Salah replacement

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are willing to bid close to £200 million for Bayern Munich star Michael Olise, who has been identified as an ideal replacement for the Egypt international.

Salah is Liverpool’s highest earner on £400,000-a-week but is said to have an uncertain future at Anfield, and Reds chiefs aren’t willing to allow one of their most influential stars to depart without an equally talented potential asset ready and waiting.

Michael Olise at Bayern Munich
Appearances	73
Goals	29
Assists	33

Seen as someone who could become a decisive operator in the final third if they can convince Olise to move back to England after his excellent spell at Crystal Palace, his versatility is also of great value to internal figures at Liverpool.

Enjoying another positive campaign, the London-born winger has already notched nine goals and ten assists in 19 appearances across all competitions, with Fotmob showing he has created 24 chances in the Bundesliga.

Evidently, bringing in a Salah successor won’t come easy and Liverpool would need to part with a record fee to land someone like Olise, but he is someone worth taking the chance on going by his exploits over the last few years.

The allrounder will be available for selection for their first Super Four match against Bangladesh on Saturday

Andrew Fidel Fernando19-Sep-2025Sri Lanka allrounder Dunith Wellalage rejoined* the squad at the Asia Cup on Saturday morning after having returned home following the death of his father Suranga Wellalage on Thursday. Sri Lanka Cricket said he will be available for selection for Sri Lanka’s first match in the Super Four round on Saturday evening, against Bangladesh in Dubai.He was accompanied on his journey from the UAE to Sri Lanka and back by team manager Mahinda Halangode.Suranga Wellalage died on September 18, the same day that his son Dunith played in the Group B match against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi. Wellalage, 22, only learned of his father’s death after the match, which Sri Lanka won by six wickets and eight balls remaining to qualify for the Super Four round. Soon after the match ended, he left for home.The match between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan was only Wellalage’s fifth T20I and his first in this tournament. He took figures of 1 for 49 and did not bat. Wellalage has played 31 ODIs, with his career best of 5 for 27 coming in the third ODI against India in Colombo in August 2024. He also took 5 for 40 against India in a 2023 Asia Cup match, when the tournament was played in the ODI format. He was the joint second-highest wicket-taker in that tournament, claiming 10 dismissals at an average of 17.90.After Saturday’s fixture against Bangladesh, Sri Lanka’s next two Super Four games are against Pakistan on September 23 and India on September 26.

Hetmyer scored his first T20I fifty since August 2023 but it wasn’t enough

Andrew McGlashan28-Jul-20251:29

David, Owen pepper the stands with sixes

Australia put on a final display of their batting power to secure a 5-0 T20I whitewash over West Indies. Tim David and Mitchell Owen launched seven sixes between them, as the overall series tally ended as the second-highest for a bilateral series, with Aaron Hardie then finishing the chase after Akeal Hosein had kept West Indies’ hopes alive.The victory was set up by an excellent performance with the ball after Mitchell Marsh had won his fifth toss – making it all eight for Australia on the tour – and declining the opportunity to have his side set a target. They claimed three wickets in the powerplay to set West Indies back and kept chipping away each time a stand threatened to turn the game. Shimron Hetmyer and Jason Holder added 47 for the fifth wicket and the former went to his first T20I fifty since August 2023 but fell the ball after reaching the landmark.Nathan Ellis was again excellent in the closing overs, including a very sharp piece of work off his own bowling to end the innings as he under-armed into the stumps, while Adam Zampa claimed a wicket in his 100th T20I – the fourth Australia men’s player to reach that milestone.Australia’s powerplay was hectic as Holder struck twice in his first over, Mitchell Marsh was cleaned up by a beauty from Alzarri Joseph and David bludgeoned 30 off 12 balls with four sixes all inside five overs. From there, the asking rate was never an issue, it was just a question of whether West Indies could keep taking wickets. Their chances took a blow when Joseph limped out of the attack and while Hosein was excellent, there were not enough runs to work with in the end.2:13

Australia clean up West Indies for 170

Dwarshuis’ powerplay inroads

Ben Dwarshuis is building a handy record for Australia as the left-arm pace option in this attack. He may well have pushed himself to second in the pecking order ahead of Spencer Johnson, who missed this series through injury, and behind Mitchell Starc.Having been rested for the fourth match, he returned with a brace of early inroads, responding to a pair of boundaries from Shai Hope by spearing one through him, then having Brandon King taken at midwicket to bag West Indies’ in-form openers.His figures were dented in his final over that cost 19, including a big full toss to Hetmyer which resulted in a free hit that was sent for six. Next ball, Hetmyer went to his half-century from 30 balls but couldn’t stay to finish the innings when he was well caught by Sean Abbott running in from long-off to give Dwarshuis his third wicket.

Maxwell’s match-up win

It wasn’t quite as memorable a night for Glenn Maxwell. He dropped a sitter at mid-on to reprieve King (although it did not prove costly) and would later collect a first-ball duck when he edged Holder to short third. However, he did have one key moment when he won his brief match-up with Sherfane Rutherford as the left-hand batter, who has struggled for form since last year’s T20 World Cup, was threatening to turn the innings around.Rutherford had moved to 35 off 16 balls, lifting West Indies from 32 for 3 inside the powerplay, when he exposed the stumps to Maxwell against a delivery that slid on. He was aiming too square with his stroke and the ball cannoned into middle stump. With one of the left-hand batters gone, Maxwell’s work with the ball was done for the night.0:53

Hetmyer streak ends with Dwarshuis’ third wicket

Only one way in the powerplay

It is pretty much all-out aggression for Australia with the bat. After Maxwell’s early departure – courtesy of a juggling catch by Jediah Blades – Josh Inglis missed a reverse scoop first ball and collected two boundaries before finding mid-on in the same Holder over. Marsh, who has had a lean series, found the boundary twice off the middle and once off the inside edge before Joseph produced a terrific delivery to nip past the inside edge to leave Australia 25 for 3 in the third.David’s response was to take 16 off four balls against Holder then two further sixes against Joseph as he threatened a repeat of the record-breaking 37-ball hundred in the third match. But for once, he couldn’t get enough elevation on an attempted six as he was well taken at deep square leg.

Hosein’s late entry

Owen picked up where David left off, taking consecutive sixes off Matthew Forde and sent another onto the roof against Blades. Hope had held back Hosein, no doubt conscious of what Australia’s hitters could do, but when he was introduced in the 10th over, he removed Owen second ball when he skewed to short third.Cameron Green, later named Player of the Series, was shaping as though he would finish another chase but found long-off with 30 still needed to give West Indies a glimmer. However, Hardie produced a composed hand and by the time Hosein removed Dwarshuis it was too late.

England’s senior batter prepares to return to ODI action, but talk of his technique for Australia’s pitches dominates

Cameron Ponsonby25-Oct-2025Little known fact. Joe Root has never made a hundred in Australia.It will be the sub-genre of the summer. A much anticipated Ashes series, in which one of the greats of the game has the chance to complete a caveat-free career. An away win, and a full set of centuries in every Test-hosting nation he has played. Except for Bangladesh and the UAE. They don’t rate him in Dhaka.Matthew Hayden confidently made the claim that if Root didn’t end the Aussie summer with a Test ton, he’d strip nude to run around the MCG. But others aren’t so sure.”Wrists limper than a French handshake,” former Aussie legspinner and broadcaster Kerry O’Keeffe said on Fox Sports. “It doesn’t work in Australia.””The first two Tests are huge for Joe Root. They’re nickers’ Tests. Perth? They nick for fun there. And Brisbane day-night? Everyone nicks in Bris.”Joe Root is a nicker. When he was last here, in his first eight innings he nicked off. Australia knows this. What will be his defensive set-up? I’m very bearish about Joe Root.”O’Keeffe’s argument is that Root previously chose to stay inside the ball, as he was of the belief they wouldn’t target him with the offcutter, only for a different weakness to appear, that meant he was playing away from his body.It is a rare technical examination of a player who has averaged 58.00 since Brendon McCullum took over, but a prescient one given Australia’s recent tendency to produce pitches that favour their seam bowlers. Since the start of the 2021-22 Ashes, top-seven batters in Australia have averaged 30.22 per dismissal, compared to 38.14 in the four-year cycle before that. By contrast, England’s pitches have gone the other way. The average in the four years before McCullum’s appointment was 30.90; it has since been 38.94.”England play pretty well on the flatter wickets, the way they play,” Steve Smith said recently. “So, if there’s a bit in it like there has been the last three or four years, with our bowling attack, it certainly makes things a lot more difficult for their batters.”Nevertheless, Root sees no need to tamper with his technique. Arriving in New Zealand ahead of England’s three-match ODI series, it will be the final three hits he has before lining up against Australia in Perth.”A lot of that prep’s already started back home,” Root said, explaining how he’s balancing his preparation for an ODI series today with the carrot of the Ashes starting tomorrow.”I think how I’d prepare now is different to how I would have done 10 years ago. A lot more mental. I’ve clearly played against a lot of their guys now. Know how they operate, know what they’re likely to try to bring to the series.”I used to be very technical in how I prepared. I’d want to make sure that everything felt lined up and my feet were in the right place, my head was in the right place, whereas now I’m a little bit more concerned about how I’m looking at the game, how I’m going to approach different situations, whether that be the surface, whether that be different bowler types, different angles, and being able to manage those different angles when they come wide of the crease. Things like that.”Related

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This will be Root’s fourth Ashes tour. His individual record is respectable, averaging 35.68, but not befitting of a player of his own calibre. England’s record across that time, however, is diabolical: 15 matches, 13 defeats, two draws, zero wins.”They’re all different,” Root said of how the build-up to this series has compared to previous tours. “I look at it at this time and I’m in a completely different stage of my career. I’m no longer captain, I’m playing some really good cricket, and so are we. We’re playing in a really exciting way. We’ve got a great group of players that we can go there and hit them with different tools than we’ve had on previous tours, so when you look at it like that, it’s a really exciting prospect.”Clearly, Australia are really good in their own conditions, with a great record at home, especially against us, but that’s the exciting bit right? There’s an opportunity there to do something a bit different and hopefully achieve something really special.”Despite the ODI World Cup being two years away, these three matches against New Zealand are not without complete jeopardy. England are currently ranked eighth in the world after winning only eight of their last 23 fixtures. Failure to automatically qualify for the World Cup remains unlikely, but only if they nip in the bud a continued slide in the format.”I don’t think that’s necessarily anyone’s fault of what happened before,” Root said of the ODI group’s relative stability under Brook and McCullum, compared to previous leadership.”You look at the number of crossovers of Test series and one-dayers, it was physically impossible to get there. There was a one-day series against the Netherlands when we were playing a Test match at Old Trafford. You think how can that happen?”New Zealand themselves haven’t played an ODI since April, but remain ranked third in the world. The weighting of points in the ICC rankings is such that it presents a major opportunity for England to win some matches, and lift themselves away from any potential future problems.”I don’t think it’s arrogant to say you look at the quality that’s within our squad, and we’re not an eighth-in-the-world team,” Root said. “We should be competing and jostling for that top spot.”New Zealand are a very good team and if you try to sleepwalk into it or you’re preoccupied with what’s around the corner, then they’ll hurt us really badly. We want to keep making strides under Brooky after what was a difficult Champions Trophy. This is a great opportunity to build on what we started over the summer.”

Jamie Vardy’s new family home in a picturesque part of northern Italy was broken into by three burglars over the weekend, while the former Leicester City and England striker was playing for Cremonese in a home Serie A clash with Roma, with wife Rebekah in attendance at the game. Cremonese were soundly beaten 3-1, but that was the least of Vardy's problems.

• £80,000 worth of valuables stolen

  The has reported that three men gained entry to the Vardys' £2 million property by the shores of Lake Garda in the town of Salo – around an hour's drive from Cremona – via a window. The break-in happened on Sunday, when Cremonese were hosting Roma at the intimate Stadio Giovanni Zini.

  The report states that £80,000 worth of valuables, including jewellery and cash, were taken from the house. However, security cameras are believed to have picked up the thieves, who are likely to have scouted the house to learn when it would be empty, coming and going via their chosen entry point.

  Local police captain Giacomo Tessarolo told the: "We have CCTV which shows the individuals entering the house through a window that was left open. They were on the premises for several minutes before escaping with the [Patek Philippe] watch and several other high value items. There was a woman inside, not his wife but the baby sitter. The theft was discovered when some of Vardy's friends returned to the house and found items on the floor and it had evidently been broken into."

  Rebekah Vardy was at the Cremonese game when the incident took place.

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  Serie A raises awareness of domestic violence

  Over the weekend, Cremonese were among a handful of Serie A clubs given permission to promote the 'A Red to Violence' campaign, dedicated to fighting domestic abuse. Each player was able to change the name on the back of his shirt to that of an important woman in their life. Vardy opted to have 'Becky' printed above the number 10 on his jersey, in tribute to his wife. Players also took to the field with a streak of red face paint, again to raise awareness and put the issue of domestic violence in the spotlight.

  The Vardy family are said to have immersed themselves in their new Italian adventure, making themselves a visible presence in the town of Salo, population: 10,500, by going out for walks and eating dinner in local restaurants, as well as trying to learn the language. It makes it doubly cruel that they have now been the victims of an unsettling burglary.

• Vardy's Serie A inspiration

  Vardy was linked with other clubs after leaving Leicester in the summer, including Wrexham, but eventually settled on a new challenge in Italy and has adapted quickly to life abroad. "Once I made my decision, that was it. I was coming here," Vardy explained in a September interview. "I'm settling in really well and just can't wait to get going now. It's all about match days and wanting to pick the results up, so now it's about just knuckling down when I get given the opportunity, helping my teammates out as much as I can and hopefully chipping in with some goals."

  He also noted that his favourite Serie A player to watch growing up was Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero: "You watch him play – he was unbelievable. Watching him score most weeks was really encouraging for me. Having watched that, me coming here and trying to do exactly the same – it’s really exciting."

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  Vardy contract extension looks likely

  Having left Leicester at the end of last season when his contract expired, 38-year-old Vardy signed an initial 12-month deal with Cremonese to cover the 2025-26 campaign. However, the terms of that contract also include a 12-month extension to the summer of 2027 if the club avoids relegation. So far, at least, that looks a plausible eventuality, given their mid-table safety after 12 games.

  The defeat to Roma was a third on the bounce in Serie A, but Cremonese still sit 11th, with a healthy six-point cushion between them and the relegation zone. The team has lost the same number of games as European powerhouse Inter (4), but needs to be able to turn draws into wins, having taken maximum points from only three league matches. Still, for a newly-promoted provincial club navigating just a second season in the top flight in the last 30 years, it has been a strong start.

Time and again at the business end of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, this 21-year-old rode the pressure, read the bowler, and executed with flair to take Mumbai across the line

Himanshu Agrawal16-Dec-2024Twenty-one-year-old Suryansh Shedge seems to have as much clarity when he speaks as he does when he bats.For instance, let’s look at the quarter-final of the recent Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT). Shedge, batting at No. 6 for Mumbai against Vidarbha, is under pressure. His team needs another 60 runs to win off just 24 balls, and he has started with just three runs off as many deliveries. Five of his six innings before this have yielded 1*, 0, 9, 12 and 1* (the other yielded 30* off eight, but more on that later).Here, with Mumbai’s tournament on the line, Shedge despatches offspinner Mandar Mahale for a four and three sixes in a 24-run over. Each time, he is deep in the crease and across the stumps. He finishes with 36* from 12 balls. He had been told coming into the competition that he would be batting at Nos. 5 or 6, and so he had trained for just this situation: teeing off to turn the game around quickly – in one over, specifically.Related

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“Coming into this tournament, I tweaked my practice sessions a bit. I was playing six-ball sets, [and] trying to score a certain amount of runs in those six balls,” Shedge told reporters. “That kind of helps you. And I was taking breaks after every six balls because when you go into bat, you will only get 10-15 balls to face. I was trying to simulate that in the practice sessions, and that helps. When you practise going from ball one, it kind of becomes a muscle memory, and when you are in the middle, you find it easier.”Shedge often arrives to bat in tricky situations, and has made it a habit to boss the game from there. He wrapped up the match against Vidarbha by sending the ball out on to the road in Alur. Six days earlier, in the first of his string of good performances at the business end the SMAT, he had crashed that 30* off eight balls, this knock aiding a tournament record chase of 230 against Andhra. In the semi-final, against Baroda, Shedge faced only one ball in the chase of 159, but even that landed in the stands.”I’ve always batted like this. Even in my Under-16 days, [when] I was playing [multi-]days games, I’ve scored 196 in 115 balls,” he said. “So if I see the ball, I hit it. And you might make errors when you play in that fashion, so you have to be level-headed to come back from the errors you make. It requires a lot of strength.”Suryansh Shedge got the job done for Mumbai in the SMAT final•Himanshu Agrawal/ESPNcricinfoLevel-headedness. As a finisher, that is one quality which separates the good from the best. Shedge has looked good already. Six of his nine innings at the SMAT were at No. 6. One came at No. 7, in the most important match of the tournament: the final, against Madhya Pradesh.The game could have gone either way when he walked out, with Mumbai 46 runs away, with 32 balls and five wickets in hand. Suryakumar Yadav, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Prithvi Shaw and Shivam Dube were out. But third ball he faced, Shedge stood tall facing up to a dipping full toss and swiped it for four to deep square-leg. Three balls later, Shedge shifted his weight on to the back foot and guided a length ball for four past the wicketkeeper. His partner Atharva Ankolekar cracked a six last ball of that over and, just like that, Mumbai were favourites to seal the title, which they did, Shedge remaining unbeaten – again – on 36 off 15.

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It took Shedge “a lot of hours” with coaches Abhishek Nayar, Monty Desai and Manish Bangera to build up his awareness and power-hitting.”You gain a lot of perspective when you spend time with them. Rather than practicing, you talk to them a lot. At the end of the day, when you go out and you need a certain amount of runs in certain balls, it all comes down to your mental game,” Shedge said. “So how positive you are, it signifies a lot. And hard work over anything. I have put in a lot of hard yards; so have my parents and people who are my well-wishers. Practicing, I wouldn’t say it makes you perfect. But trying to practice perfectly makes you perfect.”As Mumbai edged closer to the title, Shedge brought out the cherries to top the cake, swatting a short-of-a-length ball outside off from Venkatesh Iyer over deep midwicket and then – in SKY mode – exposing all his stumps and sweeping a full ball around seventh stump into the top tier over fine leg. He said he took inputs from Suryakumar , and that certainly showed.

“Before the bowler is in the run-up, I don’t think of any shots. When he starts running, then my brain starts working. And then I just commit. There are no second thoughts in my head.”Suryansh Shedge

“I saw two fielders [inside the circle] behind [square], and he bowled a wide ball [outside off]. I knew he was going to back that ball. So all I needed to do was get into position, and time it,” Shedge said of that sweep for six. “If you react a bit early, he might see you and go further away from you. So as soon as he was going to release the ball, I came into the position and that happened.”Before the bowler is in the run-up, I don’t think of any shots. When he starts running, then my brain starts working. And then I just commit. There are no second thoughts in my head.”All this points to a lot of maturity, a quality that would have been especially useful when, last year, Shedge had to deal with a stress fracture in the L4 region of his spine. The injury was a double blow: it ruled him out of SMAT 2023-24, and because of it, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), his IPL franchise, released him.It got to him, but then his competitive streak kicked in. “First two months [after the injury], I was just going through the motions. I wasn’t in the zone, but I kind of got out… But me as a person, personally, I like competition. And I like pressure because it tests me. At the end of the day, when my head hits the pillow, I want to feel that satisfaction of doing something for the team in whatever department it may be.”Now he can tick impressing at the SMAT off his list, with 131 runs at a strike rate of 251.92 – the highest strike rate for anyone who faced 20 or more balls this season. And soon enough, he’ll have another go at the IPL, this time with Punjab Kings, where he will also have his Mumbai captain Shreyas Iyer for company. For now, though, celebrating his team’s SMAT triumph will take centre stage.