All posts by h716a5.icu

Manchester United appear to be at risk of losing their captain, Bruno Fernandes, in the upcoming summer transfer window, amid interest from Saudi Arabia.

Daily Mail journalist Chris Wheeler claims that his agent has held face-to-face talks with Al Hilal over a deal to move to the Pro League, in a move that would see him earn £200m over three seasons.

The reporter adds that Manchester United would earn a fee of £100m for the 30-year-old star, who delivered 19 goals and 18 assists in all competitions in the 2024/25 campaign.

It now remains to be seen what is going to happen with the Portugal international, but he is not the only Red Devils player in another team’s crosshairs, as one of their attackers is in talks to move on.

Man Utd attacker in talks to leave

After failing to qualify for any European competition for next season, Manchester United may have to find other ways to raise funds to bring in new players to bolster Ruben Amorim’s first-team squad.

Transfer Focus

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

There is a deal that was put in place last summer, however, that could provide them with a cash injection, as one of their players is in talks to move on from Old Trafford.

According to Sky Sports, Jadon Sancho’s representatives are in talks with Chelsea over a move to sign for the club on a permanent basis in the summer transfer window.

The Blues want to keep the England international by going through with the £25m obligation to sign him permanently, but they are not looking to keep him on the £300k-per-week that he earns at Old Trafford.

This is why the two parties are currently locked in talks to reach an agreement on a contract that would fit the wage structure at Stamford Bridge, as they would otherwise have to pay £5m to send him back to United.

Selling Sancho, albeit it was a decision that was made last summer, could be a repeat of the howler that United had with Scott McTominay.

Why Jadon Sancho could be a Scott McTominay repeat

The Red Devils sold the Scotland international to Napoli last year and had to watch on as he scored a career-high 13 goals and won the Serie A title for Antonio Conte’s side this season.

United may now wonder whether or not they utilised McTominay’s talents effectively enough, given his career-high in goals for Napoli, and that could also be the case with Sancho.

The 25-year-old whiz, dubbed “special” by Enzo Maresca, delivered five goals and eight assists (13 contributions) in all competitions for Chelsea, which is better than his best tally of seven goals and three assists (ten contributions) in his first three seasons at United.

This shows that the English playmaker has had his best season in senior English football with the Blues, after struggling at Old Trafford for three years, and it is another case of a player thriving elsewhere.

Goals

3

5th

Big chances created

6

3rd

xA

4

3rd

Assists

3.11

3rd

Dribbles completed per game

1.5

2nd

As you can see in the table above, Sancho’s performances at the top end of the pitch for Chelsea rank well against the current United squad, sitting in third behind Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo in creative metrics.

These statistics suggest that the England international is set to be another star who goes on to thrive elsewhere after leaving Old Trafford once this £25m transfer is official, provided the contract talks go smoothly, as he has already taken his game to another level at Stamford Bridge.

Forget Garnacho: Man Utd must sell flop who's worth even more than Cunha

Man Utd could find a different solution to selling Alejandro Garnacho…

ByRobbie Walls May 29, 2025

Therefore, the Premier League giants are on course for a McTominay repeat with this deal for Sancho, which was sanctioned last summer before Ruben Amorim’s arrival.

Newcastle United have made contact over the signing of a superb defender likened to Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate, with a move worth over £34m mooted.

Newcastle continue to eye attacking signings

Eddie Howe will know the importance of strengthening his squad all over the pitch this summer, but it does look as though attacking signings are at the forefront of the manager’s thoughts.

Nottingham Forest winger Anthony Elanga has been linked with a move to Newcastle, with an offer of £50m reportedly likely to be accepted by the Premier League club. The former Manchester United man enjoyed an impressive 2024/25 season and could add much-needed youth and quality to the right-hand side of Howe’s attack.

In terms of potentially audacious signings, Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen is right up there for the Magpies this summer, considering he has been among the best in the world in his position over the past decade. He could provide outstanding competiton to Nick Pope.

Newcastle are also thought to be among the favourites to sign Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi, as has seemingly been the case for some time now, and he could be a perfect addition at the heart of the defence, coming in as an immediate key man. Now, another central defender has been mentioned as a concrete target.

Newcastle make contact over "superb" £34m+ defender

According to LaRoma24 [via Sport Witness], Newcastle, and by extension PIF, have made contact over the signing of Roma defender Evan Ndicka this summer.

The Ivorian is likely to cost over £34m, with Arsenal in the same position as the Magpies, and the player’s representatives are said to have been informed that he could leave ahead of next season.

Ndicka is exactly what Newcastle could require at centre-back this summer, with the 25-year-old at a great age to come in and hit the ground running from the off.

The Ivory Coast international started all 38 Serie A games for Roma last season, averaging 3.8 clearances per game, and football talent scout Jacek Kulig once described him as a “superb player”.

Appearances

38

Starts

38

Minutes played

3420

Clearances per game

3.8

Aerial duel wins per game

1.6

Interceptions per game

0.9

Tackles per game

0.8

Goals

0

Assists

1

Ndicka is now an experienced footballer who has racked up 45 appearances in the Europa League and won 16 caps for the Ivory Coast, and it is easy to see him excelling in a Newcastle shirt.

He has been likened to Liverpool centre-back Konate, which bodes well given the Frenchman’s impact at Anfield, and he could ultimately be a cheaper alternative to Guehi at St James’ Park this summer.

Former England fast bowler had been appointed to the post in April 2022

Andrew Fidel Fernando27-Jun-2024Chris Silverwood has resigned from his position as head coach of Sri Lanka’s men’s team, effective immediately. Silverwood had been in the job since April 2022. SLC had extended his tenure in April until the end of the ongoing T20 World Cup.SLC CEO Ashley de Silva told ESPNcricinfo that Silverwood had conveyed his decision to resign before the board had had any internal discussions as to whether it would like to extend his contract further.”Being an international coach means long periods away from loved ones,” Silverwood said in an SLC statement. “After lengthy conversations with my family and with a heavy heart, I feel it is now time for me to return home and spend some quality time together.”Silverwood thanked the players, coaches, backroom staff, and management of SLC, and said he’d be “taking away many fond memories” from his time in Sri Lanka.Related

Jayasuriya appointed Sri Lanka's interim head coach

Jayawardene resigns as SL's consultant coach

Silverwood, a former fast bowler himself, will be remembered for the emphasis he put on developing Sri Lanka’s pace resources. The likes of Dilshan Madushanka, Asitha Fernando, Matheesha Pathirana, and Nuwan Thushara have all come through under him. Sri Lanka had also won the T20 Asia Cup in 2022, and made the final of the 2023 ODI Asia Cup under his tenure.Sri Lanka have also had two disastrous World Cup campaigns during this time, however. They finished ninth at last year’s ODI World Cup and consequently failed to qualify for the 2025 Champions Trophy. They also crashed out of the ongoing T20 World Cup in the first round, having lost to South Africa and Bangladesh.SLC CEO said the board would be advertising the head coach role, and would “also be doing some head-hunting”. The board was also considering local coaches for the position, he said.The team’s next major fixtures are the Tests in England, which start on August 21.

Celtic are brilliant at signing and developing young players before selling them on for profit on the future, as evidenced by the stars they have sold over the years.

As recently as January, the Scottish Premiership champions raked in a reported fee of £10m for Japan international centre-forward Kyogo Furuhashi from Rennes, yet he does not even place within the top sales in the club’s history.

Kieran Tierney

£25m

Matt O’Riley

£25m

Jota

£25m

Moussa Dembele

£20m

Odsonne Edouard

£18.5m

Kristoffer Ajer

£13.5m

Virgil van Dijk

£13m

As you can see in the table above, the likes of Jota, Matt O’Riley, and Kieran Tierney have all been sold for more than twice as much, the latest of which was O’Riley’s move to Brighton last summer.

Two of those players are also now back at Parkhead. Jota returned to Glasgow from Rennes on a permanent deal in January, whilst Tierney has joined on a free transfer from Arsenal, six years on from his move to the Premier League.

These are some of the top examples of players who have thrived in the Premiership for Celtic before making the club millions by moving elsewhere, and a great example of their brilliant recruitment work is central defender Kristoffer Ajer.

Celtic hit the jackpot with Kristoffer Ajer

In February 2016, the Scottish giants paid a reported fee of just £650k to sign the centre-back after a trial spell at Parkhead from Norwegian side Start.

The Hoops identified the young defender as a promising talent at the age of just 17, and were patient with him before they introduced the starlet to the first-team.

Ajer spent time in the academy, playing youth league football, before being sent out on loan to Kilmarnock in the Premiership, before his emergence as a senior option for Celtic in the 2017/18 campaign.

The towering youngster then went on to score seven goals and provide seven assists in 176 appearances in all competitions for the Hoops before his exit in the summer of 2021.

February 2016

£650k reported fee

February 2017

£680k

August 2018

£1m

August 2019

£2.5m

January 2021

£3.4m

June 2021

£6m

July 2021

£13.5m reported fee

As you can see in the table above, Ajer’s market value soared way beyond the initial £650k that the Hoops reportedly paid Start to sign him as a 17-year-old.

In the summer of 2021, Premier League side Brentford reportedly paid a fee of £13.5m to sign the centre-back, breaking their own transfer record, which represented a huge profit for Celtic.

This shows that the Scottish giants hit the jackpot with the young defender as they identified his potential at an incredibly young age and went on to benefit from it with performances on the pitch and a huge fee when he left.

Celtic enquire about deal for teenage star

Celtic could find their next version of Kristoffer Ajer this summer amid reported interest in another 17-year-old centre-back prospect to bolster their squad.

Transfer Focus

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

According to Mozzart Sport, as relayed by B92, Celtic are interested in a deal to sign Red Star Belgrade central defender Veljko Milosavljević in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Hoops have already made an enquiry about the 17-year-old starlet, and made an offer of £5m that was turned down by the Serbian outfit.

It adds that two teams from England are also eyeing up the young centre-back, but they have yet to make any official bids for his services as of yet.

Red Star Belgrade are said to want more than £5m that Celtic put on the table for the teenage titan, although the report does not mention exactly how much they would want for him.

Why Celtic should sign Veljko Milosavljević

The Hoops should sign the Serbian youngster before the summer transfer window slams shut at the start of September because he has the potential to be Ajer 2.0 at Parkhead.

Whilst he would not arrive for a cheap fee of £650k, given that they have already had an offer of £5m turned down for him, the Red Star talent would arrive as another teenage centre-back with the potential to develop and improve, therefore growing in value in the future.

Despite not turning 18 till this weekend, the Celtic target has already played 19 first-team matches for the Serbian giants, and established himself as a regular in the league in the second half of the 2024/25 campaign.

Milosavljević initially caught the eye in the Serbian youth league, winning 11.8 duels per game across eight starts in the division, before being made a permanent member of Vladan Milojevic’s first-team squad.

Appearances

14

Starts

11

Pass accuracy

90%

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.2

Dribbled past per game

0.2x

Error led to shot

0

Error led to goal

0

Penalties committed

0

As you can see in the table above, the teenage talent started 11 of his 14 outings for the Superliga champions, as the centre-back showed that he could compete in a team that was chasing the league title.

Milosavljević, who scout Gianni Bellasi described as a “physically imposing” defender, proved himself to be a reliable option at the back, despite his inexperience, with zero errors that led to shots, goals, or penalties.

That is particularly impressive when you consider that Liam Scales made two such errors and Auston Trusty made five such errors in the Premiership for Celtic this season, in a title-winning side for Brendan Rodgers.

This shows that it is not easy to play a lot of games without making costly mistakes as a centre-back in a dominant team, given the nature of how much they look to play out from the back, but the Serbian star has shown promise in that respect.

As exciting as Nygren: All parties are keen for Celtic to sign £5m star

Celtic are keen to sign a £5m winger who would be as exciting as Benjamin Nygren.

2 ByDan Emery Jun 25, 2025

Therefore, Milosavljević could follow in Ajer’s footsteps at Parkhead if Celtic sign him this summer because he is a 17-year-old centre-back talent who has shown that he has the qualities to be a reliable figure at the back if he can adapt to Scottish football.

Of course, there are no guarantees in football and there is no telling exactly how he will develop, but his career to date suggests that the potential is there for him to be an exciting signing for the Hoops.

Over recent weeks, Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo has been the most likely star to make the move to join Manchester United and further aid Ruben Amorim’s attempts in the final third.

The Cameroonian has starred in the Premier League throughout 2024/25, scoring 20 times in his 38 appearances, undoubtedly being the shining light in the Bees’ side.

Such a record has led to the Red Devils’ keen interest, even making a £60m bid for the attacker, but it was rejected, with the two clubs yet to agree on a fee this window.

They have faced huge competition from Tottenham Hotspur for his signature this summer, but the Bees star has given the Red Devils his word and confirmed that he wants to join Amorim’s side.

However, it appears as though other options are being considered in the forward department, potentially forming an excellent partnership with the Cameroonian at Old Trafford.

The latest on United’s hunt for new signings this summer

Dušan Vlahović is a player who has emerged on their radar over the last couple of weeks, potentially striking an agreement with Juventus that would see Jadon Sancho move in the opposite direction.

Felix Nmecha is another player on their radar, potentially making a bid for his services in the coming weeks in an attempt to land his signature ahead of the 2025/26 season.

However, the hierarchy are also active elsewhere, subsequently preparing a move for AC Milan star Rafael Leao, that’s according to the latest update from CaughtOffside.

The report claims that the Red Devils are preparing a £60m offer for the 26-year-old, who’s registered 12 goals and 11 assists across all competitions this campaign.

It also states that the offer is below the Italian side’s asking price for the Portuguese international, but they would be open to offloading him should they receive an acceptable bid during this window.

Why United’s £60m target could be Amorim’s own version of prime Rashford

Marcus Rashford is a player who has been a superb option for United over the years after making his debut way back in 2016 as a baby-faced teenager.

He’s racked up over 400 appearances for the Red Devils, scoring 138 times for his boyhood club, with his best season coming in 2022/23 – notching 30 goals in his 56 outings.

However, he appears to be out of favour under current boss Amorim, subsequently being loaned out to Aston Villa for the second half of the 2024/25 season.

The 27-year-old looks almost certain to depart Old Trafford on a permanent basis this summer, potentially handing the manager the funds to make the changes he requires.

A move could allow Leao to take his place within the first-team setup, being the manager’s next version of the England international, outperforming him in numerous key areas this season compared to his prime a couple of years ago.

The Milan star has previously stated he’s modelled his game on Rashford’s, often liking to cut inside onto his stronger right foot off the left-hand side, developing into a bigger talent in the process.

Leao, who’s been labelled a “monster” by one analyst, has registered a higher shot-on-target accuracy rate – demonstrating his clinical edge within the final third.

Games played

34

35

Goals & assists

16

22

Progressive carries

4.8

2.6

Progressive passes

3.6

2.7

Shot-on-target accuracy

46%

45%

Key passes made

2.3

0.9

Shot-creating actions

4.4

3

Take-on success

46%

39%

Carries into opposition box

2.6

1.7

Aerials won

57%

33%

He’s also produced countless chances, completing more progressive carries and passes per 90, subsequently able to provide the players around him with added opportunities.

The Portuguese star has further dominated, registering more take-ons and winning more aerial battles, handing Amorim an all-round threat within the final third.

£60m for a player of his quality would be a superb piece of business, giving the side the fear factor they’ve often lacked within the final third in recent seasons.

Should he match or better the levels produced by Rashford back in 2022/23, it would be a sensational signing and one that could transform the Amorim era for the better.

Bruno will make him world-class: Man Utd hold talks for "phenomenal" star

Manchester United appear to be making a move in a deal to sign a new talisman.

ByEthan Lamb Jun 28, 2025

The Australia captain has not had the ball since the IPL but could feature during the Super Eight stage if conditions require it

Andrew McGlashan19-Jun-20241:33

Maxwell: Marsh has been ‘unbelievable’

Mitchell Marsh has declared himself ready to bowl in the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup 2024 to hand Australia another option ahead of their game against Bangladesh in Antigua, while Glenn Maxwell believes the captain is close to making a big impact with the bat.Marsh has not bowled since leaving the IPL with a hamstring injury and a cautious approach has been taken to his return with the initial rehab requiring a little longer than expected.”I’ll be available to bowl,” he said. “With the line-up that we’ve got, I don’t really necessarily see a need for me to bowl, but I think it’s really important in this format to have options and we’re blessed with plenty of those.”Related

Head: Anything possible in the last seven or eight overs

Tim David 'working really hard' on his legspin

Australia have not been found short due to Marsh being held back from bowling duties with Marcus Stoinis playing an important role, while against Scotland they used 12 overs of spin with an eye on potential conditions in the Super Eight.Marsh having a role with the ball would become a more likely scenario if Australia fielded Ashton Agar as a second frontline spinner again then decided they needed some extra overs of seam.”Physically feel good,” Marsh said. “It’s always nice to have a bit of break from bowling and I often joke about that. But Stoin and I often talk about it as allrounders, we love being in the game.”Mitchell Marsh hasn’t quite hit his stride with the bat since returning from injury•ICC/Getty ImagesMarsh wouldn’t divulge whether Australia will return to three specialist quicks against Bangladesh or retain the balance of attack they used against Scotland. The Sir Vivian Richards Stadium has not offered huge assistance for the spinners so far – the numbers at the venue are skewed somewhat by four-wicket hauls for Adam Zampa and Adil Rashid against Oman and Namibia – but Australia are on alert for sharply-spinning conditions in St Vincent where they face Afghanistan.Should Australia bring both Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood back into their XI after they were rested against Scotland then Maxwell can take on the role of the second spinner.Marsh and Maxwell are the two parts of Australia’s batting order that have yet to fire at the World Cup with 63 runs between them in seven innings, but Maxwell was confident he and the captain were close to making a big impact.”For me and Mitch, we got a lot of confidence out of that England game for the role we played,” Maxwell told ESPN’s . “Even though it’s a small sample size we still feel like we played out role; we set the innings up for the lower order to then go nuts. The opening batters going out and scoring at 12, 13 an over can be bit misleading to how conditions are and if we try to go at that rate for the rest of the innings thinking that’s what it’s like we could throw our wickets away.”Mitch has been unbelievable over the last couple of years, since he’s come back into all three formats, especially the Test stuff, [and] I think that’s probably filtered into the confidence in the other two formats. Watching him go about his work, you always know he’s only one or two shots away from basically ruining a game and we are looking forward to seeing that.”On his own form, which stems back to a poor IPL, Maxwell said: “Still feeling really good. I’ve been hitting the ball pretty well, but…it’s just been really hard to, I suppose, get that rhythm and momentum. You’ve seen our openers go out there and pump it all over the place then in the middle order it’s been quite difficult to adjust.”The only one throughout the tournament who has consistently smashing them is Stoin – he’s been outstanding. To have those guys below me gives me a lot of confidence and actually knowing I have a bit of time to get myself into the tournament and we’ve got some real quality below us. It’s a nice position to be in that I don’t feel like I’ve fully hit my straps, played pretty well against England…but I know it’s not far away.”

Chelsea have now approached the agents of a Tottenham Hotspur target, with the west Londoners looking to hijack their London rivals, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has revealed.

Blues looking to sign winger amid Madueke uncertainty

Madueke has featured regularly for the Blues at the Club World Cup, appearing in four of their five matches up to this point, but it now appears as though the winger could be heading for the exit door, amid major interest from Arsenal.

How to Watch the FIFA Club World Cup for Free

Everything you need to know about the Club World Cup.

ByCharlie Smith Jun 13, 2025

That is according to an update from Florian Plettenberg on X, with the Sky Sports reporter revealing that talks are set to take place at some stage this week, while also adding: “Arsenal have reached a full agreement with Madueke until 2030, after making their official bid days ago, as revealed. The 23 y/o winger is currently focused on the Club World Cup with Chelsea. Price valuation: around €60m.”

Of course, Enzo Maresca is already blessed with a plethora of options in attack, with Jamie Gittens and Joao Pedro recently arriving at Stamford Bridge, but Romano has revealed that another winger is now being targeted.

Taking to X, the transfer expert outlined Mohammed Kudus as a target for Chelsea this summer, saying: “Tottenham are set to bid again for Mohammed Kudus next week as player’s keen on joining Spurs. Chelsea have also been in touch with Kudus’ camp with more clubs also interested, but Spurs want to accelerate. Thomas Frank already approved Kudus as key target.”

As things stand, Spurs appear to be more advanced in their pursuit of the West Ham United star, but there is certainly interest on the Blues’ behalf, having approached his agents over the possibility of a deal, which could amount to around £70m.

"Electric" Kudus could be ideal Madueke replacement

With Madueke seemingly heading for the exit door, it would make sense to bring in a like-for-like replacement for the England international, and there are indications that Kudus could be an ideal addition to the squad.

Much like the London-born winger, the Ghanaian’s main position is right-wing, while he is also a very impressive dribbler of the ball, having received praise for his ability to drive at opposition defences from analyst Raj Chohan.

Host Dan Woffenden was also enamoured by the forward’s performances in the 2023-24 campaign, describing him as “electric” in February 2024, at which point the West Ham star was leading the way for successful take-ons in the Premier League.

Kudus clearly has the tools to succeed at Stamford Bridge, but there are doubts over whether he would be a necessary signing, given that Chelsea have already spent big this summer, and a deal for the Hammers forward is likely to be on the expensive side.

Ollie Robinson double-strike hastens Northants’ demise on third morning

ECB Reporters Network02-Jul-2024Sussex quick bowler Nathan McAndrew took five wickets, including two in three balls, to power his county to victory over Northamptonshire and cement their place at the top of the Vitality County Championship Division Two.Australian overseas signing McAndrew, who removed both openers on day two, finished with figures of 5 for 73 as Northamptonshire were bowled out for 220, Sussex winning by 63 runs.A short, fiery spell from overlooked England seamer Ollie Robinson did the early damage in gloomy, drizzly conditions. Robinson found plenty of bounce and carry to remove both not out Northamptonshire batters, Matthew Breetzke and Rob Keogh, inside the first 20 minutes of this third morning at Wantage Road. It was a spell which effectively dashed the hosts’ remaining hopes of chasing 284 to win.While Robinson went off with a niggle soon afterwards, Sussex kept the pressure on, removing the in-form Lewis McManus cheaply before a stubborn eighth wicket partnership of 50 in 14 overs between Justin Broad (45) and Ben Sanderson (24) kept Northamptonshire in the chase.But McAndrew, playing the second of two Championship matches this summer, then returned to take the last three wickets to earn his side their fifth win of the summer.Northamptonshire had started the day on 137 for 4 – still needing another 147 to pull off a first win of the season. But they soon lost South African T20 international Breetzke when he pulled out of a pull shot against Robinson, only for the ball to climb and take the edge through to keeper John Simpson.Robinson then got another pacy delivery to lift sharply with Keogh only able to edge through to Jack Carson at fourth slip before Sean Hunt accounted for McManus, caught behind, to leave Northamptonshire in trouble at 155 for 7, having lost three wickets for 11 in seven overs.Broad and Sanderson dug in to keep Northamptonshire’s hopes alive, running sharp ones and twos to keep the scoreboard ticking over, but unafraid to put the bad balls away.Sanderson showed his batting credentials with a glorious on drive past the bowler for four to get off the mark against Hunt before clipping Fynn Hudson-Prentice off his legs through midwicket for another boundary.In neat symmetry, Broad, who drove Robinson straight down the ground for four to bring up Northamptonshire’s 150, reverse swept the left-arm spin of James Coles for another boundary to take the hosts past 200.The decision to reintroduce McAndrew into the attack proved inspired when, in his first over, he removed Sanderson, who chipped straight to Dan Hughes at mid-on. Then, two balls later, the bowler accounted for Raphy Weatherall with an unplayable inswinging yorker.Broad still showed belief though, taking the attack to McAndrew, ramping over the keeper for four, smashing over midwicket for six and carving the ball square for another boundary. The bowler ultimately had the last word though and when Broad attempted to swing him over fine leg, Coles took the catch in the deep.

CWI will be initiating a “comprehensive recruitment process to select the next CEO”

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Aug-2024Johnny Grave’s role as chief executive officer of Cricket West Indies (CWI) is set to end in October 2024. Grave had taken up the position in February 2017, before which he served as commercial director at the Professional Cricketers’ Association [PCA] in England for nine years.”It has been an absolute privilege to have been CEO of CWI since February 2017,” Grave said in a CWI press release. “Having just hosted a successful T20 World Cup and delivered significant surpluses for CWI for the third consecutive year, I do feel it is the right time for me and my family to seek a new challenge.”I have received tremendous support from so many people since becoming CEO and I’d like to thank everyone, especially the staff and the players, particularly during the difficult pandemic, for their trust in me and their commitment to West Indies cricket. I have put everything into this role, and now is the right time for someone new with fresh energy to lead the organisation and continue this important work and build on the strong foundations that are now in place.”Related

Lynford Inverary to replace Johnny Grave as CWI's acting CEO

Johnny Grave doubts Big 3's $15 million Test fund plan will make much difference

Russell: Some West Indies players are 'just not interested in playing Tests'

What's happening to cricket in Jamaica, the land of Holding, Walsh, Gayle and Russell?

India, Australia and England boards should do more for Test cricket – Johnny Grave

Grave had assumed the position vacated by Michael Muirhead. During his time at the helm, he oversaw three World Cups hosted in the West Indies: the 2018 women’s T20 World Cup, the 2022 Under-19 World Cup and the 2024 men’s T20 World Cup co-hosted with the USA. He was also the T20 World Cup CEO for the event in June this year.Grave had also earlier this year sounded a warning to the ICC that its revenue-share model was “completely broken” and urged the board of India, Australia and England to work with the ICC to change the economics of Test cricket.”Johnny’s efforts, particularly through challenging times such as the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as successfully hosting three World Cups including have made a lasting impact on CWI,” Kishore Shallow, CWI President said. “Appreciably, the organisation has taken many positive strides during his tenure. A standout achievement is the acquisition and full ownership of the Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG), which is now our headquarters and home to our Men’s and Women’s Academies.”The CWI release also further stated the board will be initiating a “comprehensive recruitment process to select the next CEO.””The organisation is dedicated to ensuring a thorough and transparent selection process,” the release stated. “Details regarding the recruitment process will be announced shortly and will be published across various media platforms to keep stakeholders informed.”

Liverpool have reportedly had a “phone call” with the representatives of a big-money attacking player, as they look to sign a replacement for Darwin Nunez.

Slot's beautiful Jota tribute before Preston

The Reds started their pre-season with a 3-1 win away to Preston North End on Sunday afternoon, on what was an emotional occasion after the tragic passing of Diogo Jota earlier this month.

Prior to the game, Arne Slot provided some beautiful words on the Portuguese, showing exactly why he was such a perfect successor to Jurgen Klopp.

“Nothing seems to be important if we think of what has happened. But we are a football club and we need to train and we need to play again, if we want it or not. What I’ve said to the players, I can say it here as well. It’s very difficult to find the right words because we constantly debate what is appropriate. What is appropriate in our actions? What is appropriate [for] what we have to say? Can we train again? Can we laugh again? Can we be angry if there’s a wrong decision?

“And I’ve said to them, maybe the best thing for us to do is handle this situation like Jota was. And what I meant with that is that Jota was always himself, it didn’t matter if he was talking to me, to his teammates, to the staff, he was always himself. So let us try to be ourselves as well. So, if we want to laugh we laugh; if we want to cry we’re going to cry. If they want to train they can train, if they don’t want to train they can not train. But be yourself, don’t think you have to be different than your emotions tell you.”

Now, it is a case of Slot and his Liverpool players trying to achieve lots of success with Jota in their thoughts, and further signings may help in that respect. A new update has now emerged regarding a potential addition in the final third.

Liverpool have "phone call" with £78m Nunez replacement

According to journalist Sebastien Vidal on X, Liverpool have been in contact with a “phone call” to RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko’s agents about a £78m move to Anfield, coming in to replace the likely-to-leave Nunez, who scored against Preston.

Sesko feels like an ideal option to come in and lead the line for the Reds, considering it looks increasingly unlikely that they will be able to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle United.

The 22-year-old is already such a prolific and dominant striker, scoring 39 goals in 87 appearances for Leipzig, as well as 16 in 41 caps for Slovenia.

Slot's next Wirtz: Liverpool in contact to sign "the new Haaland" for £78m

Liverpool are planning to sign a new striker in the summer transfer market.

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 14, 2025

If Liverpool could sign Sesko on top of Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez this summer, it would be outstanding business, with a new backup centre-back potentially the next priority after Jarell Quansah’s move to Bayer Leverkusen.