All posts by h716a5.icu

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is about to welcome another new player to his squad, with sporting director Andrea Berta also poised to build upon his impressive portfolio of Gunners signings this summer.

More exciting than Gyokeres: Romano reveals Arsenal's new "top target"

The sensational game-changer would be an incredible signing for Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 24, 2025

Their deals for Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke and Cristhian Mosquera have done wonders to reinforce multiple areas of Arteta’s side in their bid to finally win a long-coveted Premier League title.

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

25/26 – summer

£140m

Kepa’s top-level experience is a real asset to Arteta, and the Spaniard’s impressive performances on loan at Bournemouth last term seriously suggest that he’ll keep number one David Raya firmly on his toes.

Zubimendi comes in as a world-class replacement for Jorginho after years of convincing La Liga displays at boyhood club Real Sociedad, while Norgaard’s Premier League know-how and reliability helps to shore up Arteta’s midfield further.

Arsenal supporters will have to wait before seeing Madueke don the red and white jersey, though, as he’ll play no part in their pre-season tour of Asia. The Englishman is resting after competing in the Club World Cup with Chelsea, but the same cannot be said for Mosquera, who’s flown out to Singapore and joined up with his new teammates (The Athletic).

However, the name on everybody’s lips in the past few weeks has been Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres.

The Gunners reached an agreement in principle to sign him midway through July for a potential £64 million, including add-ons (The Athletic), and after a lengthy wait, the striker is now expected to complete his move to north London after a breakthrough earlier this week (Fabrizio Romano).

Gyokeres’ eagerness to join Arteta’s side has been well documented, and his agent even reduced any commission fees due to help facilitate the transfer.

Viktor Gyokeres set for Arsenal medical in next 24 hours

In terms of when fans can expect to see the Sweden international on the field, they won’t have to wait long at all.

According to Fabrizio Romano, sharing his latest update on the saga, Gyokeres is set to have a medical at Arsenal in the next 24 hours. The 27-year-old has been given the formal green-light to travel with all necessary paperwork exchanged, with Romano adding that the centre-forward is “coming soon”.

Gyokeres’ arrival has been cried out for, especially after Arsenal’s struggles breaking down teams in the low block across 2024/2025. Indeed, the signing of a prolific striker was a long time coming, and Arteta can now breathe a huge sigh of relief.

Arsenal drew more Premier League games than any other side in the top 10 last campaign, scoring just 69 goals, but Gyokeres’ potency in the final third will come as a serious antidote to their scoring woes.

“The news on Arsenal signing Gyokores is massive; Arsenal have signed well, but signing a No9 in Gyokores can be the missing piece of the jigsaw to get Arsenal over the line for the title,” said club legend Ray Parlour, via GB News.

“He still has to prove himself in the Premier League as the Portuguese League is different, but this will give the whole club and fanbase a huge lift, and excitement will build ahead of the new season.

“We’ve been missing and out-an-out No9 and now they signed one, it can be the missing link that Arsenal have been waiting for.”

The New Zealand quick crushed it in dry conditions, finishing with three wickets on the first day

Andrew Fidel Fernando18-Sep-2024In his first outing as a red-ball bowler in Asia, Will O’Rourke was a menace. In his first spell, when the pitch was at its bounciest, he was rapid – sometimes breaching 140kph, and generated uncomfortable bounce from his six-foot-four-inch frame.His first Test wicket in the continent came from a bouncer, with experienced opener Dimuth Karunaratne so shaken by the deliveries O’Rourke had bowled to him previously, that he fenced at one he could have left, and edged it to the wicketkeeper.Pathum Nissanka, a centurion in the last Test innings he played, barely 10 days ago, was dismissed by an even better ball, a rapid, yorker he brought his bat down too late on, and which ended up rattling his stumps.Related

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Often foreign seamers struggle in their first outings in dry conditions. O’Rourke crushed it.”Me and Tim Southee as the pace bowlers have the role to be aggressive and bowl quick and unsettle people – that’s what we’ve talked about with coach Gary Stead and bowling Jacob Oram,” O’Rourke said.In his first five-over spell, O’Rourke took two wickets for 26.”A lot of the talk going into the game was maybe that the pitch was a little bit flat and a little bit slow. We probably wanted to have a bat first. But we had a bowl, and Tim and I were getting good carry, so the communication was to run in hard and hit the deck hard. I probably scattered it around a bit more than I wanted to, but when I hit the right spot I was lucky enough to get a few edges.”O’Rourke’s third wicket was especially impressive. Not only did he get one to rise sharply to smack Angelo Mathews on the index finger late in the first session, causing Mathews to retire hurt at the time. But when Mathews – frequently a good player of fast bowling – returned to the crease, O’Rourke got his wicket with another short, sharp delivery, one that a seemingly muddled Mathews fended at from a bad position.”It’s very special being this early on in my career bowling to legends like Angelo Mathews,” O’Rourke said. “One ball maybe jumped and caught him on the finger and unsettled him a little bit. It’s special to be able to bowl to greats like him and lucky enough to get his wicket at the end.”O’Rourke, in his third Test, is also reveling in having Southee as a mentor. Southee has bowled several memorable spells in Sri Lanka, including in Galle on the morning of the second day in a 2012 Test. Southee also averages an impressive 18.46 against this opposition.”It’s been awesome having Tim as captain. Having another fast bowler as captain who has done as much for the game as he has – it can only be a good thing for a young guy coming through. Getting him at mid-on, or even third slip when he comes over and gives you a wee pointer – that’s a big part of our team and a big part of helping me out.”

Sunderland continue to make progress in the market and could now move closer to bringing a star who is following in the footsteps of Lucas Bergvall to the Stadium of Light, according to a report.

Sunderland close in on statement Granit Xhaka deal

The Black Cats have wasted absolutely no time on transfers as they prepare for a return to the Premier League, bringing no fewer than six new bodies to help Regis Le Bris in his survival mission.

Now, Sunderland are set to wrap up a deal to sign Granit Xhaka from Bayer Leverkusen for a starting fee of £13 million, topped off by around £4.3 million paid in add-ons.

Signing a three-year contract at the Stadium of Light, the Switzerland international agreed personal terms last week and is now set for a medical.

Taking their pursuit of firepower to new heights, Sunderland are reported to have submitted an offer for free agent Jamie Vardy after he left Leicester City at the end of last term under freedom of contract.

Making a frank admission, Le Bris has admitted the Black Cats are also still in the market for a goalkeeper after missing out on Marcin Bulka, as he stated: “I think we probably still need to sign a goalkeeper. The market is still open, although the market is unpredictable and it is always like that.

Bad news for O’Nien: Sunderland submit £17m bid to sign “ice-cold” star

Sunderland have now submitted a £17m bid for this ice-cold target.

ByKelan Sarson Jul 24, 2025

“At the minute, we are focused on the squad we have – that is always the case, but obviously we will also be trying to reinforce the squad. We don’t know when, and we don’t know how exactly, but we are working hard behind the scenes.”

Continuing their aggressive pursuit of incomings, Sunderland could now be set to enter the race for a talented midfielder, per recent developments.

Sunderland eyeing move for Matias Siltanen

According to On The Minute, Sunderland are interested in signing Djurgarden midfielder Matias Siltanen, who is also said to be on the radar of Leicester City, Bournemouth, Manchester City, Rennes, PAOK and Bundesliga sides.

Making his debut at only 15 years of age, the 18-year-old is valued at around £2.59 million and could follow Lucas Bergvall’s footsteps by making the jump from Djurgarden to the Premier League.

Matias Siltanen in 2024/25 – all competitions

Appearances

23

Goals

0

Assists

1

Operating primarily as a defensive midfielder, Siltanen has won 82 duels and made 88 recoveries in Sweden’s top-flight. Meanwhile, he also racked up 27 successful tackles.

Currently a Finland Under-19 international, he has already helped former outfit KuPS to a league and cup double before crossing the Swedish border in January.

While Siltanen would likely be one for the future, taking a futuristic approach is never a bad thing from a Sunderland perspective, especially given the Kuopio-born man can play in various engine room roles.

Nevertheless, competition for his signature is fierce, emphasising that there is work to be done before any move to the Stadium of Light can officially materialise.

Mahidul Islam Ankon has received a maiden national call-up as the wicketkeeper-batter’s replacement

Mohammad Isam28-Oct-2024Jaker Ali has been ruled out of Bangladesh’s second Test against South Africa with a concussion.Mahidul Islam Ankon has been named his replacement. Jaker suffered a concussion during training at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on Sunday.”Jaker Ali suffered a concussion while batting in practice yesterday [Sunday],” Bangladesh’s physio Bayjedul Islam Khan said. “He has a history of concussions and is still showing symptoms. Given his previous concussion record, recovery may take some time. Based on the clinical findings, he has been ruled out of the second Test.”Wicketkeeper-batter Jaker made a fifty on Test debut in Bangladesh’s second innings in the first Test against South Africa.Related

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He has also played 19 T20Is, having made his debut in the format earlier this year.This is wicketkeeper-batter Mahidul’s maiden call-up to the Bangladesh side. He has played most of his first-class matches for Dhaka Division, hitting all three centuries for the NCL team. He has also played one game for Bangladesh A against Pakistan A in August this year.Mahidul comes into the squad on the back of good form, having struck 118 against Sylhet Division last week.Earlier the selectors also called up pace bowler Khaled Ahmed to replace Taskin Ahmed.

Former Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou reportedly dined with Evangelos Marinakis before clinching the Nottingham Forest job. The Australian was unveiled as the club's new head coach, following the swift dismissal of Nuno Espirito Santo. The deal may have been wrapped up in a hurry this week, but the seeds were planted months ago.

Postecoglou replaces Nuno at ForestMarinakis held secret talks in JulyNew boss to debut away at ArsenalFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱AFPWHAT HAPPENED?

According to the in July, Postecoglou sat down for dinner with Marinakis, Forest’s ambitious owner, during a ceremony in Greece where the 60-year-old was honoured for his Europa League triumph with Tottenham. The pair’s bond, rooted in shared Greek heritage, proved crucial in paving the way for Postecoglou's return to English football.

AdvertisementWHAT MARINAKIS SAID

While speculation about Forest’s managerial situation only intensified after their rocky pre-season, Marinakis had long earmarked Postecoglou as a potential successor. At the July event, the Forest chief praised Postecoglou’s pride in his Greek background and said: "What I want to say about Ange is that he has spoken about Greece many times, he is proud to be Greek, and in the great success he had with Tottenham by winning the Europa League, he spoke about Greece. 

"(He is) a man who not only does not hide his origin but is also proud of it. What he achieved, he did with a team that has not won any titles, it has had a very difficult time in recent years. In this huge success that the whole world saw, he promoted Greece. We must thank him especially for this, and we wish him well, although we are sure that he will do well as he has the ability. Wherever he goes, the successes will come."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

While Nuno had led Forest to their first European qualification in two decades, his relationship with the hierarchy soured rapidly over the summer. The Portuguese coach publicly criticised Forest’s transfer policy and admitted that his once-strong rapport with Marinakis had all but evaporated. Adding fuel to the fire was the arrival of former Arsenal midfielder Edu, installed as Forest’s global head of football. Nuno struggled under the revamped structure, voicing his frustrations behind the scenes. Marinakis, only days ago, dismissed talk of a rift, but his ruthless move in the early hours of Tuesday confirmed where he stood.

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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR POSTECOGLOU?

For Postecoglou, the Forest job represents redemption after a brutal ending at Tottenham. Despite guiding Spurs to a historic Europa League win, he was shown the door after their dismal 17th-place Premier League finish. However, his baptism of fire couldn’t be tougher as Forest travel to the Emirates to face Arsenal on September 13, right after the international break.

Glasgow Rangers progressed through to the next round of qualifying for the league phase of the Champions League with an aggregate win over Panathinaikos earlier this week.

The Light Blues won 2-0 in the first leg at Ibrox last week before they travelled to Greece to secure a 1-1 draw, winning the tie 3-1 on aggregate to book a meeting with Viktoria Plzen later this month.

Djeidi Gassama scored in both legs, firing in the equaliser on Wednesday night, and has made an incredibly impressive start to life with the Scottish Premiership giants.

Not all of the club’s new signings have hit the ground running under Russell Martin, though, as Thelo Aasgaard has been missing through injury and Emmanuel Fernandez is yet to feature.

Joe Rothwell has provided a calming and assured presence at the base of the midfield for the Gers, having signed from Bournemouth on a permanent deal, but the club’s other signing from the Cherries has not had as much luck.

Martin brought Aarons, whom he trained with as a player during their time together at Norwich City, on loan from the Premier League side and has played him at left-back in the last two games.

How the Max Aarons experiment has gone

It is fair to say that the English defender has looked uncomfortable in his first two competitive outings in a Rangers shirt, playing on the opposite side to the one he is used to playing.

Aarons had only started nine times as a left-back in his club career, including youth level, before the two games against Panathinaikos, compared to 258 starts as a right-back, and his lack of experience in that role was evident in his performances.

All too often, the former Norwich defender seemed confused as to where to position himself or how to shape his body to defend balls over the top or through balls to stop wingers from getting in behind, or to stop players from taking the ball off him.

It was almost very costly in the second leg when he failed to deal with a through ball and fell over trying to shield it from the attacker, but he was bailed out by a brilliant one-versus-one save by Jack Butland.

Minutes played

90

17

Tackles + interceptions

1

2

Ground duel success rate

83%

100%

Pass accuracy

89%

100%

Dribbled past

0x

0x

Error led to shot

1

0

Crosses attempted

0

2

As you can see in the table above, Jefte offered more in 17 minutes, as a naturally left-footed player, than Aarons did in 90 minutes in Greece on Wednesday night, as he attempted more crosses and made more tackles and interceptions combined.

The Brazilian’s cameo highlighted the benefits of having a left-footed left-back who is comfortable in that role, which is why the Aarons experiment could be ended by the club’s interest in another left-back.

Rangers in the race to sign new left-back

According to Foot Mercato, Rangers are one of a number of sides eyeing up a potential deal to sign AS Monaco full-back Kassoum Ouattara this summer.

The report claims that the Light Blues have made contact with the player’s representatives to discuss a potential transfer to Ibrox, but they are not the only team to have done that.

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Celtic, Augsburg, Toulouse, PSV, and Metz have all also had a touchpoint with his agent, as they all compete to land his signature for the 2025/26 campaign, and potentially beyond.

Foot Mercato adds that Monaco are not looking to loan the defender out, though, as they would prefer to cash in on the player to sell him permanently.

However, the report does not state how much they would want in return, or whether or not Rangers would be willing to do a permanent deal for him.

Why Rangers should sign Kassoum Ouattara

The Scottish giants should push to win the race for the 20-year-old left-back in the coming days and weeks because he would end the Max Aarons experiment.

Ouattara is a naturally left-footed left-back who could slot into the side on the left to compete with Jefte for a starting spot, allowing the English full-back to compete with James Tavernier at right-back.

This would mean that Martin would not have to play Aarons out of position, to the detriment of the team, on his weaker foot, as he would have another potentially quality option to call upon on the left flank.

Ouattara, who scored against Torino in pre-season earlier this week, is still finding his way in first-team football, at the age of 20, but he has shown a lot of promise in his short career to date.

The France U20 international played 12 times and started five matches in Ligue 1 for Monaco in the 2024/25 campaign, and caught the eye with his attacking contributions, as he is a left-footed player who can bomb on down the left to create chances for his side.

xA

0.29

Top 5%

Chances created

1.38

Top 17%

Successful crosses

1.62

Top 7%

Cross accuracy

41.2%

Top 9%

Successful dribbles

1.15

Top 12%

Assists

0.23

Top 9%

As you can see in the table above, Ouatarra thrived as an attacking force down the left flank for Monaco in the French top-flight, ranking highly among his positional peers in a host of creative statistics.

This suggests that he has the potential to be a huge offensive weapon for Martin on the left if he hands him the chance to play regular first-team football, starting week-in-week-out in the Premiership.

Ouatarra, who has been described as a “very offensive” full-back by writer Kai Watson, also showcased the defensive side of his game in Ligue 2 with Amiens in the 2023/24 campaign.

The 20-year-old talent averaged 3.3 tackles and interceptions per game, whilst Aarons made just one on Wednesday night, and helped his team keep four clean sheets in ten appearances in the division.

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These statistics suggest that he has the potential to be a well-rounded left-back who can offer quality offensively and defensively, which is why Ouattara could come in to end the Aarons experiment by arriving as a starting-calibre, natural, left-back option for the manager.

Many protagonists of that final will not be in action in this series, but can South Africa hit back at home?

Hemant Brar07-Nov-2024Big picture: Rematch of T20 World Cup finalIn one way, Friday’s T20I between South Africa and India is a grudge match. The last time these two sides met was in Barbados, in the 2024 T20 World Cup final. India had no business winning that match when South Africa needed 30 off 30 balls with six wickets in hand. But Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya and Co snatched the win, and the trophy, from South Africa’s grasp, leaving them heartbroken.In another way, it is not. Many protagonists of that final will not be in action in this series. From India’s XI for the final, only four – Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya Axar Patel and Arshdeep Singh – are part of the current squad. South Africa, too, are without Quinton de Kock, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje and Tabraiz Shamsi.Therefore, this four-match series might look inconsequential. But don’t forget, the next T20 World Cup is only 15 months away, and the teams have already started preparing for it.Related

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India recently faced a shock whitewash at home at the hands of New Zealand, but that was in Test cricket. Their T20I side, which has never been more different from their Test team, is coming on the back of a thumping 3-0 series win against Bangladesh. Continuing their attacking template from the World Cup, they posted a gigantic 297 for 6 in their most recent T20I.South Africa are yet to recover from their defeat in the final. Since then, they have lost 3-0 to West Indies and drew 1-1 against Ireland in the format. Playing at home now, can they bounce back?Form guideSouth Africa LWLLL (last five T20Is, most recent first)
India WWWWWIn the spotlight: Aiden Markram and Tilak VarmaAiden Markram has crossed 25 only once in 14 T20I innings this year. His tally in the format is 201, at an average of 16.75 and a strike rate of 118.23. This is in complete contrast to his career numbers: average 32.17, strike rate 144.62. On the eve of the first T20I against India, he said he was in a good space mentally. Both he and South Africa would want that to be converted into runs.Can Aiden Markram turn his form around?•Getty ImagesA couple of freak hand injuries earlier this year had put Tilak Varma’s career on hold. While he is back in the mix now, the competition has got intense. He was drafted in for the Bangladesh T20Is as an injury replacement for Shivam Dube but did not get a match. After that, he led India at the Emerging Asia Cup in Oman where his returns were unglamorous: 117 runs in four innings at a strike rate of 120.61. Can he step up against a much tougher opponent?Team news: Debuts for Simelane and Ramandeep?South Africa could hand a debut to allrounder Andile Simelane. Simelane plays his domestic cricket at Kingsmead, which could come in handy.South Africa (probable): 1 Reeza Hendricks, 2 Ryan Rickelton (wk), 3 Aiden Markram (capt), 4 Tristan Stubbs, 5 Heinrich Klaasen, 6 David Miller, 7 Marco Jansen/Gerald Coetzee, 8 Andile Simelane, 9 Nqabayomzi Peter, 10 Keshav Maharaj, 11 Ottneil BaartmanIndia are likely to hand batting allrounder Ramandeep Singh his T20I cap. Axar Patel should also get a chance after warming the bench during the New Zealand Test series.India (probable): 1 Sanju Samson (wk), 2 Abhishek Sharma, 3 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 4 Tilak Varma, 5 Hardik Pandya, 6 Rinku Singh, 7 Ramandeep Singh, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Avesh Khan, 10 Arshdeep Singh, 11 Varun ChakravarthyPitch and conditions: Runs ‘n RainsSouth Africa do not have happy memories of Durban. Last year, Australia whitewashed them in a series of three T20Is, all played at this venue. It’s a high-scoring venue; the average first-innings total in the last seven T20Is here is 184. However, the weather could spoil things – there is a 40% chance of rain on Friday. The last time India were supposed to play a T20I here, in December 2023, rain did not allow even the toss.Stats and trivia: Suryakumar’s strike rate India have a strong head-to-head record against South Africa in South Africa: six wins and three losses in nine T20Is. Among those who have scored at least 1000 T20I runs, Suryakumar has the highest strike rate (169.48). Arshdeep Singh is India’s leading wicket-taker in T20Is this year, with 28 scalps in 14 games. In nine T20I innings against India, Heinrich Klaasen has three half-centuries and a strike rate of 168.09. Quotes”It has been a testing few months now. Obviously, we have addressed the reasons behind it, growth opportunities, things that are going to make cricketers better in South Africa over a long period of time. But as a captain, it hurts your pride and I have got a lot of pride wearing this badge and want to carry it forward and want to win games and win series for South Africa. But you lock into the bigger picture, you lock into how much it is going to help cricket in South Africa moving forward. Sometimes you have to go through these tough times and hopefully there will be some light at the end of the tunnel.”
“It has always been challenging playing against South Africa, be it in the T20 World Cup or any bilateral. The last time when we were here, we had a good series. Hopefully, we will have a game [tomorrow]; last time we missed out on the game here. But yeah, it’s always fun and challenging and both sides enjoy having that great competition.”

An ECB update at tea stated Stokes will not return to the field for NZ’s second innings

Vithushan Ehantharajah16-Dec-20240:48

Trescothick on Stokes injury: We didn’t see it coming

Ben Stokes was forced to leave the field during day three of England’s third Test against New Zealand at Seddon Park after a recurrence of a left hamstring injury. He will undergo a scan this evening to understand the full extent of the injury.England’s captain pulled up after the second ball of the 56th over of New Zealand’s second innings – his 13th, and third of the day – on Monday afternoon, immediately feeling the back of his left thigh after delivering a bouncer that Rachin Ravindra pulled for four. It was the same hamstring he tore in August while batting for Northern Superchargers against Manchester Originals in the men’s Hundred, which kept him out for two months.Bowling from the City End, Stokes put his hand on his face and kept walking in the direction of the team dressing room away at the newly renamed Tim Southee End. New Zealand were leading by 409 at the time, as left-arm spinner Jacob Bethell finished the over.An ECB update at tea stated Stokes will not return to the field for New Zealand’s second innings while he receives treatment, with a further assessment to be made on whether he will bat. England finished the day 18 for 2, chasing a mammoth 658, though they have already secured the series after victories in the first two Tests.”It’s the same hamstring that he’s had before,” confirmed England assistant coach Marcus Trescothick. “He’s been going so well, he’s been bowling and playing the role that he does as an all-rounder and captain.”We didn’t see it coming, you don’t have any signs of these sort of things…generally they just happen.”Stokes’ 36.2 overs in Hamilton were the most he has bowled for in a Test since 40 at Trent Bridge in 2022 (also against New Zealand). On day one, his 23 overs were the most he has managed in a single day, split between spells of eight, eight and seven. It is worth noting England’s first innings capitulation for 143 meant their seamers only had 34.5 overs of rest after 97.1 between them for New Zealand’s opening effort. The hosts went further in their second innings, keeping England in the field for 101.4 overs, eventually finishing on 453.This series has brought Stokes seven dismissals at 36.85 from 66.1 overs – his most as captain – accompanied by a batting average of 52.66 across four innings. After struggling to effectively fulfill the allrounder role, this series had been a welcome return to the Stokes of old.It was only on the previous evening (Sunday) that assistant coach Paul Collingwood lauded Stokes’ return as a talismanic allrounder. Following today’s events, Trescothick stated Stokes might have to tailor his bowling loads going forward.”I still think he’s shown signs over the course of this series that getting back to fitness he is going to have that level. Maybe it’s a case that you manage his bowling loads and he doesn’t bowl the volume that he’s potentially bowled in this game.”Injuries happen, right? they’re always going to be part of the game. he works dramatically well with his fitness. to try and get into the shape he can be. He bowled 24 in the first innings, and he was bowling quite a few in this (second) innings [12.2 overs]. We’ll just have to look at how we manage it.”Stokes looked understandably crestfallen as he walked off, having only just overcome the physical and psychological toil from the initial hamstring tear which derailed his return to full fitness in the summer.Related

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Having arrived into the home summer following successful knee surgery in October 2023, he bowled 49 overs across three Tests against West Indies, with five wickets that took him past 200 career dismissals. The tear subsequently set him back, ruling him out of the three-match series against Sri Lanka at the end of the season, and the first Test of the Pakistan tour.Stokes returned for the final two matches of that series but England lost both, succumbing to a 2-1 defeat having won the first Test. He admitted his drive to regain full fitness led him to “physically drain and ruin himself”. When the squad gathered at Queenstown at the start of the series, Stokes apologised for the negative effect he had on the team environment.Prior to this final Test, Stokes was optimistic he was in a good place, with a better understanding of his body.”I have to work so much harder on the physical side of the job to allow me to go out and do my job but I got a good amount of overs in during the last two games and I am more confident about getting through a lot of spells in a day.”That is where I got to before I pulled my hamstring. I bowled nice in summer, had a setback but now feel out of that and worrying about anything else happening again. As you get older you think about your body a bit more but I work harder because I have to.”Now, the 33-year-old must undergo another period of rehabilitation. England’s next Test match is not until May 22, against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge, but a lucrative £800,000 with MI Cape Town in the SA20, which begins on January 9, may have to be forgone. Having signed a two-year central contract in October, the ECB has the power to withdraw him outright from the tournament, even if he is able to regain fitness prior to the end of the group stages, with MI’s final match on February 2.This latest setback also complicates any prospective white-ball return for Stokes. The man himself has remained coy on whether he will make himself available for the upcoming Champions Trophy, with Test head coach Brendon McCullum assuming control of the limited-overs sides. Now, perhaps, the decision has been made for him.

Former Barcelona and France defender Eric Abidal has been forced to release a statement confirming he is "alive and well" after a cruel rumour of his death circulated on social media. The 46-year-old took to Instagram to slam the false reports, which exploited his real-life battle with liver cancer from 2011.

Abidal issues statement after false death rumour spreads online

Abidal has been forced to publicly deny false reports of his death after a cruel and baseless rumour circulated on social media on Monday. According to French outlet , several accounts on the platform X began spreading the claim that the 46-year-old had passed away due to complications from a second liver transplant, prompting the Champions League winner to release an official statement.

AdvertisementGetty'Respect is essential': What Abidal said in his statement

In response to the distressing online speculation, Abidal took to his Instagram story to reassure fans and condemn the rumour. 

"Some rumours should never exist," he wrote. "I'm here with my family, and everything is fine. Respect is essential. There is a family and my children behind this. To be clear, I'm fine, I'm alive and well. Thank you for your support and messages of concern. Let's focus on what really matters."

Rumour exploited former defender's real-life cancer battle

The false story preyed on Abidal's well-documented and inspirational battle with liver cancer. The defender was famously diagnosed with a tumour in his liver in 2011 while at the peak of his career with Barcelona. After initial surgery, he required a transplant a year later before making a remarkable and emotional return to the pitch in April 2013. He continued his playing career with Monaco and Olympiakos before finally retiring in 2014.

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AFPWhat next after Abidal quashes false report?

Having swiftly and publicly corrected the false information, Abidal has urged the public to move on and "focus on what really matters." The former defender, who also served as Barcelona's director of football after his retirement, will now look to put the upsetting incident behind him. His decisive statement has ended the speculation, allowing him and his family to move past the distressing online event.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has praised Viktor Gyokeres for what he’s “already” doing behind-the-scenes, as the Swede gears up to face-off against his former boss, Ruben Amorim, at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Gyokeres is poised for his highly-anticipated Premier League debut when the north Londoners travel to Man United for their opening top flight game of the 2025/2026 season – a match where former top Arsenal target, Benjamin Sesko, will likely also be making his first competitive appearance for the Red Devils.

Arsenal attempted to sign Sesko last summer and in January, but that is all ancient history now, with Gyokeres coming to N5 in the Slovenian’s stead after two years of free-scoring for Sporting CP in Portugal.

The 27-year-old joined Arteta’s side in a deal worth up to £64 million, including potential add-ons, whilst putting pen to paper on a five-year contract and officially ending Arsenal’s long hunt for a prolific number nine.

Gyokeres now dons the number 14 shirt, once worn by Gunners legend Thierry Henry (no pressure!), and Arsenal supporters were treated to glimpses of his quality during pre-season.

The ex-Coventry City star scored a thumping header in their 3-0 win over Athletic Bilbao in the Emirates Cup last weekend, attacking the ball with gusto after a great run into the box, and perhaps giving Arteta a small taste of what’s to come.

Gyokeres has been tipped as a potentially game-changing signing in Arsenal’s quest to end their two-decade-long wait for a Premier League title, and nothing Arteta has witnessed so far suggests otherwise.

Mikel Arteta shares what Viktor Gyokeres is "already" doing at Arsenal

In an interview with Sky Sports, Arteta lavished praise on his new centre-forward.

The tactician revealed what Gyokeres has “already” been doing in his first few weeks behind-the-scenes at Arsenal – explaining the one thing that makes the Scandinavian so special.

Gyokeres bagged an incredible 97 goals in 102 appearances during his time at Sporting, helping Rui Borges’ side to their first domestic double in around 20 years last season, and Arteta will be praying for similar heroics at the Emirates.