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Liverpool have now made contact over a move for an “unbelievable” £126m star, who they are interested in bringing to Anfield this summer, according to reliable reporter Ben Jacobs.

Reds stepping up summer transfer plans

The summer transfer window isn’t officially open until June, but the Reds have already made progress towards securing an early signing, with a deal for Bayer Leverkusen defender Jeremie Frimpong now believed to be close.

Frimpong has been identified as a replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold, with the right-back set to join Real Madrid this summer, and while Virgil van Dijk has committed his future to the Reds, Arne Slot is also keen on strengthening in the centre of defence.

AFC Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen is among the more ambitious targets, but amid interest from Real Madrid, talks have now been opened over a deal for Benfica centre-back Tomas Araujo.

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There is also a sense that Slot is keen on improving his squad in more attacking areas this summer, having opened talks to sign Lyon playmaker Rayan Cherki, who could be available for just £19m.

Cherki’s low asking price could make signing the Frenchman an attractive proposition, but Liverpool also have their eye on a much more expensive target, namely Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz, with a deal for the German likely to amount to around £126m.

Taking to X, Jacobs has now provided a new update on the Reds’ Wirtz pursuit, stating “contact” has been made over a deal for the attacking midfielder, who they are “interested” in bringing to Anfield.

However, the reporter also clarifies that an in-person meeting hasn’t taken place, contrary to other reports, with Slot’s side of the belief the 22-year-old will either join Bayern Munich or stay at Leverkusen, rather than moving to the Premier League.

Wirtz could be "unbelievable" signing for Liverpool

Leverkusen have been on a real journey under Xabi Alonso, winning the Bundesliga title without losing a game in the 2023-24 campaign, while once again qualifying for the Champions League this season.

The 22-year-old has played an integral role in their success, picking up 57 goals and 65 assists in 196 first-team appearances for the German side, bagging six goals in nine Champions League outings this season.

As such, the Germany international places extremely highly on some key attacking metrics over the past year, when compared to other attacking midfielders and wingers.

Statistic

Average per 90

Successful take-ons

2.88 (96th percentile)

Assists

0.37 (92nd percentile)

Progressive passes

6.91 (94th percentile)

Wirtz is exhibiting world-class potential, but it appears as though a move to Bayern is the more likely scenario, and Liverpool would have to break the bank to get a deal done, given his £126m price tag.

Nottingham Forest are now eyeing a surprise move for an “incredible” Premier League forward, who could be brought in instead of Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Matheus Cunha, according to a report.

Cunha race heating up

As we approach the summer transfer window, it is becoming clear that Cunha will be one of the most sought-after strikers, with a number of Premier League clubs vying to sign the Wolves forward, who has scored 16 goals this season.

Arsenal have recently held exploratory talks over a move for the Brazilian, while there is also interest from Newcastle United and Forest, having been in talks over a potential £62.5m deal for quite some time.

However, it appears as though Manchester United could end up winning the race for the 25-year-old, with a report revealing Ruben Amorim’s side are now on the verge of getting a deal done, having recently held positive talks.

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As such, the Tricky Trees may be forced to move on to alternative targets, of which there is no shortage, with the likes of Benfica’s Vangelis Pavlidis and Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin being shortlisted.

However, a new target has now entered the picture, with a report from GiveMeSport revealing Nottingham Forest are now eyeing a surprise move for Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo, given that Cunha would rather move to Old Trafford.

Forest will find it difficult to win the race for the Brazil international, which means Mbeumo could be brought in instead, and there is a feeling the Cameroonian could be perfect for Nuno’s counter-attacking style of play.

A move would not be cheap, with the Bees set to hold out for £50m for their talisman, but Nuno’s side are confident the forward could be tempted by a move to the City Ground, given that European football is expected to be on offer next season.

"Incredible" Mbeumo outscoring Cunha

Not only is the Cameroon international likely to be cheaper than Cunha, but he has also been outscoring the Wolves star in the Premier League this season, netting 18 goals, the fifth-highest number in the division.

Reporter Dom Smith lauded the Brentford star as “incredible” earlier this season, while he was also described as “unplayable” by manager Thomas Frank after playing a key role in his side’s 4-2 victory over Newcastle United in December.

With Nuno implementing a counter-attacking style this season, it is crucial the manager brings in players who fit his system this summer, and former Manchester United man Danny Higginbotham thinks the France-born forward fits the bill.

Mbeumo could be a fantastic signing for Forest this summer, so it is exciting news that he has now been identified as a target.

Manchester United have now moved ahead of their rivals in the race for an “incredible” striker, having submitted an enticing offer, according to a report.

Man Utd stepping up striker pursuit

Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee once again failed to make an impact at the weekend, with Man United succumbing to a 4-1 defeat against Newcastle United, and it is now looking increasingly likely a new striker will be brought in this summer.

The Red Devils are considering a number of options from within the Premier League, with talks recently being opened over a deal for Wolverhampton Wanderers star Matheus Cunha, who has a release clause of £62.5m.

Ruben Amorim’s side are also becoming more confident they would be able to sign Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta this summer, should they make a move, and they have now expressed a concrete interest in signing the 27-year-old.

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However, Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap has been identified as Man United’s top striker target for the summer, following his breakout season with the Tractor Boys, and there has now been a positive update on their pursuit of the Englishman.

According to a report from TEAMtalk, United have now surged ahead of rival suitors in the race for Delap, given that the offer they have made is “far more solid” than Chelsea’s, which could play a crucial role in deciding the striker’s future.

Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Everton have also been named as potential suitors for the forward, whose agent has fielded a number of calls in recent weeks, but it appears as though the Red Devils are now leading the race for his signature.

Interestingly, the Ipswich star will remain keen on a move to Old Trafford regardless of whether European football is on offer next season.

"Incredible" Delap could be fantastic signing

Ipswich are almost certain to be relegated from the Championship, but it cannot be put down to a lack of effort on their striker’s behalf, having netted 12 Premier League goals.

That total is very impressive, given that the 22-year-old is playing for a side now 14 points from safety, and he has received high praise from reporter Alex Howell, who described him as “incredible” back in March.

Not only has the Winchester-born striker displayed a keen eye for goal, but he has showcased his ability to drive at opposition defences, ranking in the 90th percentile for successful take-ons, and the 86th percentile for progressive carries per 90 over the past year.

It is well-documented that Man United may not have a great deal of money to spend this summer, given their financial issues, which could make Delap the perfect addition at striker, considering he is set to be available for just £30m.

And that was not all. West Indies picked up three injuries and had to manufacture an entirely new opening pair

Andrew McGlashan13-Jul-2025

Justin Greaves celebrates dismissing Alex Carey•Associated Press

A lot happened on the opening day at Sabina Park, and not just with the ball – although that certainly did .One of the greatest spinners of all time was left out. Australia lost 7 for 68 under lights. Batters went into T20 mode in the third session of a Test. Jayden Seales bowled a worldie of a delivery. A substitute fielder took a worldie of a catch. West Indies picked up three injuries and had to manufacture an entirely new opening pair.Day-night Tests can have a strange tempo to them in that, for periods, things can move at a sedate pace, as if setting up for that final session under lights before moving at a breakneck speed. Early in the last session, around the time Beau Webster was dismissed shortly after Steven Smith, Australia shelved the idea of batting normally. At one point, it was worth pondering if Pat Cummins may declare, but the lower order kept swinging until West Indies had 45 minutes to face.

****

On its own, leaving out a spinner on a well-grassed pitch for a pink-ball Test shouldn’t really scream selection shock. But this spinner has 562 Test wickets. The day before, Cummins had sown the seeds for a selection call that, while having plenty of logic behind it, still came with a lot of significance.About half an hour before the toss, Nathan Lyon was kicking a football on his own. A couple of backroom staff wandered up to him. There was a tap on the shoulder from one. Then Scott Boland took the tape measure and marked out his run-up. For the first time in 12 years, Lyon wasn’t included in the XI when he’s been fit.Related

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He had bowled one over against India last season in the pink-ball Test in Adelaide and wasn’t needed under lights against England in Hobart during the 2021-22 Ashes. But overall, he has been prolific with the pink ball. Australia have got creative with selection on the subcontinent in recent years, but this was still a surprise.”It’s odd not having him out there,” Smith said. “I think most of us have played pretty much every game with him, but conditions are conditions. I think we saw today how much seam was on offer and Scott Boland’s not too bad at that, as we’ve seen on numerous occasions. Obviously, Nathan’s an exceptional bowler, it’s certainly nothing to do with his skill that’s for sure.”

****

When debutant Kevlon Anderson spilled Sam Konstas at third slip, you feared if West Indies were going to have another fielding nightmare. By tea – the first interval, not the second, in the world of day-night Tests, although can anyone actually agree on what to call them? – they only had one wicket to show for their efforts but had beaten the bat regularly amid sometimes extravagant seam movement.”I think some of the numbers early on, the seam amounts were through the roof,” Smith said. “They might have bowled just a fraction short. It looks pretty sometimes when the ball misses the bat, but when it’s a little bit shorter, it’s actually going too far to catch the edge on a lot of occasions.”Steven Smith and Co went into T20 mode in the third session of a Test•Associated PressBut early in the middle session, Shai Hope pulled off a spectacular catch to remove Usman Khawaja, flying one-handed towards first slip. It was another around-the-wicket dismissal for Khawaja but it had been a gutsy stay. Hope, meanwhile, had taken a terrific catch in Grenada to remove Travis Head and his return to Test cricket as a wicketkeeper has been very solid.Still, shortly before the dinner interval, Australia were sitting nicely on 129 for 2. Then Seales produced one of the deliveries of the series to remove a well-set Cameron Green: angled into middle from wide of the crease, nipping off the seam, zipping past the edge and trimming the bails. Sometimes you really do get a good one.”The ball did a lot more today than it did throughout the entire series,” Seales said. “There were a lot of plays and misses, and not enticing the edges as we did in the previous matches. But as the movement calmed down and the pitch calmed down a bit, it was easier to get wickets.”

****

After dinner, with the lights in full effect, Smith wasn’t going to hang around. He edged one wide of second slip, slashed one over the cordon then nicked a big drive to first. “Throw the kitchen sink at it,” he said when asked about his thinking. “Any width, I was just trying to climb into it. It felt pretty tricky out there and it felt like when the ball was up there and you get a good look at it, have a go at it.”Webster soon fell and it was clear Australia weren’t going to try and see out the day. “We knew that Australia wanted to bowl under the lights, so they would push and see how much they could get,” Seales said.Substitute Anderson Phillip pulled off a stunning catch to dismiss Travis Head•Associated PressWith Head and Alex Carey at the crease, Australia had a pair who could cause damage in a short period of time. Carey, especially, continued to strike the ball crisply. Then Head tried to drive Justin Greaves over extra cover. Off the bat, he appeared to have placed it well enough. But Anderson Phillip, on as one of three substitute fielders, sprinted to his right at mid-off, dived full length, held the catch horizontal to the ground and managed to cling on as he hit the turf. “Great effort, great effort, great catch,” Ian Bishop said on commentary. “It had to be a fast bowler to do it, great athleticism.”

****

Left with 45 minutes to bat, neither designated opener could come out for West Indies. Mikyle Louis had jarred his knee in the outfield – his prognosis did not sound promising – and John Campbell took a blow on the chest at short leg from a hard sweep by Smith.It felt like Mitchell Starc, in his 100th Test, could take a wicket nearly every ball. Then he did: Anderson dragging on in what was one of the tougher debut scenarios to imagine. Starc went to 396 Test wickets. Those four more may not be long in coming.Campbell, who had gone to the hospital for a scan, was back at the ground and set to bat No. 3. But it’s understood that he couldn’t get his kit on in time, so it was over to captain Roston Chase. It was that sort of day.

A civil engineering graduate, Madhwal had bowled only with a tennis ball until 2018. Now he is filling in for Jasprit Bumrah

Shashank Kishore and Daya Sagar25-May-20231:25

Have Mumbai found a specialist death bowler in Madhwal?

On Wednesday night, Akash Madhwal etched himself into IPL folklore. In the Eliminator in Chennai, he picked up 5 for 5, the joint-most economical IPL figures alongside Anil Kumble, to stun Lucknow Super Giants.It was a spell of the kind he had always dreamt of when he used to mimic bowling actions at the project site where he was employed as a civil engineer. Perhaps this is what he meant when, after the game against Gujarat Titans in early May, where he dismissed Wriddhiman Saha, Shubman Gill and David Miller, he told the broadcaster: “These are not my best figures, my best is yet to come.”Madhwal’s words reflected his quiet confidence. Last week, in a must-win game against Sunrisers Hyderabad, his four wickets and a terrific penultimate over was the difference between Mumbai having to chase 201, as opposed to 220. The highlights were the wickets of a marauding Heinrich Klaasen and Harry Brook.Related

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Coming from a middle-class family in Roorkee, Uttarakhand, Madhwal would see his neighbour, Rishabh, dedicate considerable time and effort towards training. While Madhwal, who went on to graduate with an engineering degree, casually played tennis-ball cricket with his friends, he would see Rishabh play with the hard ball.When he saw Rishabh train under coach Avtar Singh around 2013-14, Madhwal too was inspired to give professional cricket a shot. Rishabh would soon leave Uttarakhand and move to Delhi. Madhwal would realise only much later that his neighbour was destined for greatness. The boy he had known as Rishabh all along would announce himself to the world as Rishabh Pant.While Pant would move to Delhi to further his cricketing aspirations, Madhwal stayed back in Roorkee hoping to make something of his late initiation into the game. The turning point came in 2019 when Uttarakhand called for trials for the senior team in the second year of their existence.Akash Madhwal made history with his figures of 5-5 in the Eliminator•Associated PressWasim Jaffer, who was roped in as one of the coaches, was impressed by the raw pace and natural ability when he shortlisted Madhwal to be part of the senior state camp. Two months later, he made his state team debut in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. And incredibly, within two years of playing with the red ball, he also made his Ranji Trophy debut.In 2021, Madhwal was one of the reserve bowlers for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the UAE leg of the season. He had been told an opportunity could open up in the unfortunate event of an injury or a Covid case. That situation didn’t arise, but Madhwal, who only two years prior, was otherwise working as a planning engineer at a construction firm in Dehradun, thought he had lived his dream. After all, he got bowl to AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli.”Simply being called by my first name by two superstars who I had seen on TV was special,” a sheepish Madhwal would tell the RCB website.Madhwal was there on talent scout Malolan Rangarajan’s recommendation. Rangarajan had first seen him when he spent a season with Uttarakhand as a professional in their very first year since gaining BCCI affiliation in 2018-19. Two years later, when he went back as a scout, he remembered being impressed with Madhwal’s arm speed and deceptive pace.It turns out RCB weren’t the only team that had an eye on him. CKM Dhananjay, Mumbai Indians’ video analyst who is also known as DJ within the camp, had watched Madhwal bowl at the Abhimanyu Cricket Academy in Dehradun and was immediately impressed. He had also received feedback from Anand Rajan, the former Madhya Pradesh seamer, who would later join Uttarakhand as bowling coach.

When I was Uttarakhand Head Coach this boy came for trials. He was 24-25 and had only played tennis ball cricket. We were so impressed with his pace we roped him in right away! The year was 2019, and that boy was Akash Madhwal. Proud of how far he's come! #MIvsLSG #IPL2023 pic.twitter.com/BH0RTeRKvz

— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) May 25, 2023