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Arsenal transfer chiefs have been told exactly what they need to sign Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres this summer, according to Fabrizio Romano, with the Gunners given a “clear” message behind-the-scenes.

Arsenal's shortlist of summer striker targets for Mikel Arteta

Alongside Gyokeres, new sporting director Andrea Berta is believed to be looking at a number of centre-forwards to potentially move for in the summer transfer window.

Arteta has "serious" wish to sign £40m star with Arsenal contact made

The Gunners boss is “huge fan”.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Apr 16, 2025

Newcastle United star Alexander Isak is taking the Premier League by storm yet again this season, racking up 24 goals and six assists in all competitions, and reliable media sources indicate Gyokeres’ international teammate is actually a “dream” target for Arsenal (Ben Jacobs).

However, while Isak is reportedly top of Mikel Arteta’s wishlist, a move for the Swede is less viable considering his rumoured price tag stands at a minimum of £150 million.

Arsenal want to bolster the goalkeeping position, full-back area, in midfield and sign further upgrades out wide in the summer (GiveMeSport), so Berta simply cannot afford to splash such a figure on just one signing, no matter the quality.

RB Leipzig starlet Benjamin Sesko is another striker target for Arsenal, and one who could leave for just £62 million, due to the value of his current release clause (Sky Sports). The Slovenian boasts 19 goals in all competitions, and Arsenal did attempt to sign Sesko as a top target last summer, so this could still be one to watch.

Ipswich Town (away)

April 20th

Crystal Palace (home)

April 23rd

Bournemouth (home)

May 3rd

Liverpool (away)

May 11th

Newcastle United (home)

May 18th

The competition for his signature will be fierce, as a host of elite Premier League sides, including Chelsea and Man United, are also reportedly looking to bring in a prolific number nine this summer.

The same can be said of Gyokeres, who has been repeatedly linked with a move to N5 recently as interest in the former Coventry City star grows stronger from Arsenal’s side.

There are even reports that Arsenal are ready to offer Gyokeres a £192,000-per-week contract to join Arteta’s side, and now Romano has shared a fresh update on their pursuit of the 26-year-old.

Arsenal told price to sign Viktor Gyokeres "in recent days"

Writing in a column for GiveMeSport, Romano claims Arsenal have been given a “clear” communication over Gyokeres’ price “in recent days/weeks”.

The Primeira Liga sensation can leave for much less than his £86 million release clause, namely a fee of up to £60 million, with add-ons, deal structure and payment terms still to be discussed.

Berta is also said to be a huge fan of his, so the Italian’s stance on a deal is also crystal clear. While Gyokeres has been a pivotal player for the Portuguese heavyweights, racking up a sensational 44 goals and 11 assists in all competitions this season, the club are impressed with his conduct since last summer as well.

He’s made no trouble behind-closed-doors over a transfer and has behaved professionally, meaning Sporting are more inclined to help facilitate his dream move, with the Premier League looking more and more like a credible destination.

Gyokeres’ quality is evident for all to see, and often doesn’t get discussed enough, and some around the game are convinced he’s actually a “massively underrated” player for all he’s achieved in terms of a very impressive goalscoring record.

It’s arguably a mystery why no club has invested in the forward’s capture just yet, but it probably won’t be long now.

As Jean-Philippe Mateta’s future continues to come into question, Crystal Palace could now reportedly receive the opportunity to sign a struggling striker in a swap deal for the Frenchman.

Crystal Palace could be offered shock swap deal

The interest in Mateta should come as no surprise. The forward has found a new level under Oliver Glasner and has just over a year left on his current contract. As negotiations continue to rumble on over a new deal, the likes of Manchester United and Aston Villa have both been linked with moves to sign the Frenchman in what would deal those at Selhurst Park an instant blow.

For Mateta, meanwhile, he’s at a crucial point in his career. At 27 years old and at the peak of his powers, he may not get the opportunity to complete a mega move again in his career and must simply get his next decision right.

That said, Mateta’s decision could yet provide the Eagles with an unexpected opportunity. According to Football Transfers, Manchester United could now offer Rasmus Hojlund in a swap deal to sign Mateta this summer in what would see their transfer flop finally bring an end to his Old Trafford nightmare.

Would cost £0: Crystal Palace now join race to sign "imperious" PL defender

The Eagles are now interested in signing a Premier League centre-back, who is set to be available on a free transfer.

ByDominic Lund Apr 4, 2025

Left benefitting is potentially Crystal Palace. Whether they accept the chance to sign the Dane with talks over Mateta already reportedly open with Manchester United remains to be seen, but it would at least end their search for a replacement swiftly.

Crystal Palace perfect fit for struggling Hojlund

Whilst he has far from lived up to his reported £72m price tag, there’s been enough evidence over the years to suggest that the blame may not fully be on Hojlund at Old Trafford. He’s not the first fresh arrival to face new struggles at United and he certainly won’t be the last.

Now, like others before him, he needs to move on and become the player that many believed he would become for the Red Devils. And that’s where Palace could come in.

As relayed by Football Transfers, Palace have a ‘club fit’ of 76/100 with Hojlund – an algorithm which measures potential development, a side’s system and the game time that certain players will receive. All signs suggest that the Dane would finally thrive away from Manchester United and under Glasner.

At just 22 years old, there’s ever chance that Hojlund could still realise his potential like many have by leaving Old Trafford. It wasn’t so long ago that he even found himself at the centre of praise from around the media, with Times reporter Charlotte Duncker among those with plenty of positives to say.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live’s Football Daily podcast, Duncker described Hojlund’s work off the ball as “underrated” last season in something that he now needs to bring back to his game if he completes a move to Crystal Palace.

Manchester United boss Marc Skinner has explained the thinking behind leaving the Lionesses duo of Ella Toone and Jess Park on the bench for Wednesday's Champions League defeat to eight-time winners Lyon. Although already assured of a play-off berth, the Red Devils needed a positive result to improve their seeding and to push for automatic qualification. Skinner's starting XI raised plenty of questions before his side were given a 3-0 thumping.

Park, Toone & Skinner's eyebrow-raising team selection

It wasn't just the absences of Park, in excellent form, and Toone, leading the Women's Super League for assists this season, that left many perplexed. Skinner also named Dominique Janssen, a strong performer at centre-back, to his bench and Julia Zigiotti Olme, who has been excellent since arriving from Bayern Munich in the summer. It was a gamble that didn't pay-off either, with United not really in the game until Skinner brought on all of Park, Toone and Zigiotti at half time. Even then, there wasn't enough time for the Red Devils to turn things around, with them dealt a 3-0 loss.

AdvertisementAFPExplained: Why Man Utd benched Park, Toone & more for Lyon clash

"You can lose a game against Lyon on set pieces, on physicality, so we had to have balance," Skinner said, explaining his team selection. "We needed to match them physically from the first half, and then always adapt it and change it second half. I felt that, first half, we physically were matching them, especially from set pieces, but we probably didn't get enough pressure on them in moments, so I adapted it half time, got a little bit more ball possession."

Asked what the reactions of players like Toone, Park and Zigiotti was when they were told they weren't starting this big game, Skinner replied: "When they had the reasons and rationale explained, they understood. They don't want to not play but I always explain the reasons. I don't leave any players blind to what the decisions are. That's my job, to make tough decisions."

When asked about Skinner's emphasis on Lyon's physicality, Jonatan Giraldez, head coach of the French giants, said: "For sure, we have top players, technical players, tactical players and also physical players but I don't think that only the physicality has been key. I think as a team, we have done a very good job today."

Busy January coming? Man Utd in need of extra depth

It wasn't just about what Skinner felt was necessary for this particular match-up, either. United don't have the biggest squad, with many of those on the bench on Wednesday having played a lot of minutes as a result. As such, there was also a touch of loading factored into his selection against Lyon.

"We've got four games in 10 days, so we've got to be able to rotate," he added. "I won't have anyone go, 'Oh, well, you don't rotate', and then you do rotate, and it's not right. You've got to. There's got to be a plan ahead of all of the games."

Skinner has been keen to point out that his squad needs reinforcements in January, after a summer transfer window in which fewer were brought in that he would've liked. "It's nothing to do with the quality in my squad right now. It needs support and it needs numbers of quality," he said on Wednesday, emphasising the need for more depth to compete on four fronts. "I don't want to diminish anything from my squad. I love [the players] and what they do. It's not about replacing them, but it's about trying to grow the team."

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Getty Images SportWho will Man Utd face in the Women's Champions League play-offs?

While United have already secured a spot in the Champions League league phase play-offs, an automatic qualification spot remains up for grabs, though it is harder for the Red Devils to secure after this defeat. Skinner's side travel to Juventus next week hoping for a win that could sneak them into the top four, but they will need results to go their way elsewhere as well.

United are currently ninth in the UWCL standings, which would leave them unseeded in the play-offs. As it stands, they could be playing Wolfsburg or Arsenal, though that is all likely to change after next week's final games. Creep into the top eight, however, and the Red Devils could get a much more favourable draw, with the likes of Paris FC, OH Leuven and an Atletico Madrid side they beat earlier in the league phase all in the mix.

The positive is that this is just the club's first stage in the Women's Champions League proper and they will be getting out of the league phase. Who they will face in that next round will all be determined next week.

While the results this season might suggest otherwise, West Ham United do have a fair amount of talent in their squad.

For example, when he’s not getting himself sent off, Lucas Paqueta can be a magician on the ball, and while he’s still raw, summer signing El Hadji Malick Diouf has an unreal cross on him.

Furthermore, Nuno Espírito Santo seems to be getting more out of Mateus Fernandes and has finally given Freddie Potts a proper run in the team, as fans have been calling for.

Finally, there is the club captain, Jarrod Bowen, who remains one of the best attackers in the Premier League, and therefore, fans should be excited about a young Potts-esque academy prospect who could well be the next Bowen.

Bowen's start to the season

Considering they finished down in 14th place, it would be fair to say that last season wasn’t exactly a great one for West Ham.

Yet, even though those around him were letting him down, Bowen once again proved he was one of the best attackers in the country by racking up a sensational tally of 14 goals and ten assists in 36 appearances, totalling 3148 minutes.

That comes out to a world-class average of a goal involvement every 1.5 games, or every 131.16 minutes.

So, with numbers like those, fans and pundits alike were expecting the former Hull City star to have another stellar personal campaign this season.

However, so far anyway, it hasn’t quite worked out that way.

Appearances

36

14

Minutes

3148′

1260′

Goals

14

3

Assists

10

2

In his 14 appearances, totalling 1260 minutes, the Hammers’ captain has scored three goals and provided two assists, which is an average of a goal involvement every 2.8 games, or every 252 minutes.

With that said, it’s still early, and the start of the season was such a car crash that it feels almost unfair to judge him.

Moreover, Bowen has proved himself time and time again in claret and blue, so it’s likely just a matter of when and not if he rediscovers his best form and therefore, fans should be very excited about an academy product who could be West Ham’s next version of the Englishman.

West Ham's next Bowen

The good news for West Ham is that they have more than a few seriously exciting young prospects coming up through the academy at the moment.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

The likes of Preston Fearon, Josh Landers and Emeka Adiele, for example, could all get their chance with the first team in the coming years.

However, when it comes to a Potts-esque youngster who could go on to be the club’s next Bowen, it’s impossible to ignore Andre Dike.

The 17-year-old gem signed scholarship terms with the club in July 2024, and while he had a good 24/25, he has reached another level entirely this year.

For example, in 12 appearances, totalling 987 minutes, he has already scored six goals and provided one assist, which comes out to an impressive average of a goal involvement every 1.71 games, or every 141 minutes.

This ability to reliably produce goal involvements for his team is one of the reasons he could become the club’s next Bowen, and another is that he does so primarily from the right wing.

Moreover, like the first-team captain, he is more than just an output machine, as he’s got brilliant close control and an ability to create something from nothing, stemming from what Academy Manager Kenny Brown described as his “great technical ability.”

Finally, what makes him a Potts-esque prospect, you may ask.

Well, that is partly due to his impressive output, partly down to him being highly rated within the academy from people like Brown, and then partly due to him already making an appearance with the u21s despite being just 17.

Ultimately, there is still a long way to go for Dike, but West Ham look like they have a real talent in him and someone who could one day replace Bowen.

Nuno could solve big Lucas Paqueta blow by unleashing West Ham academy star

The incredible talent could be the perfect answer to Nuno and West Ham’s Paqueta problem.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 3, 2025

The World Cup 2026 draw has been made, with England set to face Croatia in the group stages, and the USMNT to take on Australia. Brazil have been drawn with Morocco, while France will play Senegal and Argentina must face Austria.

England into Group L

Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney, drew his nation into Group B as the first pick, while Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum drew her nation into Group A. United States president Donald Trump then drew the United States National Team into Group D.

Brazil were the first non-host team drawn by Birmingham shareholder Tom Brady, and were drawn into Group C, while Germany were drawn into Group E, the Netherlands into Group F, Belgium into Group G, Spain into Group H, Argentina into Group J (because they cannot meet Spain in their pathway), France into Group I, Portugal into Group K and England, the final team out of the pot, into Group L. 

Thomas Tuchel's side will subsequently be playing their first game in either Toronto or Dallas, their second in Toronto or Boston, and their third in New York or Philadelphia. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportThe draw in full

Shaquille O'Neal, the NBA legend, drew from Pot 2, before NFL star Aaron Judge drew from Pot 3, and hockey legend Wayne Gretzky drew from Pot 4.

Group A: Mexico, South Africa, Korea Republic, Denmark / North Macedonia / Czechia / Republic of Ireland.

Group B: Canada, Qatar, Switzerland, Italy/ Northern Ireland / Wales / Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland.

Group D: USMNT, Paraguay, Australia, Turkiye / Romania / Slovakia / Kosovo.

Group E: Germany, Curacao, Cote D'Ivoire, Ecuador.

Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, Ukraine / Sweden / Poland / Albania.

Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand.

Group H: Spain, Cabo Verde, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia

Group I: France, Senegal, Norway, Iraq / Bolivia / Suriname

Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan.

Group K: Portugal, Congo DR / Jamaica / New Caledonia, Uzbekistan, Colombia.

Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama.

Familiar opponents for England

The 2026 World Cup will begin with the clash between Mexico and South Africa in Group A. The game will take place on Thursday June 11, 2026, and from there, the tournament will begin. England will face Croatia in a rerun of the 2018 World Cup semi-final and will also meet familiar opponents in Panama, having played them at the same tournament. That game ended in a 6-1 win for the Three Lions, a Harry Kane scored a hat-trick. Tuchel's side will also face Ghana, but have only played them once before, doing so in a friendly in 2011. That game resulted in a 1-1 draw. 

England's first game will take place on June 17 against Croatia, before their second game on June 23 against Ghana, and they then round out the initial phase of the tournament on June 27, with their clash against minnows Panama. 

Pundit Dion Dublin said on BBC Sport: "Regarding England, I think the African nations always give England a hard game. I'm expecting England to do what they need to do against Panama. Ghana and Croatia I'm a little bit worried about."

Scottish pundit Scott Brown added on their draw: "We've got to look to beat Haiti, it will be a huge game for us. Morocco, we'll be underdogs from looking at the world rankings, it's a hard game. Brazil is the big one. Everyone will want to be at that Scotland v Brazil game. Seeing that yellow shirt, they've got top quality players. As do Morocco. We've got to beat Haiti and try to pick up points somewhere else. There is hope for us."

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Getty Images SportWhat next?

The tournament will kick off soon enough next year but first, come the playoffs, with the competition's field set to be rounded out. The semi-finals will take place on Thursday March 26 and the finals on Tuesday March 31 with kick-off times of 5pm or 7.45pm.

The winners of the four play-off finals qualify for the World Cup and complete the field of 16 European participants.

Small errors, non-traditional dismissals, another collapse, and India had lost another opportunity to make losing this Test improbable

Sidharth Monga12-Jul-20251:30

Manjrekar: ‘The grind’ a great facet of Jadeja’s batting evolution

For a moment if you forget the last session of the day is always longer, at drinks in the middle session of the Saturday of Lord’s we reached the halfway point of the series. Two Tests, two days and 1.5 sessions in, India had scored 2139 runs and lost 41 wickets, making it an average of 52.17 and scoring rate of 4.17 per over. They had conceded 1903 runs and taken 45 wickets at 42.29 apiece and 4.21 per over. They had kept England in the field for 513 overs and had themselves bowled just 452.5This kind of superiority is usually enough to win Test series. And it can be argued India ought to have been even more superior on these numbers because India had been better on control numbers. India’s bowlers had drawn false shots to 17.76% of the deliveries they had bowled as against England’s 12.45%.Account for regulation amounts of luck going England’s way, but you would still expect India to be ahead of England at the halfway point of the series. Instead, the series scoreline read 1-1, and the first innings of this Test was England 387 all out vs India 290 for 5. Somehow India had contrived to be only just level, playing catch-up really considering they had to bat last on what started as an aged pitch during what is among the hottest Tests played at Lord’s.Related

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India's 350-plus streak in Tests, and a rare first-innings tie

The latest slip-up came after India had vowed not to gift wickets in the aftermath of the Headingley defeat where they endured collapses of 7 for 41 and 6 for 31 to bowling that didn’t call for them. They showed the corrections at Edgbaston, kept England in the field for 234 overs and levelled the series.At Lord’s, India batted with similar resolve, got into positions of strength through a 141-run partnership between KL Rahul and the injured Rishabh Pant, but found a new skittish way to let England back in.Rahul, having never scored two centuries in a series, started the last over before lunch on 97, got a short and wide ball, but cut it straight to the sweeper. Just for perspective – and not to suggest it was bothering Rahul – Kumar Sangakkara on air had just finished saying how he hated going into breaks just short of a milestone. He said he would have been looking for a boundary.Rahul’s non-striker, Pant, was more disappointed. He seemed more invested in Rahul’s century. He could be heard on stump mic: “It was a bad ball, deserved four.” Rahul said he did go for it, but found the fielder. The unspoken was spoken now. The two now had the milestone on their mind. Pant looked to manipulate a single off the next two balls, and on the second, the two just looked up at each other and set off.They had survived a whole session of the best England had to throw at them including a bouncer barrage, Rahul serenely, Pant slightly more entertainingly despite having to look after his injured digit. And then a three-way nightmare came together: a milestone jeopardy, a quick single and the Ben Stokes juju. It was such a poorly judged single that Stokes had a choice of ends to go for.Chris Woakes had Ravindra Jadeja caught down the leg side•Getty ImagesIndia had once again found a newer non-traditional way to lose a Test wicket to a Stokes-led piece. They have been doing this since Hyderabad at the start of the home series in 2023-24.Imagine playing the superior cricket through the series, and struggling to avoid trailing in the series halfway into it. When Ravindra Jadeja was joined by Nitish Kumar Reddy, India were 133 behind.Jadeja is just the man you want to see at such a time. Please don’t do a double take. He is the most old-school batter in the Indian line-up. So old-school he hasn’t changed his technique to allow for DRS. He still defends spin with bat beside the pad. He just reacts to what is bowled at him.And still for about the next half hour, India didn’t enjoy the calm Jadeja should bring to the middle. Borne mostly out of Jadeja’s propensity to take two or three steps down the pitch every time his bat touches the ball, it was another spell of skittish and frantic play that could have got India into trouble.Desperately due some luck, India miraculously avoided any run out. Not every lesson has to be as harsh as the Headingley one. Jadeja’s serenity took over. He was only the fourth batter in the Test to be in control of 100 balls or more. At a control rate of 91%, this innings was as good as any played in the match. Coming at the stage that it did, it sent a message if it needed repeating: if you are good enough, in these conditions you can thrive even if you take just what is offered.And then, with ascendency in sight, the juju struck again. There had been a period of wide and dry bowling from England, understandably so, the new ball had been seen off, and just when India might have started to think of forcing the issue, Jadeja tickled one down the leg side. Another non-traditional dismissal, another collapse, and India had lost another opportunity to make losing this Test improbable.At the end of the day’s play, India averaged 48.6 with the bat at 3.97 per over, England 42.33 and 4.19 per over. And yet, England were two ahead with all their second-innings wickets in hand in the third Test and the series 1-1. With temperatures rising both in the air and on the pitch, India will be counting the costs of their small errors here and there.

Kyle Schwarber is currently set to become one of the top free agents available this offseason. Schwarber, who is entering the final months of his four-year deal with the Phillies, made his third All-Star Game and leads the National League in both home runs and RBIs this season.

If Schwarber doesn't re-sign with the Phillies and instead enters free agency, could he join his hometown team, the Reds? Schwarber grew up within an hour drive of Cincinnati and rooted for the team as a kid.

"There's so many different aspects that go into free agency, everything like that," Schwarber said on Monday before the Phillies defeated the Reds 4–1. "Especially where you're playing at now and you feel like you wanna just keep winning with the group here. There's unknowns, there's a business, and whatever happens happens, but if you asked the childhood Kyle that, yeah, you know, why wouldn't you want to play for your hometown team."

Schwarber's future after this season appears to be up in the air, but it looks like he hasn't ruled out joining the Reds if he doesn't return to Philly. Schwarber did notably offer some positive thoughts on the team the Reds have been building.

"I think they're young," Schwarber said. "I know that they made some moves at the deadline. Made some trades for some pieces that will be here for a while. I think that there's a lot of things Cincinnati should be happy about. I think the future here will be bright for them. … I think there are a lot of things that are looking up here in Cincinnati."

Phillies managing partner John Middleton did express last month that they want to retain Schwarber. Staying in Philadelphia would make sense for Schwarber, who has helped the Phillies make three consecutive postseason appearances since joining the team in 2022. The Phillies lead the National League East by 5.5 games, and are in the thick of World Series contention.

If returning to Philadelphia doesn't work out though, joining a rising Reds team seems like a good option for Schwarber.

Trinity Rodman has spoken out about her NWSL future as the Washington Spirit look to retain the forward's services. USWNT star Rodman's current deal in the capital expires next month and the Spirit are keen to keep 23-year-old after another strong season. DC Power have reportedly lodged an offer, which exceeds the Spirit's offer owing to the NWSL wage cap structure, while there is also interest from England's WSL.

Getty Images SportInjured Rodman struggled in defeat to Gotham

NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman has stressed that the league will do everything in their power to retain Rodman's services. "We want Trinity in the NWSL, and we will fight for her," Berman said in the NWSL Final presser earlier in the week as the league strives to retain their star player.

The Spirit were in action against Gotham FC, but fell to a 1-0 loss on Saturday as Rose Lavelle's 80th minute winner proved the difference at PayPal Park in San Jose. Rodman didn't start the match owing to an MCL injury to her right knee, yet featured from the bench with a little over half hour to go. When asked about her knee, the Spirit forward admitted it "felt great" but later commented that she wasn't at full strength.

And it showed as Rodman struggled to make an impact as she failed to get a shot off during his second half cameo. It was a performance eerily similar to last season's NWSL showpiece event as the Spirit fell to a 1-0 defeat to Orlando Pride, as Rodman struggled with a back problem in the narrow loss.

Speaking after the NWSL final defeat, Rodman admitted that she "definitely underperformed" as attention turns to her future with the Spirit.

AdvertisementRodman was not 'feeling herself' in the lead up to the final

Referring to the amount of playing time she had in the lead up to Saturday's defeat to Gotham FC, Rodman said: "I think naturally only having nine minutes going into a final is not ideal. As much as I don't want to admit it, I still don't feel like I was my full self tonight, which sucks.

"I feel like this is the second year I've gone to a final not I feeling myself. So it just makes me sad. But yeah, for me, I was just trying to go out there and do what I could. I definitely underperformed."

After the match, Rodman walked over to the far side of PayPal Park, where she and her boyfriend, tennis sensation Ben Shelton, held each other in a long embrace. "It was sad, and I feel like you obviously have your team the entire year, but sometimes you just need your outside supporters and Ben is that for me.

"So I was just crying. I'm sad. It sucks and it's not just we lost a soccer game. It's all the work we put into it and it's nice to get that reward at the end, but at the end of the day we can still celebrate because we did so much."

Getty Images EntertainmentRodman's DC Power offer highlights NWSL's wage cap

With attention now on Rodman's future with the Spirit, the forward was asked whether loss to Gotham FC would influence her decision, to which she replied: "No, every team loses."

DC Power, who play in the USL, does not use a salary cap or player draft, which gives clubs full power over squad building and allows all players to become free agents when their contracts expire. By comparison, the NWSL's hard cap means wages are restricted to $3.3m per team for 2026, and not expected to reach $5m until 2030, which limits how many teams can offer players in negotiations.

Commissioner Berman has defended the cap, however, and highlighted the NWSL's growth in recent years, stating: "The NWSL has raised the salary cap tremendously in the last four seasons, almost quadrupled in the last four years."

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Potential DC Power switch puts Rodman in unique situation

The outcome of Rodman's contract decision could influence contract negotiations for American players in the future. US stars Alyssa Thompson and Naomi Girma both moved to WSL champions Chelsea from Angel City and San Diego Wave, respectively, earlier this year, while Lindsey Heaps transferred to French side Lyon from the Portland Thorns back in 2022.

And with lucrative offers available elsewhere, Rodman's offer of a move to DC Power will again bring the NWSL's salary cap under the spotlight amidst the possibility that one of the league's star performers could depart for a bigger contract elsewhere.

The Power and the Spirit both share training facilities owned by MLS giants DC United, and a move to the former from the latter would see Rodman remain in the same market but move to a different league entirely.

Head coach says there is “no mental block against India” after defeat meant Sri Lanka lost all three games in Super Fours

Shashank Kishore27-Sep-20252:04

Maharoof: Nissanka had answers for every bowler

Head coach Sanath Jayasuriya couldn’t believe Sri Lanka had bottled yet another last over against India in their Asia Cup Super Fours game in Dubai.Their loss instantly brought back memories from July 2024, when they squandered what should have been a straightforward chase against India. On that scarcely believable night in Pallekele, Sri Lanka needed just nine runs from two overs with six wickets in hand. Yet, they stumbled against the bowling of Rinku Singh and Suryakumar Yadav as the game went into a Super Over, where they managed just one run, which Suryakumar took one delivery to score.On Friday, Sri Lanka needed 12 runs to win in the last over with six wickets remaining and centurion Pathum Nissanka on strike. But he fell immediately and when Dasun Shanaka hit the last ball towards wide long-on with Sri Lanka needing three to win, there was a chance of closing out the game in regulation time. Except, Shanaka sprawled a full-length dive to complete the second run to level the scores, anticipating the throw to be fired at his end, completely unaware that Kuldeep Yadav had misfielded and that there could have been a chance for a third. It meant the game was to be decided in the Super Over, where Sri Lanka stumbled again.Related

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“I would’ve preferred to finish games in normal time,” Jayasuriya said at the post-match press conference. “No captain or coach wants to go to a Super Over. Unfortunately, Dasun missed completing the third run. But no, there’s no mental block against India. Our batting line-up is strong, and we’ve given them confidence. Chasing 200 (203) is never easy, but we almost did it, which shows the quality we have.”There is no doubting Sri Lanka’s class or quality, and few embody it better than Nissanka. Having first broken through as a Test batter in 2021, he has since blossomed into a formidable white-ball player. Just last week, after the group stage, Nissanka spoke glowingly of Jayasuriya’s influence, and the freedom the coach has given him to develop a niche, along with a leeway for mistakes. On Friday, he repaid that faith in style, turning what looked a daunting chase of 203 into a stroll at one stage with a sublime 107 off 58 balls.What made the innings even more remarkable was the character behind it. Jayasuriya revealed afterwards that Nissanka had been carrying groin and hamstring niggles since the group stage. Yet, his determination to deliver for the team drove him through the pain. On a muggy night when as many as three Indian fielders cramped up, Nissanka put his body on the line.It took an ill-judged flick straight into the hands of Varun Chakravarthy at short fine leg with 12 needed off the final over to finally stop him. Jayasuriya was all praise for Nissanka and Kusal Perera, who scored 58 off 32 balls during their second-wicket stand of 127 in just 70 deliveries.2:01

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“When you’re chasing 202 (203), you have to keep finding boundaries,” Jayasuriya said. “Their partnership was the key. The momentum shifted when we started losing wickets. That’s natural in a chase because someone has to take risks. Sadly, Pathum got out at the wrong time, and later on, the ball began to turn more. Still, it was a very good game of cricket.”Kusal is one of the best players of spin in our team. He played that role well again, though I’d have liked him to bat longer. Both took calculated risks, and when they wanted boundaries, they executed them. Pathum also had a bit of a hamstring issue recently but still gave 100% for the team, which shows his commitment.”Sri Lanka will return home without a win in the Super Fours from their three games; such a result didn’t seem likely when they went through the group stages unbeaten, following wins against Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Hong Kong in what was dubbed as the group of death. Reflecting on their campaign and looking ahead to the next six months leading into the T20 World Cup in February, Jayasuriya stressed on the need for the batters to adapt faster to challenging conditions.”In T20 cricket, assessing conditions quickly is everything,” Jayasuriya said. “In Abu Dhabi, for example, the first-round pitches had pace and bounce, but in the second round, things changed, and we were too slow to adapt. That cost us. The disappointment was the Bangladesh match in the Super Four – 168 on that pitch was a good score, but we didn’t bowl well enough to defend it. Against Pakistan, we didn’t assess the conditions [in Abu Dhabi] quickly enough, and were late to adapt.”Today, India played very well to get over 200. Our boys showed they’re capable of chasing that, but again we just fell short. Apart from that Bangladesh game, I’m fairly satisfied, though disappointed not to reach the final. We have the batting and bowling quality. The key is to execute plans according to conditions and opposition. If we do that consistently, this team can go very far.”

Manchester United are now reportedly racing Arsenal to sign Serhou Guirassy from Borussia Dortmund amid rumours that he has a release clause worth just £45m for selected clubs.

The Reds Devils successfully overhauled their frontline last summer, but could now be aiming to add that extra bit of quality now that Ruben Amorim’s side have found form. Before the international break, they stretched their unbeaten run to five games and will be desperate to continue that run when they play host to David Moyes and Everton on Monday night.

Despite their cost-cutting measures elsewhere, INEOS have shown a willingness to spend big on improving Amorim’s side and 2026 is unlikely to be any different. Those at Old Trafford are already reportedly eyeing a move to sign Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest and after his recent rise, no one’s doubting that he’d be an excellent addition.

England manager Thomas Tuchel has also been full of praise for the Man United target during the November international break, telling reporters: “Anderson is a key player for us at the moment. He is one of the best midfielders in the Premier League – that’s why he is with us and starting for us.

“He deserves it because he has been nothing but impressive. He has to keep on going now though. He is a very complete and mobile midfielder, and that’s what he keeps showing me.”

It would be an incredibly positive sign if United managed to welcome such a promising player next year, before then potentially shifting their focus towards signing yet another attacker. Having already welcomed Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig and the Bundesliga last year, reports are claiming that INEOS could be heading back to Germany.

Man Utd racing to sign Guirassy

As reported by Caught Offside, Man United are now racing to sign Guirassy from Borussia Dortmund alongside PSG and Premier League rivals Arsenal. The forward has been a late bloomer, but is now one of Europe’s most clinical strikers. And with reports claiming that his release clause is worth just €50m (£45m) to a selection of clubs, the Red Devils should go all out.

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Although Sesko is very much the future of United’s attack, Guirassy could quickly ease the pressure on the forward’s shoulders in 2026. The 29-year-old could guarantee Amorim goals in the here and now, with five to his name already in the Bundesliga this season.

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Just how stubborn Dortmund will be amid interest in Guirassy is the question. Former German international went as far as to dub the forward one of the “most complete” he’s ever seen in incredibly high praise. For Dortmund to lose that would be a major blow, but as January approaches their star man could be one to watch.

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