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Leeds United have their eyes on a tricky January transfer to sign a new forward who has been compared to Crysencio Summerville.

Leeds’ lack of goals in Premier League as 49ers eye forward

The Whites have struggled in front of goal so far following their return to the Premier League, with centre-back Joe Rodon the club’s joint top scorer in the top flight.

Joe Rodon

2

Lukas Nmecha

2

Noah Okafor

2

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

1

Anton Stach

1

Brenden Aaronson

1

Sean Longstaff

1

Daniel Farke’s side have only scored 10 goals in 11 games, with bottom of the table Wolves the only team to score fewer (7).

Only three attacking additions were made over the summer, two of which were free transfers in Lukas Nmecha and Dominic Calvert-Lewin. It is looking like a decision the 49ers Enterprises could live to regret, but they do have their eyes on attacking reinforcements in the New Year.

Brazilian forward Jhon Jhon is one name that has emerged in recent weeks, and he already has Red Bull links at RB Bragantino in the Brazilian Serie A. Journalist Graeme Bailey said:

“He’s a fascinating player. Very interesting. A bit of an attacking midfielder, can play as a forward. His name has come up in conversations with Red Bull, and he’s within the Red Bull name. He’s a good age, good player. Ticks a lot of boxes.

“Leeds aren’t the only ones looking. He’s come up in conversations, and one I’d not heard before until recently.”

Leeds set to make imminent bid for Real Madrid ace after Farke convinces 49ers

The Whites are looking to bring in a new forward, having not scored enough goals so far this season.

ByDominic Lund Nov 21, 2025

Domestically, Coventry City’s Haji Wright is another attacker who has been linked with a move to Elland Road in recent months, and there has been a fresh claim regaring the Whites taking the USA international in the New Year.

Update on Leeds’ move for Haji Wright

According to TEAMtalk, Leeds have four attacking targets who they could move for in January, one of which is Wright.

It is stated that the Whites ‘have a genuine interest in signing Wright’ and ‘the club are considering a concrete move for a player they have tracked since the summer’.

A deal is viewed as tricky with Coventry top of the Championship, however, Wright’s contract is set to expire in 2027.

Despite the difference in size, Wright has been compared to former Leeds attacker Summerville due to his ability to play off the left.

Roony Bardghji

Barcelona

Marcus Edwards

Burnley

Crysencio Summerville

West Ham

Sadio Mane

Al-Nassr

Borja Sainz

Porto

Primarily a centre-forward, though, the 27-year-old has scored eight Championship goals in 14 appearances so far this season.

Labelled as a “constant problem” for defenders to keep tabs on by his manager Frank Lampard, it has previously been suggested that an offer of £20m could be required to sign Wright.

How Leeds believe they'll convince Raheem Sterling to join with move in the works

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

Why was Shanaka not given run out in the Super Over drama?

Arshdeep's masterclass helps India pull off heist

“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

‘SL will surprise some teams in T20 World Cup’

“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.”

Celtic are reportedly preparing to make their first contact with Wales manager Craig Bellamy, who has become the latest of a number of coaches to be linked with the vacant managerial role.

There’s been a major shake-up in the Scottish Premiership so far this season. It’s not champions Celtic who lead. It’s not their Old Firm rivals Rangers. Instead, it’s surprise champions-elect Hearts who have taken an eight-point lead at the top whilst those in Glasgow have descended into chaos.

Revealed: Scott Brown's chances of replacing Brendan Rodgers at Celtic

The Bhoys are looking for their next manager.

ByTom Cunningham Oct 28, 2025

The Russell Martin experiment proved disastrous at Ibrox and a chaotic managerial hunt then followed before they landed on Danny Rohl. Now, Celtic are set to follow suit following Brendan Rodgers’ decision to leave the club – bringing an end to his second spell in charge of the club.

Those at Celtic Park will be hoping that their managerial search ends far quicker than Rangers’ did, given that their rivals were rejected by their top two choices.

As a result, work is instantly underway in search of a replacement for Rodgers. Names such as Ange Postecoglou, Edin Terzic and even Kevin Muscat, who rejected Rangers, have all threatened to steal the headlines so far, but it remains to be seen if any of the three emerge as priority choices.

Muscat would of course be an interesting choice after he rejected Rangers. Whether he’s the right choice should be the question asked by Celtic, however. The 52-year-old is yet to have any managerial success in European football and has enjoyed much of his career in Australia, China and Japan.

If Muscat is ruled out then the Bhoys could turn towards Bellamy, who has also emerged as a key option.

Celtic preparing first Craig Bellamy contact

According to Sky Sports, Celtic are now preparing to sound out Craig Bellamy among others about their vacant managerial role in the coming week.

The Wales manager has impressed on the international stage and has admirers at Celtic Park, despite losing both games in the last break, a friendly against England and World Cup qualifier defeat to Belgium. Alas, it remains to be seen whether he’d leave his post at Wales in the middle of that qualifying campaign.

Games

14

Wins

6

Draws

4

Defeats

4

As things stand, Wales sit third in their qualifying group and still have hope of reaching the 2026 World Cup. Luring Bellamy away from that may prove all too difficult for Celtic.

There’s no denying that he would be an excellent choice, though. Speaking to Sky Sports when Bellamy was appointed in his current role, former Wales striker Rob Earnshaw said: “It’s an excellent appointment.

“When I was thinking, ‘who could take Wales forward?’ He was one of the first names I thought about. He’s got a very sharp mind, a great passion for the game and they’ve made the right choice.”

The latest on Celtic's manager search

Leeds United will be aiming to stay put in the Premier League past the end of the 2025/26 season, but that will be easier said than done.

The last time the Whites managed to stay up at the first time of asking after triumphantly securing promotion to the top-flight was when the revered Marcelo Bielsa still occupied the Elland Road dug-out, with an unbelievable seventh place position somehow pulled off come the close of the memorable 2020/21 campaign.

Ever since that major high point, though, Leeds have struggled when keeping their heads above water in the elite division, having fallen back down to the Championship with a whimper in 2023.

Daniel Farke is the boss who will be aiming to rewrite the depressing script in West Yorkshire, however, with it not being all doom and gloom since the Argentine’s sombre exit, either, as several exciting stars have called Leeds home since his sacking in early 2022.

Some of Leeds' best signings since Bielsa left

Even with Championship football regularly being on the menu after the enigmatic South American’s departure, Leeds have been blessed with possessing some exceptional talents.

Georginio Rutter has to go down as one of Leeds’ best bits of business in terms of the entertainment he offered in the rebuild after Bielsa, with the £35.5m purchase from Hoffenheim tallying up a ridiculous eight goals and 18 assists for the Whites, leading to Paul Merson even comparing him to Arsenal great Dennis Bergkamp for his audacious footwork.

Amazingly, too, Wilfried Gnonto never crossed paths with Bielsa at Elland Road, with the Italian attacker a real force to be reckoned with when unleashed, as seen in him firing home 22 goals to date for the Whites.

Moving away from the attack, Ethan Ampadu has also become a mainstay in the middle of the park since joining for £7m from Chelsea in the summer of 2023, as Leeds also finally stormed back up to the Premier League.

There’s even a compelling enough argument already to suggest that Sean Longstaff joining for £12m this summer just gone is one of the best bits of business since Bielsa left the building, with five big chances created by the ex-Newcastle United man helping Leeds push up to 15th in the early league standings.

Yet, despite the Newcastle-born ace experiencing such a promising start to life in West Yorkshire, he arguably lags just behind this Farke stalwart still in this argument, who is continuing to shine very bright as one of the first names on the German’s teamsheet.

Leeds' best signing since Bielsa left

There’s no guarantee that Longstaff will be able to keep up these excellent early levels at Leeds across a full Premier League season, having been regularly injury-prone at St James’ Park.

Farke won’t have any lingering concerns about Joe Rodon pulling up with an injury anytime soon, however, with the commanding Welshman now starting a staggering 94 consecutive games for Leeds as he remains one of the vital parts of his manager’s jigsaw, even as new signings aplenty – such as Longstaff – joined this off-season.

Rodon – PL stats (25/26)
Stat – per 90 mins*	Rodon
Games played	9
Goals scored	2
Assists	0
Touches*	67.2
Accurate passes*	49.2 (91%)
Ball recoveries*	2.8
Clearances*	6.4
Total duels won*	5.2
Clean sheets	2
Stats by Sofascore

Having also collected a mammoth 48 clean sheets across his first century of appearances for Leeds, Rodon has only cemented himself as a key Whites first-teamer during the infancy of this new season.

The Swansea-born warrior has even chipped in with two goals so far this campaign to ensure the top-flight newcomers already have three league wins under their belt, the latest of which steered his side to a valuable win over struggling West Ham United.

Yet, it’s his unwavering determination for Leeds that stretches all the way back to the 2023/24 campaign, which means he is surely their best signing since Bielsa sadly left Elland Road behind, with the £10m spent on his permanent services at the close of that promotion near-miss season continuing to look like a bargain amount.

He will only be seen in an even more glowing light if his imposing displays result in Leeds beating the drop, with Farke’s “unbelievable” assessment of the 28-year-old after his debut two years ago still ringing true today.

Farke has found a new Dallas-type player in “unbelievable” Leeds star

Daniel Farke has now stumbled upon Leeds United’s next Stuart Dallas-type figure in this unbelievable star.

By
Kelan Sarson

Oct 27, 2025

India lost both their overnight batters, Rahul and Gill, and still trail by 88

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jul-2025

Shubman Gill celebrates his fourth century of the series•AFP/Getty Images

Lunch England took a huge step towards a series-clinching win just before lunch on the fifth day in Manchester when Jofra Archer finally dislodged Shubman Gill after 87 overs of resistance.When Gill walked out to face a hat-trick ball in the first over of India’s second innings, his team trailed by 311 runs and looked certain to lose within four days. But a doughty, defiant century – the fourth in his first series as India captain – kept the match and the series alive, trimming the deficit to under 100 and slowly wearing England’s bowlers down.Gill was given a life early on the fifth day when Ollie Pope failed to hold onto a stinging chance at short cover, and was hit on the glove and helmet as Ben Stokes broke through the pain barrier to bowl an eight-over spell from the James Anderson End. Stokes did not bowl on the fourth day due to cramp and grimaced after every ball due to a shoulder niggle.But he was the man that gave England their first breakthrough, pinning KL Rahul on the back pad to trap him lbw and break a partnership worth 188 with Gill. Stokes exploited the variable bounce on offer throughout his spell, with some balls shooting through low and others – like the brute that struck Gill – leaping unexpectedly.Chris Woakes took the new ball alongside Archer and occasionally beat the bat, with Gill surviving an incredibly tight leave soon after a celebratory yelp on reaching three figures. But he played away from his body to a back-of-a-length ball from Archer shortly before lunch, and edged through to Jamie Smith to make England clear favourites.

أعلن حلمي طولان، المدير الفني لـ منتخب مصر، التشكيل الرسمي لمواجهة الإمارات، في المباراة التي تقام بينهما اليوم السبت، ضمن منافسات كأس العرب 2025.

ويلتقي منتخب مصر مع الإمارات، في إطار مواجهات الجولة الثانية من مباريات دور المجموعات لبطولة كأس العرب المقامة في قطر.

وتنطلق المباراة، في تمام الساعة 8:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، وتنقل عبر قنوات “إم بي سي مصر 2 وقناة الكأس وقناة بي إن سبورت المفتوحة بالإضافة إلي قناة أبو ظبي الرياضية”.

ويلعب منتخب مصر المباراة، وهدفه تحقيق الفوز من أجل الاقتراب من التأهل إلى الدور القادم لمنافسات كأس العرب، بعدما كان قد تعادل في لقاء الجولة الأولى أمام الكويت.

ويتواجد منتخب مصر، حاليًا في المركز الثاني من المجموعة الثالثة برصيد نقطة، بينما يتصدر الترتيب منتخب الأردن برصيد 6 نقاط حاسمًا التأهل من المجموعة قبل لقاء الجولة الختامية.

ويقود هجوم الفراعنة ثلاثي هجومي، بقيادة مصطفي سعد ميسي ومعه ومروان حمدي وإسلام عيسي.

طالع | بدلاء منتخب مصر أمام الإمارات في كأس العرب 2025 تشكيل منتخب مصر اليوم أمام الإمارات

حراسة المرمي: محمد بسام.

خط الدفاع: أكرم توفيق – رجب نبيل – ياسين مرعي – يحيى زكريا.

خط الوسط: محمد النني – غنام محمد – عمرو السولية.

خط الهجوم: مصطفى سعد “ميسي” – مروان حمدي – إسلام عيسى.

The allrounder says he’s not feeling apprehensive ahead of his return to match bowling for the first time in 12 months

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff03-Oct-2025Cameron Green has declared he will not be under any bowling restrictions by the time the Ashes starts, and is up for the challenge of batting at No. 3 as an allrounder.Green hasn’t bowled in a match since undergoing back surgery last October after suffering his fifth stress fracture. That will change this weekend when Green makes his bowling return in Western Australia’s Sheffield Shield opener against New South Wales at the WACA ground, starting Saturday.Related

• Webster misses Sheffield Shield opener with ankle injury

• Australia's Ashes 'bat-off' begins: Who could open against England?

• Sheffield Shield preview: Ashes selection race adds intrigue

• Lyon wants 'a spinner in every side' in Tests in Australia

Green will be restricted to just eight overs for the match, with WA skipper Sam Whiteman needing to manage his overs across the game, but will build up steadily in the ensuing Shield matches and ODIs for Australia.In total, Green expects to play three Shield matches as well as Australia’s ODI series against India before the Ashes begins at Perth’s Optus Stadium on November 21.”It’s been a long 12 months, but feeling really good,” Green said on Friday, before adding he was feeling no apprehension ahead of his bowling return. “The body’s in a good place. It’s been a really good rehab journey. I feel stronger, fitter, my action feels good.”It will be eight overs for the [Shield] game. Just a steady build-up. The first Test should be no restrictions. That’s kind of the whole plan of the last year.”That’s why it’s been such a slow build up – so that you’re peaking by the time the Ashes comes around.”Green will bat at No. 4 for WA in their Shield opener despite being the incumbent Test No. 3 having batted in that position in Australia’s last four Tests. Green only averaged 23.50 across those matches but scores of 52, 26, 42 and 46 in tough batting conditions in the Caribbean were worth more in the context of those games.Australia’s selectors have made a point of allowing states to use Test players in whatever batting position they need, even if that is different to their position in the Test team. WA prefer to keep Jayden Goodwin at No. 3 and bat Green at No. 4 given he averages 67.09 from 26 Shield innings in that position for WA with five centuries and six fifties. He also averages 53.60 in six Test innings at No. 4 thanks to his career-best 174 not out against New Zealand last year.But there’s a chance he will remain at No. 3 in the Ashes despite big questions as to whether Green can handle the workload of batting so high in the order and also bowling crucial overs.But with fellow allrounder Beau Webster also in the Test side, Green is confident of being able to bat at first drop.”Shane Watson used to open the batting and bowl,” Green said. “People probably don’t realise how tough that was. Spending so long in the field bowling, and then expected to go out there and bat the last 10 overs of the day for example, is really challenging.”But I think I’m in a bit of a different place. Let’s say I’m batting up the top, and Beau’s batting six, for example – he might take more of the [bowling] load.”Rising star Sam Konstas will be part of a strong NSW line-up for the upcoming match at the WACA, with the opening rounds of the Shield season a huge chance for the 20-year-old to push his case to open in the Ashes.Konstas struggled badly during the 3-0 Test series win in the West Indies, but has since rebounded with some strong displays for Australia A against India A in India.Other contenders looking to push their case to open alongside Usman Khawaja include Marnus Labsuschagne, Nathan McSweeney, Jake Weatherald, Marcus Harris, Josh Inglis, Campbell Kellaway, Kurtis Patterson, Matt Renshaw and Cameron Bancroft.

A fresh timeline for when Sheffield Wednesday’s takeover could be completed has now been shared after several interested parties presented proof of funds worth £50m.

It’s been a chaotic couple of weeks for the Owls, who finally got the chance to show nightmare owner Dejphon Chansiri the door as he took them into administration. Since then, fans have flocked to the club shop and to Hillsborough in support of Henrik Pedersen’s side as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Norwich City in midweek.

Pedersen shared his pride in Sheffield Wednesday after a well-earned point, telling reporters: “We had courage to play today, it’s the best offensive game we have played this season. We also created big chances after the goal, so proud of the performance and we go in the right direction.

“The first half defensive[ly] we were strong, we were solid. The players are working so hard and I think they deserve better today, but we have to learn, we have to train more. But the positive thing now is we’re creating chances.”

Now on -4 points in the Championship after being hit with a 12-point deduction following their administration, survival seems almost impossible for the Owls, who are paying the price in full for Chansiri’s ownership.

Nonetheless, the good times are at least on the horizon again. The Chansiri era is over and new ownership is on its way. Just who that new owner will be is the big question.

Names such as Mike Ashley and John Textor have both been mentioned in the last week or so, but it remains to be seen whether either of the former Premier League owners make their move to buy the club.

Reporter shares fresh Sheffield Wednesday takeover timeline

The good news for those at Hillsborough is that they may not have to wait long before a new era commences. According to The Star’s Alex Miller, Sheffield Wednesday could have their takeover completed by November 23 when they square off against rivals Sheffield United.

What’s more, at least one well-funded American group has reportedly progressed to the furthest stage of the takeover process in what is a major boost for the Owls.

Related BBC reporter shares latest £50m step that 3 Sheffield Wednesday candidates have just taken

Things are looking up for the Owls.

Posts ByTom Cunningham Oct 31, 2025

Co-administrator and managing partner at Begbies Traynor, Kris Wigfield also provided a positive update on the takeover process in the build-up to the Norwich game.

Although relegation seemingly looms for the Owls, everything is pointing towards positive days ahead which will feature new owners.

John McEvoy: Who is the American billionaire looking to buy Sheffield Wednesday?

They endured a poor 2023 World Cup and haven’t qualified for the Champions Trophy, but the last few months have shown clear signs of revival

Andrew Fidel Fernando18-Nov-2024Since July Sri Lanka’s men have played eight ODIs and won six, tied one, and lost one. Even before this, Sri Lanka had not been a completely abysmal ODI side; in fact, in the two years before this recent stretch, they’d won 23 ODIs to the 18 they’d lost, maintaining a respectable win/loss ratio of 1.28.But the wider perception, nevertheless, was that this was a nosediving outfit. What other conclusion could you reach, when having stunk up the ODI World Cup last year, Sri Lanka failed to qualify for the 2025 Champions Trophy? Even in the 1970s and 80s, they’d never missed a major ICC tournament. Since 2016, they’ve also not been especially close to making the knockouts of any of the global limited-overs events.Related

• Drift, dip, turn and pace – Theekshana the spinner has it all

• Sri Lanka's signs of batting resurgence 'good headache' for Asalanka

• Asalanka on SL's form: 'Goal is to climb to top three in the rankings'

• Kusal Mendis, spinners seal series win for Sri Lanka

And so the current stretch, headlined by their first bilateral ODI series win over India in 27 years, and now backed up by series wins over West Indies and New Zealand, feels like a serious resurgence. Sri Lanka has had flash-in-the-pan limited-overs successes over the past few years, most notably the T20 Asia Cup win in 2022. But it has now been several months since Sri Lanka lost a series at home. Could it be? Dare fans hope? Are Sri Lanka building to something?Because there are other signs that, following almost a decade principally defined by dysfunction, the team has come upon a stretch of relative health. This is a team that is led capably, and ambitiously, for a start. Charith Asalanka has been exceptional in the tricky No. 5 spot, averaging 50.41 this year with a strike rate of 97. Often astute with the reviews, frequently clever with his bowling resources (including bowling himself plenty, when the situation demands), he has marshaled a varied attack fruitfully.In fact, there are improvements almost across the board. Each of the top three – Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, and Avishka Fernando – have made vital contributions to victories in the last two months, with Kusal riding an especially hot wave of form at present. They have been so good, in fact, that they are keeping out Nishan Madushka, who had scored 69 and 38 in the two ODIs he played against West Indies.There has been criticism of Sri Lanka being overly dependent on spin-friendly home pitches, but the numbers suggest the conditions haven’t been all that treacherous•AFP/Getty ImagesThe bowling has rarely been the chief concern, even over the past few years, but the likes of Maheesh Theekshana and Dunith Wellalage have also contributed with the bat, with Theekshana’s 27 not out off 44 on Sunday especially notable for its maturity in a tough match stituation. There is, as Asalanka has repeatedly pointed out, significant bench strength in the squad now, which in turn means players are motivated to make themselves difficult to drop. Avishka is one example. His batting talent has always been clear, but there was a time when his fitness had been an impediment. On Sunday, he claimed three outstanding catches.There are the weaker areas too. Kamindu Mendis has not lit up the international white-ball world yet, though he has long been a force in domestic one-day and T20 cricket. Sadeera Samarawickrama has had an inconsistent run of performances since last year’s World Cup.And there has been this growing criticism: Sri Lanka are too reliant on turning tracks for their victories. The last few months have seen some dustbowls in Dambulla, Pallekele, in Colombo, with some of those even prompting West Indies coach Darren Sammy to claim his team had claimed the moral victory (when they had suffered a non-moral loss) in the T20I series. In Sunday’s game, in which Sri Lanka fielded only one frontline seamer, this felt especially relevant.But crunch the numbers, and it doesn’t seem as if Sri Lanka’s pitches are especially extreme. Batters have averaged 29.49 in Sri Lanka in ODIs since July, and 29.73 since the start of 2022, which puts the country just below the middle of the pack when compared to the home conditions of the eight teams that have qualified for next year’s Champions Trophy*, with batters averaging less in New Zealand, Bangladesh and Australia.The next major ODI trophy Sri Lanka will contest will be the 2027 World Cup. On the T20 front, Sri Lanka are co-hosts of the 2025 tournament, alongside India. There are no pressing reasons as to why better batting tracks must be rolled out; there is time to adjust.For now, a young team appears to be finding its footing under a capable and dynamic captain. Their successes have come at home for now, but perhaps this, for the moment, is enough.*Afghanistan don’t play ODIs at home, and as such do not appear as a cricket destination in this list.

Manchester United drew 2-2 away to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday lunchtime. It took a late Matthijs de Ligt goal to secure a point, after being 1-0 up at half-time. Not only did United let the three points slip out of their grasp, but striker Benjamin Sesko picked up an injury.

The Slovenian didn’t start the game in North London, coming on in the second half. He suffered a knee problem late in the clash after a tackle by Mickey van de Ven prevented him from getting a shot off.

Ruben Amorim said after the game that he is “concerned” about the striker’s issue.

It is currently unclear how long the 22-year-old will be out injured for, but Amorim has three different options to replace him.

1 The logical option

There is only one other number 9 in the United squad: Joshua Zirkzee. The Dutchman is a superb technical player who is brilliant at bringing his teammates into the game with holdup play and silky footwork.

He ended his debut campaign at United strongly, with ten goals and assists, including a crucial header in the Europa League away from home against Lyon. However, he’s fallen out of favour under the Portuguese manager this term.

It certainly hasn’t been easy for the Dutchman in 2025/26. He’s only made five appearances across all competitions, playing 90 minutes in total and not starting a game. He hasn’t even had a chance to prove himself this term.

However, with his ability to link play together and facilitate the likes of Bryan Mbeumo, the 24-year-old could be a game-changer for United. He’s their only other senior number striker and has shown great promise when given a chance.

2 The wildcard option

The suggested wildcard shout is, ironically, something Amorim has done more often this season than the logical option. That consists of bringing Mason Mount into the starting lineup and playing a flexible front three consisting of the Englishman, Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha.

Although he has been struck down with injury a lot for United, the 26-year-old clearly has an abundance of quality. When fit, he has been a trusted lieutenant under Amorim, playing 29 games for the Red Devils boss, scoring four times and assisting one.

In fact, those strikes certainly highlight the quality the number seven brings to United’s side. Look at his finish against Athletic Club in the Europa League last season, taking the ball on the half turn and curling his effort home. That is classic Mount.

This solution would offer Amorim lots of energy up front, with all three players excellent pressers. United fans would also witness fluid rotations in possession, although the lack of a natural number 9 might make them less of a threat in the box.

3 The academy option

Using players from the academy has always been a huge part of the DNA at Old Trafford. Well, in light of Sesko’s injury, Amorim could turn to 17-year-old Chido Obi to help fill the void left at centre-forward.

The former Arsenal youngster has played first-team football in the red of United since his move to Manchester last summer. He’s featured eight times under Amorim, even starting away to Brentford in the Premier League.

It is at academy level that the former Gunners star has made a real impression. Obi has scored six goals for United’s U21 side and has bagged 12 times in ten games for the U18s. It is no surprise that Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta previously described him as a “massive goal threat.” Gunners podcaster Will Balsam once even described the prodigy as a “homegrown Osimhen”.

Obi has played against senior sides in the EFL Trophy this season and has made a real impression, grabbing three goal involvements in as many games. Against Barnsley, he got a goal and an assist, having two shots on target, creating one chance and winning three duels.

Touches

20

Shots

3

Shots on target

2

Ground duels won

3

Key passes

1

Goals

1

Assists

1

Picking the Denmark U20 striker to replace Sesko could be seen as a risk from Amorim. Yet, the Red Devils boss clearly trusts and rates the striker, having given him regular minutes in the top flight last season.

There are a few options for the United boss, and it will be fascinating to see which route he takes if Sesko is sidelined for a long period.

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