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Celtic have already lost one of their best players during the summer transfer window, as Nicolas Kuhn recently completed a permanent move to Italian side Como.

The Scottish Premiership champions reportedly raked in an initial fee of £16.5m for the German winger, who joined the club from Rapid Vienna at the start of 2024.

Kuhn scored 24 goals and provided 18 assists in 69 appearances for the Hoops in all competitions during his 18-month stay in Glasgow, which shows that Brendan Rodgers has lost a huge attacking talent from his squad.

The left-footed winger may not be the last star player to move on from Parkhead before the end of the window, though, as Daizen Maeda has also been linked with an exit.

TEAMtalk claims that Tottenham Hotspur, Everton, West Ham United, and Brentford are all keen on the forward, who is valued at £25m by the Hoops.

It now remains to be seen, though, whether or not any of those Premier League clubs are willing to stump up the cash required to sign the Japan international this summer.

Why selling Maeda would be a big loss for Celtic

Losing Maeda would be a big blow for Celtic and Rodgers because they would be losing a player who delivered outstanding performances in the 2024/25 campaign.

The 27-year-old attacker, as shown by the post above, won the Player of the Year award in the Scottish Premiership, which speaks to how highly he is valued in Scotland.

Maeda earned that award by delivering goals and assists on a regular basis in the division, whilst playing on the left and through the middle as a striker, which was a far cry from what he produced in the 2023/24 campaign in Rodgers’ first season back at the club.

Daizen Maeda (Premiership)

23/24

24/25

Appearances

28

34

xG

8.29

12.76

Shots on target

25

28

Goals

6

16

xA

1.70

5.99

Assists

3

10

Stats via FotMob

As you can see in the table above, the Japanese attacker’s output as both a scorer and a creator of goals soared last term, scoring ten more goals and providing seven more assists.

He went from underperforming his xG by over two goals to overperforming his xG by over three goals, which speaks to his development at Parkhead and why it would be such a blow to lose him this summer.

However, Celtic have been replacing their best players, like Virgil van Dijk, Matt O’Riley, Odsonne Edouard and others, for many years, and they are reportedly eyeing a forward who could be even better than Maeda.

Celtic have had bid rejected for a striker

According to iAM Sports, Celtic are pursuing a deal to sign CFR Cluj centre-forward Louis Munteanu, as they look to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch.

The report claims that the Hoops have already made an offer to the Romanian side for the 22-year-old striker, worth around £7m, but their bid was turned down.

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

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It adds that CFR Cluj owner Ioan Varga rejected the offer from the Scottish giants because he is currently holding out for a fee closer to £15m for the impressive young forward.

The outlet states that Rennes, Nice, and Lille are also interested in signing the Romania U21 international, but it remains to be seen whether or not they are prepared to pay the £15m that CFR Cluj are demanding for his services.

Celtic may be hoping that those clubs are not willing to pay that price and that Varga decides to lower the valuation later in the window, which could then present the Hoops with an opportunity to go back in for him again.

Why Celtic should sign Louis Munteanu

If CFR Cluj lower his valuation to an attainable figure for the Scottish giants, Munteanu could be an excellent signing for Celtic as a replacement for Maeda, should the Japanese star move on from Parkhead this summer.

Celtic, as aforementioned, would lose a lot of goals from the team if a Premier League club signs the Japan international, but the CFR Cluj centre-forward would make up for that with the goals that he could provide.

In the 2024/25 campaign, Munteanu scored an impressive 25 goals in all competitions for his club, whilst he has also scored six goals in 20 caps for his country at U21 level.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig described the former Fiorentina youngster’s season as “magnificent”, and it is hard to disagree with that claim when you look at his statistics at league level, which suggest that he could be even better than Maeda as a goalscorer for Rodgers.

24/25 season

Munteanu (Super Liga)

Maeda (Premiership)

Appearances

35

34

Shots on target per game

1.7

0.8

Goals

23

16

Goals per game

0.7

0.5

Big chances missed

16

17

Big chances created

7

10

Duels won per game

3.4

3.1

Stats via FotMob

As you can see in the table above, the 22-year-old attacker scored seven more goals, whilst missing fewer ‘big chances’, than Maeda at league level last term, and only created seven fewer ‘big chances’.

This suggests that, if Munteanu can adapt to the Premiership, the Romanian marksman could come in as an even better forward option for Celtic because of his ability to find the back of the net on a regular basis, whilst also being able to create opportunities for his teammates.

At the age of 22, the £15m-rated striker is also five years younger than Maeda and, therefore, has more time left ahead of him to develop and improve even further, to be an even bigger upgrade on the Japanese ace in the future.

This is why the Scottish giants should swoop to sign the CFR Cluj star, should a deal become viable this summer, as a potential replacement for Maeda, as he could be even better at the top end of the pitch for Celtic with his ability to score and create goals.

Related Balikwisha will love him: Celtic exploring deal to sign "exciting" star

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Posts ByDan Emery Jul 17, 2025

Wicketkeeper-batter leaves Warwickshire in pursuit of opportunities across formats

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Sep-2024

Chris Benjamin has been regular in T20 for Birmingham Bears•Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

Kent have signed wicketkeeper-batter Chris Benjamin from Warwickshire on a three-year contract.Benjamin, 25, made headlines when drafted as a replacement player during the 2021 Hundred, having only played one senior T20 for Birmingham Bears. He scored 24 off 15 balls to see Birmingham Phoenix over the line and went on to feature regularly over the tournament’s first three seasons.Benjamin also scored a century on first-class debut for Warwickshire but had limited opportunities in the longer format, making 10 appearances for the county and averaging 22.23.His arrival will strengthen Kent’s options in the wicketkeeping department, with Ollie Robinson and Jordan Cox having left over the last two seasons, and Sam Billings signing a white-ball contract. The club’s keeper in Championship cricket this summer has been Harry Finch.”We’re delighted to have attracted a player of Chris’ talent to Kent on a long-term contract,” Kent’s director of cricket, Simon Cook, said. “He is still a young player with a lot of potential to improve further, and we’re pleased to Kent to be the place for him to do so.”Although Benjamin was born in South Africa, he is a British passport holder through his father and has played in the UK since moving to study in 2018.”I’m excited to be joining Kent and having the opportunity to play regularly across multiple formats,” Benjamin said. “There is a young squad here that will only improve over time, and there’s a clear plan for Kent to return to the highs of their recent successes in the future. It’s an exciting project to be a part of.”Kent were relegated in the County Championship earlier this month, ultimately ending up bottom of Division One. They also finished last in the South Group of the Vitality Blast and seventh in Group A of the Metro Bank One-Day Cup.

Before the end of the 2024/25 campaign, Liverpool had gone three transfer windows having spent nominally.

Indeed, last August’s £12.5m purchase of Federico Chiesa was the only Anfield addition since Jurgen Klopp’s ambitious midfield rebuild in 2023.

So while rivals may be frustrated at the Merseysiders’ spenging spree, they may want to check themselves after letting Arne Slot waltz into the Premier League and get his hands on the title with scarcely any investment, not 12 months after Klopp vacated his throne.

To think that these remarkable Reds have already reached a higher level than their domestic peers is frightening, for Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong have strengthened the defensive flanks, Florian Wirtz has arrived for a British-record £116m fee.

And let’s not forget Giorgi Mamardashvili, who replaces Caoimhin Kelleher between the sticks after a £29m fee was agreed last summer.

However, for all this productive restructuring, there may be plenty more yet to come.

Liverpool's new-look frontline

Mohamed Salah certainly pulled his weight for Liverpool last season, practically dragging Slot’s side to the Premier League title that he promised after a disappointing end to 2023/24.

But he’s now 33, and will need greater support. With Darwin Nunez, Chiesa and Diogo Jota all rumoured to be leaving Anfield this summer, a few more incomings could go down a treat, especially as Luis Diaz is also being chased by Barcelona and Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.

Already, Wirtz’s arrival opens up a whole new world of possibilities as far as the attacking line-up is confirmed, and that’s without even considering the addition of an out-and-out striker.

Where Wirtz could feature for Liverpool

Liverpool, to be sure, have spent a lot already this summer, but sales and careful planning has led the outfit to an enviable position that may yet see them break the bank once again.

And we all know who we’d like up top.

Liverpool pushing for elite striker

According to transfer insider Graeme Bailey, Liverpool are still pushing for Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, who is supposedly unavailable after the Magpies qualified for the Champions League, thus pricing him at £200m.

But in spite of such claims, Liverpool’s interest persists. There have even been claims in the previous week suggesting the Sweden international wants to leave St. James’ Park as the Merseysiders ramp up the gas, although it feels unlikely that he would hand in an official transfer request.

Speaking to Rousing the Kop, Bailey said: “Liverpool are not being deterred, we’re not sure quite why that is, but they seem to think there’s a chink of light there.”

Why Liverpool should sign Alexander Isak

Given the technicalities of a prospective bid for Isak, and indeed the finances involved, Newcastle’s stance, yada yada, FSG would be forgiven for focusing their attention elsewhere.

Liverpool, after all, have stocked up with some incredible signings already this summer.

But Isak is a special player, hailed by analyst Raj Chohan last season as being “the best striker in the world” and an “unstoppable talent” in the words of writer Adam Keys. Some would refute that initial claim, but then who can deny that the 25-year-old’s completeness in the final third makes him one of the most dangerous players out there?

Liverpool certainly know how it feels to come unstuck against the shifty forward, whose intelligence and movements saw him score in the Carabao Cup final in March, winning the Magpies some silver at Slot’s expense.

Across 42 matches in 2024/25, he scored 27 goals and laid on six assists. Newcastle are a fantastic team, but you get the sense that haul could swell under Slot’s management at Liverpool. With the likes of Wirtz and Salah creating for him, surely anything’s possible?

Salah, while renowned for being one of the deadliest strikers of his generation, is also an incredible playmaker, having assisted 88 goals across 301 Premier League fixtures. He racked up 18 assists from last season alone.

And then Wirtz will bring a more focused brand of creativity to the Liverpool fold. The German, still only 22, was hailed as a “genius” by his former Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso for his intelligence and eagle vision.

As per FBref, he ranked among the top 9% of attacking midfielders and wingers last year for assists, the top 7% for shot-creating actions and progressive passes, and the top 2% for passes attempted per 90, underscoring that point.

Adding him to a team already blessed with supreme creative production must be a daunting thought for opponents, especially when throwing Isak into the equation.

1.

Liverpool

112

2.

Chelsea

93

3.

Arsenal

91

3=

Man City

91

5.

Aston Villa

90

Injuries aside, it’s hard to imagine the Newcastle sensation flopping. His roundedness and ability to drop deep, influence and then carve through defences with blistering speed, measured strides, makes him a unique adversary, and one who has yet to taste Slot’s tactical guidance.

While Liverpool would have to break a bank still shattered after Wirtz’s arrival, there are few – if any – forwards who would be more fitting than Isak, who is proven in the Premier League and endowed with the phyiscal and tactical properties that are perfect for a place at the front of the Anfield ship.

He only missed 18 big chances in the Premier League last term, as per Sofascore, scoring 23 times, and with such deadly finishing and a balanced style, it’s time for Liverpool to move the requisite pieces and shake the division by testing Newcastle’s resolve.

A Mane repeat: Liverpool likely to finalise move for £40m "monster" soon

Liverpool have enjoyed a fantastic transfer window and it’s not slowing down.

1 ByMatt Dawson Jun 29, 2025

Arsenal have been tipped to sign a “world-class striker” after completing a deal for Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi, with manager Mikel Arteta putting pressure on the club’s board to compete in the transfer market.

Arsenal seal Martin Zubimendi agreement with medical imminent

On Wednesday afternoon, BBC journalist Sami Mokbel was the first to break news that Zubimendi is set to undergo a medical at Arsenal ahead of sealing a switch to north London.

Arsenal ask about signing "important" Real Madrid player alongside Rodrygo

Andrea Berta’s talks for him hit a snag earlier this week.

By
Emilio Galantini

May 28, 2025

Arsenal have been in negotiations for the Spain international since January (The Mail), and Real Madrid were reportedly threatening to hijack their move for him at one stage, given the length of time it was taking to shake hands on an agreement.

Arsenal transfer spending under Arteta (via Sky Sports)	Money on new signings
19/20 – winter	£0
20/21 – summer	£81.5m
20/21 – winter	£900k
21/22 – summer	£156.8m
21/22 – winter	£1.8m
22/23 – summer	£121.5m
22/23 – winter	£59m
23/24 – summer	£208m
23/24 – winter	£0
24/25 – summer	£101.5m
24/25 – winter	£0

However, those fears are now seemingly being put to rest, and it looks beyond all doubt that Zubimendi will become Andrea Berta’s first signing as Arsenal’s new sporting director.

Arsenal will trigger his £51 million release clause and bring in an adept replacement for Jorginho, who is off to Flamengo after agreeing a pre-contract, with Arteta’s side potentially going into next season with a solid centre midfield trio of Declan Rice, Zubimendi and Thomas Partey – if they can indeed extend the latter’s deal.

The 26-year-old comes to N5 with a glowing reputation as a top-performer for boyhood club Sociedad, who also helped Spain to win Euro 2024 last year, with Arsenal praised for signing a “perfect foil” to Rice in the middle.

Ahead of what is expected to be a busy summer window for Berta, attention now turns to who will follow Zubimendi to the Emirates.

Arsenal tipped to sign "world-class" striker after Martin Zubimendi

According to Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol, Arteta has been pushing high-ranking Arsenal officials to be active in the market, with Zubimendi potentially just one of many new incomings.

After the Spaniard, Solhekol tips Arsenal to sign a “world-class” striker, amid links to RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres.

“We have heard Mikel Arteta say that when Arsenal come calling, players most often say yes. They find it difficult to turn them down,” said Solhekol.

“I’m sure Zubimendi has been very impressed by what Mikel Arteta is doing at Arsenal. Arsenal are pressing ahead with completing a deal. He will become Arsenal’s first signing of the summer.

“Not the last. Arsenal will sign a striker this summer. I think they will sign a world-class striker, like Victor Gyokeres from Sporting or Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig. It will be Zubimendi and a striker, as well as other players. Next season, Arteta wants to win the title. He has been putting pressure on the board.

“They will be active in the window.”

This comes as a very encouraging update for supporters, especially after they finished 10 points behind Premier League champions Liverpool and ended 2024/25 trophyless, with Arteta determined to get it right next term.

An elite centre-forward is quite simply imperative after they fell short of their previous goalscoring standards this year, with just 69 scored in the league, not to mention registering more draws than any other side in the top 10.

Tottenham Hotspur are actively doing their due-diligence on a potential replacement for Ange Postecoglou, according to various reports, following a lacklustre domestic campaign where Spurs are on course for their worst ever Premier League season.

Tottenham's shortlist of managerial candidates

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy has been linked with the potential hires of numerous head coaches, with credible media sources like The Telegraph’s Matt Law reporting that Postecoglou could leave regardless of success in Europe.

Tottenham hold internal talks over hiring ex-Liverpool manager worth £39m

It would be quite the move.

1

By
Emilio Galantini

Apr 26, 2025

Even if Postecoglou delivers Tottenham’s first piece of major silverware since 2008 by winning the Europa League, his exit is seen as a real possiblity, and there are no shortage of replacements under rumoured consideration in N17.

Domestically, Andoni Iraola (Bournemouth), Marco Silva (Fulham), Oliver Glasner (Crystal Palace), Thomas Frank (Brentford) and Scott Parker (Burnley) have all found their way on to Tottenham’s managerial shortlist, while there are also more illustrious names thought of further abroad.

Tottenham’s final Premier League fixtures	Date
West Ham (away)	May 3rd
Crystal Palace (home)	May 10th
Aston Villa (away)	May 18th
Brighton (home)	May 25th

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti, who now has an agreement in principle with Brazil (Fabrizio Romano), Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso and even ex-Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp have all been internally discussed as options to succeed Postecoglou, according to GiveMeSport.

Reports in Germany last week also claimed that Tottenham have contacted Borussia Dortmund’s Niko Kovac, and we can expect many more manager links until Postecoglou’s dismissal is rebuffed or confirmed.

The link to Parker is an intriguing one, as the former Spurs midfielder knows the club well, and has just guided Burnley back to the English top flight at the first time of asking.

Pundits like Jamie O’Hara believe Parker wouldn’t be a bad appointment for Tottenham, despite the 44-year-old’s inexperience at such an elite side with high expectations.

Scott Parker would be "very" keen to manage Tottenham

Speaking to Tottenham News, former Lilywhites scout and ex-Levy employee, Bryan King, expressed his belief that Parker would be “very interested” in replacing Postecoglou at Spurs – provided they pay a “small” compensation fee of £10 million.

“Parker has worked at clubs where the budgets haven’t been large,” King said.

“He is a young up-and-coming manager, so why not look to him? It can’t be any worse than what we have had. He is an ex-Tottenham player. Therefore, I’d imagine he would be very interested in the job if it were offered to him.

“Tottenham will have to pay a compensation fee, probably around £10million. However, in today’s football market, that is a small price to pay.”

The ex-England man’s managerial career has been subject to highs and lows, with a failed stint at Belgian Jupiler Pro League side Club Brugge coming in-between Championship promotions at Fulham, Bournemouth and Burnley.

Parker was sacked by Bournemouth just four games into the 2022/2023 season after a 9-0 loss to Liverpool, and it remains to be seen if he enjoys greater top flight success at Burnley, given the massive gulf between England’s first and second tiers right now.

That being said, Parker has received glowing endorsements from the likes of Man City boss Pep Guardiola, who called him an “innovative” manager.

As is often the case in high-stakes contests involving two sworn enemies, the football on display can be edgy and tense.

That was definitely clear for all to see during the latest installment of the fierce Manchester Derby, as Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City and Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United played out a laboured 0-0 draw in the Premier League.

Not even the added spice of the Derby being Kevin De Bruyne’s final ever one could raise the excitement levels, as the aforementioned Belgian struggled throughout to give his team that needed spark in attack.

De Bruyne's performance in numbers

It was confirmed prior to the clash with Ruben Amorim’s Red Devils that De Bruyne would be departing the Citizens come the end of the campaign, bringing his ten-year association with the reigning top-flight champions to an expected halt.

Whilst he will go down as a certain legend at the Etihad having accumulated a sizeable 106 goals and 176 assists from 414 games, his performances this campaign in isolation have left a lot to be desired.

Indeed, the ageing Belgian struggled to ever get going at the Theatre of Dreams, with the declining 33-year-old failing to pick up a single key pass for his troubles, on top of failing to complete a single successful dribble from three attempts.

Haphazardly losing possession 20 times too, it’s evident that the serial trophy winner at City is way past his best now, leading to him hanging up his boots in Manchester come the close of the season.

But, Guardiola will know he has a number of underperformers to deal with ahead of the next campaign at the Etihad, with one City stalwart putting in an even worse performance than De Bruyne on Sunday evening.

The 4/10 City dud who must now be axed

Not even the deadly Omar Marmoush could come away from the stale draw with something to shout about, with four efforts unfortunately passing him by.

Whilst the Egyptian at least looked lively in patches, one of his partners in attack in Phil Foden cut a lacklustre figure throughout, culminating in Guardiola hooking off the England international just before the hour mark.

It was largely an abject showing from the out-of-form 24-year-old, with only 11 accurate passes tallied up from his meagre 27 touches. Even Man City shot-stopper Ederson would tally up more touches at 30, with Foden constantly finding himself out of the contest, away from attempting to create openings galore.

Minutes played

58

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

27

Accurate passes

11/18 (61%)

Possession lost

14x

Shots on target

0

Successful dribbles

0/2

Total duels won

0/5

Failing to register a single successful dribble too, alongside being unable to win any of his duels from five attempted, Foden could find his spot in the starting XI is taken up by a fresher body moving forward, with faces such as Savinho and Jeremy Doku exciting attackers on their day.

Handed a low 4/10 rating by GOAL journalist Adam Drury post-match – who stated that his usual ‘twinkle toes’ constantly sent him down ‘blind alleys’ – this looks to be a decisive point for Foden in his unfolding Citizens career, with next season having to be far better for the Stockport-born talent.

Whilst this campaign might still end with an FA Cup triumph and a Champions League spot to boot, this dour performance against a fragile United shows off how rusty Guardiola’s men have truly become, with Foden needing to shake off these poor displays quick, whilst De Bruyne reaches for the exit door.

Pep loves him: Man City now hold serious hopes over signing "superb" star

He could become their Kevin de Bruyne heir.

ByTom Cunningham Apr 6, 2025

Shreyas Iyer didn’t get a century on his Punjab Kings captaincy debut, but he’s put his money where his mouth is, with his eyes on the prize

Ekanth26-Mar-20252:12

‘Probably Shreyas Iyer’s best IPL innings’

The value of every run in cricket is the same, until it isn’t. After a point, it is less hard-earned currency and more arithmetic operation. Framing the equation is the only luxury the batter gets. It’s one Shreyas Iyer was afforded on 97, on debut as Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain, with his team on 220 with an over to go: 97 + 3 = 100. Straightforward.But Iyer wasn’t in the mood for all that. Instead, he left it to Shashank Singh – his batting partner who was the team’s designated finisher – and sent what we can think of as a message for everyone in the team: “Shashank, don’t be like ‘ (I’m close to a hundred), just play your shots and finish it well’.” As it turned out, the equation that was set in motion was 220 + 23 = 243.The run economy was in dire straits on an Ahmedabad flatty. But those 23 runs that came from Shashank off Gujarat Titans’ (GT) Mohammed Siraj in the final over were telling in this IPL 2025 match. PBKS won by 11 runs, yes, but – back to the math – they had 27 to defend in the final over of the chase.Related

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Shreyas Iyer's IPL best leads PBKS to winning start

“Getting those extra 40 runs, especially after 200, because we had set [that as] a benchmark, that on this wicket, where the ball is also stopping a bit and turning, helping the spinners, that was our mindset,” Iyer, the Player of the Match, said on the broadcast afterwards. “But with the dew coming in, we knew that the scenario would be changing. Thankfully, we were able to execute and the way he [Shashank] performed was simply brilliant.”The relativity in the value of runs is often a curse for teams batting first. It’s not until the end of the game that they can tell if they made enough or too few (even if it’s one run).Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have meddled with that order by attacking throughout the innings. However, that is somewhat contingent on batting conditions and the Impact Player rule. When it all clicks, wickets are incidental. For PBKS, it became that when Iyer went out to bat in the fourth over and nailed a “confidence-boosting” on-drive off Kagiso Rabada, followed by a flicked six in a 14-run over.Shreyas Iyer took his risks, and they came off•Getty ImagesYet, Rabada was brought back for another over in the powerplay – wickets might be incidental at times, but early wickets are substantial. So, from a bowling team’s point of view, there’s good reason to exhaust three of the four overs of the strike bowler early rather than save them for later, when they might encounter set batters.Rabada’s first ball of that sixth over was a jaffa – in the channel, rising from a length – that Iyer nearly nicked off. He was beaten again, on the flick, by a 146kph full delivery next ball, and survived what turned out to be a bad review for lbw. Call it a dodgy bet but if one of those two had led to Iyer’s wicket, then keeping Rabada on would have been as good a captaincy decision as a batter sacrificing strike in the last over.Such variability is why No. 3s anchor the innings, if they can see off good bowlers and play themselves in, they have the chance to bat long and hold an innings together. But when Iyer got back on strike for the last ball of the over, the earlier events didn’t matter. Short third was in, deep point was back, and the shortish ball was glided through the gap.Iyer had wanted to mark the No. 3 spot for the season, and PBKS want to establish themselves as a force in a way they have struggled to previously. So why an anchor when you can zoom away like a speedboat?Shashank Singh and Shreyas Iyer walk off after adding 81 in just 28 balls•IPLSome of the risks that Iyer took didn’t come with insurance. That flicked six off Rabada in the powerplay went over deep square-leg, the only outfielder on the leg-side boundary. He was nearly caught on the same boundary in the 17th over, but Rabada stepped on the boundary cushion with ball in hand.However, it was in the takedown of R Sai Kishore, who had 2 for 3 after two overs, that Iyer’s bravado was on full display. PBKS had slipped to 108 for 4 in 12 overs after a 73-run powerplay, and there was need for consolidation but also the risk of stagnation. So Iyer made room first ball and went inside-out over long-off, and the heave two balls later was off the bottom of the bat, yet the ball sailed over long-on.Iyer struck 35 off 12 short and short-of-length deliveries, his strike rate was above 180 against every bowler by the end of it, and he was – as Ravi Shastri said on air – “batting like a three-million-dollar man”. It’s too early to say if PBKS have hit the jackpot with the INR 26.75 crore auction purchase, but their captain looks willing to put his money where his mouth is, with his eyes on the prize from day one.

Australia batter displays patience on slow pitch to score match-winning 74 not out and take team to sixth T20 title win

Valkerie Baynes26-Feb-2023Of all the clutch innings Beth Mooney has played in T20 finals, this one was a gem.Australia were in an uncharacteristic rut, a boundary drought lasting 20 balls since she had heaved a full Marizanne Kapp delivery through mid-on in the fifth over of their Women’s T20 World Cup final against South Africa. Then Ashleigh Gardner, moved up to No. 3 ahead of Meg Lanning as Australia looked to exploit their formidable batting depth, pulled a Nonkululeko Mlaba short ball through deep square leg and powered another tossed up on off stump through extra cover for back-to-back fours. Gardner proceeded to unleash consecutive sixes down the ground off Nadine de Klerk and Mooney pierced the gap at cover off Ayabonga Khaka and Australia were away.Mooney was the glue that held the Australian innings together when the Gardner-promotion masterstroke ended after she had added 29 from 21 balls. Through the fall of fellow opener Alyssa Healy for a laboured 18 and the dismissals of Grace Harris – also sent in ahead of Lanning – and Lanning herself, both for 10, Mooney forged on, as she has done so often in big games.Related

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• Mooney's 74* leads clinical Australia to sixth T20 World Cup title

• 'We've been longing for this moment since the last WC' – Aus players react after win

In her seven T20 finals appearances since 2019, including three WBBL title deciders, Mooney has only once failed to pass fifty. At the 2020 edition of the T20 World Cup, her perfectly paced 78 not out off 54 balls as Australia crushed India was only slightly overshadowed by the belligerence of Healy’s 75 off 39. She also scored half-centuries in the Commonwealth Games gold-medal match and the final of the 2020 home tri-series with India and England.On this occasion, Mooney had to overcome a slow start but her response was exquisitely timed, and smart. She was scoring at a run-a-ball with four fours in the first ten overs but upped that to 49 off 28 with five fours and a six in the last ten.South Africa’s bowlers restricted Australia to 36 for 1 after six overs, their lowest powerplay score of the tournament, but halfway through their innings they were 73 for 1, their second best score at the 10-over mark for the tournament. That was largely thanks to Gardner’s 27 from 16 balls at the time.On a slow pitch, Mooney was patient, although there were moments of less-subtle brilliance too. She scooped de Klerk over short third to the boundary and immediately charged towards the next ball and struck it wide of mid-off for another four, then kept the run rate ticking over and brought up her fifty advancing to Kapp and slapping the ball to the rope beyond extra cover.

“I actually asked one of the girls who ran out if she could ask Shell [head coach Shelley Nitschke] if she wanted to retire me – because I was hitting it that bad. That didn’t quite make it to Shell.”Beth Mooney

With only three fielders outside the circle after South Africa were penalised for a slow over rate, Mooney unleashed on the first ball of the final over, powering Shabnim Ismail over long-on directly onto the edge of the TV camera’s viewfinder. She was put down by Laura Wolvaardt with three balls left and then Ismail dismissed Ellyse Perry and Georgia Wareham with consecutive balls but by then, Mooney had done enough to keep Australia on course for a sixth T20 World Cup title and third in a row, their 13th in all including ODI events.It was testament to Mooney’s experience in such positions that she dug in and got on with it in trying conditions – and that drinks runner Kim Garth thought better of passing on her message to coach Shelley Nitschke  when the going was tough.”I wasn’t too happy with how I was hitting them,” Mooney said after the game. “I actually asked one of the girls who ran out if she could ask Shell [Shelley Nitschke] if she wanted to retire me – because I was hitting it that bad. That didn’t quite make it to Shell.”It just goes to show if you hang in there long enough and get the pace of the wicket – I probably didn’t have a great plan through the middle there, stepping across and trying to hit it too square – but once I stayed a bit stiller and hit it a bit straighter, it wasn’t too bad.”I think I’ve gotten to a bit of a sweet spot with how I prepare and how comfortable I am with my game. I just thrive off being able to grit and fight and probably go through those tough innings that don’t feel as good but perhaps get the teams over the line that I play for.”ESPNcricinfo LtdNitschke put Mooney’s track record of producing crucial performances on the big stage down to her “steely determination”.”The message to retire her never actually reached me,” Nitschke said. “She’s obviously highly skilled but there’s just this real determination and ability to read the game. By her own admission, she probably struggled a little bit early but it was really important for us in the context of the game that she stayed there and went on to make a big score and was striking really well at the end.”I’m not sure you can teach that but it’s an amazing ability that she’s got to be able to just hang in when the going’s tough in tough conditions and make it up and make winning contributions.”Gardner was also pivotal with the ball, helping to contain South Africa to a paltry 22 for 1 in the powerplay and claiming the key wicket of Kapp. She was named Player of the Tournament as the joint second-highest wicket-taker with 10 at 12.50 and an economy rate of 6.25, which included a devastating 5 for 12 against New Zealand. She also contributed 110 runs with the bat.Mooney also heaped some praise on her. “She’s matured immensely across the last few years off the field and with her own game she’s probably in a sweet spot as well in terms of how comfortable and confident she is,” Mooney said. “She’s making some match-winning contributions very consistently for this Australian team, so I’ve been really impressed with what I’ve seen from Ash and she’s going to be around for a long time, so hopefully she can continue to produce those games.”

Do players born earlier in a selection year have a distinct advantage over those born later? And do these advantages carry over to later in their careers?

Matt Roller08-Jan-2021Rory Burns and Dom Sibley, England’s incumbent Test openers, have plenty in common. They were both born in Epsom, a small market town; they attended the same secondary school; they made their breakthroughs as professional cricketers at the same county; and while Burns is five years Sibley’s senior, they celebrate their birthdays ten days apart from one another.But in the last of those similarities lies an important difference. In England, the selection year usually runs from September 1 of one year to August 31 of the following year. Sibley’s birthday, September 5, made him one of the oldest pupils in his year group at school; Burns’, on August 26, put him among the youngest. That fact alone made Sibley twice as likely to have his name entered into an ECB database as a junior cricketer – as well as giving him a substantially better chance of attending Oxford or Cambridge University, or becoming a CEO of a major company.”It is not the month of birth that is important per se but rather where that month falls in the selection or academic year,” Tim Wigmore and Mark Williams write in their book (in Australia, the cut-off month in age-group sport tends to be January, compared to September in the UK, but the phenomenon remains the same). “Whatever month the selection year begins, the relative-age effect persists; those who are born earlier in the selection year have a far greater chance of being selected for youth teams or academies.”The logic behind the relative-age effect is intuitive. “Say my best mate and I have kids born in the same school year: one right at the start, one right at the end,” David Court, the player identification lead at the ECB, explains. “One of them could be walking around kicking a football on the same day that the other one is born. That’s where the gap is biggest.”

“This is the paradox of the relative-age effect: it is significantly harder for later-born children to reach professional level – but, if they can make it there, they have a higher chance of reaching the peak of their sport”From . “The professional hockey player starts out a little bit better than his peers,” he wrote. “And that little difference leads to an opportunity that makes that difference a bit bigger, and that edge in turn leads to another opportunity, which makes the initially small difference bigger still – and on and on until the hockey player is a genuine outlier.”The result is that at youth-team level, those who are born earlier in their respective selection years are over-represented. In England’s last two U-19 World Cup squads, 12 players were born between September and November, and only 11 between March and August. In 2015, an article co-authored by Court in the Journal of Sports Sciences showed that out of young cricketers at the first point of identification, i.e. entry into the ECB’s database, 36% are born between September and November, compared to just 16% between June and August.ESPNcricinfo LtdWhile they were born five years (and, crucially, ten days) apart, the similarities between Burns and Sibley’s journeys – same secondary school, same county development system – to become Test openers serve to accentuate the differences.Sibley was a typical early-maturing, early-born child, who dominated at schoolboy level, made hundreds for England U-19s, and became the youngest double-centurion in the history of the County Championship while still studying at school. Burns, on the other hand, was a late developer with a late birthday, whose slight frame and awkward technique saw him struggle for the same sporting opportunities as Sibley at Whitgift, to the extent he changed schools for sixth form.”Dom’s parents are both quite tall, and he was always pretty tall for his age,” recalls Neil Kendrick, Whitgift’s master of cricket, “whereas Rory would have been the opposite. Physical strength, especially for a batter, can cause you to score a lot of runs when you’re younger, but that’s not to say if you don’t have it that you’re not going to end up being a really good player like Rory has been.”There is a lot of proof that from an England point of view, at representative and age-group level, there is much more likelihood of you being selected at those levels if you’re born between September and November or December, like Dom, than if you’re like Rory with a June to August birthday.”The progression of Dom Sibley (left) and Rory Burns’ careers has typified the impact of the relative-age effect on young cricketers•Getty ImagesBut this advantage in the junior system does not necessarily bear out at senior international level. Court points out that two England players he classes as “super elites” – James Anderson and Ben Stokes – have birthdays in the final quarter of the selection year, in July and June respectively. This illustrates the idea of the underdog effect.Wigmore and Williams suggest that the traits picked up by relatively young players are exactly the sort required to help athletes reach the highest level. “The very difficulties of being physically immature for their selection year – and having to struggle to out-muscle or outrun opponents and rely on other qualities if they are to compete – are ideal preparation for professional sport,” they write.”This is the paradox of the relative-age effect: it is significantly harder for later-born children to reach professional level – but, if they can make it there, they have a higher chance of reaching the peak of their sport.” Their hypothesis is backed by the research: Court’s 2015 paper showed that 7% of English cricketers who had made it into the system despite their late birthdays went on to play internationally, compared to only 2% of those with early birthdays.Staggeringly, when he won his cap in 2018, Burns was England’s first August-born Test debutant since the Australian-educated Darren Pattinson a decade earlier. But throughout the 2010s, there is little evidence of a relative-age effect among England Test debutants, with the same number of caps handed out to players with birthdays in each of the four quarters of the year.ESPNcricinfo Ltd”You need to look at relative age, but also their physical maturation,” says Court. “You could have an early-born child who is a late maturer, or a late-born child who is early maturing, physically. What I found in my time at the FA [England’s Football Association, where he worked as the performance education lead] was that if there were any Q4 [June-August birthdays] boys within the academy system, they tended to be early maturing.”There are also implications for coaches. The ECB emphasises the idea in junior development that current performance is not necessarily a good indicator of future potential, but outside of its pathways, grassroots coaches can often pay undue attention to how a young player is performing at the moment. At every level below elite, there is a trade-off between investing in a player with a higher ceiling for long-term gain, or instead chasing short-term rewards, and the balance is hard to strike.And Burns and Sibley’s cases highlight the fact that for promising young players, progress and development are not linear. Kendrick suggests that Sibley stood out as a potential future professional from early on. “Lots of things can happen, but when he was 12 or 13, I think we realised he had a good chance,” he says. “I don’t think you would have said that Rory was as nailed on, and he certainly wouldn’t have been on the radar for England U-19s or anything like that.”Good players can be made in lots of different ways. Some of them are prodigies younger; some aren’t, and develop later. There’s definitely not one thing that happens; everyone progresses differently.”Sibley, then, exemplifies the benefits of being born early in the selection year: he was physically mature for his age, especially when compared to some of his younger peers; he was given development opportunities with additional coaching which exacerbated that advantage; and he had the confidence and strength that allowed him to flourish in his early days in county cricket. After his form fell away and he suffered his first setbacks as a Surrey player, he moved to Warwickshire, and made his Test debut aged 25.

“From an England point of view, at age-group level, there is much more likelihood of you being selected if you’re born between September and December, than with a June to August birthday”David Court, ECB player identification lead

Burns, on the other hand, typifies the late-developing underdog. He was small and young compared to his immediate peers, he missed out on England U-19 selection, and he did not make his County Championship debut until the age of 21. From there, he had to demonstrate his resilience and perseverance, plugging away in county cricket until belatedly getting a chance with England at 28.Perhaps the more pertinent question is whether the relative-age effect represents a problem to be solved, or simply a fact of life. Some direct attempts to address it have been made within a sporting context: in New Zealand, rugby teams are selected by weight rather than age group at youth level, while in English football, West Bromwich Albion have held trials open only to children born between May and August in order to “unearth talented footballers who have previously been overlooked”.”It’s a really tricky one,” says Court. “If you see it as a problem to solve, there might be unintended consequences.” In particular, he has concerns about the prospect of eliminating the underdog effect. “If some of our best players coming through are Q4s, do we then risk limiting them because they miss out on the same challenges along the journey? I’m wary of that.”The relative-age effect hints at “an inefficiency in the talent identification process”, according to Wigmore and Williams, and begs the question whether young players of high potential like Burns are being lost to the game by virtue of something as random as their date of birth. For the time being, ten days can make all the difference.

The Atlanta Braves will play host to MLB's All-Star weekend in 2025, with Truist Park set to serve as the site for both the All-Star Game and the Home Run Derby.

Among the participants in this year's Derby include the Braves' own Ronald Acuña Jr., who is making his third appearance in the event.

spoke to Acuña ahead of the derby as part of his new collaboration with Call of Duty Mobile, which introduced Acuña's "La Bestia" baseball bat that was added to the game as an in-game cosmetic. Acuña said he plays Call of Duty Mobile regularly, and even more so while going through his recovery and rehabilitation from the ACL injury that ended his 2024 season early and delayed the start of his '25 campaign.

Now gearing up for the derby, the 27-year-old discussed why the event being at home at Truist Park makes the occasion even more special.

"It means a lot to me. Being in the Home Run Derby in my home stadium in Atlanta and in front of the home crowd is an absolute dream come true, and I can only hope to win," Acuña said, speaking via translator.

No player in Braves franchise history has ever won the Home Run Derby, so Acuña has the chance to become the very first. To do so at his home stadium with the fans backing him would make that accomplishment even more special.

If Acuña were able to achieve the feat, he'd join a select group of players in the event's history to win it at home, including Chicago Cubs legend Ryne Sandberg, who won at Wrigley Field in 1990, Todd Frazier of the Cincinnati Reds, who won in 2015 at the Great American Ball Park, ex-Washington Nationals star Bryce Harper who took home the trophy in '18 at Nationals Park and Adolis Garcia, who won in 2024 at Globe Life Field in front of the Texas Rangers faithful.

Like many other baseball fans and players, Acuña also grew up watching the Home Run Derby. When asked about his favorite Derby growing up, he said it was 2011 when New York Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano won it all while his father Jose was pitching to him.

Acuña spoke highly of his competitors, referring to all of them as "incredible players," but he will be hoping the support from the home crowd in Atlanta can help propel him to victory over the rest of the pack.