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Manchester United have agreed a deal to sign a young forward with a big future in the game, according to an update from journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Man Utd have one foot in Europa League final

The Red Devils are in dream land after the first leg of their Europa League semi-final tie with Athletic Bilbao on Thursday evening, having won 3-0 in Spain. After taking the lead through Casemiro, following brilliant work from Harry Maguire on the right wing, Bruno Fernandes doubled the advantage from the penalty spot after the hosts were reduced to 10 men.

Fernandes continued his superb form with his second of the night before half-time, and United saw out the second half in professional fashion, ensuring they take a 3-0 lead with them back to Old Trafford next Thursday.

In the other semi-final, Tottenham won 3-1 at home to Bodo/Glimt, meaning there is now a strong possibility of an all-English final in Bilbao later this month, with both teams knowing that victory will book a place in next season’s Champions League. That will aid their hopes of signing top players this summer, and a key Red Devils transfer update has now emerged.

Man Utd agree deal to sign Enzo Kana-Biyik

Taking to X on Thursday evening, Romano claimed that Manchester United have agreed a deal to sign Le Havre striker Enzo Kana Biyik on a five-year deal, with an official announcment ‘soon’.

United clearly need to sign proven players who can immediately hit the ground running next season, but bringing in top young talent is always essential, with the Red Devils known for snapping up teenage stars and turning them into world-beaters, from Cristiano Ronaldo to Wayne Rooney.

In Biyik, United look set to be signing a hugely exciting prospect, with the 18-year-old scoring nine goals in just 17 appearances for Le Havre’s Under-18s.

United are in need of a new striker this summer, with Rasmus Hojlund struggling badly for form and the jury also still arguably out on whether Joshua Zirkzee is at the level required.

97% passing: 8/10 Man Utd star is now as undroppable as Bruno & Casemiro

Man Utd romped to a superb 3-0 win on the road on Thursday evening in the Europa League…

By
Robbie Walls

May 2, 2025

While Biyik wouldn’t be the immediate solution – a proven No.9 has to be a primary summer target – the hope is that he will blossom into a key starter over as the years pass.

Arsenal have been contacted by the representatives of a wantaway Chelsea player, and it is believed he could well be tempted by a north London switch.

Andrea Berta targets new Arsenal forward for Mikel Arteta

The anticipation of new sporting director Andrea Berta’s first summer window at Arsenal is growing and growing.

Rafael van der Vaart makes scathing Arsenal claim amid loss to PSG

The former Spurs midfielder has made a damning comparison.

By
Emilio Galantini

Apr 30, 2025

The 53-year-old orchestrated a plethora of high-profile deals during his productive 12-year stint at Atlético Madrid, and he’s now transferring that expertise to the Emirates Stadium in a major boost for Mikel Arteta.

Reports in both England and France claim Berta recently reached out to Athletic Bilbao starlet Nico Williams’ agents for talks, so it is clear the Italian is aiming to make a head start on the first summer window, which opens from June 1st to June 10th.

Berta is rumoured to be prioritising the potential signing of a new winger and striker, as well as a new left-back, midfielder and second-choice keeper (GiveMeSport), so we can fully expect some fresh faces to arrive in attack before the beginning of 2025/2026.

Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard face uncertain long-term futures, according to some reports, while injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz have left Arteta desperately short in the centre-forward area.

One player who could actually fill all of their roles, given his versatility, is £195,000-per-week Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku.

The Frenchman has bagged 14 goals in all competitions this term, despite being used more as an impact substitute under Enzo Maresca, and he can play as a second striker, centre-forward, left-winger and even an attacking midfielder when required.

Christopher Nkunku could be tempted to join Arsenal after talks

He appears to be on the way out of Stamford Bridge this summer as well, with Nkunku’s representatives holding some talks with Arsenal and other Premier League sides.

That is according to journalist Graeme Bailey, who also told The Boot Room that his desire to stay in London could mean that Nkunku may well be tempted by the prospect of a switch to Arsenal.

“His people are touching base with clubs in England,” said Bailey.

“Arsenal, Liverpool, Man United, Newcastle, Aston Villa and Tottenham have all been spoken to in the past few months. Chelsea want to recoup as much of their plus £50m outlay, but that looks difficult at this juncture.

“I am told the player is very happy in London, and so would a move to a Arsenal or Tottenham appeal? I believe it would but as it stands those options are not advanced – but Arsenal and Spurs both have an historic interest in the player. Both want a wide forward, so you could see the fit.

“There is interest back in Germany – Bayern Munich like him, a new deal for Leroy Sane doesn’t rule out them making a move but it is not pressing. Former club RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen also admire him. Atletico Madrid have also shown some interest, as have the Saudi Pro League – who are willing to offer him a pay rise to move.”

The former RB Leipzig sensation was unrivalled during his time in the Bundesliga, and has displayed real quality when given the chance at Chelsea. Nkunku is also a player who could reinforce multiple attacking positions for Arteta, so this could well appeal to the Spaniard, who is known to greatly value versatility.

A new club have emerged in the race to sign an “excellent” Wolves player permanently in the summer transfer window, according to a fresh claim.

Wolves exit rumours emerge

Wanderers will be looking for plenty of incoming transfer business at the end of the season, but doubts surround the futures of several current players.

Matheus Cunha is the most high-profile Wolves hero who looks the most likely to move on this summer, with the Brazilian far from without suitors. A number of top clubs are keen on snapping him up, and Vitor Pereira will know that he has a battle on his hands to keep hold of him.

Elsewhere, Tommy Doyle has also been linked with leaving Molineux before next season gets underway, with journalist Graeme Bailey explaining the situation: “It seems Doyle is increasingly likely to go. There’s a lot of Championship interest in him, we’re going to see a fair few Championship players go, so there’s plenty of opportunities for quite a few teams [to sign him]. He’ll find a club, he’ll be alright, it’s just he’s not particularly suited to Vitor Pereira’s system, that’s just how it is.”

Fabio Silva is currently out on loan at Las Palmas and seemingly doesn’t have a long-term future, with prevuous suggeston they were ready to sell for £25m. Now, a new update has dropped regarding the Portuguese attacker, having reportedly held talks with Eintracht Frankfurt earlier this week.

"Excellent" £17m Wolves ace in talks to join new club

According to Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg on X, VfL Wolfsburg have now held talks to sign Silva from Wolves this summer, providing competition for Frankfurt. Interestingly, Wolves’ asking price has dropped from £25m to £17m.

This summer definitely feels like the right time for Wolves to sell Silva, even though Stuart McCall hailed him during a loan stint at Scottish Premiership giants Rangers, saying:

“The one thing Silva has done well today, because he’s not been on the ball much, is his movement. It has been excellent. Lovely ball, really nice finish.”

As mentioned, the 22-year-old has been a huge disappointment for Wolves overall, scoring just five goals and registering only six assists in 72 appearances for Wanderers. Given the money they spent on him, that is a dismal return, and while he is still a young player, it is hard to see him ever being good enough for the Premier League.

Ivory Coast star likely to move in summer amid Everton and Wolves interest

Both sides are interested in bringing him to the Premier League.

By
Sean Markus Clifford

Apr 19, 2025

If Wolves could get the £17m that they crave for Silva’s signature this summer, it could end up being seen as good business, even if it is a loss on what they paid Porto for him initially back in 2020.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers could leave the club this summer if he doesn’t get his way with one key thing, according to a worrying update regarding his future.

Rodgers unhappy amid doubts over his future

The Hoops lost 1-0 away to St Johnstone on Sunday afternoon, delaying their Scottish Premiership title triumph, following a disappointing performance. It may still be 13 points clear at the top of the table, but an angry Rodgers made it clear what he thought of the display.

“Bitterly disappointing. It’s a huge credit to St Johnstone and congratulations to them. For us, poor start to the game, but not the first time and this is something for me that we will look at, certainly in the summer. But the start was really poor, it was soft, it was too comfortable in the game. We go behind and then obviously we are much better in the second half. There’s definitely anger. I’m trying to control it.”

There have also been reports over Rodgers’ future at Celtic in recent days, with no guarantee that he will stay put this summer and a return to the Premier League mooted. While the latest reports described him as “content” in his current role, they also claimed he “could quit” if interest arrives from an English club that appeals to him. Now, a fresh update has dropped, further shedding light on the situation.

Rodgers could leave Celtic if wish isn't granted

According to Football Insider, Rodgers will “demand the backing of the Celtic board” this summer, or potentially leave as manager if it doesn’t happen. The 52-year-old “wants to build on the success his side have had this season”, and while this again states that he is happy currently, that “could change if the board fail to meet his demands ahead of the off-season”.

This should certainly act as a warning to Celtic’s board, with Rodgers making it clear that he won’t be amused if funds aren’t made for him to bring in new faces this summer.

While those looking from the outside may look at the Premiership table and ask where there is any great need for reinforcements, bringing a freshness to the Hoops’ squad is always important, especially for a European challenge.

Rodgers will be aware that he hasn’t yet impressed too muchin European competition with Celtic, so he will be desperate to make more of an impression in the Champions League moving forward. It sounds as though the Irishman is more likely to remain at Parkhead than leave, but this latest update should act as a word of warning to those high up at the club.

Worse than Kuhn: Celtic must axe star who lost the ball every 4 touches

Celtic slipped to a shock defeat to bottom side St Johnstone on Sunday afternoon

By
Robbie Walls

Apr 6, 2025

Losing Rodgers would be a big blow, given his talent as a manager, and seeing him depart so early in his second spell at the club could see the Hoops lose momentum.

With the WPL auction, and before that retention day, coming up, some of these cricketers are likely to create interest following their World Cup performances

S Sudarshanan04-Nov-2025

Nadine de Klerk was at her absolute best in the league-phase win over India•ICC/Getty Images

Nadine de Klerk

A pace-bowling allrounder who can nail the yorkers and whack more than just a few at the death? Yes, please! De Klerk is one of those whose stocks would have risen big time ahead of the WPL auction. In Indian conditions, she put up quite a show with the bat – against India, no less – rescuing South Africa from a seemingly impossible situation in a chase in the league stage. Her strike rate of 131.64 in the World Cup was second only to Richa Ghosh’s 133.52 (minimum 20 balls faced). She also picked up nine wickets, the third-most for South Africa. That she can keep her calm at the death was evident in the final, where she gave away just six singles bowling the 50th. She was with Mumbai Indians (MI) in WPL 2025 but did not get a single game. If they retain her, it will be tough not to give her a spot in the XI?Amanjot Kaur made big contributions at crucial moments at the World Cup•Getty Images

Amanjot Kaur

The start of WPL 2025 and the recent World Cup was similar for Amanjot – she was returning from a stress fracture of the back earlier this year, for MI, and she was out with niggle for two months before the World Cup. Both the competitions ended with her team winning the trophy. The World Cup would have given a massive boost to MI, who can now retain her as the Indian seam-bowling allrounder ahead of Pooja Vastrakar, who has had a long injury layoff. Amanjot has shown she could be the second seamer, she can float in the batting order, and that she is a gun fielder is no secret.Annabel Sutherland emerged from a brief run of low scores•ICC/Getty Images

Annabel Sutherland and Marizanne Kapp

Even though Australia were knocked out in the semi-final, Sutherland had a memorable World Cup, outshining the likes of Ellyse Perry and Tahlia McGrath. Only Deepti Sharma (22) had more wickets than Sutherland’s 17 in the competition. Her death-over exploits often helped Australia rein opponents in.Related

• WPL 2026: Harmanpreet, Mandhana, Rodrigues among players retained; Healy, Lanning released

• Team of the tournament: Mandhana, Wolvaardt, Gardner, Ecclestone and…?

Her Delhi Capitals (DC) team-mate Kapp had a relatively sedate World Cup, where she finished with 12 wickets but went wicketless in four of the nine outings including the final. Her five-wicket haul against England in the semi-final proved she still has it in her to deliver when the stakes are high.In WPL 2025, Sutherland was the third-highest wicket-taker for DC with nine wickets, one more than Kapp’s eight. This is why DC could face a tricky choice if they have to retain one of them. Both of them have shown at the World Cup that they can rescue their teams from tricky situations with the bat, too. Whoever finds themselves in the auction is likely to trigger a bidding war.N Shree Charani was the point of difference in the games against Australia•BCCI

N Shree Charani

She played only two games for DC in WPL 2025 but that was enough for India to get her into the World Cup squad. Her ability to vary her pace, get some drift as well as enough bite from the surface makes her stand out from some of the other left-arm spinners. That made India prefer her over the more experienced Radha Yadav, and she delivered with 14 wickets, the second-most for them. She was the best bowler on show in both of India’s matches against Australia, and a prime reason why the defending champions were kept to a lower-than-par total in the semi-final. If she is not retained by DC, expect her to make a splash at the auction.Laura Wolvaardt raised her game to a higher level at the World Cup•ICC/Getty Images

Laura Wolvaardt

For three World Cups in a row, across ODIs and T20Is, Wolvaardt has topped the run chart. In this tournament, her evolution and growth were visible. She opened up scoring areas that she hadn’t accessed before, batted at a higher gear and hit seven of her 18 ODI sixes in the last four weeks. No one doubts Wolvaardt’s ability to score runs even in T20 cricket. The fact she features in our list is because she played only three matches in WPL 2025, where her team Gujarat Giants (GG) used five opening combinations in nine matches. If GG do not retain her – but why wouldn’t they? – there are a few teams who could do with a versatile batter, and leader, like Wolvaardt.

The World Test Championship is likely to expand to 12 teams from 2027

Tristan Lavalette11-Nov-2025The next World Test Championship (WTC) cycle is likely to feature all 12 Full Members in one division after plans to split nations into two tiers failed to gain widespread support, while a resurrection for the short-lived ODI Super League is also on the cards.A working group, led by former New Zealand batter Roger Twose, tasked with addressing pressing issues over cricket’s three formats provided recommendations to the ICC board and Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC) during last week’s quarterly meetings in Dubai.There had been a sense of urgency behind it with countries already having started conversations for bilateral series that will be part of the next WTC cycle (2027-29).A two-tier system, which has cropped up in talks periodically for over a decade, was again among topics discussed when the working group was formed at the ICC annual conference in July.But doubts over whether a funding model could be implemented contributed to scuppering the two-tier model. It had been mooted that India, England and Australia could support those in division two through a financial distribution, but those talks did not go far.Nations likely to occupy division two, such as West Indies, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, were opposed to the idea due to the likely lack of playing opportunities against the bigger nations.Promotion and relegation was also a thorny issue, the big three concerned about the financial impacts of relegation.”We wouldn’t want, as England, we may go through a fallow period, and that means, what, we fall into Division Two and we don’t play Australia and India?” ECB chief Richard Thompson told the BBC in August. “That couldn’t happen. There has to be a sense that common sense needs to play out here.”Instead the working group has proposed a 12-team WTC, with Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and Ireland, potentially part of an expanded league for the next cycle, which begins in July 2027. The teams will be expected to play a minimum number of Tests – the exact number is not yet known – during the cycle. No extra funding is likely to be available for hosting Tests – which has been part of the struggle for members such as Ireland.”It guarantees that everyone is playing Test cricket,” a board director told ESPNcricinfo. “Those that really want to play the format now have opportunities and there is an incentive for other teams to play them.”There were also developments on the white-ball formats, with the ODI Super League possibly to be revived, having been scrapped following the 2023 World Cup.The 13-team league, which only began in July 2020, had been developed in a bid to create more context for the waning 50-over format. But it fell by the wayside amid an increasingly cramped calendar much to the chagrin of smaller Full Members and Associates.The proposal did not detail how many teams would be part of a new league, which can only return from 2028.”The Super League could help revitalise the 50-over format,” one administrator said. “Maybe the problem is not that the format is necessarily dead, it’s finding the proper structure.”There does not appear to be any push to increase the number of teams at 50-over World Cups, which will be a 14-team competition in 2027 after being limited to just ten in the previous two editions.The T20 World Cup is also set to remain at 20 teams even though there is a push from some administrators to incrementally increase it by four, with the aim ultimately of getting to 32 teams.Hall of Famers Matthew Hayden and Hashim Amla with the WTC mace•ICC via Getty

Associate members have also put forward a proposal into revamping the T20 World Cup qualifying format. In a similar concept to the men’s Olympic qualifying pathway, and commonly seen in other major sports, a global qualifier would determine the final spots and may feature not only Associates but Full Members who did not automatically qualify through rankings.A global qualifier is hoped to provide a revenue source for Associates, while appeasing some Asian nations who believe the current regional pathway limits their chances of qualifying for T20 World Cups.Associate administrators hope the global tournament can be part of the qualification process for the 2028 T20 World Cup.Despite having some influential support, with leagues popping up around the globe, the 90-minute T10 won’t be an official format.The board is expected to debate these issues at the next ICC meetings early next year.

If you were to ask Mikel Arteta what a perfect game looked like ahead of kick-off on Wednesday night, he would have described something close to the one Arsenal delivered.

Sure, there were a few moments in the first half where Club Brugge looked threatening, but that is to be expected when a team is so heavily rotated.

Moreover, the Gunners were comfortably the better side for much of the game and came away with their 100% record in the Champions League still intact.

There were impressive performances across the pitch from Arteta’s men, including from one international who, like Noni Madueke, had his best game in an Arsenal shirt so far.

Noni Madueke's performance vs Club Brugge

Wednesday night’s game against Club Brugge could have been a banana-skin fixture for Arsenal.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

After all, the North Londoners were coming off a devastating defeat in the Premier League, were beset by injuries, and had to rotate a significant portion of the side.

However, the Gunners showed why so many consider them to be one of Europe’s best teams and swept the Belgian outfit aside.

The likes of Martin Zubimendi, Gabriel Martinelli, Ben White and Piero Hincapie all looked excellent, but the star of the show was undoubtedly Madueke.

The former Chelsea man was the busiest of the attackers in the first half and opened the scoring with a truly sensational solo goal.

The Englishman had the ball by the halfway line, beat one player, rode the challenge of another and then rifled the ball into the top corner from well outside the area.

The dynamic game-changer then continued to be a serious threat throughout the rest of the half, before scoring his second early in the second half, thanks to a smart run and a pinpoint accurate cross from Zubimendi.

All in all, it was a performance that more than justified the man of the match award, and has to go down as his best in an Arsenal shirt thus far.

Fortunately, the same could be said about another starter.

Arsenal's other standout star

Now, there are other players who deserve praise for their performances against Brugge, but the only other starter who comfortably had his best game in an Arsenal shirt was Christian Nørgaard.

The Danish midfielder has been something of a forgotten man since his arrival in the summer, playing just 302 minutes of football before last night.

However, while he did finally get another start on Wednesday night, just his fourth all year, it wasn’t in the middle of the park; it was at centre-back.

Understandably, such a move left some in the fan base feeling a little nervous ahead of kick-off, but there was no need to be, as the 31-year-old was practically faultless for the entire match.

Yes, he did pick up a yellow card, but he also made a crucial interception in the penalty area in the first half, and as football.london’s Tom Canton put it, looked totally ‘unfazed by the unfamiliar position.’

That might sound a little hyperbolic, but the former Brentford captain’s statistics prove otherwise.

For example, in his 93 minutes of action, the £65k-per-week monster won 100% of his tackles, took 72 touches, won three of four ground duels, made clearances and two interceptions, recovered the ball twice, blocked a shot, completed 50 passes and even played two long balls.

In fact, the København-born veteran looked so good at the back, both with and without the ball, that there might even need to be a conversation about him playing there against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.

Ultimately, it was a great night at the office for Arsenal on Wednesday, and like Madueke, Nørgaard undoubtedly put in his best performance since his move in the summer.

Arsenal make "generational" £87m Saka & Rodrygo hybrid a priority target

The incredible attacker, who is a lot like Saka and Rodrygo, could be a game-changing signing for Arsenal.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

2 days ago

Former captain could have been forgiven for wishing he’d been in Ahmedabad, but he was fully present at the Kia Oval

Matt Roller04-Jun-2025″That’s up in the air,” boomed the unmistakable Ravi Shastri. “Straight down the throat of the man at square leg!” Shastri’s voice echoed around The Oval, where the IPL final beamed live on the big screens. Designed to keep fans entertained during a rain delay, it only emphasised the contrast with a dead-rubber ODI in soggy south London.England’s players sat in the dressing room, with three IPL returnees among them. When the BCCI announced revised dates for the play-offs following the league’s brief suspension, the ECB opted against extending the No-Objection Certificates for players involved in England’s ODI squad. For Jacob Bethell, Will Jacks and Jos Buttler, that meant an early return home.In Ahmedabad, Romario Shepherd was padded up in the dugout. Shepherd, centrally contracted by CWI, was named in West Indies’ squad for the series but had his NOC extended by a board on a weaker standing than the ECB. So too did Sherfane Rutherford, who top-scored in his only innings of the series as if to remind West Indies what they had missed when he was in India.Related

• England rush to 3-0 series win as Smith, Buttler star in rain-reduced chase

• London traffic chaos makes West Indies late for Oval ODI as England cycle in

There was never much chance of Bethell or Jacks defying the ECB’s directive but for Buttler, the clash must have stung. He has become an IPL great across 10 seasons in the league, but has only once been involved in the play-offs, in 2022 with Rajasthan Royals. He was a champion in 2017 with Mumbai Indians, but watched the final from his sofa after being brought home by the ECB.Buttler’s Gujarat Titans were not involved in the final, but could easily have been if he had stayed for the duration. They were beaten in the Eliminator last week, falling short in the sort of steep run-chase in which Buttler has often thrived: with him at No. 3 throughout the play-offs, they could have locked horns with RCB on Tuesday night.Instead, Buttler was pulled home for an ODI series notable only for being his first back in the ranks after three years as captain. His successor, Harry Brook, revealed it had been Buttler’s idea to use Lime bikes to beat the gridlocked London traffic to reach The Oval; in India, whole cities are shut down if that is what it takes to get IPL teams from their hotels to a stadium.Jos Buttler and Harry Brook savour England’s 3-0 series win•ECB/Getty ImagesYet as Buttler walked off grinning alongside Brook, after a cameo of 41 not out off 20 balls secured a seven-wicket rout, it felt like a significant moment for England’s white-ball teams. Here was a new England captain being supported fully by his predecessor, whose availability was proof that he remains committed to a format from which he could easily have walked away.Buttler has largely left Brook to his own devices as captain, having returned to keeping wicket, though has offered support when prompted. “He’s letting me do it my own way, and then I’ve gone over to him a few times,” Brook said. “Having him behind the stumps with that wealth of experience, it’s easy to just go up to him and chat, and see what his thoughts are.”In truth, his biggest role in supporting Brook will be with the bat, in the same way that Joe Root’s relentless run-scoring in Test cricket has helped Ben Stokes far more than his tactical insight. Buttler knows as much: when he resigned in February, he cited a desire to “follow Joe Root’s lead” when addressing his own international future.”He almost goes until he wants to retire,” Brook said, acknowledging that Buttler’s achievements as a double World Cup-winner allow him to set his own deadlines as an England player. “He is very well known for being one of the best – if not the best – white-ball players in the world. To see him go out there and crunch the ball as he did tonight was thrilling.”It is easy to risk overstating the pull of the IPL: after all, playing for England is no great sacrifice. Buttler’s earning potential in India (his Titans deal is worth Rs 15.75 crore, around £1.4m) owes no small part to his international success, while his lucrative central contract has seen the ECB pay him handsomely for a decade.That is to say nothing of the prestige that international sport retains, even bilateral series that are largely devoid of context. Buttler would surely not have bothered with this series were he not set on reaching the 2027 50-over World Cup in South Africa, the same tournament that has prompted Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to cling onto ODIs while quitting other formats.But the stark reality is that this England team needs Buttler more than he needs them, as he heads into a later phase of his international career. His innings on Tuesday night – and a shimmying scoop for six off Alzarri Joseph in particular – hinted at a man liberated by his resignation, and one whose mere presence at The Oval was a statement of his intent.

White-ball captain wary of distractions as he embarks on first tour in charge

Cameron Ponsonby17-Oct-2025It is infuriating talking to an England player at the moment. The biggest series in years is on the horizon. It’s all we’ve been speaking about for months. And rather than indulge in playground gossip like the rest of us, they’re rising above it.”We’re in New Zealand,” says Harry Brook, speaking from New Zealand. So far, so good. “I’m the white-ball captain.” Also correct. “We’ve got a game tomorrow night.” Three from three. “And that’s all I’m thinking about.” Wrong. Tell us that Josh Hazlewood is going to get sent to the moon.This is a refined Harry Brook. Wiser than the man who was once burnt after saying he was glad he could “shut up” Indian fans in 2023, then twice burnt by England fans in 2024 after saying “who cares” if someone gets caught on the boundary. Now, in 2025, he is a man who leads his country on and off the pitch. When England were given a traditional cultural welcome on Friday at the Hagley Oval, it was Brook, in his role as captain, whose responsibility it was to stand and say a few words of thanks to the local Maori leaders at the end of the ceremony. A simple, but important task that earned him a tap on the thigh from head coach Brendon McCullum.Related

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“Like I said. We’re in New Zealand now,” Brook reiterates.Through nothing other than coincidence, Brook’s development as a cricketer has been inextricably linked to the country. His Test captain, Ben Stokes, has his roots in New Zealand. The only Test head coach he’s ever known, McCullum, is one of the most famous New Zealanders of all time. His centuries in Wellington, Christchurch and Wellington again include arguably his finest knock in an England shirt. And his first tour as an England captain is to the country as well. Most recently, Gilbert Enoka, the famous mental skills coach who worked extensively with the All Blacks, has become a figure Brook turns to for advice.”He’s awesome,” Brook said of Enoka’s presence with the England team. “We’ve actually just done a session with him now for an hour or so. To have him in the ranks, just to be able to pull him for a chat for five or 10 minutes is awesome.”Unprompted, Brook, who was recently named as vice-captain of the Test side, spoke about his need to adapt both as a captain and a batter. A question about Jacob Bethell’s ability against spin segued into an answer about Brook’s recognition about the need to be flexible with a batting line-up.”I haven’t liked doing that in the past,” Brook says of switching left-and-right-handers in the order depending on what the opposition is throwing up. In his eyes, that amounts to a bending of the knee to an opponent who should be dictated to, not delegated around.”But whatever’s best for the team at that stage is vital. And like I said before, having them little chats with Gilbert with everybody heading in the same direction, knowing that things might change here and there is vital for the side.”Similarly with his batting, his quickly trademarked but almost impossible to describe roly-poly Dilscoop ramp, that he unfurled in the Hundred, sounds set for a spell on the sidelines. As a shot it is a moment of pure entertainment. But rather than being the sign of a man with unlimited confidence and limitless form, Brook saw it as a sign he was straying too far into the woods.”It’s fun when the crowd’s cheering and whatnot,” Brook told talkSPORT. “But it doesn’t necessarily work every time.”I’ve actually been quite disappointed with the way I’ve played in white-ball cricket. I feel like I’ve been premeditating a lot. And that’s one goal for me this series, just to try and play on instinct as much as possible.”Brook’s aim to move away from premeditation stems from a desire, to use a football term, to play the way he’s facing. The fact he is able to play 360 degrees, he feels, is pulling him in too many directions. Literally.”Because I’m hitting it in different areas,” Brook explained of why he wanted to scale back. “Obviously it all depends on the situation of the game and the surface, but when I’m at my best I’m hitting it straight.”Brook got engaged recently. It can be the only explanation for such clarity of thought. A man can only plan so much. And a wedding outranks deciding when to scoop Jacob Duffy.When Brook entered the international set-up in 2022, Stokes made a joke at his expense, calling him “a bit dumb”. Joe Root joined the party a couple of years later when referring (endearingly, it must be said) to Brook as an “idiot”.But the fact of the matter is that Brook is very likely to walk out at some stage across the Ashes series with the England blazer on and as captain of his country. Stokes has missed a match through injury in each of his last four Test series. And the Brook that does so, thanks to those around him, will be very different to the one who debuted just over three years ago.”I want Stokesy to play all five games,” Brook said, knocking back any suggestion he’s thought at all about the prospect of walking out on Boxing Day to call heads in front of 95,000 people. “But now we’re in New Zealand. I’m the white-ball captain, and that’s my main focus. That’s all I’m thinking about at this moment in time. We’ve got a game tomorrow night. And like I’ve said so many times, [I want to] just stay in the moment as much as possible.”Brook is only interested in speaking about New Zealand. And really, given his history here, why would he want to talk about anything else?

The first half of the season went about as good as the Mets could have hoped. The team jumped out to a comfortable lead in the National League, having gone 45-25 in their first 70 games.

Since then, the wheels have come off completely. New York has lost 13 of its last 15 games and eight of its last nine, many of which have included painstaking blown leads and inexplicably un-clutch performances.

Thursday night was much of the same, as the Mets fell victim to another late blown lead against the rival Braves. New York entered the eighth inning with a 3–2 lead, but trade deadline acquisition Ryan Helsley's struggles out of the bullpen continued as he surrendered a pair of runs to give Atlanta 4–3 lead. The Braves would hold on to win by that same score.

Mets fans wish they could say this was an unbelievable collapse, but given the state of the team of late, it was totally believable.

The loss puts the Mets at 64-57 on the year, and they're just a half-game ahead of the Reds for the final National League wild-card spot.

Naturally, Mets fans were in full panic mode on social media after another disastrous defeat.