Between Marsh’s brutality and Pooran’s flamboyance, LSG have found a batting axis that’s not just working, but redefining their chances this year

Sreshth Shah08-Apr-20252:04

Jaffer: Not many areas where Pooran is vulnerable

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) seem to have figured out their top three in IPL 2025 better than most teams. By putting faith in experienced and overseas batters, particularly Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran, they have ensured their explosive players get maximum time in the middle. And on a hot Tuesday evening at Eden Gardens, it was on show – not for the first time this season – as Marsh slammed 81 and Pooran hammered 87 with 13 sixes and 13 fours between them, off just 84 balls. The two innings ensured LSG had enough to win a game against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) where 472 runs were scored.The two have not only climbed the Orange Cap table to take first and second positions at this stage, but have transformed LSG’s top order into one of the most potent of the season. What makes this more remarkable is Marsh walking out to open, a role he’s rarely played. Before this season, he had opened just four times in all T20s and only twice in the IPL.But as his opening partner Aiden Markram said post-match, “Some opening pairs just happen by chance.” It also says a lot about how highly head coach Justin Langer – a fellow Western Australian – rates Marsh’s batting.Related

Rahane steers clear of 'chaos', will discuss Eden pitch with IPL authorities

Shardul Thakur bowls five consecutive wides in IPL's longest over

Marsh, Pooran outgun KKR in high-scoring thriller

Rathi dismisses idol Narine with his first ball

The transformation has taken the tournament by storm. In all IPLs before this season, Marsh had only three fifties to his name, but with bowling off the table owing to injury, he has been able to focus solely on his batting, and he has looked liberated – four fifties in five games this season must mean something. That’s the kind of form that only three others – Virat Kohli, David Warner and Chris Gayle – have matched at the start of an IPL season.On Tuesday, Marsh made his second-highest IPL score in a continuation of that run. He pulled anything back-of-a-length, drove anything full, and even stepped out to slap Sunil Narine’s wide delivery over the covers – a shift from his previously modest returns against slower bowlers. At one point, Marsh was crawling on 13 off 14 balls. But he recovered well.”I’ve never been more motivated to score runs,” he joked after the innings, referring to his role as LSG’s Impact Player. But there was a serious side to his reflection, too. “Being 14 off 14 felt like panic stations. But on a quick outfield like this, there’s always time to catch up. I’m just preparing well, trying to enjoy my cricket.”And he is. The smile has been there all season. He is delivering quotable quotes one after the other, too. At 33, Marsh is playing with the freedom of someone who’s got nothing to prove and everything to enjoy. The quicks don’t faze him – not when you’ve grown up in Perth – and his chemistry with Pooran at No. 3 has clicked.ESPNcricinfo LtdAfter Marsh, there is Pooran. A destroyer of spin, Pooran has now hit over 200 T20 sixes since the start of 2024 – comfortably more than anyone else. He is also topping the Orange Cap race, and Tuesday’s 87 was his highest IPL score. Narine, who has often troubled him, was twice launched over the short boundary as Pooran made a statement.His spot at No. 3 always made sense. Originally slotted at No. 4 or No. 5, Pooran has batted at one-drop regularly since the start of the 2023 CPL, MLC, the Hundred and the 2024 T20 World Cup. Yet, at the beginning of the season, LSG faced a dilemma: that spot was between Pooran and his captain Rishabh Pant. “It’s a position of freedom,” Pant had said after LSG’s first win, revealing how he gave up that spot for his overseas superstar.On Tuesday, Pooran wasn’t just clearing boundaries, he was manipulating the bowlers too. With one side of the square significantly longer than the other, KKR’s bowlers tried forcing him to hit towards the bigger boundary. It was a sound idea. But the combination of a good batting surface and the bowlers missing their lengths slightly made it simple for Pooran. He could anticipate the angle and line, set up for it, and unleash. In the end, LSG scored 133 runs to the longer side – 41 more than to the shorter side – largely thanks to Pooran’s muscle and method.1:15

No bowling responsibility frees up Marsh

“I practice a lot. Everything you see in the game is because I practice it,” Pooran said after being named the Player of the Match. “You understand what’s coming – full and wide balls, slower short ones. Spinners bowling straight or wide. And you work on it.”But he wasn’t taking the credit alone. “Not just today, but throughout the tournament, Mitch and Aiden have been brilliant,” he said. “They’re reading the conditions, dropping their egos, playing the team game. That’s what sets us up.”What is my role at No. 3? To get a start, carry on, and capitalise on my match-ups. I’ve been doing it the last two or three years, and I’m doing it consistently now.”Between Marsh’s brutality and Pooran’s flamboyance, LSG have found a batting axis that’s not just working, but redefining their chances this year. The season has only just begun, but if these two keep batting like this, LSG won’t just be chasing the playoffs, they’ll be storming into them.

Manchester United had a busy summer reshaping their attack to help cater to Ruben Amorim’s infamous 3-4-2-1 system. There were two major outgoings in forward areas, with two academy graduates departing.

Alejandro Garnacho moved on a permanent deal to Chelsea, and Marcus Rashford joined Barcelona on loan with an option to buy.

Of course, the Red Devils needed to sign replacements, with two big-money signings moving to Old Trafford. One of those was Bryan Mbeumo, who has hit the ground running since his move from Brentford.

Matheus Cunha has also shone after his summer transfer from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

However, United appear not to be done there, with another attacking target lined up.

Latest on Man Utd's search for a forward

You cannot knock the signings of Mbeumo and Cunha, who have both performed well since moving to Old Trafford. Cameroon star Mbeumo has been particularly impressive, with seven goals and assists in just 12 games for the Red Devils.

Well, INEOS could now look to add to that firepower up front with a move for Borussia Dortmund and Germany forward Karim Adeyemi.

Sky Sports Germany are reporting that the 13-time Premier League champions are ‘in talks’ with his agent, Jorge Mendes, over a potential move for the attacker.

Transfer Focus

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

23-year-old Adeyemi will be out of contract in June 2027, and at this stage, it is unclear whether he will extend his stay at the Signal Iduna Park.

This could give United, and other top European clubs, a chance to pounce.

A price is not confirmed should a move materialise, but there is a rumoured release clause of £70.5m in his potential new deal, a fee Dortmund could demand.

Why Man Utd could be targeting Garnacho 2.0

The 2025/26 campaign has been impressive from Adeyemi, who is performing well and putting up a good goals and assists output. Yet, he’s been an important player for Dortmund, showing great versatility by operating on both flanks and as a number nine.

This term, the 11-cap Germany international has found the back of the net three times and assisted three goals, in 14 appearances so far. On top of that, Seb Stafford-Bloor, The Athletic’s German football correspondent, says he thinks this is the “best football of his career.”

Perhaps this impressive form is a continuation of his 2024/25 campaign, by far his most productive in that famous Yellow shirt so far. In 41 appearances, he scored 12 goals and assisted 11, including a famous Champions League hat-trick against Celtic.

If United were to bring Adeyemi to the club, he could be the second coming of Garnacho, with the pair noted as statistically similar players among those in their position in Europe’s top five leagues, as per FBref.

The Argentine is showing his former club what they’re missing out on by selling him this summer. For Chelsea, Garnacho already has two goals and two assists in ten games.

It may be a sale that will always leave Red Devils fans wondering what could have been. Their former number 17 showed flashes of brilliance for the club, but struggled when Amorim took over.

He managed ten goals and assists under the tutelage of the Portuguese manager, including this stunning strike against Brentford.

It is easy to see how the players are similar. The pair are quick, direct wingers who utilise their pace well, looking to drive at defenders. On top of that, their underlying numbers from this season are similar.

For example, Adeyemi – described as a “pace monster” by analyst Ben Mattinson – averages 1.43 key passes per 90 minutes, compared to Garnacho’s 1.58 key passes each game.

Goals and assists

0.54

0.79

Key passes

1.43

1.58

Shot-creating actions

4.47

3.15

Take-ons completed

2.32

1.32

Ball recoveries

2.86

2.89

Both attackers are versatile forwards who could play as a number 10 or even at wing-back under Amorim. They offer similar creativity in the final third and possess blistering pace, which can hurt defenders.

There is no doubt that £70.5m is a large fee for the German. Yet, Adeyemi could enhance the quality of United’s attack and be the second coming of one of their most exciting academy graduates in recent years.

INEOS have already signed a "machine" who could end Sesko's Man Utd stay

Manchester United already have an elite-level prospect who could steal Benjamin Sesko’s starting role.

2 ByEthan Lamb Nov 18, 2025

Should Hong Kong chase the target down, it would be their highest successful T20I chase

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Sep-2025

Sediqullah Atal and Azmatullah Omarzai struck half-centuries each to carry Afghanistan to 188 for 6 in the opening match of the men’s T20 Asia Cup. Hong Kong had their moments, their spinners in particular harnessing slow conditions well enough to frustrate their more pedigreed opponents. But the gulf in class eventually showed as Yasin Murtaza’s side dropped catches and committed misfields to hurt their own chances.Sediqullah has brought up each of this three T20I fifties in his last four innings, and as well as he looked out in the middle, standing tall at the crease and largely coping with the lack of pace, he benefited from three missed chances. A man who could’ve been dismissed in the very first over in the end batted through to finish on 73 off 52.Murtaza was involved in all three lives Sediqullah got – twice dropping the catch himself and once having to watch it go down off his own bowling. He did the best he could to make up for it, the three Hong Kong spinners giving the ball such little pace but so much air that this game looked straight out of the 90s. As such, the more modern day T20 batter wasn’t able to adjust. Murtaza, Ehsan Khan and Kinchit Shah picked up 3 for 75 in 11 overs.However, the arrival of pace in the 17th over changed the game with Atal and Omarzai targeting Ayush Shukla. Afghanistan scored 69 runs in the last four overs with Omarzai raising his first T20I half-century. From the simple clear-the-front-leg slog to the cheeky ramp past the keeper, the Afghanistan allrounder has shown impressive range on a difficult batting pitch and finished with a strike rate of 252.38.Should Hong Kong chase the target down, it would be their highest successful T20I chase.

Manchester City are now willing to make an unexpected decision about Rodri’s future at the club in an attempt to sign Jude Bellingham from Real Madrid in 2026.

The Citizens were in a ruthless mood against Liverpool before the international break, with Pep Guardiola overseeing his 1000th game as a manager in classic, dominant style.

Injured £150k-a-week Man City star in protective boot, will miss 20+ games

He’s had more surgery.

ByCharlie Smith Nov 14, 2025

It was the first time that the Citizens have sent a damning statement to the rest of the Premier League about their title credentials this season and former player Micah Richards believes that they could yet beat Arsenal to the crown once again.

What has made City’s quietly impressive form even better is the fact that they’ve coped without Rodri. In the Spaniard’s absence last season, they looked a shadow of their controlled best. This time around, as Rodri continues a stuttered recovery from an ACL injury, Nico Gonzalez has provided Guardiola with the perfect replacement.

It’s allowed City’s Ballon d’Or winner to slowly work his way back to his best, but has also welcomed some interesting reports about his long-term future at the Etihad. Some in Spain have even gone as far as to suggest that Rodri could yet be sacrificed as part of another £100m+ deal.

Man City willing to spend £100m+ to sign Bellingham

According to those reports in the Spanish media, Man City are now willing to spend €150m (£133m) to sign Bellingham in 2026 and could be prepared to use Rodri as a makeweight in any potential deal with Real Madrid.

There’s been more unrest at the Bernabeu since the arrival of Xabi Alonso, with Vinícius Jr particularly struggling with the Spaniard’s call for discipline, and that has opened the door for a number of potential exits.

Whether Bellingham is among those is the question that many will be asking. There’s no doubt that he — as one of the best midfielders in the world — would take City back to the level that resulted in Premier League dominance not so long ago.

Former Real boss Carlo Ancelotti has been one of many iconic names to hand Bellingham plenty of praise in recent years, having told Gary Lineker on the Rest is Football podcast earlier this week: “I think Jude is a fantastic player.

“If I have to compare, we were talking about Kaka. He is this kind of player, a really intelligent player, who is physically really strong, fantastic to arrive in the box at the right time.”

Every current manager in the 2025/26 Premier League ranked

Former Inter striker Eder has revealed that Leicester City were interested in signing him in January 2016, but he chose to reject their offer and join Inter instead. He now admits he regrets the decision, as he struggled during his spell in Inter while Leicester went on to win the Premier League

• Eder's career

  Eder moved to Italy at the age of 19 and slowly worked his way up the football ladder before earning a breakthrough move to Sampdoria in 2012. Playing as a second striker behind the main number nine, he settled quickly and became an important part of the attack, scoring 49 goals in 135 appearances. His performances earned him a national team call up from Antonio Conte in 2015, and he was later included in Italy’s Euro 2016 squad. He contributed with his work rate and intelligence in the final third, operating as a second striker behind Graziano Pelle in Conte’s 3-5-2. 

  In 2016, Eder joined Inter, but his time there was disappointing, as he scored only 14 goals in 86 matches. After leaving Europe, he played in China and Brazil before retiring in 2024. 

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  Eder's regret of not answering Ranieri's calls

  Before moving to Inter on loan in January 2016, Eder had the chance to sign for English club Leicester City, but he turned down the opportunity to join Claudio Ranieri’s side. 

  In an interview with , Eder revealed that a deal with Leicester had been completed, but his decision changed after speaking with Inter coach Roberto Mancini and sporting director Piero Ausilio. Asked for a big regret in his career, he named the failed move to Leicester, saying: “I would have played behind Vardy, it was a done deal, but Mancini and Ausilio made me change my mind.”

  Eder admitted he now regrets the choice. When he informed Ranieri that he would not be joining Leicester, the Italian manager responded with class, telling him that he would enjoy himself at the club. Eder still opted for Inter, a decision that would ultimately backfire. He struggled for playing time at the Nerazzurri, while Leicester went on to win the Premier League. Reflecting on the moment, Eder said, “Ranieri replied like a gentleman: ‘If you want to have fun like a child, come to us.’ I went to Inter and played very little. Leicester won the championship.”

• Leicester's miraculous title win

  Leicester City’s 2015–16 Premier League title win remains one of the greatest underdog stories in football history. After narrowly avoiding relegation the previous season, the club entered the new campaign with modest expectations and a squad built on smart scouting rather than big spending. Under Ranieri, Leicester embraced a simple but highly effective style built around defensive discipline, explosive counterattacks and remarkable team spirit.

  Key players delivered career-defining performances. Vardy scored in 11 consecutive league games, setting a new record, while Riyad Mahrez dazzled with creativity and goals on the right flank. N’Golo Kante dominated midfield with his relentless energy, breaking up play and launching counterattacks. At the back, Wes Morgan and Robert Huth formed a solid partnership, protected by Kasper Schmeichel’s reliability in goal.

  Leicester’s consistency was extraordinary. They lost only three matches all season and regularly punished opponents who underestimated them. As traditional giants like Chelsea, Manchester City Arsenal and Manchester United struggled for form, Leicester maintained momentum and belief.

  Leicester defeated major sides such as Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool, and Tottenham during their remarkable run to winning their first-ever Premier League title. 

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  Eder's latest ambition

  Being part of a sporting miracle like Leicester’s title win is a rare achievement, so it is understandable that Eder regrets missing out. However, he will look to put those regrets behind him as he now aims to earn the necessary licences and use his experience to work toward his ambition of growing into a directorial role.

  "I'd like to be a sporting director, but for now I'm enjoying my family. I would have liked to return to Sampdoria and finish my career there. Every now and then I look back at the goals I scored during that period: what a time," he said.

Halfway through his press conference ahead of Pakistan’s Asia Cup opener against Oman on Friday, coach Mike Hesson was asked where he got the “courage” to openly comment about Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam’s shortcomings.Slightly taken aback by the question, Hesson asked for it to be repeated. This time, the question was toned down and Hesson’s response was measured.”Being honest about your assessment of players is pretty important,” Hesson said. “Coming from a place where you have no agenda is also very important. Looking at things objectively is important. I haven’t talked about anyone’s frailties.Related

• Hasan Nawaz brings the muscle to Pakistan's middle

• First-timers Oman face in-form Pakistan

• Ind vs Pak: Suryakumar, Agha okay with aggression 'as long as it stays on the field'

• India, Pakistan training overlap spikes Asia Cup interest in Dubai

“What I have alluded to is the way the modern game is played and the strike rates required, particularly in good conditions. All players ask for from coaches is to be honest with them. That is the responsibility you’ve got. Just because you like a player or have a relationship with a player, it doesn’t mean you can’t be honest.”Having tackled that topic, Hesson was asked whether he is confident about Pakistan’s batting. Was Mohammad Haris their best bet in the lower order? Why were Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan inconsistent, and Hasan Nawaz not doing well? Do Pakistan’s batters struggle to pick spinners from the hand? The context was the challenge of Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav, when Pakistan play India in Dubai on Sunday.”I don’t know where that has come from,” Hesson said about the perceived struggle against spin. “We have played against Rashid [Khan] and Noor [Ahmed]. We have played against possibly the best wrist-spin attack in the world [in the tri-series final on Sunday] on a [Sharjah] surface that has spun square and managed to score 75 more runs than the opposition. I’m not sure where that has come from.”Hesson then addressed the question about Pakistan’s young batting line-up.”It is very much a developing batting line-up,” he said. “There are a number of batters who can win you the game on their day, but they don’t have as many good days as you’d like at the moment. That is very fair. The thing for us is the sum of the parts as a batting group.”Every game bar one in Sharjah, we were probably 20 runs above par. Even though there are a number of players who didn’t do well on particular occasions, I’m more interested in what we end up with and how we get there. In the tri-series final, we got 140 when 120 was plenty on the pitch.”Then he was inevitably asked about being part of the great spectacle – India v Pakistan – as a coach for the first time. “Look I’ve certainly watched many games from afar with other teams or while commentating,” Hesson said. “Being part of a highly-charged event is going to be exciting. From my perspective, just like anytime you enter the final of a world event or whatever, it is about keeping everybody focused on the job at hand. That will be no different.”We know India are obviously hugely confident and rightfully so. But we are very much focused on improving as a team day-by-day and not getting ahead of ourselves. We are well aware of the challenge of the task ahead and we are certainly looking forward to it.”Mike Hesson has thrown his weight behind Pakistan’s ‘developing’ batting order•Getty Images

Pakistan have had a solid lead-in to the Asia Cup, having played five games over 12 days during the tri-series against Afghanistan and UAE in Sharjah. While the players had a day off on Thursday, Hesson had a close look at the pitch at the Dubai International Stadium.”This is very different to Sharjah in terms of the abrasiveness of the grass,” Hesson said. “We are playing on the same surface as the India vs UAE game. We have got the balance in the squad to deal with it. We have got plenty of multi-skilled players which gives us a bit of flexibility.”I don’t think this pitch is going to spin as much as Sharjah. And even yesterday [India v UAE match], when Kuldeep bowled, it didn’t spin a huge amount. But when you have wristspinners, the surface doesn’t matter as much.”The beauty of our side is we have got fine spinners. We have got Mohammad Nawaz, who has been ranked No. 1 since coming back into the side six months ago. And obviously we’ve got Abrar [Ahmed] and Sufiyan [Muqeem] do as well as they have. Saim Ayub is in the top 10 allrounders in the world and Salman Agha has hardly bowled.”We have got five seamers as well, which allow us to go for either air speed, change of pace or reverse swing depending on what the surface will provide.”

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank privately doesn’t rate two of his Spurs players and a January exit could be on the cards for at least one of them, according to a new report.

Spurs played out a dramatic 2-2 draw at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at lunchtime on Saturday, and the match brought with it a reoccurring theme of their season.

The Lilywhites seriously lacked creativity for large portions of the 90 minutes and were even booed off at half-time after United star Bryan Mbeumo handed the visitors a pretty deserved lead. Djed Spence’s “lackadaisical” defending in the build up to their opener, and Pape Sarr’s questionable decision not to clear, were key in handing Ruben Amorim’s side the early advantage.

Frank’s side had chances, testing Senne Lammens after the restart, particularly Cristian Romero from close range, but it looked more than likely the Red Devils would see out a fairly comfortable 1-0 win in the capital at one stage.

However, Frank’s substitutions were on hand to very nearly clinch a last-gasp three points and turn the game on its head.

Mathys Tel fed off Destiny Udogie’s sharp pass into the box to swivel and blast a deflected effort past Lammens, levelling the score and sparking real hope they could actually win the game.

Just minutes later, fellow sub Wilson Odobert set up Richarlison, who guided a deft header into the bottom corner to make it 2-1, with the Brazilian taking his shirt off and celebrating in raptures as the stadium went wild.

Spurs were suddenly on the verge of what looked like a very unlikely win and their first at home since the opening Premier League weekend, but their hearts were broken deep into added time when United defender Matthijs de Ligt equalised from a set piece.

For Frank, their home woes continue, having won just four of their last 20 league games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. It doesn’t get any easier for them either, with a North London derby scheduled immediately after the international break and European champions PSG awaiting them in the Champions League just days later.

Off the field, Frank is now getting a good idea of which players he wants to stick with going forward as he continues his slow Tottenham rebuild.

While Richarlison put Spurs 2-1 ahead, you can make a serious case that he was largely ineffective against United, while Dominic Solanke is continuing his slow return to fitness.

Thomas Frank sees Solanke and Richarlison as "expendable" Tottenham players

In the build up to January, Tottenham have reportedly been exploring the possibility of signing a more impactful striker, and Al-Ahli star Ivan Toney is Frank’s “preferred” option.

That is according to Football Insider and journalist Wayne Veysey, who also reports that Frank views both Solanke and Richarlison as “expendable” Tottenham players.

Veysey adds that one of the duo could be sold to raise funds and make room for Toney, and it’ll likely be the latter.

Richarlison, whose contract expires in 2027, has been repeatedly linked with a Spurs exit in recent months and his form has been criticised — meaning that the 28-year-old may well be sacrificed as Frank eyes a reunion with Toney at N17.

Toney has been free scoring in Saudi Arabia since joining Al-Ahli last year, bagging 41 strikes in 59 total appearances, but his place in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad is far from certain.

The former Brentford star, bar one call-up last summer, has been excluded from the Three Lions set up and a loan move back to the Premier League could be the answer ahead of next summer’s World Cup.

Frank, meanwhile, has made no secret of his admiration for the number nine, once joking that he’s worth ‘£100 million-plus’.

Brentford and Sunderland are reportedly eyeing AC Milan striker Santiago Gimenez ahead of the January transfer window, despite the Mexican international failing to score in his first nine Serie A appearances this season. Milan's pursuit of a new number nine is said to be contingent on Gimenez's departure, with the Rossoneri evaluating a potential swap deal with West Ham for Niclas Fullkrug.

Premier League interest in AC Milan striker Santiago Gimenez

Premier League clubs have reportedly made inquiries regarding AC Milan striker Gimenez, with a potential January transfer on the cards. This development could significantly influence AC Milan's transfer strategy for the upcoming winter window, according to Calciomercato.

Gimenez, 24, joined AC Milan from Feyenoord in February 2025. While he registered six goals and three assists in 19 matches during the second half of last season, his current form has seen him struggle to find the back of the net in Serie A. Despite making nine league appearances this season, he is yet to score, contributing only one assist in 627 minutes of top-flight action. In all competitions, he has one goal and two assists from 11 matches.

Both Brentford and Sunderland are reportedly looking to strengthen their attacking options and see Gimenez, known as 'El Bebote,' as a potential fit for the intensity of British football. It remains unclear whether their inquiries have been directed at Gimenez's representatives, AC Milan, or both.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMilan's January transfer strategy hinges on Gimenez's future

Milan's pursuit of a new striker in the January transfer window is directly linked to Santiago Gimenez's future at the club. Manager Massimiliano Allegri has expressed a clear need for a "double-digit striker" with characteristics akin to Dusan Vlahovic, a long-term target for the Rossoneri.

According to , Milan's primary objective for January is to recruit an experienced central defender. However, adding a new number nine is a "close second" priority, a move that will only materialise if Gimenez departs. Sporting director Igli Tare would then "press ahead with the market to find a player who fits his manager's footballing vision."

This scenario suggests that AC Milan's management is open to selling Gimenez in the upcoming window, which would make the interest from Brentford and Sunderland a welcome development for the Italian club. Despite the club's apparent willingness to consider his departure, Gimenez remains confident in his ability to succeed at San Siro and views Milan as his priority for the present and future. Therefore, any interested Premier League clubs would need to convince the player to make the move.

Gimenez swap deal with West Ham for Niclas Füllkrug emerging

Beyond direct transfers, a potential swap deal involving Santiago Gimenez and West Ham's German forward Niclas Füllkrug has also emerged, as reported by various European outlets. AC Milan are reportedly "evaluating changes to its attack for January," and Gimenez has been identified as a key uncertainty.

Milan are reportedly losing confidence in Gimenez, whose "profile has not fully convinced Massimiliano Allegri," and whose system has been a "difficult fit" for the Mexican striker. This is not the first time Milan have considered his future; a similar swap proposal was explored last summer.

Niclas Fullkrug, valued at approximately $11.6 million (€10 million/£8.7 million), is significantly cheaper than Gimenez, whose market value stands at $29.1 million (€25 million/£21 million). This financial disparity, coupled with an eight-year age difference, makes Fullkrug an "attractive" option for Milan. Fullkrug, 31, has endured a difficult spell at West Ham, scoring just three times in 27 matches since his move from Dortmund. His agent has "already opened the door to a January exit" as he seeks to regain form. Milan reportedly views Fullkrug as the "physical, traditional No. 9 Allegri wants to pair with Christopher Nkunku."

A move to West Ham for Gimenez would place him in the Premier League spotlight, offering a new challenge, though it would also mean competing for European places in a highly competitive league.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Other striker targets for AC Milan

Should Gimenez depart, AC Milan have several other attacking targets on their radar. Among them, Franculino Djú from Midtjylland has garnered significant attention. The Guinean striker, born in 2004, has been prolific this season, scoring 14 goals and providing 3 assists in 14 appearances in the Danish league. Roma are also reportedly keen on Djú for January, with Bayern Munich monitoring him for next season.

Other names mentioned include Jonathan David of Juventus, though that deal remains "unclear," and Robert Lewandowski, a "complicated" target due to high salary concerns. Milan's sporting director Igli Tare is also "keeping in touch" with the agent of Dusan Vlahovic, a long-term target for the Rossoneri, amid Juventus and Spalletti's efforts to renew the Serbian striker's contract.

Both teams went in with spin-heavy attacks, which means Kuldeep, Varun, Muqeem and Abrar all feature

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Sep-2025Toss The toss in Dubai turned out to be a formality with Pakistan surprisingly choosing to bat first after Salman Agha called it right. Dubai has usually been a venue for chasing under lights. The chasing team has won the last three T20I meetings between these two sides at this venue – Pakistan twice and India once. Yet Pakistan have decided to bat first and trust their spinners to defend the total.India were looking to bowl anyway. And they have retained the XI that they used in their first game against UAE, which meant Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy were both part of their attack again. Pakistan also stuck with their XI from their game against Oman, meaning Haris Rauf remained on the bench.Pakistan: 1 Sahibzada Farhan, 2 Saim Ayub, 3 Fakhar Zaman, 4 Salman Agha (capt), 5 Hasan Nawaz, 6 Mohammad Haris (wk), 7 Mohammad Nawaz, 8 Faheem Ashraf, 9 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 10 Sufiyan Muqeem, 11 Abrar Ahmed.India 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Sanju Samson (wk), 4 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 5 Tilak Varma, 6 Shivam Dube, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Varun Chakravarthy.

Tottenham Hotspur’s preferred price to sign AFC Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo has been revealed, with manager Thomas Frank a big fan.

Despite both Mathys Tel and Richarlison getting on the scoresheet against Manchester United in Tottenham’s final match before the international break, journalist Henry Winter has made it clear he believes Frank needs to sign a new centre-forward.

Richarlison is Spurs’ top scorer in the Premier League this term, having netted four goals, but the Brazilian has been inconsistent throughout his time in north London, as pointed out by Ben Foster, who questioned his work ethic earlier this season.

Foster said: “He’s a very, very good player. He’s a Brazilian international, for God’s sake. He’s a world-class player, right? But I just think sometimes he goes, ‘Right, I’ve probably done enough for a little while now. Now I’ll settle down.”

With Jamie O’Hara also singling Tel out for criticism earlier in the campaign, Frank may be keen to bring in a more consistent goalscorer in the near future, and the north Londoners are very much in the race for a Premier League star.

Tottenham's preferred price to sign Bournemouth star Semenyo

According to a report from Spain, Tottenham are one of four Premier League clubs willing to pay €60m (£53m) for Bournemouth star Semenyo, in light of the impressive start the forward has made to the season.

Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool are also willing to spend big to get a deal for the Ghanaian over the line, but the Cherries should be in a strong position to demand a big fee, considering he is contracted until 2030.

Spurs have requested updates on the 25-year-old’s performances, deciding to target him because they are keen to bring in an elite-level forward who is capable of playing both out wide and through the middle.

Bournemouth’s Ryan Christie might have something to say about his teammate leaving, given that the Scot recently made it clear just how highly he rates the former Bristol City man, describing him as “scary good.”

The 32-time Ghana international has been one of the Premier League’s breakout stars this season, having already amassed nine goal contributions, and he is currently sitting pretty right near the top of the goalscoring charts in joint-third place.

2025-26 Premier League top scorers

Number of goals

Erling Haaland

14

Igor Thiago

8

Danny Welbeck

6

Jean-Philippe Mateta

6

Antoine Semenyo

6

Frank is also a big fan of the winger, who is capable of operating on both flanks, saying last season: “Semenyo can play wherever he wants to play. He’s a fantastic player. I think he’s been the best individual player for Bournemouth this season.”

Amid doubts over a number of Tottenham’s attacking players, Semenyo could be the ideal addition to Frank’s squad, and a £53m fee seems reasonable, given the level of his performances this season.

Barcelona's stance on selling Ferran Torres as Tottenham make £57m bid Related Barcelona chiefs debating selling Ferran Torres as Tottenham make £57m bid

Spurs have submitted an official offer for a new forward, having struggled in front of goal at times this season.

Posts ByDominic Lund Nov 16, 2025