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Looking ahead towards the summer, Newcastle United are reportedly set for talks with Juventus sporting director Cristiano Guintoli over bringing a midfield star back to the Premier League.

When Newcastle could seal UCL qualification

Whilst the transfer window is on its way, the Magpies’ main focus should currently be transfixed on Champions League qualification. With their fate in their own hands too, Eddie Howe’s side could confirm their place in the next two games if results go their way.

If Newcastle manage to defeat Brighton & Hove Albion and then Chelsea next weekend all whilst the Blues suffer defeat against Liverpool in between, then they will have their Champions League place secured.

Newcastle now want "incredible" 18 y/o gem as PIF step up scouting mission

He’s already a full international.

ByTom Cunningham Apr 29, 2025

The alternative, meanwhile, relies on Aston Villa to lose their next two games against Fulham and Bournemouth whilst Newcastle pick up six points from six, allowing them to seal their place in the top five. Of course, at this stage it is merely a game of predictions, but the Magpies – no matter what – are responsible for their own destiny in the coming weeks.

Liverpool (C)

82

34

Arsenal

67

34

Newcastle United

62

34

Man City

61

34

Chelsea

60

34

Nottingham Forest

60

33

Aston Villa

57

34

Having his say on the Champions League race, Howe recently told reporters: “It will go down to the wire. The important thing today was that we bounced back from last week. We have been very consistent, and now we have four huge games.

“They do [feel like a cup final]. With four games to go, you’re ticking down. We have put ourselves back into a strong position, but we know it can change quickly.”

Should those at St James’ Park seal their European place then all eyes will, of course, instantly go to the summer transfer window where one particular midfielder could be waiting.

Newcastle set for Douglas Luiz talks

According to TVPlay as relayed by Sport Witness, Newcastle are now set for talks with Cristiano Guintoli over signing Douglas Luiz this summer. The Juventus sporting director reportedly wants to learn more about the Magpies’ interest in the Brazilian whilst also discussing a potential swap deal involving Sandro Tonali.

Luiz has endured a frustrating spell in Italy and is almost certain for a Premier League return just one year on from his Aston Villa departure, with both Newcastle and Nottingham Forest interested.

Whether those at St James’ Park are big enough admirers of Luiz that they part ways with the talented Tonali remains to be seen, however. When compared in the Premier League, it’s clear that the choice would be a difficult one to make.

Starts

35

24

Tackles Won

38

29

Progressive Carries

60

33

Ball Recoveries

184

162

Given just how much Luiz has struggled at Juventus, Newcastle could even be in a position to chase his signature whilst keeping hold of Tonali. A player dubbed “strong” by Villa sporting director Monchi even amid his struggles earlier this season, Luiz will be desperate to get back to his best.

India’s oldest T20I debutant reflected on her journey as a cricketer and expressed her delight at playing alongside ‘elite athletes’ like Mandhana and Harmanpreet

Srinidhi Ramanujam07-May-20242:37

Asha on India debut at 33: ‘Never stop dreaming’

Monday was an emotional day for S Asha. At 33 years and 51 days, and after waiting out a heavy downpour and storm in Sylhet, the legspinner made her maiden India appearance, becoming the country’s oldest debutant in women’s T20Is. Asha is a living example in this sport that your wildest dreams can and do come true when you don’t limit yourself.”I have no words to describe the feeling I’m going through,” Asha said in an almost empty press-conference room after the game. “I was pretty emotional, of course. 2012 was the year when I came into probables for the first time in India. From there, if you see, it’s like touching 13-14 years. So, I am feeling so happy.”Related

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• How Radha Yadav levelled up her game with a 'smiling face'

• Spinners, Harmanpreet seal comfortable win for India in rain-hit match

Asha’s journey, in fact, has been longer than 13-14 years. She made her debut for Kerala in 2006, at the age of 15. In 2011, she made the step up to Railways, the most formidable domestic side in Indian women’s cricket, and played there for a decade, before leaving in 2022. At one time, she even took up a commentary gig during a men’s T20 tournament in Puducherry. Eventually, she agreed to lead a young Puducherry women’s team in the 2022-2023 season. It was during her time in Puducherry that Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (now Bengaluru) scouts were impressed with her bowling and decided to rope her in for the inaugural WPL season in 2023.She stole the limelight in WPL 2024. She ended the competition – during which she also became the first Indian to take a five-wicket haul – as the second-highest wicket-taker with 12 scalps at 15.41, with an economy rate of 7.11. These displays for RCB, who eventually won the title, helped her earn her maiden India call-up for this tour of Bangladesh.On Monday she starred with two wickets as India went 4-0 up with a match to spare with a 56-run win in the fourth T20I against Bangladesh. She had finally arrived, after all those years of anticipation, patience, downturns, hardships, passion and dreams.Despite Asha bringing a bucketload of experience from domestic cricket, India waited until they had taken an unassailable 3-0 lead to unleash her at this level. For Asha, it was worth the wait.Asha was the second-highest wicket-taker of WPL 2024•BCCI”I have been through so many struggles and [put in a lot of] hard work. It was worth this moment. Really happy,” Asha, who was handed her India cap by Mandhana, said. “It was not easy for me to make [my] debut at the age of 33. But the credit goes to BCCI, selectors, captain, vice-captain, all the team members, coaches and management for having faith in me and giving me the opportunity to play at 33. The kind of faith they showed [in] me, that’s amazing.”[WPL] was an amazing journey, playing under Smriti in WPL. Coming along with Smriti and Harry [Harmanpreet Kaur] , the most experienced player at the moment, it’s an amazing feeling. At one point in time, I thought I could never make it to the national side. But WPL gave us that opportunity and showed us that everybody can dream, and dream is not that far, and we can always achieve it. So WPL changed my life.”It was also a special day for her captain Harmanpreet, who at 35 became the second Indian woman after Mithali Raj to play 300 international games. Having watched Harmanpreet play from a young age, Asha said it was a “nice feeling” to play alongside her in Indian colours.”I am feeling so blessed to share some time with some elite athletes of our country,” she said. “They know [when to] switch on and switch off really well. They are very free [with] us, they come to us and talk. At the same time, they know when to switch on. Next moment, they are that serious team player. I am watching Harry from my 18 years. I never thought I would be playing with her.”Asha’s debut also made her the third player from Kerala, after Minnu Manni and S Sajana, to make her way to the India Women side. A year ago, none of the three had represented India. And before Asha, only two over-30s had debuted for India in T20Is. Acknowledging what she has achieved at her age, she only had one message to those putting in the hard yards behind the scenes: Never stop dreaming.”If it’s a long journey, don’t give up. That’s what I want to say,” Asha said. “Sometimes what happens is in the journey ahead, we will think, ‘oh, it’s a long journey. I might want to take a break. Maybe I will quit.’ But don’t do that. You never know what’s going to happen next. So, the way WPL changed my life, anything can happen to anyone. And never stop dreaming. Dreams are not so far to achieve.”Maybe, Asha’s dream of “playing a World Cup for my country” isn’t far away either.

West Indies have the fire; the opening batter provides the ice they need to bat their 50 overs in ODIs

Shashank Kishore25-Jul-2022Shai Hope’s 100th ODI, against India in Port of Spain on Sunday, brought him his 13th ODI century, and only his second at home. But just one look at his face, and it was clear that this wasn’t the most enjoyable of them, even if all the factors that make him a top-order mainstay for West Indies were in evidence. Here, their hopes – pardon the pun – had been crushed. For the second game in a row, West Indies had lost a game they could have won.But, even in defeat, there were positives West Indies would gladly take as they build towards next year’s ODI World Cup. For two ODIs in a row now, that West Indies have batted their full quota of overs – something Nicholas Pooran had stressed as a priority – counts as one.Related

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• Brandon King is rising again, but as middle-order batter

• Axar Patel leaves jaws on the floor as India win cliffhanger

Hope has been central to those larger plans, with a game built on the virtues of playing correctly: play straight, in the V, elbow nice and high as ball meets bat while punching down the ground, hitting along the ground… you get the drift. And playing patiently.Doing this day-in-and-day-out hasn’t been the West Indian way for a while now. There are very few of that quality left. Perhaps Roston Chase, Shamarh Brooks and Test-specialist Kraigg Brathwaite fit the bill in the current era, even as many of their mates hop from one T20 league to another, playing every other day, leaving you little or no time for self-reflection.You would not be human if you don’t, at times, aspire for the big bucks and worldwide acclaim that comes with being a T20 star for hire. Hope is different. He hasn’t sought validation for his style. He makes no bones of the fact that he wants to be a long-form player. T20 isn’t his game. Sure, he’s unlikely to pass up an opportunity to play in a T20I if picked, but he isn’t going to beat himself up for a mistimed hoick or a scoop, because he knows the skillsets he brings are tuned to the longer formats.In today’s day and age of stats and analytics, Hope may often be under the scanner for his batting tempo, which at times can be hard to fathom from the outside. Especially because the same batter who plays aesthetically pleasing shots all around the dial when the field restrictions are in place, goes into his shell in his quest to build longer innings once the field spreads. An initial surge is often followed by a dip in strike rate, before he plays catch-up again.

“I don’t play names, it’s about doing the job on the day. Those who may not be so-called recognised bowlers aren’t necessarily bad. You have to respect their game, the players, the deliveries they bowl at you and the situation”Shai Hope

Since Hope’s ODI debut in 2015, 22 batters have made 3000 runs or more. No one has scored them slower than Hope, with a strike rate of 75. But, perhaps, that is what this West Indies team needs. They have the six-hitters in Kyle Mayers up top and Rovman Powell for the death overs. Then there’s Shimron Hetmyer, when he is fit and in favour, in the middle. There’s Brandon King, a transformed batter whose seamless switch to power-hitting has given his career a new lease of life after a false start three years ago. And there’s Nicholas Pooran, who scored 74 in 77 last night, all of it in Hope’s company.In the second ODI, Hope quickly slipped into the role of the second fiddle as Mayers started with a flurry of boundaries, seemingly intent on throwing the quicks off their lengths, and then falling first ball to spin. An excellent player of spin, Hope was reading Axar Patel’s lengths to either get fully forward driving, or rock right back to nudge or cut. He doesn’t binge on premeditation – he simply reacts to what is coming at him. Maybe, at times, his propensity to get caught up with his methods shackles him from cutting loose.That said, the shot he brought his fifty off was exactly that. A mighty slog sweep against the line off Yuzvendra Chahal. Maybe this was the switch he needed to flick on to play an un-Hope-like innings. West Indies were coasting at 127 for 1 in 21 overs at that stage. Then they lost two in two overs, and Hope had to fall back into rebuild mode. Where most other West Indies batters struggle to come to grips with building, or rebuilding, an ODI innings, it’s almost Hope’s second nature. To know when to back off. It can only come through an understanding of his limitations and making the most of what he has.It helped that Pooran came out looking busy, and tried to take the bowling on. He was feasting on the balls in his arc. Chahal tossed them up and saw them disappear. Axar looped it up and got clattered. Even as Pooran was amping up his intensity, Hope was on cruise mode. It meant he could go back to his tried-and-tested methods. Their century stand was a perfect fire-and-ice combination that threatened to give West Indies a total higher than perhaps they had expected.Shai Hope played the ice to Nicholas Pooran’s fire during their century stand•Randy Brooks/AFP via Getty Images”My desire is to bat as long as I can,” Hope said after the match. “I always love batting. I love to set the tempo and do whatever I can for the team’s benefit. Just the desire and hunger to stay in the middle is my biggest takeaway [from his experience of 100 ODIs]. My advice to self is to keep learning and get as best as I can. You never know it all. However, I will continue doing things that I’m doing well.”Batting big, batting long and grinding bowlers – things Hope has done wonderfully well. You don’t rack up 4193 runs in 95 innings at an average of 49.33 otherwise. The secret to that is not playing the bowler, but the bowling. Of course, Hope makes it sound simple when it isn’t. But he is nothing if not earnest.”I don’t play names, it’s about doing the job on the day,” he said. “Those who may not be so-called recognised bowlers aren’t necessarily bad. You have to respect their game, the players, the deliveries they bowl at you and the situation.”Playing against the best brings out the best in me. It’s something I’ve looked forward to growing up, while playing regional cricket. It’s just one of those challenges I try to grab with both hands. Hopefully I can continue that. I never feel too pleased with these so-called accolades when the team doesn’t get over the line. I always try to score, and contribute. But if we don’t win, it doesn’t feel the same.”In this Bazball era, where even 400 might not be enough sometimes, there will be the occasional hubbub about Hope’s strike rate and his old-school methods. But, as long as it helps West Indies achieve their stated objective – bat 50 overs consistently – it helps tick a big box. And it allows the box-office stars to do their own thing.

After another legendary night in a marathon Game 3, Shohei Ohtani got the ball for the Dodgers in Game 4 of the World Series against the Blue Jays.

Most likely on little sleep, he tried to give L.A. a commanding lead in the Fall Classic, but Toronto had other plans. Once Ohtani saw walk after walk following a 4-for-4 start with two home runs and two doubles Monday, a big question presented itself for the rest of the series: Will Blue Jays manager John Schneider let his team pitch to the two-way superstar again?

Luckily for baseball fans, it seems that Toronto will throw some strikes to Ohtani as the electric series inches toward its conclusion. The Jays did a great job of getting past him in Game 4, squashing his incredible offensive power to even the World Series 2–2 with a 6–2 victory ahead of Wednesday's Game 5—L.A.'s last home game in the 2-3-2 series.

Here's how Ohtani fared both on the hill and at the plate Tuesday at Dodger Stadium:

Shohei Ohtani's pitching performance in World Series Game 4

The two-way superstar got his first start since his incredible performance with 10 strikeouts and three home runs to close out the Brewers in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series. Ohtani didn't top that performance in this Game 4, but how could he?

Unfortunately for the Dodgers, he wasn't able to keep the Blue Jays' offense at bay, allowing four earned runs in six innings on 93 pitches. He let up a two-run shot to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the third inning, which was the first home run given up over his three postseason starts. Ohtani struck out six batters and let up one walk, giving up six hits before he handed the ball to Anthony Banda in the seventh inning.

Even though he wasn't able to leave L.A. with the lead, Ohtani is still having a strong postseason on the mound with 25 strikeouts in only 18 innings.

Did the Blue Jays pitch to Shohei Ohtani in Game 4?

Despite getting walked five times, four intentionally, in the 18-inning marathon Game 3, Toronto manager John Schneider decided to throw to Ohtani although he walked in his first plate appearance. Otherwise, he went 0-for-3 at the plate Tuesday with two strikeouts and a groundout. He hadn't struck out since Game 1 as he comes off a legendary performance Monday where he reached base an incredible nine times and hit two home runs.

We can't expect Ohtani to dazzle every night, that's not how baseball works. But, the living great has proved us wrong plenty of times before. Nevertheless, he came back down to earth in Game 4, which could be scary for the Blue Jays as they tie the series at two games apiece.

Ohtani remains tied with Corey Seager with eight postseason home runs for the most in a single playoff run in Dodgers history. We'll see if he can break the franchise record with at least two more games ahead of him as the World Series now turns into a best of three.

Arne Slot has suggested that Mohamed Salah must make the first move if the Egyptian forward is to work his way back into the Liverpool squad after his outburst at the weekend. Salah was dropped from the Reds squad that earned a crucial Champions League 1-0 victory over Inter Milan at San Siro on Tuesday night courtesy of Dominik Szoboszlai's late penalty, but all eyes will now be focused on whether the 33-year-old returns against Brighton on Saturday.

• Liverpool beat Inter without Salah

  Salah was left out of the travelling Liverpool squad after his remarks following the 3-3 draw with Leeds last weekend, when he claimed he had been "thrown under the bus" after being omitted from Slot's starting lineup for three successive games. With the Egyptian left at home, the Reds kept the likes of Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram quiet before Szoboszlai converted from the spot late on after Florian Wirtz had his shirt pulled by Alessandro Bastoni. The victory was a big one for Slot, who has been under pressure to halt the club's recent poor run of form, and the three points saw Liverpool jump into the top eight of the Champions League league phase following their demoralising 4-1 defeat to PSV Eindhoven on the previous matchday.

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• AFP
  

  Salah told how he can return to Liverpool squad

  Slot had hinted before Tuesday night's game that there is a way back for Salah if he shows some contrition and apologises and made the same point after the victory, but he seemed to put the ball in the player's court to make the first move.

  Slot told compatriot Clarence Seedorf on : "You say everyone makes mistakes in life, so the first thing should be: does the player think he's made a mistake as well?

  "And then the next question is, should the initiative come from me or him? That's another question to answer."

  He later added: "Clarence said that in his opinion and I didn't say who should make the first step. Tonight it should be all about the players that are here. In the rich history Liverpool has had they have had many of these evenings.

  "(The performance) was all I could ask for, I think the fourth game in 10 days, that is not what you see a lot with only 13 outfield players available with experience, after the blow we had conceding the 3-3 in Leeds then in this stadium against such a strong Inter team, we hardly gave away a chance. 

  "We had a great mentality second half, we get better and better."

• Van Dijk reveals upcoming talks

  There seems to have been little contact between some of Liverpool's on-field leaders and Salah since his incendiary remarks at Elland Road, with goalkeeper Alisson Becker admitting he hadn't spoken with his legendary team-mate during the fallout. Captain Virgil van Dijk, however, has revealed he is due to hold peace talks with the Egypt star, though the Netherlands international hinted, like Slot, that Salah may need to take some responsibility and try to rebuild the bridges he broke when he accused the club of mistreatment.

  Van Dijk said: "I have to, I'm going to talk to him. But then you have to ask should the initiative come from me? I'm not the one to speak if someone has to apologise. 

  "It's him airing his feelings for the past couple of days. That's something the club has to deal with, obviously, me as well. The reality also is that Mo is going to Africa soon. I've known him for such a long time, we are good friends and have been through highs and lows. We speak and those types of things will stay indoors as it should be. 

  "We have to brace ourselves and be against the outside noise."

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• AFP
  

  Will Salah be involved at the weekend?

  In most seasons, Liverpool would have been dreading losing their talisman for the better part of a month to the Africa Cup of Nations. However, this year it seems the break between the two parties could prove to be a much-needed cooling down period as Slot attempts to lead the Reds back up the table. The Premier League title is almost certainly beyond their reach, but a good run of form could have the Merseysiders back in the picture for Champions League qualification, with fourth-placed Crystal Palace only three points ahead of them. It remains to be seen if Salah will be back in the squad for Saturday when Liverpool host Brighton at Anfield, with that scenario likely hinging on the outcome of talks with Slot and key squad members like Van Dijk.

Karim Benzema has reignited one of the most compelling storylines of his career by revealing he remains fully open to representing France at the 2026 World Cup, despite a turbulent international history that has long suggested his time with Les Bleus is over. Didier Deschamps' men will be looking to regain the global crown in North America, spearheaded by Kylian Mbappe – and Benzema is willing to lend a helping hand to the cause.

Benzema has played at just one World Cup

Benzema has only featured at one World Cup, the 2014 edition in Brazil. He was ignored by Raymond Domenech in 2010 and remained in exile during France’s triumphant 2018 campaign as the fallout from the Mathieu Valbuena sex tape scandal left him out in the cold. 

When he was finally recalled in 2021 under Deschamps, the return was short-lived. He travelled to Qatar in 2022 but suffered an injury during his very first training session. Subsequently, he left the camp in circumstances that raised eyebrows. Despite never announcing an official retirement, his absence from the national team since then has led many to assume the door had quietly shut.

AdvertisementGettyDoor open to Les Bleus return

Yet, speaking to , Benzema made it clear that the notion of him turning down France is simply not true and insisted that football decisions should be governed by purpose rather than politics.

"I’m a football player. So, I play football. When they call me, I come, I play," he said. "I have goals in my head. I love football and I love winning. I like trophies. That’s what matters most to me. There, I am in my club. If I am called to the national team, I come to play football. And it stops there."

Despite everything that has happened, the idea of refusing a World Cup return holds no truth for him.

"It’s not a story of no longer wanting to come back to the French team," he said. "But we have to ask ourselves the question: what am I coming to do with the French team? We are talking about a World Cup. Obviously, these are not things where you have to say: 'No, I don’t want to.' Because it’s a lie to say: 'No, I don’t want to play in a World Cup'."

Benzema's Al-Ittihad future in doubt?

While Benzema’s national-team fate is uncertain, his club future also hangs in the balance. The Frenchman swapped Madrid for Jeddah in the summer of 2023, embarking on an ambitious three-year project with Al-Ittihad. His impact has been immediate. Last season, he spearheaded the club to a domestic double of the Saudi Pro League title and the King's Cup, scoring 25 goals across all competitions and establishing himself as one of the defining figures of the Saudi Pro League’s global evolution. His numbers remain largely in line with the output of his final years at the Bernabeu. Yet his contract enters its final six months, and speculation over his next move has intensified.

"I’m really focused on what I’m doing, whether it’s for these last six months or for after if I extend my contract," Benzema said. "Some people are better placed to talk about all that. Right now, I have six months left on my contract, so I’m completely focused on football."

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Getty Images SportA European return on the cards?

Benzema had revealed that he still watches Real Madrid regularly, and the Champions League continues to stir a sense of wonder in him. That feeling makes it impossible to rule out any scenario, including a return to Europe. He even revealed that several European clubs have expressed interest. For him, what matters most is choosing a place where he can continue competing at the highest level and feel valued. 

"The best thing for me is to continue here, but also not just stay for the sake of staying for a year or two," he told "I can't do that. I think the level of football in the Saudi league is getting better and better. I've been here for three years now, and it keeps getting better and better. It's true that I have offers from Europe. I have to look at everything, choose wisely, and see where I feel comfortable, without forgetting that I feel good here and receive affection from everyone. But we'll see. They ask me for things, and I give them things. Everything's fifty-fifty, but there are things happening. I'm not going to quit football and stop competing in six months."

Carl Crowe, the KKR spin consultant, has been appointed LSG’s spin-bowling coach and joins the staff that also includes head coach Justin Langer and fast-bowling coach Bharat Arun

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Oct-2025Kane Williamson has joined IPL franchise Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) as a strategic advisor ahead of the 2026 season, the team’s owner Sanjiv Goenka said on social media on Thursday, while Carl Crowe has joined the team as spin-bowling coach.The franchise also confirmed that Justin Langer and Bharat Arun would continue as the head coach and the fast-bowling coach, respectively.”His leadership, strategic insight, deep understanding of the game, and ability to inspire players make him an invaluable addition to the team,” Goenka wrote of Williamson, the 35-year-old former New Zealand captain.Williamson said: “I’m really excited to be joining LSG. They have a hugely talented squad and a great group of coaches which I’m looking forward to working alongside. It’s always special being involved in the IPL, the best franchise competition in the game.”Williamson, who has been a part of the Super Giants franchise while with their Durban team in the SA20, last played for New Zealand in the Champions Trophy final against India in March this year. He has not retired from international cricket yet but, having opted for a casual contract with New Zealand Cricket, his appearances are likely to be sporadic.

Cool. Calm. Calculated. Kane Williamson is now part of our think tank as our Strategic Advisor.

Welcome to Lucknow, Kane Mama! pic.twitter.com/t5v9OGMqyU

— Lucknow Super Giants (@LucknowIPL) October 16, 2025