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Burnley are fighting for promotion to the Premier League and Scott Parker has wasted no time in profiling targets ahead of the summer window, per reports.

Burnley edge ahead of Championship title rivals

Following a chaotic afternoon of Championship action, Burnley emerged at the summit following a vital 2-1 victory over Coventry City on Saturday courtesy of a double from Jaidon Anthony.

Sheffield United’s unexpected slip-up at Oxford United and Leeds United’s dropped points on their visit to Luton Town have played into the Clarets’ hands, with promotion specialist Scott Parker licking his lips at the remaining fixture schedule.

Nevertheless, Burnley also have an eye on next season and potential recruits once the window opens for business. Per reports, out-of-contract Rangers midfielder Tom Lawrence could move to Turf Moor on a free transfer.

Despite the Clarets’ appeal as a serious promotion candidate, West Bromwich Albion, Middlesbrough, Coventry City and Wrexham are among other destinations on the table for the Wales international.

On the same token, West Brom star Grady Diangana is on Burnley’s radar and they have been urged to put forward a proposal for the versatile attacker by David Prutton.

Ultimately, any concrete information on high-profile targets will need to wait until the summer. Parker’s men are in a good position with the end of the campaign near, but there is plenty of work to do before celebratory champagne can be cracked open at Turf Moor.

Either way, Burnley are making tracks to lure a rising EFL star to Lancashire despite competition from Premier League clubs for his signature, per recent developments.

Burnley eyeing Bristol Rovers midfielder Kofi Shaw

According to reliable reporter Alan Nixon via The 72, Burnley are eyeing a move to sign Bristol Rovers midfielder Kofi Shaw alongside Premier League duo Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford.

Born in 2006, the 18-year-old has made ten appearances for the Gas this campaign, while his loan spell at Yeovil Town earlier on yielded two goals and an assist.

West Brom, Middlesbrough and Burnley in huge race to sign 23-cap attacker

The trio are battling for promotion to the Premier League and also a star who is available on the market.

By
Sean Markus Clifford

Apr 3, 2025

Versatile by nature, the youngster is capable of playing across various roles in the engine room, on either flank or as a foil for the main striker.

Labelled “a clever player” by boss Inigo Calderon, he would likely be deemed as one for the future at Turf Moor, but stockpiling homegrown talent for years to come is a strategy that could save millions down the line if worked correctly.

It remains to be seen the sort of fee he would be available for if Burnley do follow up on their initial interest. One imagines he could be attainable for a relatively inexpensive fee, though only time will tell if a deal is to come to fruition.

West Indies have the right ingredients to spring a surprise on India, but face an uphill battle amidst cynicism about their future in Test cricket

Karthik Krishnaswamy29-Sep-2025Italy are four-time world champions. They missed out on qualification for the last two editions of the World Cup.West Indies are four-time world champions. They missed out on qualification for the last edition of one kind of World Cup, got into the last eight of the last edition of another kind of World Cup, and the shape of their future presence in the world championship of a third kind is looking, at the moment, a little uncertain.Italy are a football team with a storied history and a less-than-remarkable recent past. West Indies are a cricket team with a storied history and a less-than-remarkable recent past. One team gets to ride the crests and troughs of its fortunes without the world tying every result to the future of the sport in the region it represents. The other doesn’t have that privilege.For West Indies, existential crises are always around the corner.Related

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For a moment, put aside the peculiar position that the tangle of cricket’s history, politics, economics and scheduling has left West Indies in. There is no reason why the maroon cap has to feel so much heavier than caps of other colours. There’s no shame in being the team ranked eighth in the world in Tests, ninth in ODIs, and sixth in T20Is. This is how sport works. For someone to occupy the top of the table, someone else has to occupy its middle and someone else its foot.Great generations come and go, and champion teams routinely become middling teams, sometimes never to recapture old glories. If that’s sad, it’s not the end of the world. Sport, like life, goes on. Hungary are currently 41st on the FIFA rankings, and haven’t qualified for a World Cup since 1986. Football fans may lament that this fate has befallen the team of Puskas, Hidegkuti and Kocsis, but no one’s debating whether Hungary should have the right to play international football at all.West Indies, however, risk being cut out of Test cricket’s top table because cricket is determined to shrink when it has every reason to want to grow. This tendency of cricket’s administrators heightens the anxieties that swirl around the lower-ranked Full Member teams, who have neither the political nor financial clout of the Big Three, nor an Associate team’s sense of nothing to lose. It would be far easier for a strong Associate team like Scotland or Netherlands to create a dressing-room environment that minimises the pressure of results than it is for West Indies, for whom there’s always something at stake.And so we come to where West Indies are now: in two places at once. This is the case both literally – one of their teams is in Sharjah, playing a three-match T20I series against Nepal, and another in Ahmedabad, preparing for a two-match Test series against India – and figuratively.They could be viewed equally as a team on the up – with bowlers of quality who have delivered Test wins in conditions as dissimilar as Brisbane and Multan over the last 22 months, as well as a 2-1 ODI win over Pakistan a month-and-a-half ago – and one in terminal decline – because they just lost a T20I to Nepal and their most recent act in Test cricket was 27 all out.Jayden Seales, one of the key players in West Indies’ bowling group•AFP/Getty ImagesA Test tour of India is among the biggest challenges for any team in the world, let alone one in West Indies’ position. But notice that we said “among the biggest challenges” and not “the biggest challenge”. That downgrading happened last year, when New Zealand came to India and won 3-0 when no one, including possibly themselves, expected them to win even one Test. West Indies will have taken notes from that series, and they’ve brought with them a squad with components that could exploit the kinds of opportunities that Test cricket in India occasionally provides visiting teams.West Indies have lost two key fast bowlers to injury, but in Jayden Seales they have one who can take wickets on most pitches. They have two accurate left-arm spinners in Jomel Warrican, who won them a Test match in Pakistan earlier this year, and the uncapped Khary Pierre, who brings vast first-class experience, bowls at a quickish pace that could suit Indian conditions, and is more than handy with the bat. They have two other allrounders, in Roston Chase and Justin Greaves, to give their XIs at least notional depth with both bat and ball.It’s something, even if it isn’t quite the quality or experience that New Zealand brought to India last year. And New Zealand also enjoyed considerable amounts of luck. Their fast bowlers got the best of seaming conditions in the first Test, when India misread the pitch, and they won the toss in the second and third Tests, which were played on dustbowls that narrowed the quality gap between the two spin attacks.Jomel Warrican bowled West Indies to a win in Multan•PCBWest Indies cannot expect that sort of perfect storm to go their way. They may even have to play an entirely different kind of series, if India react to last year’s drubbing by shifting away from square turners to traditional Indian pitches that enable big first-innings totals. West Indies’ vulnerabilities are likelier to be exposed on pitches where it would take more than one bad session for the better team to lose. And India have taken no liberties; they could have rested Jasprit Bumrah, but they haven’t.This, then, is the challenge that confronts West Indies as they attempt to win their first Test match in India since 1994, and their first series here since 1983. It would take a monumental effort to achieve either of those aims.It would also serve us all – players, coaching staff, board, fans, non-affiliated observers – well to judge the team’s performances by realistic standards, keeping tabs on their processes rather than outcomes.Down that path lies immense potential for growth, but it’s always been West Indies’ fate for their results to mean far more than they should.

The young Jharkhand wicketkeeper says his “dream is to represent India in all three formats”

Daya Sagar25-Jan-2024″People often seem to think that I’ll focus only on white-ball cricket if I’m sold for a good price at the IPL auction, but that’s not true. I know that if you need to get into the Indian team and build a long career, you need to be an all-format player. Being selected for India A is a good opportunity for me. At present, I’m playing a lot of red-ball cricket [Ranji Trophy] and am in good form too. Playing for India is my dream and I want to make sure I convert this opportunity and knock on the door of the Indian team.”These words come from Jharkhand’s young wicketkeeper-batter Kumar Kushagra. On Saturday he was picked in the India A team for their series against the England Lions. This is the first time Kushagra has been called up to the India A team. He celebrated this the next day by scoring a hundred against Services in the Ranji Trophy. It was the 19-year-old’s second first-class century.”Of late we’re seeing players become specialists in different formats,” Kushagra says. “Some specialise in limited-overs, others in red-ball cricket. You need to put in extra effort if you want to play all three formats. You need to be strong both mentally and physically. In our domestic season you end up playing all three formats in the span of two months and it isn’t easy to switch from one to the other.”It’s even more difficult to do this as a wicketkeeper. But my dream is to represent India in all three formats. Three-format players are at a different level, as you can see from Virat [Kohli] , Rohit [Sharma] and [Jasprit] Bumrah ‘s examples. If you make it to the Indian team at a young age, you can have a long career and you can make comebacks a little more easily even if you get a major injury. That’s why I want to get into the Indian team as soon as possible.”In December, Kushagra had made the headlines when Delhi Capitals (DC) signed him for INR 7.2 crores at the IPL auction. Kushagra’s mind, however, is occupied not by the IPL but by domestic cricket.

“I speak to a lot of wicketkeepers around the country. I met Wriddhiman Saha once at the Kolkata airport, and I discussed my keeping with him”

“I think I’ll get enough time to prepare for the IPL after the domestic season,” he says. “So my focus now is only on red-ball cricket. I had faith that I would get a place in the India A squad for the South Africa tour, but that didn’t happen. Now that I have been picked, I will make every effort to convert this opportunity.”It’s not easy to keep wickets against spinners on turning tracks in India. This is why even though KL Rahul kept wickets during their Test series in South Africa, a lot of former wicketkeepers have advised him to play as a specialist batter in India. For the same reason, KS Bharat and Dhruv Jurel were picked as wicketkeepers for the home series against England.Kushagra, however, is fully prepared for this challenge. He practises a lot against the left-arm spin of his Jharkhand team-mate Shahbaz Nadeem, who has played for India. He has also taken tips from two of India’s best keepers in recent times: Wriddhiman Saha and Rishabh Pant.”Whether it’s fast bowlers or spinners, keeping in India is not easy, especially in red-ball cricket, but I wouldn’t say it’s difficult either,” Kushagra says. “If your goal is big, you have to put in the hard work. I feel I’m on the right path and I’m constantly learning new things so that I can do even better in the future.”I speak to a lot of wicketkeepers around the country. I met Wriddhiman Saha once at the Kolkata airport, and I discussed my keeping with him. I asked him what changes I needed to make in my wicketkeeping technique for Indian conditions. When I was in the NCA in Bengaluru, Ravindra Jadeja was there too, and I asked him how to tackle spinners from behind the wicket. He told me a lot of things that I can’t tell you here [laughs].”Kushagra goes on. “Apart from this, during the DC camp I met Rishabh . He told me how I could make big improvements in my keeping without changing my technique in a big way, but by making small adjustments. He told me a lot of things about footwork and glovework. Apart from this I only began keeping wickets after watching Mahi [MS Dhoni], and I still learn a lot by watching his videos.”

She broke records, and English hearts, with one of the great ODI innings of all time to lead Australia to yet another World Cup title

Annesha Ghosh03-Apr-2022Don’t call Alyssa Healy a big-game player. She doesn’t like it.”It sounds a bit arrogant,” she had said after scoring her maiden World Cup century, in the semi-final against West Indies on Thursday. “When someone says that… at the end of the day, I’ve been saying it all along this World Cup, it hasn’t really been a one-man show at any point.”Three days on, Australia were at their final destination, Christchurch’s Hagley Oval. Under a sparkling blue sky, they were sent in to bat by defending champions England, who they hadn’t met in a 50-over world tournament final since 1988, at a venue they hadn’t played at after 2000.Related

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New day. New ground. A fresh pitch. A fresh start? Everything except Healy’s segue from the 129 from the semi-final to her colossal 170 in the summit clash that set up Australia record seventh ODI World Cup title win.How do you describe Healy, then? Especially the version of the batter that now has two Player-of-the-Final awards in as many world tournaments, across the limited-overs formats, not to forget the many other accomplishments since being handed full-time opening duties after Australia’s shock ouster in the 2017 World Cup semi-final?”Not sure I’ll let you name it. I’ll let you find it,” Healy said, smiling, at the press interaction after the final, even as Meg Lanning sat beaming by her side. “But, ‘brave’? I just think you’ve got to be brave to come out in situations like that to be able to play your game.”You know that the opposition are going to come really hard at you. They want to take your wicket early and you got to be brave and back your skills. So, personally, I’m really proud of that. I still don’t think I’m a big-game player. So, turn that down, but you just got to be brave to be able to do it.”

“The bowlers tried their best, but the pressure that she built against us, it was just a top knock, wasn’t it?”Heather Knight

On Sunday, Healy etched her name in the record books, more than once, with her 138-ball knock in Australia’s 97-run win. Her haul at this World Cup swelled to a whopping 509 runs, making her the first woman to score 500 runs in a 50-over World Cup, the first player (man or woman) to hit 150 or more in the final of a world tournament, and the first to hit a century in the semi-final and the final in one edition of a World Cup.”I don’t think I’ve ever dreamt of anything like that before, I can guarantee you that,” Healy said. “But I’m just really proud to have been able to contribute to this win. I messaged Pez [Ellyse Perry] this morning when I found out she was in the XI and I said, like, ‘I just want to be a part of it. I really want this. I want to contribute to this win and to be able to do that was really special’.”I ran drinks the whole 2013 World Cup. You know we didn’t make the final in 2017. So, for me, this trophy means a lot and to be able to turn up at the back end and go all right in the last two games means a whole heap.”Healy’s 170 also surpassed Adam Gilchrist’s 149 as the highest score in a World Cup final [in 2007].ESPNcricinfo Ltd”That’s pretty cool, [but] I’m not in the game for that sort of stuff. Getting our team into a winning position was the most important thing,” Healy said. “I guess one day when I retire and I reflect on my career, it’s a moment that I can kind of remember and cherish that. I always looked up to Adam Gilchrist; Uncle Ian [Healy] first, but then Adam Gilchrist, so to knock him off the pedestal – sorry about that – but I’m sure he’ll appreciate it.”That Australia became the first team in a women’s ODI World Cup final to breach the 300-run mark was down to the 160-run stand with left-handed partner Rachael Haynes, the highest for any wicket in a 50-over women’s World Cup final. Of that tally, 86 runs came off Healy’s bat, off just 83 balls.”It’s a lot of fun,” Haynes, the vice-captain, said after putting on a second straight 100-plus stand with Healy in the tournament. “It [Healy’s effort] is not lost on me. Her style of play really takes the pressure off me and allows me just to play my game and bat deep into the innings. She was phenomenal today. That was one of the best innings I’ve ever seen and pretty special that she saved it for such a big occasion.”After Australia finished the job in the 44th over of England’s chase, Healy admitted the sheer length of her innings of over three hours, and the power she packed into it, took a lot out of her. “I don’t know if you could tell; I haven’t batted that long ever,” she said at the presentation to Lisa Sthalekar, who later patted Healy’s cheek after putting the winners’ medal around her neck at the presentation ceremony.Her captain Lanning, under whom she, and Australia, now have three T20 and one 50-over world titles, was understandably effusive in her praise of Healy.The aerial drive over the off side was one of the regular features of Alyssa Healy’s knock•ICC via Getty Images”I was, like, ‘Can you get out already? I want to get out there [and bat],” Lanning joked. “No, I was thoroughly enjoying it from the sidelines. I think it’s easy to sort of remember the back end but I think one of the most important parts of Midge’s [Healy’s] innings was actually the start and how patient and well-drilled she was to get herself into that position.”And that’s something we’ve spoken about a lot as a batting group, is being patient early and setting the platform to allow us to go big at the back end. And that was what Alyssa did today amazingly well and gave herself the opportunity to have some fun at the back end. We were absolutely loving it on the sidelines. It was an incredible knock and something super special.”Lanning, who made her 100th ODI appearance on the day, also made it clear she wasn’t entirely “surprised” at Healy delivering in the final because “she’s done it before [at the 2020 T20 World Cup final at the MCG] and she’s just able to come out and play so well”. She added, “some of those shots she was playing were ridiculous”.A bouquet of those came in the latter part of Healy’s stay in the middle, after she had been dropped by Nat Sciver in the 21st over when she was on 41, three balls after Danni Wyatt had reprieved Haynes, then on 46. Healy plundered runs in the reverse ‘V’, eight off which came in two fours, both through the scoop shot.”That was pretty cool,” Healy said of the scoop, a stroke she worked on following the 2020 T20 World Cup in trying to evolve into a 360-degree batter. “It’s something that I’ve really tried to bring into my game a little bit more over the last couple of seasons.”They [the bowlers] are getting really skillful, and being able to shut down parts of the ground. So, as a batter, you’ve really got to keep evolving your game and continue to open up all areas of the ground, otherwise you get stuck a little bit, so it was pleasing to see them come off today.”Celebrating a champagne performance – Alyssa Healy gets drenched by Beth Mooney•Getty ImagesHer trademark inside-out lofted cover drive was on display all along, and Healy used the sweep, too, to good effect. It allowed her to access the often-unpatrolled parts of the ground.”The sweep shot for me is something that I’ve probably brought in later on in my career and it really opened a few doors for me in this World Cup,” Healy said. “It’s a big value of our side to keep evolving and it’s one that I really enjoy. I mean, you get bored every day turning up in the nets and hitting half-volleys, so to be able to practise some, some new and inventive things, is a really good thing. So it was good fun.”The ruthlessness Healy subjected the England attack, including world No. 1 white-ball bowler Sophie Ecclestone, to was perhaps best summarised by opposition captain Heather Knight.”She obviously moved around a lot, hit the ball off the stumps quite a lot, and with only four out at the back end on a very good wicket with a quick outfield, it was really tricky actually,” Knight said. “The bowlers tried their best, but the pressure that she built against us, it was just a top knock, wasn’t it?”It was very tricky because she hit all over the ground. It was hard to shut her down and shut down one side of the ground.”Perhaps nothing but “brave” can actually describe a player who has reinvented her game to a point that owning a World Cup final has become something of a habit now. And, to borrow from Lanning, it “ridiculous” that Healy’s maiden international century and her biggest innings would bookend two high points in Australia’s redemption act since the 2017 World Cup semi-final exit: the 2018 tour of India that set them on a world-record winning streak and the 2022 ODI World Cup title win.

Manchester United have now entered the race to sign a “deadly finisher” who’s been dubbed “England’s Ousmane Dembele”.

Man Utd keen on new forward despite impressive Brighton showing

Man United invested heavily in their frontline during the summer transfer window, and they have now started reaping the rewards, picking up all three points courtesy of a fantastic attacking display against Brighton & Hove Albion last time out.

Ruben Amorim’s side ran out 4-2 winners against the Seagulls, and their new-look front three were on top form, with Matheus Cunha scoring his first goal since arriving from Wolverhampton Wanderers, while Benjamin Sesko grabbed an assist.

Bryan Mbeumo was undoubtedly the star man, however, picking up a brace and creating one big chance in what was an extremely encouraging performance, not long after being described as United’s “best player” so far this season by Wayne Rooney.

The Red Devils must err on the side of caution, but recent results mean there is plenty of cause for optimism heading into November, moving up to sixth in the Premier League table.

Despite their attacking prowess, Man United have now joined the race to sign another winger, according to a report from The Boot Room, which credits them with an interest in Leicester City’s Jeremy Monga.

Having emerged as a first-team regular for Leicester, the forward has started to attract attention from a number of top Premier League clubs, including Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United, but Manchester City are currently leading the race for his signature.

Transfer expert Graeme Bailey provides further information on the situation, saying: “Interest remains high, and there is a belief that by January he could be ready to make a move.

“Leicester are hoping that giving him regular first-team opportunities will convince him to stay until the summer, when he can sign a professional deal. At that point, the club could either sell him or at least secure a fee, rather than risk losing him for minimal compensation.”

"Deadly finisher" Monga could be "England's Ousmane Dembele"

There are few greater compliments than being compared to a Ballon d’Or winner, and Ben Mattinson has likened the Leicester youngster to the most recent winner of the prestigious award, while also praising his finishing.

Just 16-years-old, the teenager has already made 19 senior appearances for Leicester and grabbed his first senior goal, which showcases just how much potential he has, so it is little wonder Man United are in the race.

Cunha, Sesko and Mbeumo are currently looking like an exciting attacking trio, but it is always worth planning for the future, and if Monga continues receiving first-team football with the Foxes, it may not be too long before he is capable of starting for a top club.

The Detroit Tigers have been the best team in MLB through the first half of the season, and that's been represented in the team's litany of All-Star selections.

After a late All-Star roster shakeup, the Tigers now find themselves in a deadlock with the Los Angeles Dodgers with the most representatives at the midsummer classic. Houston Astros infielder Jeremy Peña won't be able to participate due to a rib injury, and MLB announced that Detroit's Zach McKinstry would be selected as his replacement.

McKinstry becomes the Tigers' fifth All-Star, joining the likes of starting pitcher Tarik Skubal, second baseman Gleyber Torres and outfielders Riley Greene and Javier Baez. Only the Dodgers, who are sending Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Will Smith, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Clayton Kershaw to Atlanta, have as many representatives.

McKinstry, 30, is enjoying his best MLB season to date. He's slashing .283/.357/.460 with seven home runs, 27 RBIs and 13 stolen bases.

Arsenal have been the best team in the Premier League this season, but defeat at Aston Villa has put a dampener on the feel-good factor, reducing their advantage at the summit to just two points following Manchester City’s win over Sunderland.

In truth, perhaps this was a step too far for Mikel Arteta’s men. The fixture schedule has been relentless, and Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba and Cristhian Mosquera all missed out at Villa Park due to injury.

And Villa, to their credit, are among the most in-form teams in Europe right now, claiming their seventh win in a row across all competitions against the Premier League table-toppers.

But this feels like familiar territory for the Gunners, and there were several players in particular who flattered to deceive.

Arsenal's worst performers vs Aston Villa

On many outings this season, Arsenal have repelled opponents and struck clinically to pile up the points, so balanced and secure is Arteta’s system.

But they emerged from Stamford Bridge last weekend with just a point after something of a slugfest, and the midweek win over Brentford has clearly taken something out of the Londoners, who battled tooth and nail against a well-oiled and energetic Aston Villa side but to no avail.

Up top, Mikel Merino has been an incredible moonlit success since arriving at the Emirates, with the midfield-turned-forward having scored four goals and supplied three assists when stepping up into the danger area this season. However, Unai Emery’s team marshalled him well, anonymous in the first half save for one blundered attempt to find the surging Bukayo Saka.

Viktor Gyokeres and Noni Madueke both changed Arsenal’s attacking dimensions in the second half, but neither enjoyed the most fruitful of appearances, with Gyokeres in particular struggling for service, albeit making his physicality and mobile presence known in Merino’s stead after the break.

For his part, Arteta showcased his shrewd and calculated in-game management by making a half-time change, which swiftly paid off, Leandro Trossard coming up trumps once again after Saka’s strike was deflected.

But the Spanish manager will be frustrated that one starting member failed to make the most of their opportunity, having drifted through the opening 45.

4/10 star produced his worst game for Arsenal

Arsenal have been a world-class unit this season, and they have been reinforced with some top talent this summer. Eberechi Eze is one of the arrivals, a superstar in the English game and a £67m signing from Crystal Palace. However, he wasn’t at his best against Aston Villa.

Let’s not forget, it was a matter of days ago that Arsenal informed Eze he was their Player of the Month for November, having bagged a hat-trick in the north London Derby and settled into his berth.

But, in spite of this, the England international still hasn’t struck a consistent vein of form in the final third, and his tough afternoon in the Midlands served as evidence that he needs to raise his game, having been such a fleet-footed and talismanic force for Oliver Glasner at Palace.

Against Villa, the 27-year-old flattered to deceive, with football.london even handing him a 4/10 match rating after an ineffectual and short-lived outing, hooked at the break for Trossard, who scored. In all likelihood, he failed to showcase any of his many qualities, and for that reason, probably endured his toughest game since joining.

Minutes played

45′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Touches

13

Shots (on target)

0 (0)

Accurate passes

7/9 (78%)

Chances created

0

Dribbles

1/1

Ball recoveries

0

Tackles won

0/0

Duels won

2/5

With Martin Odegaard fit once again, Eze has been forced into a wider berth. Could it be that he is at full throttle when creating and influencing from the middle? His pace lends itself to a wide role, but then so does his athleticism and physicality work well on the flank.

Eze is a passionate player. It is telling that his only goals in the Premier League this season have come against Crystal Palace, his former club, and Spurs in the derby, with Thomas Frank coming close to signing him before Arsenal swooped down.

Eze needs to channel his creativity and incisiveness in the box. He needs to iron out the wrinkles. But first, Arteta may want to relegate him to the bench, rekindling the fire to take that step up to the level he has shown he is capable of.

Sterling 2.0: Berta flop already looks like he'll never make it at Arsenal

It is not looking good for the Arsenal star so far this season.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 6, 2025

MLB really put on a show on Tuesday night as not one, not two, but three teams hit walk-offs to win their respective games within the span of just four minutes.

First, at 10:18 p.m. ET, the Detroit Tigers walked off the Boston Red Sox in the bottom of the 11th inning thanks to Javier Baez hitting a three-run home run to end the game. Baez celebrated accordingly by flipping his bat before he rounded the bases to the cheers of some very excited Tigers fans.

Then, at 10:20 p.m. ET, the Houston Astros walked off the Kansas City Royals at home after Isaac Paredes hit a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth inning. Fireworks shot off as the crowd went wild to celebrate Paredes's game-winning homer.

The next walk-off happened at 10:22 p.m. ET by the Chicago Cubs, as Justin Turner hit a double in the bottom of the ninth to send two runs home. Nico Hoerner got to score the winning run on his 28th birthday, and he was extremely pumped. Wrigley Field erupted into cheers as he rounded the bases to beat the Miami Marlins.

Hans-Joachim Watzke has been elected as the new president of Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund, succeeding Dr. Reinhold Lunow after serving as the club's chief executive for over 20 years. The 66-year-old was voted in with 59 percent of the votes during a marathon annual general meeting that lasted over 13 hours and vowed to create history for the football club.

• Watzke elected president with 59% of the vote

  Watzke is the 19th president of Borussia Dortmund following a vote at the club's annual general meeting. The long-serving CEO, who was the sole candidate for the presidency, received 59 percent of the votes cast in a hybrid voting process that included both in-person and online participation. Daniel Lorcher was elected vice-president with 71% of the votes, while the previous vice president, Silke Seidel, was voted in as treasurer with 61%. The new board has been elected for a three-year term.

  Watzke's election came at the end of the longest general meeting in the club's almost 115-year history, concluding just after midnight. The lengthy process was partly due to technical issues with the electronic voting system, which was being used for the first time. A total of 1,951 members were present in the Westfalenhalle, with another 4,128 participating online out of the club's total membership of 238,109.

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• AFP
  

  Watzke's emotional farewell as CEO and address to members

  Before his election as president, Watzke stepped down from his role as CEO, a position he held for over two decades. In an emotional speech, he reflected on his tenure, which included steering the club through a near-bankruptcy in 2005, the bomb attack on the team bus in 2017, and the coronavirus pandemic. "We experienced wonderful days together, won five titles, and had seven more opportunities to win further titles. It was always extremely close; we were always incredibly near the top," Watzke stated, adding that the pandemic was "for me, the most difficult time."

  As CEO, Watzke presented the financial report for the 2024-25 financial year, highlighting consolidated revenue of €526 million, an operating profit of €115.8m, and equity of €326m. He emphasised the club's financial stability, noting: "We have not taken on any debt for sporting success in these 20 years. That is exceptional."

  Watzke also addressed the sensitive issue of abuse allegations against a former employee from the 1990s, expressing his "deepest sympathy" to the victims and promising a transparent investigation. "If there were any oversights – and there apparently were – then we will rectify them," he said.

• Conciliatory tone and future plans as president

  Both Watzke and outgoing president Lunow struck a conciliatory tone during the meeting. Lunow, who received a standing ovation from the members, thanked Watzke for his support during difficult times and embraced his successor. Watzke reciprocated, thanking Lunow for his unwavering support during the club's financial crisis.

  As president, Watzke aims to "maintain dialogue between everyone, listen to everyone" and "be a president for all Borussia fans." He announced plans for a "balanced committee on the statutes" to modernise the club's governance, further professionalization, and a commitment to promoting women in leadership roles. He also addressed fan concerns about potential tightening of stadium bans, promising to work with the fan department to prevent such measures from "getting out of hand."

  Several motions regarding changes to the club's statutes were also passed during the meeting, including a revision of specific sections and measures to strengthen democracy within the club.

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  What next for Borussia Dortmund?

  The election of Watzke as president marks a new chapter in Dortmund's history, ensuring continuity in leadership at the highest level. As president, Watzke will oversee the club's strategic direction and represent its interests in various football bodies, including the DFL, DFB, and UEFA. The club will also proceed with the announced transparent investigation into the historical abuse allegations. On the pitch, Dortmund will continue their campaign in the Bundesliga and Champions League, with upcoming fixtures and potential transfers likely to be key topics in the coming months under the new presidency.

Southern Brave started life after Charlotte Edwards with a convincing win over Manchester Originals at Emirates Old Trafford.The damage was all done with the ball, as Lauren Bell took 3 for 28 and Mady Villiers 2 for 19 to limit the hosts to just 95 for 8 from their 100 balls.Seren Smale fought a lone hand for Originals on a wicket that none of her team-mates ever looked at home on, making 40 from 34 balls to give her side the faintest hope at the halfway mark but no side has ever defended fewer than 109 in the Hundred women’s competition and their total never looked like enough.And while Brave were rarely fluent, they were always comfortable – easing to a six-wicket win with 11 balls to spare. Former Originals batter Laura Wolvaardt, a direct signing for Southern Brave this season, showed her old team what they were missing with an assured and unbeaten 42.She was supported by Danni Wyatt-Hodge, who made 32, as Brave’s batting line-up eased over the line in first gear. Having endured a surprising eighth-placed finish last summer, with just one win, Brave – and their new head coach Luke Williams in particular – will have been pleased to start the campaign with a victory.For Originals it was a disappointing start to the season and, Smale’s innings aside, a day of few positives – they’ll hope to demonstrate it was mere blip next time out at the Kia Oval on Saturday.Meerkat Match Hero Bell said: “It’s great to get our first win on the board. In tournament cricket it’s really important to get a good start, and it was a good team performance.”The girls stuck in. The wicket was a bit tricky but we’ve got a great line-up and the batters did the job. We’ve had a lot of really good chats about being really confident, backing our strengths, and having fun out there.”