Smith is brand ambassador for Washington Freedom, who have a high-performance partnership with New South Wales, his state team in Australia

Matt Roller12-Jul-2023

Steven Smith could play Major League Cricket (MLC) for Washington Freedom after the 2024 T20 World Cup, having agreed a deal to become a brand ambassador for the franchise.New South Wales (NSW), Smith’s state team in Australia, have a high-performance partnership with Freedom, who are owned by the entrepreneur Sanjay Govil. Michael Klinger and Greg Shipperd, NSW’s head of male cricket and head coach respectively, hold parallel roles with Freedom.Smith, who turned 34 last month, has regularly spent time in New York City and proposed to his wife Dani there in 2017. He has previously floated the possibility of playing in MLC, telling the that finishing his career in the USA “would be pretty cool”.Related

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“As a New South Wales boy, the partnership the Freedom has with my home state means a lot to me,” Smith said in a promotional video. “Cricket in Australia has a rich history and I look forward to being part of taking cricket to the United States of America.”Australia don’t have any fixtures in their Future Tours Programme commitments during MLC’s July window next year, with an away T20I series against Afghanistan at the end of August their first scheduled tour after the men’s T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and the USA in June 2024.Smith declined to comment on his long-term career plans at the start of Australia’s ongoing tour of England, ahead of the World Test Championship final against India, but would be able to play in MLC while continuing to play for Australia as a centrally contracted all-format international.”Steve has a close relationship with New South Wales and Sydney Sixers,” Klinger told ESPNcricinfo. “He obviously had five fantastic games in the last BBL, and to have him on board as an ambassador to promote the team is great. He’s going to really lift the profile of the Washington Freedom.”Some of his best mates, the New South Wales guys, are playing in the team, like [captain] Moises Henriques, and to be able to promote the Freedom with someone of Steve’s stature is going to be great for us. We certainly hope it’s a long-term relationship and we’ll see how that goes down the track.”Henriques, Ben Dwarshuis, Josh Philippe and Tanveer Sangha are the NSW players due to appear for Freedom in the inaugural season of MLC, which runs from July 13 to 30. A number of Australia’s most high-profile players are products of the NSW system and Klinger hopes to convince some of them to appear in MLC’s second season.”We’ve got a few very strong New South Wales players who we’d certainly be interested in chatting to,” Klinger said. “Some of the fast bowlers often want to take breaks, especially straight after a World Cup, but in saying that, they’ll be in the America and West Indies area, so hopefully they’ll be keen to come and play for us.”You’ve got [Mitchell] Starc, you’ve got [Pat] Cummins, you’ve got [Josh] Hazlewood. Sean Abbott is involved in that group now as well. We have some really good options next year plus our current high-profile overseas we’ve got this year – hopefully we can retain some of them as well.”Especially coming off the back of the World Cup when they’re already over here anyway, hopefully their schedule allows them to take seven to ten days off on holiday somewhere around this area and then they can join up and be involved next year.”Freedom are due to play their first MLC fixture on Friday night, against Seattle Orcas in Dallas.

MatériaMais Notícias

Com 86.425 sócios-torcedores adimplentes (parcial da tarde de segunda-feira, dia 22), o Avanti alcançou o seu melhor número desde julho de 2015. Na ocasião, o Palmeiras fechou aquele mês com 85.949 sócios. A marca atual representa mais do que o dobro do número registrado no primeiro dia da gestão da presidente Leila Pereira, em 15 de dezembro de 2021, que era de 41.929.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasFutebol NacionalPalmeiras repudia violência no Allianz Parque, mas fala em ‘atitude temerária’ de infiltradoFutebol Nacional22/08/2022PalmeirasRaphael Veiga entra em Top 10 do Palmeiras e atinge marca contra o FlamengoPalmeiras22/08/2022Fora de CampoVídeo mostra torcedor sendo agredido em setor de organizada durante Palmeiras x FlamengoFora de Campo22/08/2022

GALERIA
> Confira os públicos do Palmeiras no Allianz Parque em 2022

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> Veja classificação e simulador do Brasileirão-2022 clicando aqui

> Conheça o aplicativo de resultados do LANCE!

A meta do clube, lançada pelo técnico Abel Ferreira ainda em abril deste ano, é chegar aos 120 mil Avantis. Inclusive, quando o programa palestrino contar com 90 mil sócios-torcedores, um deles será presenteado com a camisa usada pelo recém-contratado Bruno Tabata em sua coletiva de apresentação.

Segundo o clube, além da boa fase do time dentro das quatro linhas, ações realizadas fora de campo pelo Departamento de Marketing têm contribuído para o crescimento do Avanti.

Desde o início do ano, o Alviverde potencializou as experiências exclusivas para os sócios-torcedores, com o objetivo de mostrar que os benefícios vão além de desconto em ingressos para os jogos do Verdão como mandante.

Neste mês, por exemplo, o Avanti já proporcionou três momentos marcantes para os seus adeptos: o evento de pré-estreia oficial do filme ’45 do segundo tempo’, a Coletiva Avanti com Bruno Tabata e a visita do zagueiro Murilo à casa do palmeirense Cláudio, que teve a sua história de superação divulgada após a classificação do Palmeiras para a semifinal da Libertadores (o torcedor está se recuperando das sequelas de um AVC).

Pré-estreia oficial do filme ’45 do segundo tempo’

No último dia 15, o Avanti disponibilizou ingressos gratuitos no site www.ingressospalmeiras.com.br para os sócios do programa participarem da pré-estreia oficial do filme 45 do Segundo Tempo, estrelado pelos atores Tony Ramos (que interpreta o palmeirense fanático Pedro Baresi), Cássio Gabus Mendes e Ary França e que contou com a participação de 35 sócios Avanti em uma gravação dentro do Allianz Parque. Além dos sócios-torcedores do clube, a pré-estreia contou com o diretor e todo o elenco do longa-metragem.

Coletiva Avanti com Bruno Tabata

Horas depois de ser apresentado para a imprensa e responder às perguntas feitas pelos jornalistas, o meio-campista Bruno Tabata teve outra entrevista coletiva, mas, desta vez, feita por sócios-torcedores Avanti. Os palmeirenses tiveram a oportunidade de estar frente a frente com o novo reforço do Verdão para interagir com o atleta e ainda tirar fotos e colher autógrafos.

Visita do zagueiro Murilo ao torcedor Cláudio

Depois de uma acirrada disputa de penalidades máximas contra o Atlético-MG, o Palmeiras garantiu a sua vaga nas semifinais da Libertadores 2022. A emocionante classificação para a próxima fase da competição mexeu com os palestrinos, mas um em especial comoveu a todos ao demonstrar todo o seu amor pelo tricampeão da América de uma forma bem especial. Apesar de estar acamado por conta das sequelas de um AVC, Cláudio acompanhou o duelo ao lado da filha Heloísa e o momento viralizou entre os torcedores do clube.

Para retribuir todo o apoio de Cláudio e Heloísa, sócios do Plano Prata desde 2015, o Verdão preparou uma visita surpresa do zagueiro Murilo à casa deles, com direito a duas camisas oficiais personalizadas com os seus nomes. O jogador foi o responsável pela cobrança decisiva que garantiu a classificação da equipe à semi do torneio continental.

Arsenal have now made first contact over a potential summer deal for a £44m striker, who is attracting widespread interest from the Premier League, according to a report.

Gunners stepping up striker pursuit

There are now signs Mikel Arteta has started to step up his pursuit of a top-level striker, with a report revealing the manager is a big fan of Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, and a stunning £101m offer could soon be submitted for the Swedish forward.

Isak is not the only high-profile name on the shortlist, however, with RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Napoli’s Victor Osimhen also of interest, while the Gunners have also moved ahead of Liverpool in the race to sign Inter’s Marcus Thuram.

Fans will understandably want a big-name signing to be brought in to reinvigorate the frontline, but there are some more left-field options on the shortlist, including Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike.

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A former Premier League striker is also now emerging as a target, with a report from Italy revealing Arsenal have now taken the first step towards signing Fiorentina’s Moise Kean, having made contact to discuss a potential summer deal.

The move is still in the very early stages, and the Gunners may face competition from a number of other Premier League clubs, with Newcastle United and West Ham United also initiating first contacts, while Tottenham Hotspur have previously been linked.

Kean has a €52m (£44m) release clause included in his contract with the Serie A side, but it is unclear whether any of the interested parties would be willing to pay that amount for the former Everton man.

"King of kings" Kean outscoring Sesko this season

The Italian has really kicked on since completing a move to Fiorentina in the summer, having scored 20 goals in all competitions this season, three more than fellow target Sesko, and he won a Goal of the Month award for one of his efforts back in February.

Having also been lauded as a “king of kings” by pundit Mina Rzouki, there are clear signs the 25-year-old has developed his game considerably since moving back to his home country, but his previous exploits in the Premier League will still be a huge concern.

During his time with the Toffees, the Italy international scored just two goals in 32 Premier League matches, and he has also struggled in Serie A at times, failing to score for Juventus last term.

As such, Arsenal would be better off making sure they sign a striker who is proven at the top level, and Isak’s performances for Newcastle in the Premier League this season could make the 25-year-old the dream target.

Glamorgan declare on 521 for 8 at Derby after Chris Cooke plunders 70 from 51 balls

ECB Reporters Network26-Jul-2023A combination of determined batting and rain frustrated promotion hopefuls Glamorgan on the second day of the LV=Insurance County Championship match against Derbyshire.Glamorgan racked up 521 for 8 declared, the county’s highest ever score at Derby, with wicketkeeper Chris Cooke plundering 70 from 51 balls.But their bowlers also struggled on another placid Incora County Ground pitch as Luis Reece, 52, and Harry Came, 37, shared an unbroken opening stand of 95 in 40 overs before rain prevented any play after tea.Only two wickets fell in two sessions with the pattern of the first day repeated in the morning as Cooke and the lower order punished some erratic bowling.Cooke pulled Anuj Dal, who was fit to bowl after turning an ankle yesterday evening, for six on his way to a 40-ball fifty and took his team to maximum batting points by steering the medium-pacer to the third man boundary. He drove off-spinner Alex Thomson for a second six over wide long on but three overs later he edged Dal to the only slip.Andy Gorvin, who had helped Cooke add 65 from 81 balls for the seventh wicket, was caught behind trying to turn Sam Conners to leg but Glamorgan batted on for six more overs before the declaration came.It had been another chastening spell in the field for Derbyshire with 113 runs coming from 22 overs and in total, 322 of Glamorgan’s runs had come in boundaries.The home side was left with a potentially tricky eight overs to bat before lunch but the benign nature of the pitch meant there were few alarms for Reece and Came apart from a close run-out chance just before the interval.Timm van der Gugten and Jamie McIlroy did beat the bat after the break but there was little encouragement for the Glamorgan attack.Their bowlers did at least keep it tight but Reece, who became the 19th Derbyshire player to score 6,000 runs and take 150 wickets in all cricket, completed his fifty from 111 balls as he and Came batted through the second session.It was back-to-back fifties for Reece after his unbeaten 54 against Durham on Friday but his chances of converting it into a century on Wednesday were dashed when rain arrived during the tea interval with play called off for the day at 17.10.

The SA20 mini-auction ahead of the 2024 season will take place in Johannesburg on September 27. On the day of the auction, a total of 21 slots are to be filled, six of those reserved for rookie players. A rookie player is someone who is a South African under the age of 22 and has not played in the SA20 previously.Overall, in a squad of 19, each team is required to have a minimum of ten South African players, a maximum of seven overseas players and a rookie player. The teams will have an additional R5.1 million (USD 274,000 approx) added to last time’s purse of R39.1 million (USD 2.1 million approx).Defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape will be without Roelof van der Merwe this time as he has made himself unavailable. Van der Merwe was the joint-highest wicket-taker last season with 20 scalps.Related

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In another update, Paarl Royals have contracted Kwena Maphaka. At 17, the left-arm seamer from Johannesburg becomes the youngest player to be signed in the league.Most teams have retained their core from the inaugural season. Durban’s Super Giants have the fewest slots to fill, two, and they have R1.675 million for that.Runners-up Pretoria Capitals have to sign the most number of players – five, out of which four could be overseas – and also the biggest purse available (R9.737 million).In addition to 21 picks on the auction day, four teams – Super Giants, Capitals, Royals and Joburg Super Kings – need to pick their wild-card players as well, as they either incorporated their season 1 wild cards into the main squad or, in the case of Super Giants, released them. The last date to do so is December 30. The wild-card players’ salaries are over and above the team purse.Here is how the squads line up before the mini-auction.

Durban’s Super Giants

Squad: Prenelan Subrayen, Quinton de Kock, Dwaine Pretorius, Keshav Maharaj, Kyle Abbott, Heinrich Klaasen, JJ Smuts, Wiaan Mulder, Matthew Breetzke, Junior Dala, Keemo Paul, Naveen-ul-Haq, Kyle Mayers, Reece Topley, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dilshan MadushankaSquad size: 16 (10 South Africans, 6 overseas)
Slots to be filled: 2
Purse available: R1.675 million (USD 90,000 approx)

Joburg Super Kings

Squad: Gerald Coetzee, Faf du Plessis, Reeza Hendricks, Lizaad Williams, Nandre Burger, Moeen Ali, David Wiese, Zahir Khan, Sam Cook, Leus du Plooy, Donovan Ferreira, Aaron Phangiso, Sibonelo Makhanya, Kyle SimmondsSquad size: 14 (9 South Africans, 5 overseas)
Slots to be filled: 4
Purse available: R6.1 million (USD 327,000 approx)

MI Cape Town

Squad: Dewald Brevis, Kagiso Rabada, Rassie van der Dussen, Delano Potgieter, Ryan Rickelton, George Linde, Beuran Hendricks, Duan Jansen, Grant Roelofsen, Jofra Archer (wild card), Rashid Khan, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Tom Banton, Olly StoneSquad size: 15 (9 South Africans, 6 overseas)
Slots to be filled: 4
Purse available: R5.05 million (USD 271,000 approx)

Paarl Royals

Squad: Kwena Maphaka, David Miller, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dane Vilas, Bjorn Fortuin, Mitchell Van Buuren, Wihan Lubbe, Ferisco Adams, Codi Yusuf, Evan Jones, Jos Buttler, Obed McCoy, Jason RoySquad size: 15 (12 South Africans, 3 overseas)
Slots to be filled: 3
Purse available: R8.865 million (USD 475,000 approx)

Pretoria Capitals

Squad: Migael Pretorius, Anrich Nortje, Rilee Rossouw, Colin Ingram, Senuran Muthusamy, Wayne Parnell, Theunis de Bruyn, Eathan Bosch, Shane Dadswell, Corbin Bosch, Jimmy Neesham, Adil Rashid, William JacksSquad size: 13 (10 South Africans, 3 overseas)
Slots to be filled: 5
Purse available: R9.737 million (USD 522,000 approx)

Sunrisers Eastern Cape

Squad: Ottniel Baartman, Aiden Markram, Marco Jansen, Tristan Stubbs, Sisanda Magala, Simon Harmer, Temba Bavuma, Sarel Erwee, Jordan Hermann, Aya Gqamane, Liam Dawson, Brydon Carse, Dawid Malan, Adam Rossington, Tom Abell, Craig Overton (wild card)Squad size: 16 (10 South Africans, 6 overseas)
Slots to be filled: 3
Purse available: R1.865 million (USD 100,000 approx)

Juventus are interested in wantaway striker Victor Osimhen as Napoli value him higher than his release clause

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Juventus want to sign OsimhenRelease clause valid only for non-Italian clubsStriker failed to agree terms with Al-HilalFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Italian giants are looking for a new striker this summer and according to , the Napoli forward has emerged as their new favourite. Napoli are ready to listen to offers but will demand around €80 million (£68m/$92m) as his €75m (£63m/$86m) release clause is only active for clubs outside Italy.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Saudi giants Al-Hilal had reportedly triggered Osimhen's release clause but failed to agree terms with the striker as he looks to continue his career in Europe. He could be an option for Juventus as their star striker Dusan Vlahovic is entering the last year of his contract and has yet to agree on a renewal.

DID YOU KNOW?

Osimhen's 26 goals in the 2022-23 season for Napoli helped fire them to the Serie A title, but the relationship between club and player soon broke down. The failure to find a new club last year resulted in Osimhen being loaned to Galatasaray, who want to keep him after a stellar season in which he won the Super Lig title. Al-Hilal have since made an even more lucrative offer for the 26-year-old, while he reportedly has his heart set on a move to the Premier League, where Manchester United are interested.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR OSIMHEN AND NAPOLI ?

Osimhen and Napoli will look to organise a summer sale so that the forward can continue to impress on the field while the club can reinvest the funds in Antonio Conte's squad.

"Unique" Cristiano Ronaldo is still an integral part of the Portugal setup, according to head coach Roberto Martinez.

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• Ronaldo adds another trophy to collection
• Led Portugal to second Nations League
• Incredibly important according to Martinez

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ronaldo scored as Portugal beat Spain on penalties in the Nations League final on Sunday, marking his latest chapter of an illustrious career with silverware. He has since earned the praises of his head coach Martinez, who paid tribute to the five-time Ballon d'Or winner.

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  WHAT MARTINEZ SAID

  Speaking in the aftermath of the Nations League, Martinez said: "At 40, he has unique experience in the world of club football," Martinez said of Ronaldo.

  "Being a coach isn't about picking or not picking Cristiano Ronaldo, it's about using the best players to have the best team and win titles. It's important to make decisions based on facts, and Cristiano has scored 20 goals [for Portugal] in [the last] 25 games. There are no records like this.

  "We've managed to make the dressing room a very competitive place, and when you have a player like Ronaldo, it's a football lesson every day."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Martinez did not stop there when it came to praising the football icon. Ronaldo was hailed as an "inspiration" for the younger generation due to his leadership on and off the pitch.

  He added: "He's more than a player, he's an icon.

  "Almost like the weather, something you talk about in the elevator. Every day he takes opportunities to improve. That is something that is very contagious. The fact that he only wants to improve influences the younger generation."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR RONALDO?

  The rumour mill has been swirling with energy when it comes to Ronaldo's future, but it has not yet been confirmed whether he will be extending with Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr. There had been talks about the forward joining up with a side for the Club World Cup, but that looks optimistic now.

13-member committee suggests “removing bilateral ODIs, other than in the one year preceding each World Cup”

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Jul-2023The MCC has suggested limiting men’s bilateral ODI cricket after the 2027 World Cup, questioning the value the format adds to an already jam-packed calendar.The MCC’s World Cricket Committee met on the sidelines of the recent Ashes Test at Lord’s and have come to the conclusion that in a world of growing franchise T20 tournaments around the year, something has to give.The 13-member committee, led by former England captain Mike Gatting, is hopeful that “a scarcity of ODI cricket would increase the quality, achieved by removing bilateral ODIs, other than in the one year preceding each World Cup. This would, as a consequence, also create much-needed space in the global cricketing calendar.”The ICC and its various members have been grappling with this situation for a while now. Jason Roy is foregoing a part of his incremental contract with England to play in the US’s Major League Cricket (MLC). Trent Boult gave up a central contract with New Zealand last year, and the IPL has expanded into a two-month window with its franchises buying teams in other leagues as well, leading to the prospect of players being offered year-round T20 contracts.Related

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The FTP for 2023-27 is more or less set. “Nothing is going to be removed,” Wasim Khan, the ICC’s general manager of cricket said in May. But he also highlighted that, going forward, the international game needs to find a way to co-exist with the ever-increasing number of T20 leagues.MCC wants to know how much it really costs to host a Test matchTest cricket faces challenges of its own. The widely-held belief is that only a few countries don’t lose money hosting a five-day game. In 2017, for example, Zimbabwe were exploring the possibility of playing a majority of their matches away from home because of these very concerns. To address this, the MCC’s World Cricket Committee has asked the ICC to undertake an audit of the Test game with the view to setting up a “Test fund”.”This audit of operational costs [of hosting a Test match] versus commercial return would help the ICC identify nations in need of support in order to sustain a Test match programme,” an MCC press release on Tuesday said. This need could be subsequently addressed via a separate Test fund, established to “protect the sanctity of Test match cricket.”The ICC established a Test fund after the Big Three boards of the BCCI, ECB and CA took administrative control of the game’s governance in 2014. That, however, did not last long.Gatting, who is on his way out as committee chair, added: “In many ways, cricket is growing and, on the surface, seems financially strong. However, we are increasingly seeing a game which focuses on a powerful few, as opposed to a democratic and inclusive approach for the benefit of the whole sport.”It’s time for the global game to reset. Too often, member nations are finding themselves living hand to mouth with their cricketing operations, versus having a long-term, viable strategy in place that future-proofs the game in their country, both financially and in terms of participation.”We are currently at the commencement of a new ICC Future Tours Programme and financing cycle, and we would recommend further evidence of the requisite funding being directly apportioned to the strategic needs of cricket.”The World Cricket Committee also advised the setting up of a “substantial and ringfenced fund” solely for growing women’s cricket, the money from which can be “allocated on a required basis to full member and associate nations who, amongst other key initiatives, fully commit to their women’s pathway and national team. The WCC also believes that in order to qualify as a full ICC member, each nation must be required to commit to investing in both men’s and women’s cricket and field a national women’s team.”

Former England captain’s remarks on British Muslims branded ‘very silly’ in new documentary

Osman Samiuddin17-Jul-2023

Moeen Ali has called on Michael Vaughan to “step up” in English cricket’s fight against racism, as he opens up publicly for the first time on a historic tweet from Vaughan that suggested Moeen should ask young Muslims if they are terrorists to help make society safer.In a new documentary ‘Is Cricket Racist?’, to be aired on Channel 4 in the UK, Moeen was asked by the presenter Adil Ray what he thought of Vaughan’s tweets from 2017, in which Vaughan first endorsed a Daily Mail column by Piers Morgan arguing Muslims need to root out extremist elements from their communities themselves. At the time, Ray asked Vaughan on Twitter whether he expected Moeen to go around asking Muslims he didn’t know whether they knew terrorists in between matches. Vaughan replied yes, if it helps “our kids future and environment become a safer place”.”It was very silly,” Moeen tells in the documentary of Vaughan’s tweets. “Dumb really. We need people like him to step up for us. As Muslims, or any other faith really. And just be a bit smarter. I think he has also realised that times are changing and he has to change.”Vaughan has apologised for the historic tweets, most recently at the Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) racism hearings in March. At those hearings, Vaughan was eventually cleared of having made a racist comment to Azeem Rafiq and three other Yorkshire players of South Asian heritage before the start of a T20 game in 2009.Related

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But the Moeen tweet, as well as a few others, formed the central part of the ECB’s case against Vaughan, their lead prosecutor Jane Mulcahy KC arguing that they were “remarkably similar in tone” to the remarks Vaughan was alleged to have made that were at the centre of the hearings. Six other players and support staff, as well as Yorkshire CCC itself,were found guilty in those hearings of having brought the game into disrepute through the use of racist and/or discriminatory language.Since then, a long-awaited independent report has found deep-rooted discrimination within the game in England, on grounds of race, class and gender. The Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) report “Holding Up a Mirror to Cricket”, published last month, was based on evidence from 4000 people within the game. One of its areas of focus was the lack of representation of British South Asians in professional cricket, despite a much larger participation in recreational cricket.”There’s [British Asian] players out there who are doing better than anyone else,” Moeen says in the documentary. “People won’t sign them for some reason. The South Asian player has to be almost outstanding most of the time, especially as a triallist whereas sometimes a white player doesn’t have to be outstanding, and he is getting signed.”Moeen said Rafiq’s allegations and the consequences since then were part of a “shake-up” the game needed.”Obviously sad [for Rafiq’s experiences], but it also felt like the game needed a shake-up,” he said. “The greatest thing that has come out of it for me is that people have a voice now, whereas before people have been very afraid to say anything.”

Manchester United have a new £70m forward on their radar who has been called the “next” Kylian Mbappe, as per one Sky Sports reporter.

Man Utd eyeing new forward as Hojlund breaks goalscoring duck vs Leicester

The Red Devils have struggled in front of goal in the Premier League under both Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim this season with 13 sides netting more than United’s tally of 37 in 29 games.

Rasmus Hojlund, who cost more than £70m back in 2023 from Atalanta, has only netted three times in the top flight in 24 games in 2024/25, although he did end a 21-game wait for a goal in the recent 3-0 win at Leicester City.

Talking after the game, the Denmark international said: “I think it comes down to my performances as well. I think obviously I’ve not been on top of my game as I wanted to and we’re still adapting to a new system and some new positions.

“But I think I’ve been growing into it lately and starting to look a bit better. But I’m just happy to get on the scoresheet and I’m sure they will come more now. I’m happy, but it’s not all about goals. I’m obviously very happy to get my goal and it gives me a lot of confidence.

“I think we’re starting to get a bit more of a connection between myself and the players, then starting to understand what my qualities are even more and playing to them as well.”

Man Utd now make big £58m offer to sign Brazil star who Amorim wants

He’s been one of Europe’s best players this season.

1 ByBarney Lane Mar 17, 2025

Despite this, Man Utd are still looking to bring in a striker ahead of Amorim’s first full season in charge and have been linked with the likes of Liam Delap, Viktor Gyokeres, Victor Osimhen and Benjamin Sesko. Now, a new name has emerged on the Old Trafford radar.

Man Utd eyeing £70m forward Hugo Ekitike – Sky Sports

According to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg, Man Utd also have their eyes on Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike.

Alongside, Gyokeres, Osimhen and Sesko, Ekitike is also being discussed as a target by Red Devils officials. Reports elsewhere have claimed that Ekitike, called the “next Mbappe” by Graeme Bailey, is valued at £70m.

The 22-year-old only joined Frankfurt on a permanent deal last summer from PSG following a successful loan spell, and he has continued his fine form in front of goal in Germany.

So far this season, Ekitike has scored 19 goals and provided eight assists in 38 games in all competitions, and by the looks of things, he will be one to keep an eye on for Man Utd over the coming months.