When a heavy snow shower ended this match just after lunch on the final day one or two wiseacres at Old Trafford suggested it was all one could expect if one played cricket at such a damn silly time of year. What such people appear to forget is that a year ago when the country had just entered its first lockdown, God’s mordant wit furnished us with one of the balmiest and driest springs in memory. It seems absurd to rule out playing first-class cricket in both April and September simply because the weather is a little iffy; if that was the criterion, we’d hardly get out there at all.Two much more persuasive analyses of this match were supplied after its conclusion by the Sussex skipper, Ben Brown, and Lancashire’s assistant coach, Mark Chilton. They suggested that a game many will recall for the complete absence of both spectators and warmth has still supplied much from which their players can benefit as they ready themselves for the five gorgeous months that await us. Lancashire already knew Dane Vilas was a batsman of the highest class, of course; his 189 was barely par. But the manner in which the home attack approached their work on this final morning, albeit they took only two wickets, was impressive indeed.

Cricket to pay respect to Prince Philip

Play in the County Championship next Saturday will pause between 2.50pm and 4.10pm, to coincide with the funeral of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. The ECB has also recommended that play in recreational cricket stops between 3pm and 4pm, to allow players to observe the one minute’s silence at 3pm.

“That first session is a benchmark now,” said Chilton. “We played with great intensity even when we weren’t picking up wickets. That’s the level at which the players want to perform and if they continue like that, they’ll get the results.”To a degree one needed to watch the cricket closely for two hours to see what Chilton meant. The maintenance of lines of attack, the scarcity of loose balls and the enthusiasm of Lancashire’s fielding rewarded careful study. Even then, Sussex’s openers, Tom Haines and Aaron Thomason resisted Saqib Mahmood, Tom Bailey et al for over an hour until Mahmood took two wickets in successive overs. The first of these fell after two long legs had been posted for Haines, who obliged by hooking the ball straight to Tom Hartley, the finer of the fielders. Less than ten minutes later Stiaan van Zyl’s rather miserable return to the colours was completed when he was leg before to Mahmood for 4, but Thomason and Tom Clark took their team to lunch without further mishap.Not, however, without further comment. Thomason, a properly combative fellow, had apparently already irritated Lancashire by his desire to go off for bad light on Saturday evening, although his keenness may be attributed to an understandable wish to avoid hypothermia. However, when Luke Wood piled into 20-year-old Clark in an attempt to unsettle the lad, Thomason was soon atop the barricades. He and Vilas had already exchanged pleasantries when the umpires decided to snuff the matter out before it graduated from tetchiness to hostility. This attempt was only partially successful for it appeared that Neil Bainton and Martin Saggers were monitoring the situation throughout the morning, rather in the manner of United Nations peacekeepers. In truth the affair was manbags at coffee-time. There will be a few more such contretemps before September is out.But the argy bargy encouraged Brown, who had led the Sussex side comprehensively disembowelled by Lancashire on three boiling days in July 2019. And even more heartening to him had been the bowling of offspinner Jack Carson in freezing condition on a very good pitch and that of debutant Sean Hunt, who picked up three wickets and was the pick of Brown’s seamers in Lancashire’s first innings.”I’m really proud of our efforts,” said Brown. “To go toe to toe with a really strong Lancashire side, one that you would expect to be up there at the end of the season, was a great start to the season. To judge from that last session of fiery cricket I think we rather surprised Lancashire and it’s just a shame that the weather took a hand on the last two days.”To see the guys have each other’s backs is something I’m very passionate about. I thought it was really hard first-class cricket but Sussex v Lancashire has a fantastic tradition of fiery games and to renew that and see people stand up for each other made it an excellent start to the season.”So what price playing in April now? Sussex travel to Cardiff on Wednesday where they will meet a Glamorgan side buoyed by the cricket they played at Headingley. Lancashire host Northants, who responded to Kent’s tall score at Canterbury with one of their own. And all 18 teams have a chance of winning the County Championship. Heavens above, if things carry on like this, there is a danger we might start enjoying ourselves.

West Ham United’s 2023/24 season got underway last Saturday afternoon with a frustrating defeat to Aston Villa at the London Stadium. It was a disappointing day for Julen Lopetegui and his side, who succumbed to a 2-1 defeat to the Villans, with the new Hammers boss suffering a close defeat in his first game in charge of the East Londoners.

An early goal from Amadou Onana gave the visitors the lead before a composed penalty from Lucas Paqueta equalised for the Hammers. From there, the home side created some good chances, but a late goal from Jhon Duran ensured the visitors left with all three points.

It was certainly a frustrating day at the office for the Hammers, who will now be hoping they can bounce back from such a disappointing defeat next time out. They have their first away trip of the season on Saturday, as they make the short trip across London to face Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace.

With the transfer window still open, there is still plenty of time for the Hammers to bring in some new faces. In particular, they have been linked with a few centre-forwards this summer, and whilst they have acquired one so far, could look to bring in another addition up front.

West Ham’s centre-forward moves so far

The only player the Hammers have signed to strengthen up front is Niclas Fullkrug. The German international scored two goals at Euro 2024 and was a Champions League finalist with Borussia Dortmund last season, but has since swapped Signal Iduna Park for the London Stadium.

He cost the East London outfit a reasonable fee of just £27m, which, given the current climate of the transfer market, seems a fair deal. He donned the famous claret and blue shirt for the first time against Villa on Saturday, coming in as a substitute.

Indeed, the German can bring a plethora of experience to a strike force which also includes Michail Antonio, the Hammers’ all-time top scorer in the Premier League, and the only man with 50 or more goals for West Ham in the competition.

However, they have shown keen interest in other players up front this summer too. The Hammers were heavily linked with Duran, who broke their hearts with his winning goal late in the day on Saturday.

According to a report from The Athletic, the Hammers made a cash plus player offer to sign the exciting youngster this summer. The package was worth £30m with young midfielder Lewis Orford going the other way to Villa Park, but it was a move that eventually fell through.

Given the fact West Ham want to add quality up front, it is unsurprising they wanted to sign the Columbian given he was so clinical last season. As per FBref, he played the equivalent of 5.3 full 90 minutes last season, scoring five goals from just seven shots on target. With 0.71, he averaged the joint second-best goals per shot on target in the Premier League last season.

Stat

Number

90s

5.3

Goals

5

Shots on target

7

Shots on target per 90

1.33

Goals per shots on target

0.71

Expected goals

2xG

Whilst Duran would’ve been an enterprising signing, given he packs a punch in front of goal and is very clinical, the Hammers may well have turned their attention elsewhere. A deal for the Colombian is now looking more unlikely this summer, and West Ham might well have to focus on other targets up front.

West Ham's search for a striker

The player in question here is AS Roma and England international striker Tammy Abraham. The former Chelsea striker struggled with a bad injury last term for the Italian giants and has since been linked with a move away from the Stadio Olimpico.

As reported earlier this week, the Hammers could offer Abraham the chance to return to England and London, with his future in Rome uncertain following the signing of Artem Dovbyk from Girona.

The belief is that, in order to facilitate the move for Abraham, the Hammers may have to sell another striker, with Danny Ings the most likely candidate to leave the club. The Chelsea academy graduate is valued at around £21m ahead of any potential move this summer.

In the season before his injury, 2022/23, Abraham was impressive for I Giallorossi. In Serie A that term, he played 38 games, scoring eight times and grabbing four assists. Indeed, in the following season, when he missed the majority of the campaign with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, he played eight times in Serie A, getting on the scoresheet once.

The Chelsea academy product is certainly a lucrative market option for the Hammers given his prior history in the Premier League. The 26-year-old, who has also played for Villa in the Championship, has played 89 times in the top flight in England, scoring 26 goals and grabbing five assists. That included 15 goals in 34 games for the Blues in 2019/20.

One of the Roma striker’s biggest strengths is his aerial ability. During the 2022/23 campaign, the 26-year-old won a remarkable 3.29 aerial duels per 90 minutes, at a win rate of 51.9% as per FBref. That ranked him in the top 8% and top 13% of Serie A strikers for that particular season.

The Hammers would be bringing in a “superb” striker, as football talent scout Jacek Kulig described Abraham. He is an experienced marksman, who is good in the air and knows how to find the back of the net.

An addition of such quality would also no doubt keep new man Fullkrug on his toes, with Abraham's prior top-flight experience ensuring he could certainly push the German

Whilst it is perhaps frustrating to lose out on Duran this summer, they will still be able to strengthen up front with a deadly Premier League quality striker who would hope to push them up into contention for a European spot.

Antonio upgrade: West Ham favourites to sign exciting "goal machine"

Lopetegui has work to do after losing his first Premier League match in charge…

ByAngus Sinclair Aug 19, 2024

As is becoming increasingly consistent, Harvey Elliott emerged as the creme de la creme, influential and at his playmaking best as Arne Slot's Liverpool side defeated Arsenal in a pre-season friendly over the pond.

Operating in a No. 10 role, Liverpool's Dutch head coach singled the 21-year-old out for post-match praise after assisting both of the goals in an entertaining 2-1 win over the Gunners, who finished second in the Premier League last season.

Liverpool are going to look markedly different under new tactical management, with Jurgen Klopp's heavy-metal brand of football replaced by Slot's "elegant" control-centric game, as Elliott has put it.

It's important not to get carried away by friendlies: Liverpool struggled for results throughout their 2019 pre-season, off the back of a 97-point Premier League and Champions League-winning campaign and preceding an almighty league title triumph in 2019/20.

A host of first-team regulars are still absent but several players grasped their opportunity marvellously, with Elliott joined by defenders Jarell Quansah and the sought-after Sepp van den Berg in impressing.

Another rarely-seen starlet, Fabio Carvalho also left his mark in Philadelphia and might be set for a big season ahead.

Fabio Carvalho's performance vs Arsenal

Carvalho started brightly on Merseyside after joining from Fulham in a deal worth £5m plus add-ons in 2022, notably scoring a dramatic last-gasp winner against Newcastle United in the Premier League in 2022, but he was used less and less frequently by Jurgen Klopp as the campaign dragged on.

Loaned out to RB Leipzig for the 2023/24 season, he found himself shackled to the fringe and was duly recalled in January and cast back out to the Championship with Hull City, where his fortunes changed most dramatically, scoring nine goals and assisting two more over 20 outings, averaging 2.1 key passes per match to boot.

Now, he's been a central part of Slot's pre-season preparations and started on the left flank against Arsenal, doubling the Anfield-based club's advantage after dispatching Elliott's expertly placed dink.

Carvalho will now hope to kick on and continue to impress before Liverpool start their Premier League campaign away to Ipswich Town in just over a fortnight.

Against Arsenal, the Portugal U21 international wasn't at the heart of all of the play, taking only 21 touches, but he completed a dribble, won four duels and threatened consistently, carrying his goalscoring form with the Tigers into Slot's squad.

For his efforts, the Liverpool Echo's Paul Gorst provided the versatile forward with an 8/10 match rating, writing: 'One sumptuous turn ended with him being brought down about 25 yards out. Looked lively with some typically neat close control. Took his goal well. Still needs to nail down a position though, you suspect.'

His fleet-footed style and dynamic offensive qualities could be an invaluable tool for the Redmen this year, adding something different, but Gorst is right, he needs to nail down a position.

But he impressed on the left, and while Liverpool remain interested in Anthony Gordon, Carvalho is striving to prove that he boasts the skills to make a real difference.

Why Carvalho could be set for a big season at Liverpool

Gordon was the subject of FSG interest in June but a prospective deal fell through after Newcastle United found an alternative means to combat their PSR concerns.

Newcastle's 2023/24 Player of the Year, the England international was immense for the Magpies last season, posting 12 goals and 11 assists across all competitions and being hailed for his "unbelievable" performances by teammate Bruno Guimaraes.

He was creative and electric down the wing for Eddie Howe's side, averaging 1.6 key passes and 1.5 dribbles per Premier League match, as per Sofascore.

However, if Liverpool hope to sign the 23-year-old this summer, they might have to fork out some £75m, which would be pretty costly considering Luis Diaz currently plies his trade with constancy on Liverpool's left wing.

Moreover, Carvalho is staking his own claim and given that he ranked among the top 5% of positional peers in the Championship last term for shot-creating actions, the top 3% for passes attempted, the top 4% for progressive passes and the top 10% for tackles per 90, as per FBref, there's no reason why he couldn't incorporate his own successful brand into Slot's system, saving FSG a pretty penny.

Carvalho has demonstrated now that he has what it takes to succeed in this Liverpool side. On top of his goal against north London opposition, he also drew the most fouls (3) and indeed won the most duels (4) – need more be said of his robust and eager nature?

Gordon, unquestionably, would be a top, top signing for a team sharpening its ball-playing ability and thus finding great value in such a pacey and potent winger, but whether Newcastle are willing to play ball after mitigating their financial concerns is another matter entirely.

Carvalho's silky-smooth movements and budding prolificness in the final third could see him become an important player down the line, and if Gordon's signature proves to be out of reach, Slot might just find that he already has a dynamic attacking option ready to complement the existing options and contribute crucially to the rise.

Dream 1st signing: Liverpool want "monster" who can finally replace Fabinho

He is wanted by their rivals this summer too

By
Joe Nuttall

Aug 1, 2024

Appearing on the Pat McAfee Show, the USMNT star also praised Mauricio Pochettino, says he wants to 'get the country behind us'

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Pulisic joins McAfee show as guestDiscusses U.S. hopes for 2026Talks about quality of U.S. players in EuropeGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

Christian Pulisic is having a world-class season at Milan, and the USMNT star is confident the level of play for Americans competing in Europe will continue to elevate – not just for him, but for other U.S. internationals.

"We're closer than we've ever have been," Pulisic said Friday on a guest appearance on ESPN's Pat McAfee Show. "We have so many top players playing in Europe at the highest level. We've never had that before and fans should be excited… We've got to go out and prove we can play with the best and beat the best now."

Though currently injured, Pulisic hopes to return for Milan in early 2025. He's also had a brighter light focused on him as the eponymous star of PULISIC, a new documentary now streaming on Paramount+. That can come with some unexpected moments, as Pulisic had to navigate several hilarious takes from the show's host Pat McAfee, including the former NFL punter calling USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino "Ponch."

AdvertisementWHAT PULISIC SAID

McAfee suggested the U.S. should win the World Cup on home soil, while Pulisic gave a smirk and said, "Love the confidence, we need you guys at those games, hyping people up. Getting everyone excited, getting the country behind us."

Pulisic then touched on his experience with Pochettino, which has included two camps and four matches.

"We've gotten to know him a little bit. Working with the team he obviously has a lot of experience coaching at the highest level in Europe" Pulisic said. "I think its an exciting time and we should definitely look forward to it."

Pulisic also touched on what has driven his success in Italy so far, saying he's "loved every second of it so far."

DID YOU KNOW?

In the conversation with Pulisic, McAfee said he played soccer as a child. One of the panelists on the show, Boston Connor, claimed to have attended high school with U.S. goalkeeper Matt Turner – though Connor couldn't even remember Turner's name.

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WHAT NEXT FOR PULISIC?

Pulisic is still recovering from a calf injury that he is expected to return in early 2025.

Shastri and Kohli believe the upcoming one-off final final won’t change what India have done over the last few years

Sidharth Monga02-Jun-20211:48

Virat Kohli on how he has changed since the 2014 England tour

India believe the World Test Championship should be decided in a best-of-three series, a fitting finale after two years of hard work around the world. The inaugural WTC final is a one-off Test between India and New Zealand, for which India left for England on June 2. Coach Ravi Shastri said he could understand the constraints of a busy calendar, but hoped the final going forward will be a three-Test series.”Ideally, in the long run, if they want to persist with the Test Championship, a best-of-three final will be ideal. As a culmination of two-and-a-half years of cricket around the globe. Going forward, best of three will be ideal, but we have got to finish it as quickly as possible because the FTP will start all over again.”Shastri, however, said this match was the “biggest”. “It’s the first time you have a Test Championship final,” Shastri said. “When you look at that and the magnitude of the game that is going to be played, I think this is the biggest. If not the biggest ever. Because it is the toughest format of the game. It is a format that tests you. It has not happened over three days, or three months. It has happened over two years. Where teams have played each other around the world and earned their stripes to play the final. So it is one heck of an event.”Captain Virat Kohli agreed with his coach. “This holds a lot of value,” he said. “Especially this being the first of its kind. And in the toughest format. All of us take a lot of pride in playing Test cricket and the way we have progressed as a side is an example of what Test cricket means to us. For all of us as a unit, those who have been part of the Test side for many years, this is like the accumulation of all the hard work time of not just the duration of the championship but the last five-six years. Since the time we started coming up the ranks and building up a side. We are very very happy to play the final.”4:53

Kohli: Mental health a huge factor that shouldn’t be neglected

It can then seem unfair on either side to have the championship decided over one Test, but Shastri and Kohli said the final wouldn’t change what their side has done over the last few years.”One off is a one off, and the guys have earned their stripes,” Shastri said. “This is not a team that has blossomed overnight. Five years No. 1. When you start being on top or playing cricket at the highest level or competing against the best, you have the ability to pull yourselves out of tough situations. As you have seen time and time again, there have been many times when this side has pulled itself out of big problems and gone on to win series. So I think the final is a great victory for the boys really.”Kohli said he didn’t look at the final or the England Test series that follows as a destination or a final frontier. “I don’t think that there is any frontier for us,” Kohli said. “If you look at our transition, the transition was smooth for us. Because we are really committed to keeping Indian cricket on top. Being the best team in the world. We have continued to do that. In Test cricket we have finished No. 1 for a few years in a row.”Now you see youngsters coming in so there is another transition going on within the team so I don’t think this is the final frontier and after this we have no idea where to go. This is an ongoing process to keep the standard of Indian cricket high and we have done our duty for the last five-six years with absolute commitment. Now in the transition phase, our responsibility is to instil the same passion and commitment in the next lot of players so we remain on top for more years to come. And that’s how the progress of cricket really happens.Virat Kohli: “I don’t think that there is any frontier for us”•Getty Images”We have worked hard for the finals. There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that we were probably going to be the first team to be featuring in that final because of the way we have played last few years. For us it is just about keeping those standards high. It’s like football. If you win one championship, you don’t stop working hard. You wanna win two and three and four. This is exactly our mindset. If you have made the final once, we absolutely want to win it. Then restructure, plan, move ahead for the next three-four years and again plan to be the top side in the world.”India have been among the best sides in all formats for a while now, but haven’t won an ICC title since 2013. Two of their recent heartbreaks have come in England when they lost the Champions Trophy final in 2017 and the World Cup semi-final in 2019 after looking like the best side in those tournaments. Kohli said his side will not take any pressure from that but look to enjoy the final.”There is no challenge for me,” Kohli said. “From the team’s point of view, we have been through a challenging period. Now is the time to enjoy. We have worked hard for the last five-six years. We don’t think like people on the outside. If we start thinking like that, we will not be able to perform.”

The U.S. international appears to be back in training after an Instagram post shows him back on the training field.

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• Sergino Dest back in PSV training in some capacity
• Defender posted photo of him on gress
• Fullback tore ACL in April 2024

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  U.S. international Sergino Dest appears to be back in PSV training after tearing his ACL last April during a training session with the Dutch club. The right-sided fullback has been sidelined since April, missing Copa America 2024 and the two fall camps under new USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The defender posted a series of photos on social media Wednesday as he works his way back from injury Wednesday morning. Among the selections were pictures of him sporting a PSV training top, him running on the pitch and wearing boots with grass clippings covering the cleats.

  In 2023-24, Dest was well on his way to a career year, making 37 appearances across all competitions while scoring two goals and recording seven assists until his injury. The 24-year-old has 33 caps for the U.S., with two goals, and was firmly entrenched as starter under Greg Berhalter, under the past few years.

  Now, with a new manager in Mauricio Pochettino, Dest will be looking to reclaim his spot but faces competition from Joe Scally.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Dest is a dual national, who ultimately chose the U.S. over the Netherlands – where he was born.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR DEST?

  The American will look to make an official return to the pitch in 2025, with aim to be a part of the 2025 Concacaf Nations League finals with the USMNT. For the Dutch side, he will look to return and bring them his second-straight Eredivisie title.

Kiran Pal Singh had been undergoing treatment at hospitals in New Delhi and Meerut

Nikhil Sharma20-May-2021

Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s father, Kiran Pal Singh, died on Thursday at his Meerut residence. He had been suffering from liver cancer.Kiran Pal Singh, 63, was first detected with the illness in September 2020. It is understood that Bhuvneshwar’s return from the IPL in UAE, where he was representing Sunrisers Hyderabad, was mainly due to his father’s health condition.The family had consulted specialists in UK, before Kiran Pal Singh underwent treatment, including chemotherapy, at the All Institute of Medical Science in New Delhi.His health condition deteriorated two weeks ago, leading to hospitalisation at a private facility in Meerut, his hometown. On Tuesday, Kiran Pal Singh was discharged, but he succumbed two days later.Kiran Pal Singh was a retired sub-inspector in the Uttar Pradesh police department. He is survived by his wife, Indresh Devi, and children – Bhuvneshwar and Rekha.

Next season will be incredibly important for Tottenham Hotspur, as with a year under his belt and a squad he's now familiar with, the pressure will be on Ange Postecoglou to lead the club back into the Champions League.

However, the ease of the Australian's task will be greatly impacted by Daniel Levy and Co's actions in the remaining weeks of the transfer window, as with the right players, the North Londoners could find themselves flying up the Premier League table.

The good news is that the last few days have indicated that the club are intent on upgrading the squad, with Bournemouth's Dominic Solanke set to join.

The Englishman's clinical finishing will bring a cutting edge to Postecoglou's exciting style, and he could have an equally exciting player supplying the 26-year-old with chances, as reports have linked the club with a serious talent from north of the border who could be set to rival James Maddison for role of Chief creator.

Tottenham's pursuit of Solanke

After a relatively quiet summer of transfer activity, bar the signings of Archie Gray and Yang Min-Hyeok, Spurs have burst into life over the last few days to secure the services of Solanke.

The Athletic's David Ornstein confirmed early this morning that the Cherries have agreed to sell the Englishman to the Lilywhites for a "club-record fee," which Fabrizio Romano confirmed this afternoon to be £65m plus add-ons.

It's certainly a lot of money, but considering he scored 21 goals and provided four assists in 42 appearances last season, it could prove to be value for money in the long run, especially if he can finish off the chances that come from Spurs' dynamic style of play under Postecoglou.

However, who exactly is going to provide him with the chances is an interesting question though, as Maddison didn't have a particularly good second half of last season and, according to reports from this week, the club have been offered the chance to sign a midfielder who enjoyed an exceptional 23/24, Matt O'Riley.

How O'Riley compares to Maddison

According to a recent update from Paul O'Keefe, Tottenham have been offered the chance to sign Celtic star O'Riley this summer, who is valued at around £25m.

Unfortunately, O'Keefe doesn't think that the North Londoners are that interested at this point in time, but let's compare the Dane to Maddison to see why they should be.

So the main thing to look at is their output, as it's their ability to create chances for the likes of Solanke and their ability to finish the chances given to them that matters most, and in this metric, it's a big win for the Celtic man.

For example, in 49 appearances for the Hoops last season, the "phenomenal" midfielder, as manager Brendan Rodgers dubbed him, scored 19 goals and, most importantly, provided 18 assists. This means he averaged a goal involvement every 1.32 games, which is seriously impressive regardless of the league.

In contrast, the former Leicester City ace scored four goals and provided nine assists in 30 appearances, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 2.30 games. However, the more concerning part about the Englishman's haul is that in his final 17 league matches, he produced just five goal involvements.

A drop-off in form like this wouldn't be an issue for Solanke next season if Postecoglou could rely on O'Riley to pick up some of the creative slack and provide the talented striker with plenty of opportunities to do what he does best: score. In fact, a midfield with both of them could be the perfect way to overwhelm weaker sides who deploy a stubborn low block.

Ultimately, it might not be a transfer we see happen, but based on his form for Celtic last season, £25m seems like a reasonable gamble for a player who could bring so much creativity to the midfield and get even more out of Solanke next season.

Best CF since Kane: Spurs close in on signing "predatory" goal machine

The impressive goalscorer would be a game-changer for the Lilywhites.

2

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Aug 8, 2024

A mega-money £650,000-per-week contract was offered to an Arsenal star in the summer window by a team from the Saudi Pro League before choosing to remain in the Premier League to play for Mikel Arteta.

Arsenal enjoy excellent summer window with £91m spent

The signings of goalkeeper David Raya on a permanent deal from Brentford, Riccardo Calafiori in a multi-million-pound move from Bologna, midfielder Mikel Merino, goalkeeper Neto and Raheem Sterling rounded off what was a superb window for sporting director Edu Gaspar.

82-cap star holds talks with Arteta about joining Arsenal on deadline day

The Gunners are thinking about making a dramatic late signing.

ByEmilio Galantini Aug 30, 2024

Arsenal spent below £100 million – £91 million, to be exact – on the new recruits who have greatly strengthened Arteta's ranks ahead of a hopeful Premier League title challenge with Man City.

Two of those deals, for Sterling and Neto, came on deadline day – with loan moves to the Emirates Stadium for both men emerging at the eleventh hour. Arsenal perhaps saved their most blockbuster transfer for last in Sterling, who was the final player to complete a move to Arsenal before Friday night's 11pm deadline.

Goals

19

Assists

12

Yellow cards

13

Red cards

0

Minutes played

5,335

The 29-year-old, who hasn't been selected for England since the Three Lions' 2022 World Cup campaign in Qatar, will be looking to force his way back into international contention, and his switch across London could help him do just that after being frozen out by Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca.

"Joining Arsenal is really an unbelievable feeling. I’m buzzing. This is a perfect fit for me," said Sterling on his dramatic late transfer to the Gunners.

"You see the journey the boys are on, and the hunger, and I keep saying again, the togetherness is something I’m looking to be part of.”

Following Sterling's switch, Arteta has revealed that Arsenal are planning to get the former Man City star involved as soon as possible, with crunch clashes away to both Tottenham and City looming post-international break.

“We have to see him, speak to him (about) what he’s been doing and how he’s feeling about it," said Arteta on Sterling's imminent Arsenal debut.

“And try to find quick wins to get him up to speed as quickly as possible and for him to understand what we are looking for from him in the dynamics of the team. We will use that time to do that and get him involved as soon as possible.”

Arteta was rumoured to have personally contacted Sterling over joining Arsenal before the transfer was confirmed, with journalist Darren Lewis of The Mirror now writing that the winger had a very lucrative offer from elsewhere, too.

Sterling rejected £650,000-per-week Saudi offer to join Arsenal

As per the reporter, Sterling rejected a lucrative £650,000-per-week offer from Saudi Arabia in favour of joining Arsenal, further demonstrating the player's desire to make a move to north London.

The financial package would've more than doubled his current £300,000-per-week wage, and due to Saudi laws, every penny of it would have been tax-free – providing he stayed in the country for more than two years.

Such a proposal would be tempting for any footballing star, regardless of level, which is very encouraging for Arsenal supporters – as it indicates Sterling is determined to prove his worth under Arteta and help to fire the Gunners to a first league title in 21 years.

Jofra Archer produced a cautious but increasingly rhythmic day’s work on his return to bowling after his recent injury issues, as Surrey’s reserves resisted his advances on a rain-affected second day of their 2nd XI County Championship clash with Sussex at Hove.By the close, Surrey had eased along to 215 for 3 in reply to Sussex’s 487, with Ryan Patel’s unbeaten 94 providing the backbone of their innings. Patel added 115 for the third wicket with Laurie Evans, who made 46, and a further unbeaten stand of 53 with Nico Reifer (32), and has a chance to press on to his hundred on day three after being dropped at slip in the penultimate over.As for Archer, he returned figures of 0 for 32 in 11 overs, spread across two spells of six and five overs respectively, as he shelved any quest for pyrotechnics and set about road-testing his troublesome right elbow, with the first Test against New Zealand at Lord’s now just under a month away.His introduction came in a 25-minute burst with the new ball before lunch, after Surrey’s spinner Dan Moriarty had picked off Sussex’s last three wickets for the hard-earned figures of 4 for 122 in 38.3 overs.The home side’s mainstay was the 19-year-old Oliver Carter, who was last man out for a fine 160 – the first score of note of his professional career, and one which showcased an unflappable temperament and an excellent straight-lined technique, as he added a further 50 runs to his overnight 110.When his turn finally came, Archer might have picked up a wicket straightaway, as Surrey’s 19-year-old opener Ben Geddes – perhaps a little daunted by the reputation steaming in towards him – flinched his first ball airily off the pads and into a gap on the leg side. But he was more confidently forward for the remainder of an exploratory over, before picking off a brace of boundaries as Archer twice overpitched to ease along to 9 not out at the break.Jofra Archer continued his comeback from injury•Getty Images

It was left to Will Sheffield, Sussex’s young left-arm seamer, to upstage his senior partner in the wickets column, although he won’t be encouraging too many of his friends and family to seek out his efforts on the ECB live stream. His first ball after lunch was a pie to end all pies – a hip-high full toss, swinging invitingly down the leg side, but Geddes – with his guard down – could only look on in horror as he clipped the offering straight into the pocket of square leg.Sheffield’s second was an improvement but hardly a jaffa – an inviting outswinging half-volley that Will Jacks cuffed on the up to short cover. At which point Archer, commandeering a plumb position at first slip in his “Sharks” woolly hat, must have assumed it was not to be his day.Sure enough, Archer’s fortunes in his eighth over – the second of his new spell, after a 90-minute rain delay – rather summed things up. His first delivery, short and sitting up outside off, was clattered through mid-on by Patel to bring up the fifty stand. Two balls later, with Patel on 42, third slip couldn’t cling on to his right as Archer jammed the splice with one of his sharpest deliveries of the day.And before the over was out, he’d given away five penalty runs too, as the keeper allowed himself to be nutmegged by a length ball outside off, which then rolled into short leg’s helmet, perched behind him.And that was broadly the end of that as far as Archer’s day was concerned. Joe Pocklington entered the attack with his left-arm spin, as did Luke Benkenstein – son of Durham’s Championship-winning captain Dale – whom Reifer launched over deep midwicket shortly before Patel’s late let-off. There will be stiffer tests ahead for Archer, but at least he’s back on the park.