Maharaja T20 moved from Bengaluru to Mysuru

Scrutiny remains on the M Chinnaswamy stadium which is due to host Women’s World Cup games in September-October

Shashank Kishore07-Aug-2025

The fourth season of the Maharaja T20 trophy begins on August 11•Maharaja T20

The Maharaja T20 has been moved to Mysuru, after the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) failed to obtain clearance from the Bengaluru police to stage their franchise-based T20 competition at the M Chinnaswamy stadium from August 11 to 27.All the franchise owners were notified of the change earlier this week, leaving them with just a few days to finalise logistics. Most teams, barring Mysuru Warriors, have been training at different venues across Bengaluru over the past week.The failure to obtain permission to host games at the Chinnaswamy could potentially be a big blow to the KSCA, given the stadium is slated to host five matches of the Women’s World Cup – including the tournament opener and one semi-final – starting September 30. However, ESPNcricinfo understands the ICC isn’t overly worried just yet about the possibility of moving the games out of Bengaluru.The KSCA has been in the eye of a storm ever since 11 people died and over 50 others were injured around the premises of the Chinnaswamy stadium, during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL victory celebrations on June 4. The stampede also forced two KSCA office bearers to resign, citing moral responsibility.A stampede ensued at Chinnaswamy stadium during RCB’s victory celebrations•AFP/Getty Images

Late last month, a committee tasked by the state government to investigate the stampede deemed the Chinnaswamy “unsafe” for large-scale events. The commission “strongly recommended” that large-scale events be relocated to venues that are “better suited” to handle significant crowds.Initially, the Maharaja T20s were supposed to be held behind closed doors in Bengaluru. But once the committee’s ruling came in, getting permission to play at the Chinnaswamy – with or without a crowd – became untenable. The KSCA’s focus now is on making sure things go smoothly in in Mysuru. They have been putting up makeshift stands, preparing pitches, squares, as well as temporary broadcast facilities at the Wadeyar Stadium.The Maharaja T20 is set to feature a number of high-profile Karnataka stars, including Karun Nair and Prasidh Krishna, who will feature for Mysuru Warriors following their return from India’s Test series in England.Nair is understood to have injured his finger while batting in the second innings of the fifth Test which ended three days ago, and could sit out the first few matches. Prasidh, who picked up eight wickets in India’s series-levelling win at The Oval, has been prescribed rest. The pacer is expected to join the squad mid-tournament.Some of the other big players in the mix include Manish Pandey, Mayank Agarwal, and Devdutt Padikkal, as well as the younger crop, led by R Smaran, Vijaykumar Vyshak, KV Aneesh and Nikin Jose.Elsewhere, the Maharani T20, KSCA’s women’s competition which began on August 4, will continue to be played in Alur, on the outskirts of Bengaluru.

Nuwanidu century secures draw for Sri Lanka A

Australia A could only manage two wickets on the final day as batters dominated

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff16-Jul-2025

Nuwanidu Fernando impressed on the final day in Darwin (file photo)•AFP/Getty Images

Sri Lanka A 272 (Dinusha 105*) and 280 for 3 (Nuwanidu 104*, Rathnayake 56*, Sooriyabandara 56) drew with Australia A 486 (McSweeney 94, Scott 94, Philippe 85, Perry 61, Weatherald 54, Dinusha 4-97)Australia A and Sri Lanka A ground out a tame draw at Marrara Stadium in Darwin as Nuwanidu Fernando hit an unbeaten century.In reply to Australia A’s 486 after making 272 in their first innings, the Sri Lankans dug in to finish on 280 for 3 when the match was called on Wednesday afternoon.Related

McSweeney anchors Australia A as he bids for second chance

Scott and Philippe leave Australia A scenting victory

Fernando made a superb unbeaten 104, including seven fours and three sixes, ably supported by Pasindu Sooriyabandara and Pavan Rathnayake.The Australia A bowlers were unable to make major in-roads after securing the wickets of openers Lahiru Udara and Kamil Mishara.Fernando and Sooriyabandara starred in a 113-run partnership for the third wicket, before the latter was caught by Nathan McSweeney off the bowling of Liam Scott.It gave the home side a glimmer of hope, but Rathnayake had other ideas, digging in with the centurion to end any chance of an Australian victory.Sonal Dinusha had an impressive match for Sri Lanka, scoring an unbeaten century in the first innings then taking four wickets.The second four-day match begins on July 20. It is expected that Australia A will include legspinner Tanveer Sangha who was called into the squad as a replacement for the injured Jack Nisbet.

Leeds have signed an "explosive" star who looks like the new Summerville

Daniel Farke must wonder how he never won promotion with the Leeds United team he inherited heading into the 2023/24 season as the West Yorkshire outfit’s new manager.

Thankfully, the EFL promotion expert did guide Leeds back up to the Premier League at the second time of asking, with a Championship title even being secured along the way, but his previous side disastrously slipped up in the playoff final, even with the likes of both Georginio Rutter and Archie Gray starring week in week out.

Crysencio Summerville, despite his unbelievable display, was another unfortunate member of that team, leaving for West Ham United after the season’s conclusion.

The attacker is still held in high esteem at Elland Road, despite his celebrated stay at the club ultimately ending in disappointment.

What made Summerville so magic

Summerville eventually got a chance to shine again in the top-flight with the Hammers, having initially burst onto the scene as a promising talent in the tough division when Leeds routinely battled against the drop.

An encouraging four goals and three assists came the tricky winger’s way across 28 Premier League outings during the 2022/23 season, with the Rotterdam-born attacker certainly sticking out as a bright spark in an otherwise depressing period for the Whites, as relegation was confirmed.

He was only getting started when looking back, however, with the former Whites number 10 striking fear into Championship defences all season long during the following campaign.

Summerville had the goals and assists to back up his immense footwork and trickery on the left channel, with 20 goals and 19 assists in regular action crowning him as the second tier’s Player of the Season.

Journalist Jake Winderman would even go all out to declare the 5-foot-9 ace as “world-class” for those sublime heroics, while Farke himself stated that the “sky is the limit” for what his star asset could go on to achieve.

Summerville has since shown flashes of his excellence with West Ham, despite injury issues threatening to stop him in his tracks.

After an injury-disrupted 2024/25 season saw just 19 Premier League appearances fall into his lap, the 23-year-old is now up to a quickfire two assists for this campaign, from just five clashes.

While the former fan favourite at Leeds underwent a testing first term away from West Yorkshire, Farke was scrambling for his new Summerville-like star to latch onto, with Manor Solomon stepping into the role effortlessly as another unpredictable talent on the left wing.

Now out on loan with Villarreal, away from parent side Tottenham Hotspur, Solomon was once viewed as a fitting replacement for the immense magic served up by Summerville and Rutter, with a devastating ten goals and 13 assists notched up last campaign by the diminutive 26-year-old helping Leeds to achieve a promotion feat not even their revered Dutchman could clinch.

Solomon would even score Leeds’ title-clinching goal when bursting forward with his usual Elland Road exuberance versus Plymouth Argyle on the final day, with the former Shakhtar Donetsk attacker also receiving similar glowing praise to that of Summerville, lauded as “unplayable” by former Whites boss Neil Redfearn.

The hope was surely to tie down the entertaining forward to a long-term deal past his loan stint, but nothing would come to fruition despite speculative talk suggesting Solomon was up for a reunion, as Leeds looked at other top-flight-ready recruits instead.

So, with Solomon now gone, who has become Leeds’ new Summerville?

Leeds' new Summerville-type figure at Elland Road

Leeds could well have been hesitant to dive in and secure Solomon permanently based on his sketchy track record in the Premier League.

The new Villarreal man is, unfortunately, more known for being ravaged with injuries at that level than being a rip-roaring success, with just four goals and two assists picked up, missing 61 games through injury for both Spurs and Fulham.

Staggeringly, he has already been absent from five games this season through more injury-related difficulties, as Leeds sense they have dodged a bullet somewhat.

In stark contrast, new signing Noah Okafor has been there and done that in some challenging top-flight environments, with a 25-goal haul for RB Salzburg in the Austrian Bundesliga even seeing scout Jacek Kulig refer to the Swiss international as “prolific” force.

On top of that, he was also previously on the roster of AC Milan for 57 matches, culminating in seven goals being put away with confidence.

Therefore, the powers that be at Leeds would have felt assured that dropping £18m on his services this summer was money well spent, and they have already been vindicated, with two strikes picked up in the Premier League by the direct number 19.

While his calmness in front of goal stands him in good stead to be a Summerville-type figure for Farke’s men moving forward, it’s his ardent manner to always bomb forward and try and create an opening out of nothing that also makes the similarity stick, with Summerville finding that he was constantly fouled in the Championship for also being a brash attacking presence.

Touches

40

27

34

Unsuccessful touches

4

2

6

Goals

1

0

1

Key passes

0

1

2

Successful dribbles

6/14

3/4

1/2

Okafor has come into his own in this regard across Leeds’ last three matches in the league, with the pacey 25-year-old managing an absurd six successful dribbles against Wolverhampton Wanderers, despite only accumulating 40 touches.

Yet, much like in Summerville’s case, it isn’t showboating for showboating’s sake, with two goals picked up across his last three Premier League outings making him a firm starting figure for Farke, which is only reinforced by him amassing three key passes in his attempts to assist teammates around him.

Dubbed as an “explosive” presence by scout Antonio Mango when first securing a move to England, it now appears as if Okafor was the Summerville-like ace Leeds had been crying out for all along.

After all, even an opposition defender for Coventry City in Milan van Ewijk had to hold his hands up at Summerville being an “exceptionally good” dribbler when the Sky Blues clashed with Farke’s men in the second tier.

Okafor will hope, in time, that he’s also remembered as a feared force for defenders to wrestle with, with the early signs of his Leeds career pointing in the direction that he will be a fan favourite for many years to come, particularly if he can be one driving factor behind the Whites becoming top-flight regulars again.

Radrizzani reveals Leeds could've replaced Marsch with two "world-class" managers

The former Leeds owner has revealed that he has a number of regrets about his time at Elland Road.

ByDominic Lund Oct 14, 2025

Cristiano Ronaldo Jr makes Portugal U16s debut as Al-Nassr star's mother shares encouraging message to grandson

Cristiano Ronaldo’s mother, Dolores Aveiro, took to social media to congratulate her grandson on receiving his first call-up to the Portugal Under-16 national team. Portugal faced Turkey on Thursday in their opening game of the Federations Cup, and Ronaldo Jr came off the bench to make his debut for the Selecao U-16 side.

Ronaldo Jr gets big call up to Portugal youth team

Ronaldo Jr, affectionately known as Cristianinho in Portugal, was called up to the U16s squad for the first time ahead of the Federations Cup, which started in Turkey on Thursday and runs until November 4. Ronaldo Jr, aiming to follow in his father’s footsteps having already been part of the youth setups at Juventus, Manchester United and Al-Nassr, came off the bench in the dying stages of the tournament opener as Portugal ran out 2-0 winners.

“He’s very competitive, like me when I was young, and he doesn’t like to lose,” Cristiano Ronaldo Sr said about his son.

However, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner has also been careful not to place too much pressure on his eldest child, stressing the importance of letting him grow and learn on his own. “I don’t make big pressure; I make a little. He already has pressure being the son of Cristiano. Let him make his own mistakes, but I hope that in the future he can become a professional player.”

AdvertisementGood wishes from grandma

Ahead of the game, Aveiro posted a photo of her grandson Ronaldo Jr with the caption: “Go PORTUGAL under-16s”.

AFPJunior looking to follow in iconic father's footsteps

Ronaldo made his debut for Portugal’s Under-15 team in 2001 at just 15 years old. After progressing through the youth ranks, his rapid rise at United in the Premier League earned him a senior call-up from then Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari. Ronaldo impressed in the European Championship qualifiers and friendlies, eventually earning a place in Portugal’s Euro 2004 squad, where the team reached the final before suffering a 1-0 defeat to Greece.

Ronaldo has gone on to become Portugal’s all-time top scorer, netting 143 goals in 225 appearances. His crowning moment came in 2016 when he captained Portugal to their first major international trophy, winning Euro 2016 after defeating France 1-0 in the final. He later added another title in 2019, leading Portugal to victory in the inaugural UEFA Nations League, where he also finished as the tournament’s top scorer. Despite Portugal’s exit in Euro 2020, Ronaldo again demonstrated his consistency by winning the tournament’s Golden Boot.

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Ronaldo Sr will hope that Ronaldo Jr can handle the pressure and expectations as he prepares to build on his debut for the national youth team. The match could mark an important step towards fulfilling both his and his father’s shared dream of seeing Ronaldo Jr become a professional footballer.

Chelsea willing to pay nearly £87m to sign "unbelievable" attacker in 2026

Chelsea are now willing to pay nearly £87m to ensure they win the race for an “unbelievable” attacker in 2026, having identified him as a major target.

Blues willing to spend big on "unbelievable" attacker

With Cole Palmer recently spending time on the sidelines due to a groin injury, Joao Pedro has moved into a slightly deeper role, playing in-behind striker Liam Delap, but the Englishman has also now been ruled out for an extended period.

Enzo Maresca has confirmed Delap is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines, saying: “Hopefully it’s not long, but this kind of case can be six, eight weeks.”

Subsequently, the Blues have now bolstered their attacking options even further by bringing in Facundo Buonanotte on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion until the end of the season.

However, given the nature of the deal, which does not include an option or obligation to buy, Buonanotte is unlikely to be a long-term solution in attacking midfield, and the west Londoners are now prepared to spend big to win the race for a Premier League star.

That is according to a report from Spain, which states Chelsea are now willing to pay almost €100m (£87m) for Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers, with a new approach for the attacking midfielder being planned for 2026.

Rogers was identified as a target during the summer transfer window, but they were unable to prise him away from Villa, who have set an asking price of £100m to deter potential suitors, with Tottenham Hotspur also thought to be keen.

Boehly ditched Chelsea's own Alexander Isak in "unbelievable" talent

The talented international could have an excellent season away from Chelsea.

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Sep 6, 2025

Several elite clubs are in the race for the 23-year-old, with the west Londoners identifying him as a major target off the back of an impressive 2024-25 campaign, but the Villans are hoping to retain their prized asset, suggesting negotiations could be tricky.

"Unbelievable" Rogers would provide Maresca with great depth

Buonanotte could be considered a strange signing, given that the 20-year-old has only joined on loan, but it may actually be a savvy move, given that there are few players in the world capable of displacing Palmer in the starting XI.

Consequently, it makes sense to have a younger back-up option, who may be more content with receiving limited game time, but that is unlikely to be the case for Rogers, who has established himself as a Premier League star at Villa.

Indeed, the attacking midfielder has received plenty of plaudits for his performances in a Villa shirt, with agent Hesham Bilal-Hafiz singling him out for particular praise.

Given that the England international is capable of playing on both wings, scoring 21 goals in 85 appearances on the left, he could also push for a starting spot out wide, meaning he would provide Maresca with great depth in attack.

More prolific than Strand Larsen: Wolves in talks to sign £25m "top striker"

Wolverhampton Wanderers haven’t enjoyed the best of starts to the new Premier League campaign, having been thrashed by Manchester City before losing at Bournemouth by a one-goal margin, under the cosh for much of the contest.

Panic stations? Hardly. Wolves showed their quality and spirit when overcoming West Ham United in the midweek Carabao Cup clash, and have the chance to get their league season up and running when welcoming Everton to Molineux on Saturday.

Wolves players engage in a minute's applause.

One of the potential sticking points in mounting fluency and consistency over the coming months is the thought of losing goalscoring talisman Jørgen Strand Larsen, who is the subject of a flurry of bids from Newcastle United as the window winds down.

Strand Larsen's Wolves future

Wolves chairman Jeff Shi is adamant that Strand Larsen is going nowhere this summer, but the centre-forward has politely requested to join Newcastle United, who have seen three quick-succession bids – the latest of which worth £60m – rejected for the 25-year-old.

Having seen his loan spell made permanent this summer, you can understand the hierarchy’s stance, but every eventuality must be accounted for.

Wolves need to sign another striker, not least because Vitor Pereira lost Matheus Cunha to Manchester United a few months ago.

Well, according to Fabrizio Romano, Wolves have opened talks with Belgian club Genk for striker Tolu Arokodare, insinuating that pace is gathering on the Strand Larsen front, even if the Old Gold are maintaining their stance that the Norwegian is not for sale.

Genk striker Tolu Arokodare

Valued at £25m, Fulham have also registered their interest in the Nigerian number nine this summer, but Wolves appear to hold the lead in the race at his late stage.

What Tolu Arokodare would bring to Wolves

Strand Larsen has played an important part for Wolves since joining from Celta Vigo last summer, scoring 14 goals as Pereira’s side staved off the threat of relegation that served as a backdrop to the campaign.

If he does end up leaving for St. James’ Park, Wolves would need an adequate replacement, and Arokodare has the skills to thrive in his stead, having scored 17 goals in 2024/25 to stand proud as the Juliper Pro League top scorer.

Genk manager Thorsten Fink was full of praise when discussing his marksman, hailing him as a “top striker” and drawing attention to his pace, power, height and two-footedness.

In that regard, the 24-year-old would appear a natural successor to Wolves’ current frontman, whose mobility and presence on the ball have allowed him to dovetail into Premier League life.

Hitherto a loanee in Germany and France, Arokodare has settled in Belgium, going from strength to strength. Across his 113 matches with Genk, who have won two of the past three league titles, the towering ace has scored 41 goals and has supplied 12 assists.

For sure, there’s more still to come. He’s not the most clinical, missing a slew of big chances across the recent season, but his thirst for success in the final third lends itself to a constant stream of goals.

With such a robust and focused style, he could easily replace Strand Larsen at Molineux, should push come to shove, having proven himself to be even more prolific than Wolves’ current marksman, across the last 365 days.

Goals

0.45

0.62

Assists

0.14

0.22

Shots taken

1.96

4.98

Touches (att pen)

3.78

8.73

Shot-creating actions

1.43

3.40

Pass completion

65.1%

74.9%

Progressive passes

1.01

1.32

Progressive carries

0.56

1.15

Successful take-ons

0.24

0.88

Aerial duels

2.41

4.41

Arokodare’s prowess as Genk’s striker comes with the caveat that he has, of course, been plying his trade at a different level than the Premier League, whereas Strand Larsen has leapt right into the ostensibly toughest division out there.

But still. There’s no denying that the rising goalscorer shares some interesting properties with Strand Larsen, and that Wolves could strike gold by sealing his signature in the coming days and turning a hefty profit on their current number nine.

Their new Dawson: Wolves in talks to sign "dominant" £30m star

Wolves could sign a Premier League defender.

ByWill Miller Aug 25, 2025

Chelsea "just waiting" to sign £80m England star amid Joe Shields connection

Chelsea are already planning to move for a marquee player in 2026 as one of their prime targets, and he has a special connection with the club’s director of professional football and scouting, Joe Shields.

Enzo Maresca’s side enjoyed a productive transfer window, even making a £3 million profit despite spending £285 million on new signings.

Joao Pedro

Noni Madueke

Jamie Gittens

João Félix

Jorrel Hato

Djordje Petrovic

Liam Delap

Lesley Ugochukwu

Dario Essugo

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall

Mamadou Sarr

Renato Veiga

Estevao

Armando Broja

Kendry Paez

Carney Chukwuemeka

Alejandro Garnacho

Mathis Amougou

Basir Humphreys

Kepa Arrizabalaga

Marcus Bettinelli

Christopher Nkunku

Nicolas Jackson (obligation to buy)

Alfie Gilchrist

Lucas Bergstrom

Ben Chilwell

Chelsea’s seismic £288 million income just from player sales has seriously contributed towards navigating the Premier League’s PSR loss threshold, which stipulates that clubs are permitted a loss of £105 million over a rolling three-year period.

With the transfer windows in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Portugal and Mexico still open, according to FIFA, there is also still time for Chelsea to offload the likes of Raheem Sterling, who’s on a reported £325,000-per-week, and defender Axel Disasi.

Saudi side Neom SC are said to have made a £17 million bid for Disasi, but it is unclear whether Chelsea will accept this low-ball proposal or if the Frenchman himself would reconsider leaving Europe.

Offloading the likes of Disasi and Sterling may well be crucial to partly fund what would be a marquee 2026 move for Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers.

The England international, who is valued at around £80 million right now by Unai Emery’s side, was Villa’s standout star of 2024/2025 with 14 goals and 16 assists — including contributions in big games against the likes of PSG, Tottenham and Man City.

A deal for the 23-year-old will be extremely difficult, and despite some contact from Spurs before the deadline on Monday, Villa were in absolutely no rush to sell their prized asset during the last window.

Chelsea "just waiting" to sign Morgan Rogers amid Joe Shields connection

According to TBR Football and journalist Graeme Bailey, Chelsea have their eyes on Rogers ahead of a potential move next year, and they have a secret weapon in the form of Shields.

The former Middlesbrough sensation is likely to be one of the next biggest Premier League names to leave their clubs in 2026, especially considering Villa’s well documented issues when it comes to navigating PSR.

If Chelsea is his next port of call, there is no denying Rogers would be a stellar signing.

مصطفى محمد: التأهل لكأس العالم خطوة أولى.. ونريد أن يزداد طموح الجمهور

علق مصطفى محمد لاعب منتخب مصر الأول، على تأهل الفراعنة إلى نهائيات كأس العالم 2026، بعد الفوز على حساب جيبوتي في المباراة التي جمعت بينهما اليوم.

وحقق منتخب مصر الفوز على جيبوتي، بثلاثة أهداف دون رد، في المباراة التي أقيمت بالجولة التاسعة من عمر تصفيات كأس العالم.

وبهذا الفوز، حسم منتخب مصر، التأهل بشكل رسمي إلى نهائيات كأس العالم، المقرر إقامته العام المقبل في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية وكندا والمكسيك.

طالع | نانت يحتفل بـ مصطفى محمد بعد تأهل منتخب مصر لنهائيات كأس العالم

وقال مصطفى محمد في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة “أون سبورت”: “الحمد لله فضل ونعمة مع اللاعبين الرجال، نستحق أن نصل لكأس العالم، إن شاء الله بعد ذلك يكون هذا الطبيعي للمنتخب”.

وأكمل: “نحن طموحنا الآن ليس التأهل لكأس العالم ولكن تقديم شيء مستحق هناك، ونحن لدينا طموح بالوصول لأبعد مرحلة في كأس العالم ونتوج بكأس أمم إفريقيا”.

وواصل: “شرف لأي لاعب أن يرتدي قميص منتخب مصر، وأنا أعطي 100% من مجهودي، نريد الطموح يكبر معانا من الشعب المصري، الفرحة الأكبر أن نصل لمرحلة بعيدة في كأس العالم”.

وأتم: “في كأس الأمم سنبذل قصارى جهدنا، والطبيعي أن نصل لأبعد مرحلة ونحارب حتى النهاية، وأقول لجماهير الكرة المصرية كلنا نتمنى أن نفرحكم دايمًا، ويلا نشجع مصر في كأس العالم”.

Richard Gould: Hundred equity sale can future-proof county cricket for '20-25 years'

ECB chief executive confident that process can be game-changing if money is spent well

Vithushan Ehantharajah13-Dec-2024ECB chief executive Richard Gould is confident the Hundred will generate enough money to future-proof the County game for the next “20 to 25 years” after multiple bids were tabled for each of the eight teams earlier this week, in the second round of the equity sales process.Having received over 100 bids from 35 parties in the first round, a broad spectrum of interested buyers remains. They are understood to include eight of the 10 IPL team owners and co-owners, plus US-based sports investors and private equity.Gould confirmed most investors have put in multiple bids. Once it is determined which investors best match the interest of one of the eight host teams, the third and final stage will see clubs and counties decide upon their two preferred partners for a joint venture.The ECB remain increasingly optimistic that they will better their initially stated aim of raising a minimum of £350 million, not least with competition between investors already evident.In September, Vikram Banerjee, tasked with selling off stakes in the Hundred as ECB director of business operations, stated that the final process could be delayed if the right bids and suitors are not found for all teams. Three months and two stages on, Gould says it is “more likely” the 49 percent stakes on offer for each of the eight teams will be sold first time. Host counties can then decide how much of their gifted 51 percent they wish to part with.Related

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Most of the money raised from those 49 percent stakes is set to be split among the 18 counties and MCC, with 10 percent portioned off for the recreational game. This means that county game is in line for a massive windfall, But Gould insists it will need to be spent wisely.”My hope is that this will recapitalise the county game for the next 20-25 years, if that money is used really well,” he said in Hamilton, on the eve of the third Test between England and New Zealand.”We’re not counting our chickens yet, but the aim of this is to raise significant investment that is going to go into the game. One of the things that has been attracting the investors is the money they’d be putting in is going to develop the game. A very significant chunk is going into the recreational game, even more is going into the professional game and that is split between the hosts and non-hosts.”The professional counties have been very keen to explain to us that they want guard rails in place. Those are likely to focus on the level of debt a club has, the level of reserves a club should have and also when they are making investments, making sure those are investments for the good of the game – providing financial return or in things like the player pathway.”

49ers lining up Leeds swoop for £17m star who's as exciting as Paixao

Leeds United supporters were hit with a devastating blow on Monday evening when Fabrizio Romano gave Marseille the ‘here we go’ treatment for Igor Paixao.

It had been reported earlier in the day that the Whites were expected to agree a deal in the region of £28m to sign the Brazilian forward from Feyenoord ahead of the French side.

However, as you can see in the post above, Marseille now have a deal ‘in place’ to sign the 25-year-old star, who they have reached an agreement with over a five-year contract.

Romano claims that Paixao ‘wanted’ to sign for the French side despite Leeds United’s attempts to swoop in and convince him to make the move to England.

Given that Lukas Nmecha as a free transfer is the only attacking signing the Whites have made so far this summer, missing out on the winger has come as a big blow for the club.

However, it will be interesting to see how the Feyenoord star handles a move to a top five league in Europe, as Leeds have been burned by Eredivisie stars in the past.

Why Leeds may have dodged a bullet with Igor Paixao

It is, firstly, worth saying that Paixao would have been a very exciting signing for the club, because he enjoyed a phenomenal 2024/25 campaign in the Netherlands.

The 25-year-old star delivered 18 goals and 14 assists in all competitions from the left wing position, which shows that he has the potential to provide a huge threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

However, Leeds once splashed out a fee of £21m to sign left winger Luis Sinisterra from Feyenoord in an eerily similar move in 2022, after his impressive year in the Eredivisie.

Appearances

30

34

Goals

12

16

Big chances missed

8

11

Big chances created

9

12

Assists

7

10

Dribbles completed per game

3.6

1.7

Duels won per game

8.1

5.2

As you can see in the table above, Sinisterra and Paixao both delivered plenty of goals and assists in their respective seasons in the Dutch top-flight for Feyenoord.

The former Leeds man, though, has only managed eight goals and three assists in 51 Premier League appearances in his career to date, which shows how hard it can be to translate that form from the Netherlands over to England.

luis-sinisterra-leeds-united-jaidon-anthony-bournemouth-transfer-farke

With this in mind, the club’s latest reported target to bolster their attack may be just as exciting as the fallen through deal for Paixao would have been.

Leeds in the race to sign English star

According to Calcio Mercato, Leeds United are one of a number of teams lining up a potential swoop to sign Jonathan Rowe from Marseille this summer.

The report claims that the Whites, Bournemouth, and Roma are all interested in signing the England U21 international, whilst Atalanta may also join the race if they miss out on Ademola Lookman.

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In a funny turn of events, Calcio Mercato explains that the former Norwich City attacker may be available for clubs to snap up this summer because of the pending arrival of Paixao, who would take his place in the squad on the left flank.

The report adds that Leeds are not the only team turning to Rowe as an alternative to the Feyenoord star, as Roma are also looking at him after also missing out on Paixao.

It also reveals that it will take a fee in the region of £17m in order to secure a deal for the English winger, which means that he would be significantly cheaper than the Eredivisie sensation, but he could be just as exciting.

Why Leeds should sign Jonathan Rowe

The Whites should push to win the race to sign Rowe before the summer transfer window slams shut at the start of September because he could be just as exciting as Paixao.

First and foremost, the former Canaries star is three years younger than Paixao and still has plenty of time left before he enters the prime years of his career, which the Brazilian winger is already in.

When the Feyenoord ace was 22, he managed four goals and four assists in 18 games in the Brazilian top-flight and had not played a minute of football in Europe. Rowe, meanwhile, has played 13 Premier League matches and 28 in Ligue 1 in his career already.

The Englishman scored three goals, created eight ‘big chances’, and assisted three goals in 28 games in Ligue 1, but the young forward only started six of those appearances under Roberto De Zerbi.

xG

0.40

Top 14%

xG on target

0.48

Top 13%

Goals

0.34

Top 25%

xA

0.25

Top 16%

Assists

0.34

Top 14%

Chances created

2.04

Top 22%

As you can see in the table above, the £17m-rated star’s underlying statistics, per 90, was very impressive in comparison to his positional peers in the division, which suggests that he could have delivered far more goals and assists if he had been given more game time.

This is why the forward, who scored 13 goals for Norwich in the 2023/24 campaign, could be a very exciting signing for Leeds because he appears to have the potential to explode at the top end of the pitch if given regular starts, which Daniel Farke could offer him at Elland Road.

Whilst he may not have had a season as prolific as the one that Paixao just had, the England U21 international could be a signing that is just as exciting for the Whites because he has shown a lot of promise in a major league and has experience in England, and in the Premier League.

As well as potentially providing quality in the final third as both a scorer and a creator of goals, the 22-year-old is also a versatile forward who can play on either flank or through the middle, scoring the winner as a centre-forward for England at the U21 Euros this summer.

Rowe was once compared to Paris Saint-Germain superstar Ousmane Dembele as talent scout Jacek Kulig called him a “young Dembele” because the winger was “one of the most perfectly two-footed players” he had seen, which is why he is so adept at playing on either flank.

It is now down to Leeds to ensure that they do not lose another race for an exciting left wing target, because the Marseille whiz appears to have all the tools to be a fantastic signing for Farke.

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1 ByDan Emery Jul 29, 2025