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The 47-run defeat to San Francisco Unicorns leaves MI New York at No. 4 on the six-team MLC 2025 table with one win from five games

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Jun-2025San Francisco Unicorns’ batting firepower helped them extend their lead at the top of the MLC 2025 table with a 47-run thumping of MI New York on Monday.It was their fourth 200-plus score in five games – they had chased down 183 in the other match – and kept them unbeaten in the tournament. Matthew Short continued his rich run of form and so did his countrymate Jake Fraser-McGurk, as they amassed 246 for 4. MINY started well in reply but ran out of steam as the asking rate shot up after the halfway mark once Michael Bracewell and Quinton de Kock fell off consecutive deliveries.Put in to bat, Unicorns powered to 63 for 0 in the powerplay even though Tim Seifert couldn’t quite get off the blocks quickly. He soon fell for 26 off 22 but Short, opening in place of Finn Allen, who was out with an illness, continued to pepper the boundaries, his nonchalant straight sixes one of the highlights of his 22-ball fifty.Fraser-McGurk unleashed his usual across-the-line swipes and pulls to smoke three sixes in the tenth over – which went for 26 runs – to cross the 100-mark for Unicorns. Their fifty stand came off just 23 balls before Short went after Trent Boult for 19 runs in the 13th over.Kieron Pollard – playing his 700th T20 game – had Short hole out for 91 off 43, and Fraser-McGurk pummelled three more sixes before he, too, fell to Pollard, who brought out animated celebrations for striking again.Kieron Pollard, playing his 700th T20 game, was impressive with ball and bat•Sportzpics for MLCBut the wickets hardly mattered to Unicorns; Sanjay Krishnamurthi and Hassan Khan helped them collect 64 runs in the last five overs with unbeaten knocks of 27 off 16 and 31 off nine respectively.De Kock and Monank Patel did the heavy lifting for MINY at the top with a sets of consecutive fours early on, although they couldn’t replicate Unicorns’ six-hitting – their first came at the end of the fifth over.They still hammered 77 in the powerplay and raced past 100 in the ninth for MINY’s highest opening stand. Liam Plunkett, however, ended Monank’s knock when he dug a slower ball into the pitch which the batter ended up miscuing on the off side, for 60 off 33.Nicholas Pooran, going through a wretched run of form, continued to struggle for runs. He faced 17 deliveries without hitting a single boundary and failed to score at even a-run-a-ball, as his partnership of 40 off 34 with de Kock saw the asking rate shoot up from nearly 12.50 an over to 17.60 by the time Pooran was caught behind off Haris Rauf. He now has 66 runs from as many balls in five innings this MLC, with just two sixes to his name, not long after he was the top six-hitter in the recent IPL with 40 maximums.MINY now needed 88 from 29 balls, and out came Pollard. But the twin wickets of de Kock and Bracewell off Romario Shepherd at the start of the 17th over dented their chances heavily. Shepherd missed his hat-trick but the Unicorns attack continued to strike even though Pollard showed glimpses of his power-hitting with two sixes and two fours in the 19th over off Rauf.

Paris Saint-Germain are now receiving good news on the injury front ahead of their Ligue 1 clash with Strasbourg. Ousmane Dembele has resumed team training following his hamstring injury, while Desire Doue has recovered from his calf issue. Key players returning could ease PSG’s early-season injury crisis and boost Luis Enrique’s squad as they aim to maintain their top-four Ligue 1 position.

• Injury returns brighten PSG prospects

  The Ligue 1 champions have been battling an injury crisis that has disrupted their early 2025-26 campaign, but hope is returning. Ballon d'Or winner and French superstar Dembele, sidelined since early September due to a severe right hamstring injury, has resumed collective training after rehabilitation in Aspetar, Qatar. According to , the French winger could be back in the squad as early as Friday for the Ligue 1 home clash against Strasbourg. Meanwhile, Doue has also returned from a calf injury, while Fabian Ruiz remains protected after a minor muscle strain. 

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  Patience still needed for key figures

  While Dembele and Doue are close to full fitness, other squad members will need more time. Joao Neves continues his recovery from a thigh injury, and Bradley Barcola, sidelined due to persistent quadriceps pain, has not yet returned to full training. Youngster Senny Mayulu is expected back on Friday, though captain Marquinhos, recovering from a left quadriceps injury, is set to miss the Strasbourg game and the upcoming Champions League trip to Bayer Leverkusen. PSG’s medical team continues to monitor Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to prevent any setbacks following his recent international duty.

• PSG’s dominant home record and title ambitions

  Despite the injury setbacks, PSG remain top contenders in Ligue 1, and after seven matchdays, the Champions League winners sit on top of the table ahead of Marseille with 16 points. Luis Enrique’s side have maintained a perfect 3-0 home record, with three clean sheets, matching their previous 16 home league games. Historically, Les Parisiens have never lost to Strasbourg at home, winning their last six encounters and scoring three or more goals in four of the previous five matches. This strong home form will be key as injured players return and reinforce the squad.

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  Strasbourg’s threat and tactical challenge

  Strasbourg arrive at Parc des Princes with confidence, having won four of their five league matches prior to the international break. The club has shown attacking prowess, netting multiple goals in recent away fixtures while conceding minimally. The visitors have scored two or more goals in four of their last five competitive away matches, posing a tactical challenge for PSG. With Dembele, Doue, and Ruiz nearing full fitness, Enrique must balance returning stars while neutralizing Strasbourg’s dynamic attack.

  The return of key players ahead of Strasbourg could mark a turning point in PSG’s season. With the international window closing, Enrique will have his top squad available to maintain Ligue 1 dominance and prepare for the Champions League trip to Leverkusen. If returning stars can regain form quickly, PSG could solidify their title credentials and preserve their unbeaten home record. Strasbourg’s challenge, however, means the French champions must integrate returning players seamlessly to stay on track in both domestic and European competitions.

New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter Tim Seifert is set for his maiden MLC (Major League Cricket) stint in the US after having been signed by San Francisco Unicorns for the 2025 season. Seifert, 30, will reunite with his New Zealand opening partner Finn Allen and former Northern Districts team-mate Corey Anderson at Unicorns.Under Anderson’s captaincy, Unicorns finished runners-up in MLC 2024.Both Seifert and Allen are not contracted to the NZC but have committed to making themselves available for all of New Zealand’s T20I series in the lead-up to the 2026 T20 World Cup. Seifert and Allen were recently reintroduced into the New Zealand T20I team for the home series against Pakistan and were talked up as “New Zealand’s bash brothers” after forging explosive partnerships at the top.Related

• NZC agrees terms with MLC to invest in a new team in 2027

• Neesham, Allen, Seifert 'very hungry' to play for New Zealand

“I’ve been following MLC from afar over the last couple of seasons, particularly keeping a close eye on some of the Kiwi contingent,” Seifert said. “I can’t wait to get started this summer and add some more firepower with a team that is already stacked with talent and in a great position to take things one step further than last year.””We look for both quality cricketers and quality personalities when bringing players into the Unicorns fold, and Tim definitely checks both those boxes,” Unicorns head coach Shane Watson said. “His skills with the gloves will also be a major asset this year, especially with the new wickets in Oakland and Fort Lauderdale offering something of an unknown for spin bowling. He’s also coming in with impressive form with the bat, adding to an already dominant top order alongside Finn [Allen], Shorty [Matt Short], and Jake [Fraser-McGurk].”Both Seifert and Allen are currently in action in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).Ross Taylor has been named Seattle Orcas ambassador for MLC 2025•Getty Images

New Zealanders have been in demand among other MLC franchises as well. Offspin-bowling allrounder Michael Bracewell, who was central to New Zealand’s run to the Champions Trophy final in March, has been signed by MI New York (MINY). Bracewell will join Trent Boult at MINY; Boult is currently part of MI’s teams in the MLC, SA20 (MI Cape Town) and IPL (MI Indians).Daryl Mitchell, who had missed MLC 2024 for Texas Super Kings with injury, has re-signed with the franchise for the upcoming season. In Mitchell’s absence last year, TSK had brought in Afghanistan wristspinner Noor Ahmad, who has now been retained for MLC 2025 along with Devon Conway.Tearaway Adam Milne will link up with Mitchell and Conway at TSK. Milne was part of Washington Freedom in the inaugural MLC in 2023 and has worked with TSK head coach Stephen Fleming at CSK in the IPL.Daryl Mitchell will reunite with Stephen Fleming at Texas Super Kings•Associated Press

TSK have also snapped up the South Africa pair of Nandre Burger and Donovan Ferreira, who both play for Joburg Super Kings (JSK) in the SA20.Former New Zealand stalwart Ross Taylor has been named Seattle Orcas ambassador for MLC 2025. He had previously worked as a batting coach at Orcas during the first two seasons of the tournament. Former England batter Ian Bell will take over from Taylor as Orcas’ batting coach.New Zealand Cricket recently became the first national governing body to invest directly in an overseas T20 league after joining forces with MLC to launch one of the competition’s new teams in 2027, when the league expands.The 2025 edition of MLC will be played from June 13 to July 14 with Oakland’s Coliseum to host matches for the first time.

AC Milan striker Santi Giménez headlines Mexico’s 25-man squad for October friendlies, with notable absences including Raúl Jiménez, Julián Araujo and Edson Álvarez. El Tri will face South American foes Colombia and Ecuador in the FIFA window, with Javier Aguirre's roster featuring a mix of surprise inclusions and omissions.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Full squad list

  Here is Aguirre's 25-man squad:

  Goalkeepers: Luis Ángel Malagón, Raúl Rangel, Carlos Acevedo

  Defenders: Kevin Álvarez, Israel Reyes, Mateo Chávez, Ramón Juárez, Jorge Sánchez, César Montes, Johan Vásquez, Jesús Gallardo

  Midfielders: Carlos Rodríguez, Orbelín Pineda, Alexis Gutiérrez, Erick Sánchez, Erik Lira, Luis Romo

  Forwards: Santiago Giménez, Julián Quiñones, Germán Berterame, Hirving Lozano, César Huerta, Alexis Vega, Diego Lainez

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  Key absences

  The squad announcement also highlighted some notable absences. Key European-based players such as Jiménez,  Álvarez, Guillermo Ochoa, and  Araujo are not included, while Rodrigo Huescas misses out due to injury.

  Raúl Jiménez’s absence is surprising, as he is chasing Javier Hernández’s record as Mexico’s all-time top scorer. However, with nothing left to prove to Aguirre, he is still Mexico’s leading attacker, and the coach chose to leave him out for this FIFA window. Captain Álvarez is also missing, as he is still recovering from a muscle injury sustained during the September FIFA date against Japan while adjusting to life at Fenerbahçe.

• AFP
  

  Surprise picks

  The 25-man squad features some surprise call-ups of players who haven’t been called up recently, including Alexis Gutiérrez, Kevin Álvarez, and Luis Romo, along with the return of Julián Quiñones and Santos Laguna goalkeeper Carlos Acevedo.

  Gutiérrez is enjoying an excellent run with América and will be looking to make his case to Aguirre for a World Cup spot. Meanwhile, Kevin Álvarez’s call-up comes due to Huescas’ ACL injury, which will keep him sidelined for several months.

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• Fixtures across two countries

  Mexico will first take on Colombia on Saturday, Oct. 11, at AT&T Stadium. Three days later, on Tuesday, Oct. 14, return to Guadalajara to wrap up the month against Ecuador at Estadio Akron.

Newcastle United have finally found their reinforcements to spearhead their attack, having signed both Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa, but they looked at another target who was desperate to leave his club on deadline day.

Newcastle United's striker situation in focus

The transfer window eventually drew to a close on Monday night after months of drama, capped off by Alexander Isak joining Liverpool after not being involved for the Magpies during their opening Premier League fixtures.

His absence from Saturday’s goalless draw away to Leeds United led to fans making their voices heard surrounding his absence, though after Fabrizio Romano cleared up some details on how much his late transfer to Anfield is worth, fans may feel a little more positive about the ordeal.

He stated: “Alexander Isak arrives in Liverpool to sign a six year deal valid until June 2031. The deal will cost £125m to Liverpool as Newcastle will get £130m — including solidarity payment.”

Searching for his replacement, Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Jorgen Strand Larsen was on the Magpies’ radar despite seeing several bids for the Norway star turned down. Vitor Pereira was said to have demanded £65 million for his star man.

In the end, Yoane Wissa joined Newcastle for a fee worth around £55 million, bringing the curtain down on a long search for an Isak replacement.

Ultimately, the Geordies were linked with a multitude of strikers to replace Isak and whittled down a long list before coming to a conclusion on who would arrive at St James’ Park.

While Newcastle fans rejoice at Wissa and Woltemade’s arrival, their window could well have been different if eleventh hour events didn’t move things in an alternative direction.

Nicolas Jackson was Newcastle's Wissa alternative

According to The Sun, Newcastle were in talks to sign Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson if they could not agree a deal with Brentford for Wissa. Incredibly, the Senegal forward refused to come back to Chelsea when called back to cover Liam Delap’s injury, and ended up forcing through his loan move to Bayern Munich at the 11th hour.

Marc Guiu has been recalled to Chelsea to take Jackson’s place instead, allowing him to move to Germany on loan with a buy obligation.

Related Tonali upgrade: Newcastle preparing bid for "world-class" £61m star

Newcastle are looking to make a late signing before the transfer window slams shut.

Posts 1 ByAngus Sinclair Aug 31, 2025

The Magpies had multiple plates spinning, but the 24-year-old was deemed to be near the top of their wishlist and for a price of £60 million. Labelled “fantastic” by Joe Cole, Jackson registered 13 goals and six assists in 37 appearances across all competitions last term, though Newcastle opted to conclude a deal for Wissa, who retained a superior record of 20 strikes in 39 outings.

After months of chaotic action on the market, Howe will feel happy with the options at his disposal in light of losing Isak to Liverpool.

Sunderland have stormed back up to the Premier League in style.

The Black Cats had been absent from the top-flight since the 2016/17 season, with Jermain Defoe still leading the line for the Wearside outfit that campaign.

Now, however, they’re back, with a new batch of Defoe-like heroes instantly announcing themselves to the rest of the promised land in an emphatic 3-0 win on the opening day.

It is, of course, unrealistic to anticipate that Sunderland will wipe the floor with all their competition in the higher tier in this vibrant, free-flowing manner.

But it’s an extremely positive sign so early on that indicates they’re here to shine, rather than merely survive, as more new signings are expected to link up with Regis Le Bris and Co. before the transfer window shuts.

Sunderland submit £27m bid for attacker

The Black Cats have been forking out significant wads of cash all across the action-packed window to date.

At the time of writing, Sunderland have splashed in the region of £141.5m on 12 new assets, with Nordi Mukiele their latest addition from Paris St. Germain for a fee around the £12m mark.

Don’t expect this spending to go hush anytime soon, either, with Jhon Lucumi now reportedly back on the Sunderland radar in the centre-back positions, as an official bid has even been placed.

Away from enhancing their defensive options, another bid has also allegedly been lodged by the ambitious Black Cats for the services of Leicester City attacker Abdu Fatawu, according to journalist Eduardo Burgos.

That bid, worth about £27m, has since been rejected according to Burgos, but Sunderland will hope they can still land the Foxes number seven, who will no doubt be desperate for a Premier League return after Leicester’s relegation.

Securing a deal for the entertaining Ghanaian to join the club could see the top-flight newcomers seal a Simon Adingra repeat, as another gung-ho forward potentially joins Le Bris’ ranks, ready to make survival look like a breeze.

How Fatawu can be an Adingra repeat

While he hasn’t been credited with an assist for Daniel Ballard’s bullet header on all major outlets, Adingra still played a vital role in that goal, sending the vast majority of the Stadium of Light into momentary pandemonium as his deflected cross ended up being inch-perfect for the ex-Arsenal defender to connect with.

Sunderland fans will hope there’s plenty more to come from their fresh £21m recruit, too, having shown flashes of his excellence for former employers Brighton and Hove Albion, before being discarded.

A promising 11 goals and assists came the Ivorian’s way during his up-and-down stay on the South Coast, with his final season under Fabian Hurzeler only seeing him collect two goals and two assists from 29 contests, as he started just 12 league matches all campaign long.

Now, he will hope he has the luxury of extended periods in the side, with Fatawu also hopeful he can spark into life even more on Wearside, after an injury-disrupted period last season with Leicester saw relegation heartbreakingly occur.

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Assists

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Even with that nasty injury setback derailing him, Fatawu has still managed to show off his class regularly at the King Power Stadium, with a standout seven goals and 15 assists next to his name from 58 clashes in the East Midlands.

Two of those assists even came about for the silky 21-year-old in the Premier League last season, before a serious cruciate ligament injury stopped him in his tracks and left him with just 11 paltry appearances in the top division.

He will hope he’s handed an opportunity to shine in the elite league once more with Le Bris’ men, having once been dubbed “unplayable” on his day by scout Jacek Kulig when tearing up the EFL with the Foxes.

Adingra has also been spoken about in the same glowing manner before, with football analyst Ben Mattinson once heralding the Black Cats number 24 as “explosive”, as the attacking pair prepare to run rings around Premier League defences together to ensure survival is comfortably reached.

Sunderland submit formal bid for "unreal" 27 y/o player who wants to join

This could be strong business by the Black Cats.

ByHenry Jackson Aug 18, 2025

Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso says Italy have much to improve on after their "crazy" 5-4 win against Israel in World Cup qualifying on Monday.

Italy emerge triumphant in nine-goal thriller against IsraelGattuso reacts to how the team reacted after concedingManager highlights rectificationsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Italy and Israel played out a hectic game in Debrecen on Monday, with the Azzurri falling behind through a Manuel Locatelli own goal before Moise Kean levelled the score before half-time. The game truly exploded in the second period, with Israel taking the lead again before Italy's quickfire double turned things around. In the end, it was a stoppage time goal from Sandro Tonali that wrapped up the three points, making it three wins in a row.

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The four-time world champions have missed the previous two editions of the World Cup and there were fears they were in for another humiliating campaign when they opened the qualifying phase with a 3-0 defeat to Norway in June, leading to Luciano Spalletti being sacked. Gattuso has overseen two exciting victories since stepping in to the role, having beaten Estonia 5-0 last week, and the ex-AC Milan midfielder sees a lot of room for improvement despite his delight with the six points.

WHAT GATTUSO SAID

The 47-year-old said: "It was the craziest match since I've been coaching, but this is my problem and I'll explain it to you because if we want to play as a unit or do certain things this is an aspect we have to improve, we were crazy at 4-2 to systematically go into ultra-offensive pressure when we could have created a defensive block and waited and recovered, they wanted that, recover the ball, go one-on-one with the overlapping full-backs and they went to play through the channels, okay, let's enjoy it, congratulations to the lads for these seven or eight days they've put in, but we certainly know we have to improve certain aspects but we'll enjoy this victory."

He further commented on the improvements needed, adding: "This is a vibrant team, it's not a coincidence that you concede a goal and then after a minute go out there and try, the team didn't give up, they did what they had to. They surprised us because they came man for man, but every time we found the two attackers, we easily got to the goal. This team can't lack solidity, but it's something I have to fix even if there's no time. These players are used to going to the references, but we want to do something different. Even today, we struggled with their long balls, then we fixed it, but it's something we need to improve. I repeat, we congratulate these guys because it was a crazy match, but we put our heart and soul into it."

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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR ITALY?

Italy will return to action on October 11 when they take on Estonia away from home. 

Manchester City are now readying a £147 million bid to sign a “special” star who is rated highly by Pep Guardiola, according to a recent report.

Man City chasing two goalkeepers as Ederson’s future is in doubt

The Blues have already been very active in this transfer window, with Sverre Nypan being their latest capture. But things could soon be about to heat up even more at the Etihad, as focus switches to the goalkeeper department and the future of Ederson.

Bye bye: £330k-per-week stars want out of Man City to join the same club

Both are legendary figures at the Etihad.

1 ByHenry Jackson Jul 18, 2025

The Brazilian was linked with a move to Saudi Arabia even before the summer transfer window opened, but talk of that move has now gone quiet. But that doesn’t mean the goalkeeper is not going to leave City, as it’s emerged that Ederson wants to leave the Etihad to join Galatasaray this summer.

The Turkish giants are looking to sign Ederson and İlkay Gündoğan from the Premier League side, meaning the Blues are in the market for a new goalkeeper.

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, City have already contacted Burnley about signing James Trafford. The Blues have a buyback price of £40 million, but they are trying to negotiate with the Clarets about lowering that fee.

As well as Trafford, City are willing to make a £52 million bid to sign Andriy Lunin from Real Madrid. The 26-year-old is said to be open to the idea of joining City, as he continues to be behind Thibaut Courtois in the pecking order. However, Real Madrid continue to see Lunin as a key part of their team, and they don’t want to lose the Ukraine star without a fight.

Man City plot £147m bid for Cole Palmer

As the Premier League side chase a new goalkeeper, according to a report from Spain, Man City are now set to submit a 170 million euros (£147 million) bid to sign Cole Palmer from Chelsea.

The Blues sold Palmer to Chelsea back in 2023 for a fee of £40 million, but now they are keen to reunite with the player, who Pep Guardiola admires and has praised for his “special quality” in front of goal.

Pep is said to be pushing City to bring Palmer back to the Etihad, and that is why the Premier League side are willing to spend nearly three times the amount they sold him for to get a deal done.

City are aware Palmer can make a huge difference to their attack, as the England international did at the Club World Cup this summer, but Chelsea do hold all the cards in this potential transfer tussle, as Palmer is under contract at Stamford Bridge until 2033.

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However, Palmer is represented by the agency CAA Base Limited, the same agency that looks after City defender Rico Lewis, and the Blues may see this as a good opportunity for them to use their contacts to tempt Palmer back to Manchester.

Birmingham Phoenix will meet Southern Brave in The Hundred Eliminator at The Kia Oval on Saturday after a nine-wicket victory over Manchester Originals.Moeen Ali’s side came out on top in a 30-ball-per-side match at Edgbaston, earning themselves the point they needed after rain delayed the start.Phoenix chased down their target of 42 with ease, Jamie Smith depositing Fazalhaq Farooqi over the boundary twice in the first five balls to set the tone for the chase.After a quieter second five from Farooqi, Ben Duckett smashed Tom Aspinwall’s first ball for six and then hit three of his next four to the boundary as the rain teemed down in Birmingham, the umpires remaining unmoved, determined to see the game to a result.Smith (14) was caught on the cover boundary by Sikandar Raza off Scott Currie, but Duckett (22*) and Moeen (6*) knocked off the remaining seven runs required with eight balls to spare, the skipper securing the win with a six off Currie over fine-leg.Winning the toss and bowling first, Birmingham Phoenix struck early, Kiwi speedster Adam Milne removing Matthew Hurst from the second legal delivery of the match when the young Lancastrian skied a chance to Liam Livingstone at mid-on.Milne’s compatriot Tim Southee took the second set and was immediately smashed into the stands by Phil Salt. He was then sliced over short-third by Max Holden from the final ball of the powerplay as the Originals took their score to 15 for 1.At the halfway point of the innings, the Originals were 22 for 2, Salt (12) mistiming a cross-bat shot off Milne from the 15th ball of the innings to give Livingstone his second catch of the evening.Sean Abbott then accounted for Paul Walter (1), caught at deep cover, to make it 24 for 3. Holden (15) continued to swing hard, the left-hander top-edging Southee for another boundary, but his luck soon ran out when he failed to go over mid-off as Livingstone held onto a third catch.Chris Wood closed out the innings, conceding just three runs and taking the wicket of Raza, caught by Jacob Bethell at deep midwicket as Originals closed on 41 for 5, hitting just one six in their innings.Phoenix had just 42 to chase to earn a trip to South London and they did it with ease, ensuring Andrew Flintoff’s first year as Northern Superchargers Head Coach would end with a fourth-place finish.Meerkat Match Hero Milne, who took 2 for 8, said: “To come out of the shortened game and into The Hundred Eliminator is very good for us.”There was a little bit of swing and seam so it was nice to use that first up, but in these shortened games anything can happen, so [you] just mix it up.”Anytime it’s moving around off the straight it’s nice. There’s been lots said but as a bowler it’s nice to have a little bit going your way sometimes in these shorter formats, there can be flat wickets and not much movement, so it’s nice to see a bit of swing and seam occasionally.”

Liverpool have received a boost regarding a transfer target who is the “blueprint” for his position, but mega rich clubs like Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle United are also entering the race.

Liverpool set for record breaking summer spend

The upcoming summer transfer window is threatening to be the most memorable at Anfield for some time, with the Reds expected to spend big after years of relative frugality in the transfer market.

In fact, football finance expert Kieran Maguire has even suggested that FSG could even give head coach Arne Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes as much as £250m to spend, which would be the club’s record window and one of the biggest single-window sprees of all time.

Ten biggest transfer window spends
1.	Chelsea (summer 2023/24)	£391m
2.	Al-Hilal (summer 2023/24)	£298m
3.	PSG (summer 2023/24)	£295m
4.	Real Madrid (summer 2019/20)	£279m
5.	Chelsea (winter 2022/23)	£278m
6.	Chelsea (summer 2022/23)	£254m
7.	Barcelona (summer 2019/20)	£235m
8.	Juventus (summer 2018/19)	£223m
9.	Real Madrid (summer 2009/10)	£218m
10.	Manchester City (summer 2017/18)	£210m

Liverpool are being linked with some fantastic signings, not least Florian Wirtz, with the Bayer Leverkusen superstar still looking likely to join Jeremie Frimpong at the club. The 22-year-old will almost certainly become their record signing and perhaps the biggest in top flight history.

It also feels like a matter of time until Milos Kerkez’s switch from Bournemouth is announced, with the 21-year-old expected to provide serious competition for Andy Robertson at left-back. Now, another defender has been mentioned as an eye-catching option for the Premier League champions.

Liverpool racing PSG and Newcastle as centre-back's price slashed

According to Caught Offside, Liverpool are “exploring” a move for Bayern Munich centre-back Kim Min-jae this summer, with the South Korean keen on a new challenge.

In fact, the 28-year-old’s asking price has dropped £12.5m from £42m down to £29.5m, acting as a boost for the Reds, with PSG now also among the clubs chasing him, as well as AC Milan. Newcastle United are said to have held talks over a move, too.

Kim is a top-level central defender who could provide brilliant competition for Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate, being described by the German media as a “blueprint for a 21st century centre-back”, which sums up his quality.

At 28, the South Korean international admittedly isn’t getting any younger, but his price tag alleviates that issue, with Liverpool potentially able to sign him for something of a bargain.

The Reds need to be ruthless this summer and sign an upgrade on Joe Gomez and Jarell Quansah, in terms of the strongest backup option, and Kim could be perfect, even though he will clearly want regular starts – there is more than enough football next season to ensure that.

He'd be incredible with Wirtz: £80m star dreaming of signing for Liverpool

Liverpool are making some serious moves in the transfer market.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 6, 2025

The fact that he would like to test himself in the Premier League can only aid Liverpool’s chances of getting their man, and he would immediately strengthen their squad depth significantly.