da gbg bet： It’s finally confirmed. Matheus Cunha has left Wolverhampton Wanderers to join Manchester United in a £62.5m deal.
da realbet： The move was agreed last month, but the Brazilian has now officially departed, giving Vitor Pereira some funds to work with this summer.
Wolverhampton Wanderers'MatheusCunha
Pereira will have to spend wisely to replace the former Atlético Madrid star, as he was capable of moments of genius for the club during his two-and-a-half-year stint in the Midlands.
Indeed, he perhaps single-handedly kept the club in the Premier League last season, especially after they suffered a dreadful start to the campaign.
Matheus Cunha's 2024/25 season in numbers
Last season, he finished with 23 goal contributions – 17 goals and six assists – across 36 matches for the club in all competitions.
It was his displays in the top flight, however, that earmarked him as a target for several clubs.
Matheus Cunha’s Wolves’ statistics
Season
Games
Goals
Assists
2024/25
36
17
6
2023/24
36
14
8
2022/23
20
2
1
Via Transfermarkt
In the Premier League, he ranked first among the Wolves’ first-team squad for goals and assists (21), shots on target per match (1.3), big chances created (13) and key passes per game (1.8).
These statistics were mighty impressive, and it makes Pereira’s job of sourcing a replacement that much harder.
He has money to spend, that much is certain. But spending it on the right players will be the most important aspect.
Wolves search for a Matheus Cunha replacement
As reported by journalist Sebastien Denis earlier this week, writing for Foot Mercato, Wolves are reportedly targeting a swoop for FC St Gallen striker Willem Geubbels this summer.
Leeds United are also keen on securing his services following a prolific campaign in Switzerland.
A €10m (£8.5m) asking price is all that stands in Pereira’s way and given the financial rewards on offer for another season in the top flight, this fee won’t be any issue whatsoever.
Across 31 matches in the Swiss Super League for St. Gallen, Geubbels scored 14 goals and grabbed three assists.
Although typically deployed as a centre-forward, the youngster is also able to operate on either wing, and this flexibility will be a major bonus for the club.
This is evidenced by his performance across a range of metrics. Geubbels created seven big chances in the Swiss top flight, while also averaging 1.4 key passes and 2.5 total shots per game for St. Gallen.
Not quite at Cunha’s level, yet. But a move to Wolves could see him improve swiftly, especially with exposure to some of the best defenders in Europe.
Hailed as both “powerful” and “quick” by Kai Watson writing in the Rangers Journal in January 2024, Geubbels will offer plenty to the current Wolves squad.
Watson also stated that the youngster “plays the deeper role as part of a front two because of his creative ability.” And this could see him exuding the qualities that made Cunha such a hit at Molineux since joining in 2023.
Pereira must act quickly to snap up the young forward, especially as plenty of interested parties are keen.
Wolves now in transfer race with Leeds to sign "future star" for £8.5m
Wolves are among the teams keen on signing an exciting young forward.
After confirming their takeover, the 49ers are now reportedly advancing their efforts to land their first signing of the summer at Rangers in the form of an in-demand defender.
49ers complete Rangers takeover
It’s been a long time coming, but Rangers have finally confirmed the news that a consortium of investors led by Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises has completed an official takeover. The new owners, as confirmed on Rangers’ official website, have committed to investing £20m into the club which will be subject to shareholder approval next month.
49ers chief Paraag Marathe shared his excitement about getting started at Ibox, saying: “At 49ers Enterprises, we have built a track record of sporting and business success, but our driving motivation is our deep connection to the clubs and communities we serve.
A great Cerny replacement: Rangers looking to sign "incredible" new forward
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“We are excited to join Andrew and our other consortium of investors in a new era for this iconic club, and we are determined to build something that supporters can be proud of for years to come.
Cavenagh added onto that by saying: “We are deeply grateful for the trust placed in us by the Rangers Board, shareholders, staff, and supporters. This club’s history and traditions speak for themselves, but history doesn’t win matches.
“We know that the true way to honour the club’s heritage will be to drive performance. Our focus is simple: elevate performance, deliver results, and bring Rangers back to where it belongs – at the top.”
At the start of a new era, the first task that the 49ers must complete is clear. Rangers need a new manager. Names such as Davide Ancelotti have found themselves linked on that front in recent weeks, but the path that new owners go down remains to be seen.
Meanwhile, the 49ers have also already reportedly turned their focus towards securing the first incoming of a new era and one that could arrive at a bargain price when the summer transfer window swings open.
49ers advancing Toure transfer for Rangers
According to Africa Foot, as relayed by Sport Witness, the 49ers are now advancing a free transfer to sign Almamy Toure on a free transfer for Rangers. The Kaiserslautern centre-back is set to leave the 2. Bundesliga club at the end of his current deal this summer and could be on his way to Scotland as a result.
An experienced defender at 29 years old and a full Mali international, Rangers are not alone in the race to sign Toure. The veteran centre-back also reportedly has interest from Italian club Genoa, Turkish side Trabzonspor and America’s Philadelphia Union.
Almamy Toure for Kaiserslaughten.
Amid such interest, it would be an impressive first move from the 49ers if they were to beat others around Europe to a key defensive reinforcement. Toure’s arrival would also hand whoever takes to the dugout next an ideal start in pursuit of building a side capable of catching Celtic in the Scottish Premiership.
It might be a tired cliché, but this summer looks set to be Arsenal’s most important in years.
After failing to win the Premier League at the third time of asking and coming painfully close to the final of the Champions League this season, Mikel Arteta’s side have to deliver one or the other next year.
To help them do that, new Sporting Director Andrea Berta and Co have to deliver the goods in this summer’s transfer window by signing ready-made stars to help them win now.
However, while the focus has to be on those who can make an immediate impact, there is always room to pick up a few future stars, and based on recent reports, Arsenal may be about to sign someone who could be their own Rayan Cherki a few years down the line.
Arsenal transfer news
It was just over a month ago that Arsenal were linked with a £30m move for Cherki, and it’s not hard to see why some fans would love him to make his way to the Emirates.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
For example, in 44 appearances for Lyon this season, totalling 3097 minutes, the young Frenchman scored 12 goals and provided 20 assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.37 games, or every 96.78 minutes.
However, the stories touting him for a move to N5 soon dried up, and now it looks like Manchester City are going to be the ones who sign the 21-year-old, with transfers expert Fabrizio Romano confirming yesterday morning that the club had agreed personal terms with the player.
Rayan Cherki
While missing out on the Lyon star isn’t ideal, the good news is that Arteta and Co might soon have their own incredibly exciting youngster on the books in Konstantinos Karetsas.
Yes, according to a recent report from Greece, Arsenal are incredibly interested in signing the Genk gem.
In fact, in something of a surprise, the report has revealed that the North Londoners are ‘very close to an agreement’ for the player, which will see them pay the Belgian outfit around €45m, which is about £38m, and leave him on loan with the team for next season.
It’s undoubtedly a lot of money to pay for someone so young, but based on his ability and potential, it may well be worth it, especially as he could be the club’s own version of Cherki a few years from now.
Why Karetsas could be Arsenal's Cherki
So, the first thing to say, and it’s an important qualifier, is that Karetsas is not at the same level as Cherki at the moment, and fans should not expect him to be.
After all, the Greek prospect is four years the Frenchman’s junior and, as a result, is much further behind in his development.
However, with some key similarities between the pair, it’s not hard to see a world in which the 17-year-old follows his development and eventually becomes a truly top-level player.
The first of these similarities is where they play, as while the Lyon ace has just about spent more time off the right this season, his most played position across his career has been in attacking midfield.
Likewise, the incredibly exciting Genk gem is primarily an attacking midfielder but has made a few appearances out wide, and according to respected analyst Ben Mattinson, his “1v1 ability and 2 footedness will make him deadly on the wings.”
That description of the youngster sounds an awful lot like the City-bound star, who has more than proven his own 1v1 ability and is unquestionably brilliant with both feet.
Furthermore, on top of his dribbling, Mattinson highlights the Genk-born talent’s ability on the ball, describing him as someone capable of playing “defence splitting passes” and saying that he should not be given any “space anywhere near the box on either side as he’ll hit the corners.”
In short, Mattinson’s description of the youngster as someone who “has it all” doesn’t feel too wide of the mark, and his underlying numbers from this season further back up that assessment.
According to FBref, he sits in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the next 14 competitions for carries, total carrying distance and fouls drawn, the top 3% for key passes, crosses and shot-creating actions from dead-balls, the top 5% for expected assists and shot-creating actions, the top 6% for take-ons attempted and more, all per 90.
Carries
48.80
Top 1%
Total Carrying Distance
327.41
Top 1%
Fouls Drawn
3.41
Top 1%
Carries into Final Third
3.80
Top 2%
Key Passes
3.18
Top 3%
Crosses
7.37
Top 3%
SCA (Dead-ball Passes)
1.47
Top 3%
Progressive Carrying Distance
148.03
Top 4%
Expected Assists
0.31
Top 5%
Shot-Creating Actions
5.66
Top 5%
Touches
65.09
Top 6%
Take-Ons Attempted
5.74
Top 6%
Ultimately, while it’s a lot of money to spend on someone so young, it might end up being an incredible bit of business a few years from now, as, just like Cherki, Karetsas looks like he has everything a number ten or winger would need to succeed at the very highest level.
Their own Kane: Arsenal begin talks to sign "exceptional" £42m goalscorer
The promising poacher could develop into something special at Arsenal.
Raheem Sterling is reportedly open to the idea of joining Fulham on loan as the experienced forward looks to end his nightmare at Chelsea.
Joined the Blues in summer of 2022
Spent last season on loan at Arsenal
Ready for another new challenge
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WHAT HAPPENED?
England international Sterling was considered to be quite a coup for the Blues when leaving Manchester City for Stamford Bridge in 2022. He has managed just 19 goals for Chelsea through 81 appearances, with the 2024-25 campaign being spent on loan at Arsenal.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Sterling failed to rekindle a lost spark there, with just one Carabao Cup goal being recorded while drawing a blank in the Premier League, and another move is expected to be made this summer.
DID YOU KNOW?
It could be that the 30-year-old remains in west London when swapping Chelsea for Fulham. claims that Craven Cottage is considered to be a "credible destination" for Sterling, with Marco Silva looking to add more experience and goal threat to his squad.
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TELL ME MORE
It is claimed that the Cottagers will wait until later in the window before making their move, with there no rush to complete a deal that does not require a big-money fee to change hands. Plans are, however, being put in place.
أعلن الاتحاد الأفريقي لكرة القدم منذ قليل، عن قائمة المرشحين للفوز بجائزة أفضل لاعب في إفريقيا، والتي يتم منحها عن عام 2025 الحالي، حيث يتواجد عشرة لاعبين مرشحين للحصول عليها.
وكان الحاصل على جائزة أفضل لاعب في إفريقيا العام الماضي هو أديمولا لوكمان، نجم نادي أتالانتا، لكنه غاب عن قائمة المرشحين خلال هذا العام.
وجاء على رأس قائمة المرشحين للحصول على جائزة أفضل لاعب في إفريقيا نجم نادي ليفربول ومنتخب مصر، محمد صلاح، والذي قدم موسمًا رائعًا مع الريدز.
وقاد محمد صلاح ليفربول إلى الفوز بلقب الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز الموسم الماضي للمرة الـ20 في تاريخه، وحصل على جائزة هداف البطولة أيضًا.
اقرأ أيضًا.. قائمة المرشحين لجائزة أفضل لاعب داخل إفريقيا 2025.. نجم الأهلي ورباعي بيراميدز
كما حجز فيستون مايلي، نجم بيراميدز، موقعه ضمن المرشحين لأفضل لاعب في إفريقيا، بعدما قاد فريقه للفوز بدوري أبطال إفريقيا، للمرة الأولى في تاريخ النادي السماوي.
واستبعد بشكل مفاجئ عمر مرموش، نجم مانشستر سيتي من قائمة المرشحين، بالرغم من المستوى الرائع الذي قدمه خلال الموسم الماضي مع أينتراخت فرانكفورت، ثم مانشستر سيتي.
وتواجد أشرف حكيمي مدافع باريس سان جيرمان، ضمن قائمة المرشحين، بعد مستواه الاستثنائي مع النادي الفرنسي خلال الموسم الماضي وتحقيقه لثلاثية تاريخية مع نادي العاصمة الفرنسية والتتويج بدوري أبطال أوروبا. المرشحين لجائزة أفضل لاعب في إفريقيا 2025
Fabrizio Romano has shared an update on Arsenal and their plans to sign a new striker, amid their widely reported talks for RB Leipzig starlet Benjamin Sesko.
Arsenal hold talks over signing Benjamin Sesko
Near the end of May, it became evident through reliable media sources that Sesko had emerged as Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta’s prime striker target.
David Ornstein: Arsenal consider deal for player as "done and signed"
Gunners chiefs are extremely confident.
ByEmilio Galantini Jun 11, 2025
Arsenal entered “concrete” negotiations with Leipzig over a deal for the Slovenia international, who’s fresh off the back of a productive campaign where he scored 21 goals and six assists in all competitions.
Since then, talks have been ongoing and advancing cautiously (Fabrizio Romano), with reliable journalist Ben Jacobs sharing that the major sticking point in this potential transfer is Leipzig’s financial demands.
According to his information, Arsenal want to strike a deal for Sesko at around £60 million, whereas Leipzig want to sell for nearer £70 million.
“They have discussed whether or not there is flexibility beneath the variable release clause, set at the moment around €80 million,” said Jacobs on The Football Terrace last week.
“That’s why that one’s taking time, because Arsenal want to do Sesko for €70 million, or within that ballpark.”
Sesko is also attracting interest from Saudi Arabia, even if his priority is to stay in Europe (The Telegraph), but so far, no middle ground appears to have been found on the final price, despite some reports that the 22-year-old has already agreed personal terms.
If they cannot reach an agreement with Leipzig over Sesko, Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres apparently remains on their radar as an alternative.
Viktor Gyokeres on Arsenal list if Benjamin Sesko talks fail
That is according to Romano, who reports in his GiveMeSport newsletter that Gyokeres is on Arsenal’s target list in case talks for Sesko fall through.
“It’s an open race for Gyokeres,” said Romano.
“He remains on Arsenal list in case Sesko deal doesn’t happen, Man United have called his agents again over the weekend.”
The “underrated” and “exciting” 26-year-old bagged an incredible 54 goals and 13 assists last season, spearheading Sporting to their first domestic double win in 20 years, but it is worth noting that he might not be much cheaper than Sesko.
Sporting president Frederico Varandas poured cold water over reports that Gyokeres and the club have an agreement that he can leave for £59 million this summer, telling the Portuguese press that he will indeed cost more.
“I can guarantee that Viktor Gyokeres will not leave for 60m euros plus 10m euros because I never promised that,” Varandas said.
“To this day Sporting has not had an offer for Gyokeres – neither today nor last season.”
Sporting Club's Viktor Gyokeres.
While this comes as a statement which Arsenal need to be aware of, Varandas does guarantee that Gyokeres will leave for less than his £84 million release clause.
“One of the agent’s biggest concerns was whether we would demand the termination clause,” said Varandas.
“He wanted to guarantee certain things. And what was agreed? That Sporting would not demand a release clause now. For one reason: he was going to be 27 years old, and no player leaves Portugal at 27 for 100m euros or 90m euros.”
da fazobetai： Chamada de “Torneio Mundial de Campeões” ou “Campeonato Mundial de Clubes” pela imprensa brasileira na época, a Copa Rio foi um torneio internacional de clubes de futebol disputada por dois anos seguidos, no Brasil. Em agosto de 2014, o campeonato de 1951 foi reconhecido como mundial pela FIFA. O vencedor naquele ano foi o Palmeiras.
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Com o retorno da Copa do Mundo em 1950, a ideia era realizar uma versão do torneio de seleções entre os melhores clubes do mundo. E foi o que acontreceu já em 1951, também no Brasil, como a Copa do ano anterior. Os idealizadores do torneio convocaram diversos clubes campeões em seus diversos países. A escolha dos países foi baseada no desempenho destes na Copa do Mundo de 1950.
No ano em que o Palmeiras venceu, 1951, também participaram: Vasco da Gama, campeão carioca de 1950; Sporting POR, campeão português da temporada 1950/51; Áustria Viena AUS, campeão austríaco da temporada 1949/50; Nacional URU, campeão uruguaio de 1950. Esses foram os integrantes do grupo “Rio de Janeiro”.
continua após a publicidade
No grupo do Palmeiras, “São Paulo”, participaram: o próprio Palmeiras, campeão paulista de 1950; Juventus ITA, campeã italiana da temporada 1949/50; Estrela Vermelha RSF, campeão da Copa da Iugoslávia de 1950; Nice FRA, campeão francês da temporada 1950/51.
Na final, o Palmeiras venceu a Juventus e foi reconhecido como campeão mundial. A FIFA, no entanto, mudou de ideia diversas vezes sobre o valor dessa conquista do Alviverde. No site oficial da entidade, somente são reconhecidos como mundiais os títulos a partir de 2000. Por isso, considerar ou não o título vai um pouco da opinião de cada torcedor.
It’s safe to say the summer window started slowly for Arsenal, but over the last few days, things have roared into life for the Gunners.
Mikel Arteta may not have his elusive centre forward quite yet – Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres will have to wait – but Andrea Berta has been busy nonetheless.
The club’s new sporting director has already wrapped up three deals – pending confirmation – that will see backup goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga arrive in a £5m move from Chelsea, Martin Zubimendi sign for over £50m from Real Sociedad and Brentford captain, Christian Norgaard, join.
Still, there could be a fourth deal wrapped up very shortly, with talks reportedly underway to sign 20-year-old centre-back Cristhian Mosquera from Valencia.
As we said, Berta has been a busy beaver but he’s not done yet.
Arsenal in talks to sign Premier League star
Arteta has enjoyed shopping for proven Premier League talent since becoming Arsenal manager.
Some of his most successful deals have seen the Spaniard prise away stars of the English top-flight, most notably Declan Rice.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Rice could have fallen flat under the weight of his £105m price tag but the midfielder has made that price look like a bargain, specifically after those two free-kicks against Real Madrid in the Champions League.
David Raya – the division’s Golden Glove winner – was also picked up from Brentford, while Leandro Trossard, Arsenal’s second top scorer in 2023/24 with 17 strikes, came in from Brighton.
Arsenal's DavidRaya
That’s not forgetting Gabriel Jesus too. While the Brazilian has fallen by the wayside in the last two seasons, primarily due to injury, the forward was electric in the opening months of his Gunners career.
Signed from Manchester City, the club’s number 9 bagged five goals in his first eight league matches.
Now, in the summer of 2025, Arsenal are turning their attention to the Premier League again with Eberechi Eze in their crosshairs.
Crystal Palace's EberechiEzecelebrates with the trophy after winning the FA Cup
That’s according to the Sun, who reported this week that Berta has already held talks with one of the representatives of Eze.
It’s alleged that the north Londoners are set to go head to head with fierce rivals, Spurs, in order to get a deal across the line.
The Crystal Palace star has a £68m release clause in his contract, which according to a different source, can be paid in three instalments of £20m, plus £8m in add-ons.
That same source reports that Arsenal have actually already agreed personal terms with Eze and his camp.
Why Eze could be Arsenal's new Saka
Bukayo Saka has been the poster boy for the Arteta project at the Emirates Stadium, and in the words of journalist Charles Watts, he is already the “best right winger in the world.”
Despite missing a large part of last season with a hamstring problem, Saka still finished the campaign on 12 goals and 15 assists, topping the tree at the club for that second metric.
Blessed with magical flair, creativity and the ability to produce something out of nothing, Eze is cut from a very similar cloth, not least because he also came through the Hale End academy.
The Arsenal youth system is highly regarded and we’ve seen, particularly in the last five to six years, a whole wealth of talent come through the ranks.
From Saka to Emile Smith Rowe and Ethan Nwaneri to Myles Lewis-Skelly, Arteta certainly has a lot to thank the academy for.
Eze was also part of that same system once upon a time but was released in 2011 when he was just 13 years of age.
After that setback, the Palace superstar headed to Fulham, Reading, Millwall and then QPR, where he finally found a home for himself. His rise since then has been meteoric. He’s now one of the most exciting players in the Premier League, and he’s a full England international too.
That wouldn’t have been possible without an incredible mentality, one that saw him overcome the adversity of being canned by Arsenal at such a young age.
Speaking in an interview back in 2020, Eze commented on the situation, revealing that it left him highly emotional.
In a further interview, the 26-year-old revealed how his mindset helped him to get over the whole ordeal.
“My dream was to play for them [Arsenal] so hearing them say no at 13 was tough and I remember training after I got released and I couldn’t focus. I was crying but I think that helped me so much in the other rejections because if I can get through Arsenal releasing me I can get through any other club releasing me. My mindset was if it was not going to be Arsenal I have to find somewhere else.”
Eberechi Eze for Crystal Palace.
Having got over that, Eze has taken the long way around to get to where he is now. It may have been a less glamorous route than Saka’s path to stardom but they certainly share the same mental fortitude and, vitally, similar attributes.
Far too often Arsenal’s talismanic number 7 has been left with everything to do in the final third. Players around him don’t chip in as regularly but in Eze, someone capable of rivalling Martin Odegaard, he’d find his match.
According FBref’s similar players tool, Saka is adjudged to be one of the most like-minded players in the Premier League to Saka, alongside the likes of Cole Palmer, Anthony Gordon and Morgan Rogers.
Eze might not have the left foot that Arsenal’s number 7 has but his positional versatility could be key. He primarily features through the middle as more of a no.10, however, he can also shine on the left-hand side.
Saka hasn’t played much behind the striker in his career, but like Eze, he loves to find space in central pockets as he attempts to dance his way through the defence.
So, what does the data say?
Goals
0.28
0.31
Assists
0.28
0.52
Shots
3.47
3.44
Expected goals (xG)
0.36
0.35
Key passes
2.01
3.02
Progressive passes
3.37
3.65
Successful take-ons
2.33
2.14
Carries
29.2
32.7
Progressive carries
2.40
5.00
Carries into final 3rd
1.67
1.67
Well, Saka is certainly the more progressive and more aggressive when it comes to carries and overall assists, but let us remember that Palace are hardly a team that has the ball regularly enough for Eze to create at a similar rate as his international colleague.
Last season, Oliver Glasner’s men sat 17th in the league for average possession, enjoying just 42.4% of the ball. In contrast, Arsenal sat third with 57.1% of possession.
On that evidence, Saka is always going to produce higher numbers in the final third but the fact the two England stars are as close as they are for metrics like successful take-ons, key passes and progressive passes suggests that Eze’s numbers could soar to new heights at a team like Arsenal, a ball dominant side.
The Eagles star may not play in the same position as Saka but he could just be the right-footed version.
£68m is a lot to pay when you also need to get a striker over the line this summer but given it could be paid in instalments, this really does feel like a no-brainer for the Gunners.
He’s like Saka, he’s Premier League proven, and he’s always dreamt of playing for the club. What’s not to like?
Better than Williams: Arsenal open talks to sign ex-Spurs player for £50m
The dynamic winger could provide Arsenal with another avenue of attack next season.
Bangladesh fast bowler Shoriful Islam has been ruled out of the second Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi with a groin injury. He is now in a race against time to be fit for the two Tests in India next month.According to the Bangladesh team physio Bayjedul Islam Khan, Shoriful complained of discomfort in the groin area after the first Test last week, and subsequent tests confirmed the injury.”Shoriful underwent an MRI following the first Test and the results show a Grade 1 left adductor strain,” Bayjedul said. “Recovery usually takes around 10 days in such cases and he has started his rehab.”Shoriful had taken three wickets in Bangladesh’s ten-wicket win in the first Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi. He was also handy with the bat, hitting two sixes in a 14-ball 22. Taskin Ahmed replaced him in Bangladesh’s starting XI for the second Test.Shoriful has played 11 Tests but also missed 11 Tests for Bangladesh since his debut three years ago. Taskin, meanwhile, is returning to the format after more than a year.Bangladesh’s next assignment is a tour of India, with the first Test in Chennai from September 19. They play two Tests and three T20Is during the tour that run until October 12.Bangladesh have a busy schedule till the end of 2024: after the tour of India, they have two Tests at home against South Africa in October, and a full tour of West Indies in November and December.
Ramesh Mendis has missed out, while Nishan Peiris has been picked in a slightly different looking Sri Lanka spin department
Andrew Fidel Fernando19-Nov-2024
Lasith Embuldeniya is back in the Test squad•Associated Press
Left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya has been named in Sri Lanka’s squad for the two Tests in South Africa, more than two years after he last played a Test. Offspinner Nishan Peiris, who made his Test debut against New Zealand in September, has also been included.Ramesh Mendis, the offspin-bowling allrounder, misses out on selection, though he claimed six wickets in his only Test appearance this year. Ramesh, additionally, can bat.Though Prabath Jayasuriya leads the spin contingent, this amounts to something of a shake-up in the ranks with Sri Lanka playing in Durban and Gqeberha, where the tracks are expected to take more turn than most South African surfaces, particularly as matches wear on.The squad is largely as expected in the batting and seam-bowling fronts, however. Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha and allrounder Milan Rathnayake make up fast-bowling outfit. Top order batter Oshada Fernando makes it in into this squad, but Nishan Madushka – who has made a bright start in ODIs – does not.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Both Embuldeniya and Oshada have partly been picked on account of their good performances in South Africa in 2019, when Sri Lanka had also played in Durban and what was then Port Elizabeth. Embuldeniya took six wickets at 23.83 across three innings on that tour, while Oshada hit a fourth-innings 75 not out alongside Kusal Mendis to see Sri Lanka home in what could have been a tough chase. Neither player, though, has been especially impressive in domestic cricket over the last season, though Embuldeniya did have a decent outing in the four-day National Super League.Several Test specialists are already in Durban for a pre-series training camp, overseen partially by former South Africa batter Neil McKenzie, who serves as Sri Lanka’s consultant on this trip.Kusal Mendis, Asitha, Kamindu Mendis and Pathum Nissanka have also been pulled out of the ongoing ODI series against New Zealand, after Sri Lanka sealed that series on Sunday. This is so those players can have a couple of extra days to recover and begin preparation for the Tests in South Africa.The first Test is scheduled to start on November 27, in Kingsmead, Durban.Both Sri Lanka and South Africa have a shot at finishing in the top two on the World Test Championship table.Sri Lanka squad for Test series in South AfricaDhananjaya de Silva (capt), Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Oshada Fernando, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Prabath Jayasuriya, Nishan Peiris, Lasith Embuldeniya, Milan Rathnayake, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha