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تقدم الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي بيراميدز، بالهدف الأول في شباك فريق زد، في لقاء يقام ضمن منافسات مسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

ويخوض بيراميدز مباراته أمام زد، اليوم الخميس في تمام الثامنة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والسعودية على أرضية استاد الدفاع الجوي في الجولة السابعة من بطولة الدوري المصري.

طالع| تشكيل بيراميدز أمام زد في الدوري.. مروان حمدي يقود الهجوم

وجاء هدف بيراميدز عن طريق اللاعب مصطفى زيكو في الدقيقة 73 بعد عرضية من محمد الشيبي قابلها زيكو برأسية في الشباك.

ويحتل بيراميدز المركز التاسع في جدول ترتيب مسابقة الدوري المصري برصيد 8 نقاط من فوزين وتعادلين وخسارة.

ويدخل بيراميدز، اللقاء بمعنويات مرتفعة بعد الفوز على الأهلي بهدفين نظيفين في آخر ظهور محلي، والانتصار على أوكلاند بثلاثية نظيفة في كأس القارات “إنتركونتينتتال”. هدف بيراميدز الأول أمام زد

Newcastle United are believed to be eyeing an impressive double swoop alongside their imminent move for Nottingham Forest winger Anthony Elanga this summer.

Newcastle closing in on Elanga signing

The Magpies continue to work hard on new signings, from James Trafford to Marc Guehi, but it looks as though the addition of Elanga from Forest is closer than ever to happening.

According to a new claim from Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie, Newcastle have agreed a £55m for the signing of the Swede, with a medical expected to take place imminently.

Elanga has the potential to be such an eye-catching signing for Eddie Howe, with his pace helping make them a huge threat on the counter-attack, as highlighted last season when he scored a stunning solo effort against former club Manchester United.

It’s now a case of ensuring that the Forest man becomes a Newcastle player and that there are no late obstacles to overcome, before turning their attention to further signings, with a striker believed to be a major focus for PIF this summer.

Newcastle eyeing double defensive swoop

According to L’Equipe [via Sport Witness], Newcastle remain keen on signing Lyon goalkeeper Lucas Perri, despite their strong interest in Trafford. He is considered a good alternative to the Englishman and may well head to the Premier League either way this summer, with Leeds United also in the mix.

Meanwhile, Give Me Sport claim that the Magpies are continuing to eye a summer move for Guehi from Crystal Palace, in a potential £70m deal. They are described as being “hopeful of winning the race” to sign the England international once they wrap up Elanga.

Perri stands out as an excellent alternative to Trafford, should Newcastle fail to sign the Burnley man, with Paulo Fonseca even calling him the “best in the world” in his position. At 27, the Brazilian is also a more proven player at the top level than Trafford, although at this point, it would still be a surprise if the Clarets goalkeeper wasn’t the man to come in this summer.

Meanwhile, Guehi arguably stands out as the strongest possible choice to come in and bolster Newcastle’s back-line, having now shown that he can excel for both club and country, standing out as England’s best defender at Euro 2024 last summer.

Now feels like the right time for him to enjoy a new challenge in his career, and he possesses the leadership, quality on the ball and reading of play to be a mainstay of the Magpies’ defence for many years.

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Granted, the £70m price tag is bloated, as is often the case with homegrown players, but he could prove to be worth every penny if he shines at the heart of the defence for the next decade.

Celtic fans are taking some time to wind down after a hectic campaign, but Brendan Rodgers is already reportedly on the brink of sealing their first summer signing.

Celtic reflect after ending campaign with two trophies

Domestic doubles are a strong marker of success at Parkhead. However, Celtic will feel they let the prospect of a clean sweep in Scotland slip away during an unfateful Scottish Cup final loss to Aberdeen last weekend.

Coming down to penalties, claiming another prize proved to be a step too far for Brendan Rodgers’ men, who ended extra time with an unfamiliar line-up that illustrates their need to strengthen again this summer.

Showing faith in his manager to get it right in the market, Celtic defender Liam Scales has backed his compatriot to bolster squad depth ahead of another long campaign.

He stated: “He always wants the club to improve year on year. Since I arrived four years ago, it seems to keep getting better at every transfer window.

“I think that’s obviously going to be the focus, especially with the Champions League coming up. We need to qualify for that. If we do, we want to be strong going into that as well.”

Celtic’s summer schedule

Cork City (A)

SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh

Newcastle United (H)

St James Park – Adidas Trophy

SPFL opening day

Weekend of August 1st to August 3rd

Champions League playoff round

19/20th and 26/27th August

Jeffrey Schlupp could be set for an extended Celtic stay and is in discussions over signing on a permanent basis at Parkhead. Greg Taylor could make way following six years in Glasgow.

Either way, it is all change at the Hoops ahead of next season, though a familiar face could now be set to return between the sticks.

Ross Doohan to complete Celtic return after signing pre-contract

According to Press and Journal, Aberdeen goalkeeper Ross Doohan has signed a pre-contract with Celtic and will return to Glasgow following three years away from his boyhood club.

Labelled “brilliant” by Graeme Shinnie, the former Scotland Under-21 international has kept five clean sheets in 18 appearances across all competitions this season.

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Scott Bain has entered the final year of his deal at Parkhead and is expected to make way this summer, creating the path for Doohan to come in as third-choice behind Kasper Schmeichel and Viljami Sinisalo.

In addition, the 27-year-old will help Celtic in their quest to meet UEFA’s squad registration rules, given he is homegrown and also a club-trained asset.

Celtic will make more eye-catching signings this summer, but being able to call on a familiar presence to integrate withing the goalkeeping group at Lennoxtown could be a savvy move.

Doohan spent seven years at Celtic in his first spell at the club. Now, he will have the opportunity to be part of a successful dressing room in the prime of his career.

Leeds United ended their Championship season by beating Plymouth Argyle in stoppage time to claim the title ahead of Burnley, whilst also hitting a century of points.

Since then, it has been a week full of parades, celebrations, and interesting chants and dance moves from members of the squad and management.

Once the celebrations are over, or at least subdued, Daniel Farke and his staff will have to start to think about plans for the upcoming summer transfer window.

Leeds are in a party atmosphere right now, and rightly so after their incredible achievement, but they know how hard the task ahead of them will be.

In fact, Football Insider reports that the Whites already have doubts over Joel Piroe and are not expected to build their attack around the Dutchman next season, which suggests that the club will be in the market for a new centre-forward.

This means that Leeds will need to find a lethal number nine to come in and provide the team with goals on a regular basis, as they look to land their best striker signing since Chris Wood.

Leeds United's strikers since Chris Wood

The New Zealand international set the bar high when he plundered an exceptional haul of 27 goals in 44 Championship matches for the West Yorkshire outfit in the 2016/17 campaign.

His incredible form in the second tier led to interest from the Premier League, though, and Burnley swooped in to sign him for a reported fee of £15m, which was a club-record deal for the Clarets at the time.

Wood has gone on to score 88 goals in the Premier League for Burnley, Newcastle United, and Nottingham Forest combined, which shows that he has proven himself to be a reliable scorer in the top-flight.

Leeds, meanwhile, have not found a striker of Wood’s quality or potential since his move to Turf Moor, as none of their former or current strikers since the New Zealand international have gone on to achieve what he has.

24/25

Joel Piroe

Championship

19

23/24

Crysencio Summerville

Championship

20

22/23

Rodrigo

Premier League

13

21/22

Raphinha

Premier League

11

20/21

Patrick Bamford

Premier League

17

19/20

Patrick Bamford

Championship

16

18/19

Kemar Roofe

Championship

15

17/18

Kemar Roofe

Championship

11

As you can see in the table above, no striker has hit 20 goals in the league for the Whites since Wood’s return of 27 goals, with winger Crysencio Summerville the only player to hit that mark in the last eight seasons.

Patrick Bamford showed great potential to kick on when he scored 17 goals in the Premier League in the 2020/21 campaign, but the former England international has failed to score more than eight goals in a season in any of the last four years.

Football Insider’s report that the club have doubts over Piroe’s suitability for the top-flight does not suggest that the Dutchman is set to be the next Wood by going on to be a success in the Premier League, either, and this means that Leeds have to nail their next striker signing this summer.

The Whites have already been linked with an interest in new players ahead of the summer transfer window and one of their targets, Troy Parrott, could be their best striker signing since Chris Wood.

Why Troy Parrott could be the best striker signing since Chris Wood

What made Wood such a successful signing for Leeds was that he developed during his time at Elland Road, as the forward scored 13 goals in his first Championship season before hitting 27 goals in his second.

The Whites were, then, able to cash in on him for a significant amount of money, which is not something that they have been able to do since then.

Parrott is reportedly one of the names on the club’s shortlist of striker targets ahead of the summer transfer window, and the Ireland international is a forward who has the potential to be the best centre-forward signing since Wood.

Firstly, the Irish striker has plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and improve at the age of 23, which means that he could grow in value throughout his time at Elland Road before being sold for a profit in the future, as was the case with the current Nottingham Forest star.

Secondly, Parrott is a player with the physical attributes to compete at the top level, as he is a nimble and quick forward who can race away from opposition defenders, whilst Piroe, for example, is not blessed with lightning-quick speed or athleticism.

Finally, the 23-year-old star’s form in the Netherlands over the past two seasons suggests that he has the potential to be a reliable goalscoring threat for the Whites.

Parrott, who was described as a “phenomenal” marksman by former Preston North End boss Ryan Lowe, has caught the eye with his performances in the Eredivisie for Excelsior and the Eredivisie and the Europa League for AZ Alkmaar.

Appearances

29

40

69

xG

9.49

20.22

29.71

Goals

17

18

35

Big chances created

5

10

15

Assists

4

3

7

As you can see in the table above, the former Tottenham Hotspur youngster has plundered an eye-catching 35 goals in those two competitions in the last two seasons combined, outperforming his xG by roughly five goals in that time.

These statistics suggest that Parrott, who has scored 20 goals in all competitions this term for AZ Alkmaar, is already a player who can deliver goals on a regular basis at the top level, because he has proven himself in a big European league and in a big European competition.

If you take his form in the last two seasons, his physical attributes, and his age profile into account, the Leeds target has the potential to be the club’s best striker signing since Chris Wood.

No centre-forward since the ex-Burnley man has gone on to thrive in the Premier League on a consistent basis, or be sold on for a major profit, and Parrott is a striker who seemingly has the potential to go on to achieve both of those things, which is why the Whites must swoop for his services this summer.

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Leeds United will be playing Premier League football next season and will be aiming to buck the recent trend of newly-promoted teams going straight back down.

All three of the promoted sides from the Championship have been relegated in each of the last two seasons, including Southampton, Leicester City, and Ipswich Town this term.

The Whites know that they need to recruit well for Daniel Farke to build a squad that is capable of competing in the Premier League week-in-week-out in the 2025/26 campaign.

Leeds won the Championship title with a 2-1 win over Plymouth Argyle on the final day earlier this month, hitting a century of points in the process, but that achievement does not mean that they already have a squad that is ready for the top-flight.

There is, obviously, a gap in quality between the Premier League and the Championship, and Whites star Dan James is, perhaps, the best example of that, given the difference in his output in the top-flight and the second tier.

Why Dan James may not be ready to star in the Premier League

The Wales international was named the club’s 2024/25 Player of the Year recently after another impressive season from the right-sided attacker under Farke.

James racked up 12 goals and nine assists in 36 appearances in the Championship to help the Whites on their way to 100 points and the league title, which shows that he provided a consistent threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals on the right flank.

The 27-year-old speedster also caught the eye with his contributions at the top end of the pitch in the 2023/24 campaign, with a return of 13 goals, 13 ‘big chances’ created, and seven assists in 43 appearances in the second tier.

This means that James has scored 25 goals and provided 16 assists in the Championship since the start of last season, which is a fantastic haul and proves that he has been a star for Farke in the final third.

Appearances

34

24

Goals

4

2

Big chances created

5

3

Key passes per game

0.8

0.4

Assists

4

1

Dribbles completed per game

0.6

0.3

However, as you can see in the table above, the Welsh attacker’s last two seasons in the Premier League suggest that he may not be able to replicate that kind of form for the Whites next term.

James failed to provide consistent quality at the top end of the pitch for Fulham and Leeds in those two campaigns, and it remains to be seen whether or not he will be able to show a better version of himself in the top-flight this time around.

This is why the former Manchester United forward may not be a star for Leeds next season, despite his form this year, and that is why a fresh report on the club’s interest in a new winger is good news for Farke.

Leeds eyeing deal for Bundesliga forward

According to Foot Mercato, Leeds United are one of a number of clubs interested in a deal to sign Borussia Monchengladbach winger Franck Honorat in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The report claims that OGC Nice and Freiburg are also keen on the 28-year-old attacker, who moved to the Bundesliga from Stade Brest in the summer of 2023.

Transfer Focus

This means that there could be plenty of competition to land his services ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, as Farke lines up a raid on his former club, having managed Gladbach between 2022 and 2023.

The German boss moved on from the club before Honorat arrived in the summer of 2023, though, so there will not be any advantage for Leeds from that perspective.

Foot Mercato does not reveal how much money it would take for Gladbach to consider selling the experienced forward, but the Whites should press ahead with a move for the star because he could be an even better option than Dan James in the Premier League next season.

Why Franck Honorat could be a better option than Dan James

As aforementioned, the current Leeds star has failed to prove that he has the quality to perform consistently in the top-flight of English football in his previous seasons at that level.

James is an undoubted talent in the Championship but his output in the Premier League in the past is a concern ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, as he may not have what it takes to fire the Whites to safety with goals and assists on a regular basis.

Honorat, however, has already proven that he can deliver impressive performances in two of Europe’s top five leagues, as shown by his form for Stade Brest in Ligue 1 and for Gladbach in the Bundesliga.

During his time in France, the 28-year-old attacker produced 25 goals and 16 assists in 103 Ligue 1 matches for Stade Brest, with at least six goals and five assists in all three of his league seasons there.

His form in Ligue 1 led to a move to Gladbach on a permanent deal in the summer of 2023, and the French star has proven himself in the Bundesliga in the last two seasons.

Appearances

32

17

Goals

3

4

Big chances created

19

12

Key passes per game

2.8

2.5

Assists

9

7

As you can see in the table above, the Leeds target has created a staggering 31 ‘big chances’ in 49 appearances in the Bundesliga for his current club, whilst James created eight ‘big chances’ in 58 games in his last two seasons in the Premier League.

Honorat, who was described as “fast” by Gladbach sporting director Roland Virkus, has proven himself to be an exceptional creative force on the wing for both Gladbach and Stade Brest in Europe over the past five seasons, which suggests that he has the quality to make the step over to the Premier League.

The 28-year-old star has already proven that he has the ability to deliver consistent quality in the final third in France and Germany, whilst James is yet to prove himself in any major leagues, and that is why he could be even better than the Welsh forward for Farke next season.

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Honorat could improve the club’s chances of avoiding instant relegation to the Championship because his statistics suggest that he is more likely to be a difference-maker who can win vital points for Leeds with goals and assists than Dan James is.

The India batter is a game changer on his day but he needs to string more days like that together in Test cricket

Alagappan Muthu23-Jan-2024Shubman Gill has 1040 runs in Test cricket. Over half of them have come in boundaries.Now there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. The team he will be up against over the next couple of months has adopted a style of play that more or less turns every single ball into an event, and they have won 13 of their last 18 Test matches, including one share of an incredible Ashes series last year.Even otherwise, a hallmark of orthodox batting is in keeping good balls out and pouncing on bad ones. India’s most recent No. 3s were extremely skilled at that. Gill, early though it is in his career, will be keen to match them. He has more ball-striking raw material than either Rahul Dravid or Cheteshwar Pujara did. He’s like a Ferrari. Except he keeps wanting to floor it. Even in traffic.Related

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Gill has faced 1753 deliveries in Test cricket. That averages out to 47.4 deliveries per innings. For perspective, Dravid averaged 109.29 balls per innings, and Pujara 92.14. Gill could offer so much more if he would just wait for the open stretch of road.In his previous two Test series – seven innings in West Indies and South Africa – Gill scored only 119 runs at an average of 19.83 with a high score of 36, even though he was dismissed in single figures only twice.It has become all the more vital that India find a new source of runs now that their most prolific batter in home Tests over the last decade is missing, and that doesn’t happen often. There was Kanpur 2021. Bengaluru 2018. And Dharamsala 2017. Then a couple of Tests before he had truly established himself in the side. That’s it. Virat Kohli has missed only five Test matches in India since making his debut. He averages 60 in those games, when the collective average of the top seven batters was only 35. India haven’t lost an edge. They’ve lost a battalion. So it’s up to the others to pick up the slack, which they are plenty capable of.Gill, for example, plays shots that feel straight out of a dream. The back-foot, high-elbow, half-jab, half-drive through midwicket for example. Balls that finish on top of off stump – maybe even slightly outside – at 139 kph from Mitchell Starc do not invite such disdain. But with Gill, it looked commonplace. He is enemy to bowlers, physics and geometry. So long as he stays at the crease.”It’s a matter of perception. Depends who you ask. I think Gill’s a fine player,” India coach Rahul Dravid said two days out from the first Test against England in Hyderabad. “Starting out his journey as a cricketer, sometimes you forget that it takes people a little bit of time. Some guys have success instantly. Actually he’s one of those guys. He’s done really well in some of his early tours, especially in Australia. To be fair to him and a lot of the young guys coming through, a lot of them have played on really challenging wickets, whether it’s in India or even overseas, over the last two-three years. It gets quite hard at times for some of these guys.””But he’s doing all the right things. He’s working really hard, he’s putting in the time, putting in the effort. His last season he got a couple of nice hundreds for us, one in Bangladesh, one in Ahmedabad. So I think he’s on the right track. Just hoping that over the course of this five-match series he has some big performances.Shubman Gill averaged 19 on the tours to West Indies and South Africa•AFP/Getty ImagesThere is no reason an attack-minded No. 3 can’t also be hard to dismiss. Ricky Ponting combined those two traits so well that there were times when it was almost impossible to get him to make a mistake. Indeed, those who were somehow able to – like Ishant Sharma or Andrew Flintoff – were accorded instant cult-hero status.It is, of course, patently unfair to stack Gill against a contender for the greatest of all time, but consider this. Gill has two centuries from his first 37 Test innings. Ponting had only three, and he went on to be unstoppable, at one point scoring 10 hundreds in 19 Tests. The Ponting of that era (2002-03) was defined by his conviction. And that is what Gill needs to distinguish himself. At the moment, he is running on pure instinct.”I think he is playing a bit too aggressively in Test cricket,” Gavaskar said of him a few days ago. He gets a signal that there’s a ball to attack and he just goes for it. But if he were to look at the bigger picture and devote more of himself to shaping the fate of a whole Test match instead of the odd delivery or two, well …Bazball pushes every opponent to their limits simply because England keep finding ways to put massive totals on the board. Keeping up with the runs they score becomes paramount and that puts the onus on India to dig deeper than they might normally do. For Gill, that means finding a way to last. Almost 38% of his Test innings have ended in fewer than 25 balls.That may well be a function of the way he sets up, staying leg side to allow a free flow of his arms. And while that in itself isn’t really a problem, he does complicate matters by trying to play at almost every delivery. Half of his dismissals (17) are a consequence of the fact that he rarely leaves the ball. Another 13 have been bowled and lbw. Granted, some of those were jaffas, like when Neil Wagner set him up to be caught behind in the 2021 World Test Championship final, and others just plain bad luck, like when Kagiso Rabada benefited from low bounce last month, but by and large the rest are a sign of a guy needing to tighten up a little bit. Perhaps his white-ball game, where throwing your hands at the ball is crucial to keep hitting sixes, has been seeping into his red-ball routine.”Gill is under pressure,” Sanjay Manjrekar told ESPNcricinfo ahead of the series. “Not just in Test cricket but in T20 cricket as well. I think there’s a crowd gathering around him, making his life a little difficult. Fifty-overs format, he is set for the moment. In Test cricket, there’s one imperative [thing] that you need, unless you’re batting down at No. 6 of 7, but even then you need it, especially with the kind of pitches that India have had in the recent past at home, where you need to have a good defence.”If you can’t defend, and you’re looking to attack your way out of trouble. That works in 50-overs cricket. T20 cricket it definitely works. In Test cricket, you need to have reasonably good defence and that is what he should be focusing on completely. His defence against seam, swing. Pace and bounce, he’s okay. And in India, against spinners, imagining a silly point, short leg and so on.”Imagine the series India will have if Gill sticks it out to thwart England’s plan A and B. If he makes them turn to C, D and E, to funky fields and golden arms, simply by being a little more strategic. Imagine the threat he will pose if he focused on innings-building as much as shot-making.That Shubman Gill will be a sight to behold too.

The allrounder played U-19 cricket for New Zealand, now represents Netherlands, and is hoping to get back in black to play senior cricket for New Zealand again

Shashank Kishore30-Mar-2022When Logan van Beek, 31, took the field for Netherlands in Mount Maunganui on Tuesday, he was playing an away ODI in his home country.Confused? Don’t be.van Beek, a fast-bowling allrounder born and raised in Christchurch, holds a Netherlands passport because his father is of Dutch descent, and that makes him eligible to play for Netherlands. Eight years after he first played for them, he was back home playing an ODI in New Zealand this week.Related

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It was a special moment for the family. His parents, used to waking up in the wee hours to watch him play, were at the Bay Oval in person this time.As the players took the field, some in the opposition ranks might have been a tad nostalgic too. New Zealand captain Tom Latham, Matt Henry, and Michael Bracewell used to be housemates with van Beek a few years ago.Also among his friends in the opposition was Henry Nicholls, van Beek’s childhood cricket buddy, with whom he first hit cricket balls with a plastic bat. Nicholls’ and van Beek’s older brothers were friends and team-mates, and that relationship helped their younger siblings develop a connection too.”When I finished school and moved out of home, I moved into Tom Latham’s house in Christchurch,” van Beek said when interviewed ahead of the three-match ODI series. “Matt Henry was the third flatmate and we lived together for four amazing years. It was easily the most fun time of our lives. Three great mates, all living and breathing cricket, under one roof.”In 2017, van Beek moved from Canterbury to Wellington to further his cricket prospects. It was around the same time that Bracewell moved to the capital from Otago. The two would be housemates for two years, and also enjoyed success together with Wellington Firebirds on the field.These pals of mine: van Beek, second from right, with (from left) Tom Latham, Michael Bracewell and Matt Henry•Kerry Marshall/Getty Images”It’s going to be incredible to be playing against my closest mates, not just in cricket but life, in an international match,” van Beek said. “It’s surreal. I can’t even remember the number of times we would have had dinners, chats, talks, just hanging out together, playing golf, watching movies, dancing. And now playing a game where I’m going to try and get them out.”There’s going to be a competition within a competition. Next month at my wedding in Christchurch, they’ll all be there. It’s an incredibly special time, and I’m looking forward to savouring the next couple of weeks.””We know each other inside out. I’ve bowled to these guys for as long as I can remember. You know them so well; at the same time, you’re trying to double- or triple-bluff then. Sometimes, it’s better to play someone you don’t know because you’re simply reacting to what is coming. When you see someone so many times, you think you can premeditate and start to predict, and quite often it can lead to your downfall. But I’m sure there will be a few winks, laughter, and banter.”Cricket is a big part of van Beek’s family history. Sammy Guillen, van Beek’s grandfather on his mother’s side, came from Trinidad and Tobago. He was one of only 15 cricketers to have played Tests for two countries – five for West Indies in Australia and New Zealand in 1951-52, after which he moved to New Zealand and played for Canterbury. About four years later he played three Tests for New Zealand against West Indies.”My paternal grandparents came over from Holland in the 1950s, and they settled in the South Island,” van Beek said. “When they had my father, he was eligible for a Dutch passport. And when my father had us, we were still eligible to get a Dutch passport because he had kept his up to date. If we keep renewing our passports, it could keep passing on through the family lineage.”My maternal grandfather met a bloke in Christchurch and asked him if he could get him a job there because he liked it so much. A few months later, the bloke rang him up with an offer. My grandfather said he hopped on a ship the same day and came over to New Zealand, and a few years later he ended up being a part of New Zealand’s first Test win over the West Indies.”van Beek gets rid of Kane Williamson in a game in the 2014 T20 World Cup•Prakash Singh/AFP/Getty ImagesIn more recent history, van Beek was part of New Zealand’s U-19 World Cup campaign at home in 2010. A few months before that, he represented the country at the U-19 basketball world championships. When it got to a point where he couldn’t realistically continue with both sports, he chose cricket.”I wasn’t 6’8″, I was just six, so maybe basketball wouldn’t have worked out,” he laughed. “A lot of my mates played cricket and I loved it. I loved the mateship and the camaraderie. I loved the athleticism elements of bowling and fielding. It was a no-brainer at the time. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”In 2012, van Beek first played for Netherlands in a county game against Essex, but as an overseas professional. Because he had played the Under-19 World Cup for New Zealand, there needed to be a three-year cooling-off period before he became eligible to play for Netherlands in an international fixture.As soon as he became eligible, he was picked for Netherlands at the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in 2014, a tournament where he played against New Zealand for the first time. The game was memorable for many reasons, not least that he dismissed future captain Kane Williamson.”Since then, I’ve played in two other World Cups,” he says. “So anytime I can represent the Netherlands, I want to try and do that. I am still trying to push my case to play for New Zealand as well.”What about the rules?”You can play for an Associate and next day play for a Full Member if you have the residency,” he says. “If I play for New Zealand, then I’ll have to wait for three years until I can represent the Netherlands again.”van Beek bats for Wellington, for whom he has played for five years now, in the Super Smash in 2019•Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesThat cooling-off period between a player’s last game for a Full Member side and their rejoining an Associate team is stipulated not just to encourage local Associate talent but also to prevent cricketers from Full Member nations from making a beeline for Associate teams in the hope of being selected for national representation in those sides.van Beek has had a contract with Wellington since 2017 – a six-month retainer that leaves him free to pursue other interests for the remainder of the year. It’s during this off season that he plays in the Netherlands, where he also has a part-time job as an executive at a real-estate development company. In New Zealand, along with his cricket, he works at an HR consultancy.Over the past few years there have been times when van Beek has had to miss international commitments with Netherlands. Recently he missed the South Africa tour in November, which clashed with the start of New Zealand’s domestic season. This time, the stars have aligned.van Beek is hopeful his New Zealand goal will come to pass but he is equally respectful of opportunities handed out by Netherlands. As a senior team member he wants to contribute to their progress. Being part of the ODI Super League has given them a rare chance to play 24 games (eight series of three matches each) against the top sides over a three-year period.The New Zealand tour is Netherlands’ second to the country in eight years. Last time they were on these shores, it ended in tears, as they failed to qualify for the 2015 World Cup. That meant losing ODI status and significant funding.”The talent pool is not wide, we have to persist with the same pool,” van Beek said. “Sometimes you are forced to give players a long rope because you don’t have a choice. Sometimes players may not be up for it, but you have to put them in the deep end and hopefully they swim. If they sink, you put on the life vest and keep them afloat until the penny drops.”It’s no secret that we don’t have the talent pool, but if we can find a way to come together and beat big teams, there’s no bigger satisfaction than that, to do things against the odds.”

The 2025 MLB season has reached its final month and there are still questions that need to be answered, division races to shake out and award races to be decided. Which division leader’s lead is safest? And with a month of games remaining, is the playoff field already set? 

In terms of individual player milestones, will Aaron Judge, who surpassed Yogi Berra on the Yankees’ all-time home run list, one day pass the legendary Babe Ruth as well? And could Justin Verlander, after notching his 265th career win, become just the 25th pitcher to record 300 career victories? 

We’ll answer each of these questions and more in the latest edition of Fact or Fiction. 

The playoff field in MLB is already set

I know I’m being a bit of a party pooper with this answer, but it’s hard to argue with the current playoff landscape in MLB. 

For a brief moment to begin August, the Mets and Yankees, both mired in dreadful slumps, had their fan bases longing for the return of New York football. However, both clubs have emerged from the danger zone and stand on firmer ground as the calendar flips to September. 

As for the other current wild-card holders, it’s difficult to imagine a scenario where the likes of either the Red Sox or Padres, two of baseball’s best teams since the All-Star break, fall out of the playoff race. Likewise for the Cubs, who, even after a middling month of August, still have a firm grasp on the third National League wild card. 

If there’s going to be a shakeup in the postseason landscape, it will happen in the American League, where the Royals, Rangers and even Guardians all could conceivably catch the Mariners for the third wild card. But all three of those clubs have a noticeable Achilles heel—offensive woes for the Royals and Guardians, injuries for the Rangers—that make it tough to envision these teams taking the field come October. 

Of the six division races, one is seemingly decided—the AL Central—and two are trending toward that territory—the NL East and Central. The division-leading Blue Jays, Astros and Dodgers all sport leads of fewer than five games. 

All of this to say, there could be some musical chairs going on in the season’s final month as clubs jockey for positioning. The seeding and playoff bracket could look a bit different come season’s end. But get used to the teams that currently represent the playoff field. 

Of the 12 teams in pole position entering September, 10 of them boast 90 percent or better postseason odds on FanGraphs and nine of them have similar figures in Baseball Reference’s playoff odds. Hopefully, the good folks at FanGraphs and Baseball Reference are wrong and there’s a September surprise or two in store. Just don’t be too crestfallen if that doesn’t happen. 

Verdict: Fact

Aaron Judge will one day top Yankees’ all-time home run list 

Aaron Judge on Sunday belted the 358th home run of his career, surpassing Hall of Famer Yogi Berra for fifth on the Yankees’ all-time home run list, which is a who’s who of legends. Judge now trails only Joe DiMaggio, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle and Babe Ruth for the most home runs in club history. 

DiMaggio, who belted 361 home runs in his career, is next on the list for Judge. That will almost certainly happen at some point in September, barring a cold spell from the two-time AL MVP. So, should that occur, Judge would trail only Gehrig, Mantle and Ruth. 

he one day surpass Ruth, who swatted 659 homers in pinstripes? Let’s take a deep dive. Judge, 33, is under contract with the Yankees for the next six seasons, through the 2031 campaign. And he’ll likely be wearing the pinstripes for the remainder of his career. Back in July, he told Ian O’Connor of that he not only plans to play into his mid-40s, but that he expects to sign another contract that would allow him to do so. So that means, health willing, Judge could conceivably play for another 10 years. 

Let’s say he clubs seven homers in September and finishes with an even 50 in 2025. Judge would need to average about 29 homers per year for 10 seasons to match the Sultan of Swat on the Yankees’ all-time list. Given that Judge has averaged just above 35 homers per season for his career thus far, a drop to 29 per year accounts reasonably well for the dip that aging will undoubtedly induce. 

That’s the elephant in the room when it comes to Judge potentially catching The Babe. We simply don’t know how well Judge will age because MLB has never seen a player with Judge’s size who also possesses his level of athleticism. And given that he’s been arguably more durable in his thirties than he was in his twenties, there’s reason to be optimistic about his chances of one day standing alone among Yankees sluggers. 

I’ll say that Judge surpassing Gehrig and DiMaggio but falling just short of Ruth is still an incredible accomplishment. Time is not on his side, and not only did he get a late start as an older rookie, but he also missed out on effectively another full season due to the pandemic-shortened year in 2020. But that these circumstances occurred and we’re even having this conversation about Judge potentially——being able to catch Ruth one day is a testament to how truly great he is. 

Verdict: Fiction

Walker Buehler will be the most impactful late-season addition

How many times does a club with championship aspirations land a two-time World Series winner with big-game pitching experience this late in the season? That’s what happened when the Phillies on Sunday inked Walker Buehler to a minor-league deal after the Red Sox had parted ways with the veteran righthander amid his struggles in Boston. 

Any way you slice it, Buehler (5.45 ERA, 1.55 WHIP) has not been good this year. But opportunity knocks for a Phillies club that lost ace Zack Wheeler for the remainder of the year. If Buehler can tinker with his mechanics and figure out a way to pitch better, he has a chance to be most impactful late-season addition. 

Right now, though, I’m going in a different direction for that honor. And the winner is … Red Sox first baseman Nathaniel Lowe. That may sound crazy. Lowe, perhaps burdened by the weight of futility, had posted a career-worst .665 OPS in 119 games for the woeful Nationals. Now, however, Lowe is playing for something again—and it shows. 

He’s been a revelation for the Red Sox, who are in the thick of both the AL wild card and AL East races. In 12 games with the club—admittedly, a tiny sample size—he’s posted an OPS of .973 and has solidified first base both offensively and defensively for a Red Sox team that had been searching for production from the position since before Rafael Devers (remember him?) was traded. 

But to a certain degree, this is who Lowe has been all his career. A solid hitter who makes the pitcher give him a pitch to hit, puts the ball in play and works long at-bats. So while he might not be the flashiest or highest-profile late-season addition, Lowe might just prove to be the most impactful come October. 

Verdict: Fiction

Justin Verlander will get to 300 career wins

Justin Verlander is the last of a dying breed in MLB: the old-school ace. Verlander on Sunday did something seldom seen in baseball anymore, as he struck out 10 batters over five scoreless innings on 121 pitches. 121 pitches! In the day and age of beefed-up bullpens and analytics-savvy managers, that simply does not happen anymore.

Aside from that truly rare occurrence, Verlander’s impressive outing was notable for another reason: the start was his 265th career win, inching him ever closer to hallowed ground: 300 career wins. To be clear, wins don’t quite mean what they used to, as talent evaluators—and the game itself—have moved to better indicators of pitcher success, such as ERA. But wins still matter to pitchers, especially to ones like Verlander. 

“Talk to almost any starting pitcher,” Verlander told back in February. “How do you feel after you win compared to a loss or no-decision? It’s easier to write off a loss when you know you do well and give up one or two runs and say, ‘I gave us a chance.’ But I’d rather go seven, give up three and win. “We’re here to win.” 

It’s predominantly one of the reasons why the 42-year-old, who said he’d like to pitch in 2026, is still on the mound—300 wins is a career milestone that to Verlander. And it’s of even more significance because he could be the last pitcher to ever achieve the feat. The only other active pitchers close enough—Clayton Kershaw (221), Max Scherzer (221) and Gerrit Cole (153) are all either already 40 years old or in their mid to late thirties. So, Verlander is seemingly the last hope. 

Will he get there? Simple math says he at least has a chance. The veteran righthander has averaged roughly 13 wins per season in his illustrious career. In order to get to 300 victories, he’d have to average just under 12 wins per season for the next three campaigns to hit the mark. On paper, he could do it—and it may be unwise to doubt Verlander, whose Hall of Fame career was years ago sparked by a perceived snub from a fall in the 2001 MLB draft. 

The odds are against him, though. For one thing, look no further than this season for the best proof that games aren’t played on paper. Plagued by a lack of run support and an, at-times, leaky Giants bullpen, Verlander didn’t get his first win of the season until late-July. 

Then, there’s the injuries. Verlander missed almost two months of the 2024 season with a neck injury, which he later said he returned too quickly from. He’s had an injured list stint in 2023 and this season for the Giants. Even if Verlander stays healthy, he’s racing against the clock. But should he need to miss any starts due to injury in the next season or two, it could prove costly to his quest for 300. 

Ultimately, Verlander doesn’t 300 wins for any other reason than to join an exclusive club in MLB history. He’s a three-time Cy Young Award winner, a former AL MVP and Triple Crown winner, a two-time World Series winner and a member of MLB’s 3,000-strikeout club. It would simply be the cherry on top to one of the greatest careers any pitcher has ever had. 

Verdict: Fiction 

Brewers will set the franchise record for wins 

Buoyed by a franchise-record 14-game winning streak in August, the Milwaukee Brewers seized the title of ‘best team in baseball’ and haven’t relinquished their grasp on the honor. Now, entering September with 85 wins, a different piece of franchise history is very much within reach. 

The Brewers, with 24 games remaining in their schedule, have a chance to surpass the 2018 club, which won a franchise record 96 games, for the most victories in team history. In order to do so, Milwaukee, which has won its games at over a 60 percent clip, will need to merely play .500 ball the rest of the way to reach 97 wins and stand alone in Brewers’ lore. Seems like an easy ask for this club. 

Schedule luck is on their side, too. Milwaukee has the ninth-easiest remaining schedule, with half of its eight remaining series coming against teams below .500. Among the toughest tests remaining for the Brewers are two more games against Philadelphia this week and three contests against the Padres (Sept. 22–24). In theory, all the Brewers would need to do is take care of business against the easier matchups, and history would be theirs. 

Given that Milwaukee sports the best record in baseball against teams above .500, there’s a chance this team could become the first in franchise history to win 100 games. Now would be entering the postseason on a high noteSo, even though the team’s torrid winning pace has slowed since its record winning streak, I’ll still say that come season’s end, this Milwaukee club will stand alone in team history with 97-plus victories. 

Verdict: Fact

Chelsea have held talks with one of Europe’s brightest young attacking talents and made their plan for him crystal clear, with the Blues getting a response to their serious interest.

Chelsea's plan to sign 'more Estevaos' as Blues target rising stars

BlueCo’s recruitment strategy remains firmly focused on acquiring world football’s brightest prospects before they reach superstar status, with several teenage sensations already lined up to follow in Estevao’s footsteps at Stamford Bridge.

The Brazilian wonderkid’s dazzling performances this season highlight the success of Chelsea’s approach to signing elite young talent with modest salaries.

Estevao chose Chelsea over rumoured interest from Real Madrid, PSG and Barcelona after the club spent three years of scouting, ultimately going for him ahead of Endrick, who’s since endured a torrid time at the Bernabeu by contrast.

The 18-year-old was convinced by Chelsea’s project and the playing opportunities available in London (Sky Sports), with more players like him due in West London very soon.

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Sporting Lisbon winger Geovany Quenda, who’s been called ‘the next Cristiano Ronaldo’ by Portuguese media sources, arrives next summer following a March agreement worth up to £40 million, with the young forward viewed as another potential game-changer.

Joining Quenda will be two 17-year-olds — Kairat Almaty forward Dastan Satpaev and Corinthians left back Denner — with Strasbourg striker Emanuel Emegha also coming to Cobham next year.

Looking even further ahead, 16-year-old Ecuadorian centre-back Deinner Ordonez is scheduled to arrive from Independiente del Valle in January 2028, so Chelsea are very much planning for the future.

As the Blues plot to secure ‘more Estevaos’, in the words of Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol that is, TEAMtalk now bring news of yet another rising star attracting Chelsea’s attention.

Chelsea hold talks with Austrian starlet Johannes Moser

That man is 17-year-old attacking midfielder Johannes Moser.

The teenager was one of the standout stars at the Under-17 World Cup in Qatar recently, taking home the Golden Boot after a remarkable tournament which saw him bag eight goals during Austria’s route to the final against Portugal.

Moser was also named Runner-Up in the Player of the Tournament Award, taking home the Silver Ball, and he’s already clocked 13 senior appearances for FC Liefering in the Austrian second division.

All signs point towards him being a real one to watch in the coming years, and TT state that he has ’emerged as one of the finest teenage attacking players in mainland Europe’.

According to their information, Chelsea have also held talks with Moser and his representatives in a bid to convince the versatile forward to join them, alongside Man City.

Enzo Maresca’s side went as far as presenting their plan for Moser to develop as a player under the BlueCo umbrella, but TT also report some bad news on that front.

Indeed, at least for now, the Austrian is apparently set to snub both Chelsea and City’s interest in favour of remaining at Liefering, specifically the Red Bull Group, to further his development.

Liefering, who are Red Bull Salzburg’s reserve team, have managed to hold on to Moser thanks to Red Bull making it clear that his pathway into the Salzburg first team is ‘already in place’.

While a move to the Premier League is off the cards for now, the wunderkind’s sky-high potential means we shouldn’t rule out another English swoop in future.

After Erik ten Hag’s dismissal from Manchester United in October last year, it was always going to be crucial that the hierarchy made the right call with their next appointment.

The Red Devils board turned to Ruben Amorim to fill the void, but around 13 months on from his arrival, he’s still struggling to provide the goods on a consistent basis.

He’s currently achieving a 41% win record in his 56 matches in charge at Old Trafford to date, with the 40-year-old only registering a total of 23 victories across all competitions.

His 3-4-2-1 system is yet to be seen in full flow, as numerous players are still getting used to the demands of the manager’s intricate system in the Premier League.

One player in particular has had to adapt his playstyle over the last couple of months as a result of the switch, but he’s struggled in 2025/25 – as seen by his stats in recent weeks.

The stats behind Dalot’s struggles in 2025/26

Diogo Dalot was signed by United back in 2018 from boyhood club Porto, with the Portuguese star seen as the long-term solution at right-back at Old Trafford.

The 26-year-old has already racked up over 200 senior appearances for the Red Devils since his transfer, but concerns have been raised about his performance levels in 2025/26.

He’s been asked to operate in a more advanced right-wing-back role as a result of Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system – a position in which he’s massively struggled to date.

In his 11 appearances in the Premier League, he’s massively struggled in possession, as seen by his lowly tally of just 2.8 progressive passes completed per 90.

Such a tally ranks him within the bottom 20% of all full-backs in the division this season, further showcasing his lack of impact when in possession this campaign.

Going forward, he’s also massively struggled to impress, as seen by his tally of just 1.7 passes into the final per 90 – which also places him in the bottom 14% of other defenders in the league.

When he gets himself into shooting positions, Dalot has also massively struggled in the Premier League, as seen by his tally of zero shots on target, the joint-worst of any player in the division.

It’s evident that he’s massively struggled to impress since the arrival of his compatriot, with the manager desperately needing to address the situation in such an area.

The star who can end Dalot’s Man Utd career

In an attempt to fix the issues in the wing-back department, Amorim has put faith in Amad Diallo to try and nail the place down as his own in recent months.

The Ivorian, who’s primarily a winger, has managed to impress in the role, with the 23-year-old netting 11 goals and eight assists across all competitions in 2024/25.

In the current season, the youngster has continued to impress, already netting a goal and two assists – with his only goal a tremendous strike in the 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest.

However, the manager could be presented with an issue in the months ahead, with the player set to join up with the Ivory Coast national team for the African Cup of Nations.

Despite the issues, the manager could call upon academy star Bendito Mantato to try and fill the void and solve the long-standing problem in wide areas.

The Englishman joined the academy at the age of nine, subsequently spending his entire youth years with the Red Devils and is now a star performer in the youth ranks.

He’s made three appearances for the U18 squad during the early stages of this season, but has managed to impress – as seen by his tally of three goals and three assists.

Mantato, who started out as a winger, has even played as a full-back for the academy sides, subsequently allowing him to make 11 appearances for the under-21 side this campaign.

As a result of his recent performances, analyst Ben Mattinson has already labelled “explosive” – even touching on his ability to get up and down the pitch with his tireless nature.

Bendito Mantato – stats in 2025/26

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

14

Goals & assists

9

Pass accuracy

89%

Successful dribbles

1.1

Tackles made

3.4

Duels won

6.7

Duels won

49%

Fouls won

1.3

Stats via FotMob

The youngster starred in the U18s 7-0 demolition of Liverpool at the weekend, with the wideman finding the net early on to get the ball rolling against their bitter rivals.

At just 17, expectations will no doubt have to be managed by the club and Amorim, but it’s evident that he’s a player with bags of talent and potential for the future.

However, if he does manage to continue his current trajectory, there’s no reason why he can’t replace Dalot in the first-team setup and save the hierarchy millions.

The Portuguese international is certainly on borrowed time at Old Trafford, with the full-back needing a miracle to prevent the hierarchy from looking at options to replace him.

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