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Diego Simeone has openly admitted that he wants to manage Inter once he leaves Atletico Madrid, insisting his long-held ambition to take over the Nerazzurri "will happen one day." The Rojiblancos boss made the revelation ahead of Atleti's Champions League clash with Inter, fuelling speculation over his future as pressure rises in Madrid and admiration grows in Milan.

Simeone opens up on his love towards Inter

Ahead of Atletico decisive Champions League meeting with Inter, Simeone created headlines by revealing his desire to manage the Italian giants in the future. The Argentine coach discussed both the match and Inter’s strengths, while simultaneously acknowledging his emotional connection to the Nerazzurri from his days as a player. His comments arrived at a delicate moment for Atletico, who have been inconsistent in Europe, struggling for momentum despite a handful of strong results and needing to protect their home advantage.

In the build-up to the fixture, Simeone analysed Inter as one of the most complete sides in the competition and highlighted their attacking structure, depth, and character. At the same time, he contrasted Inter’s Champions League dominance – a perfect 12 points – with Atletico’s mixed league-stage campaign, which includes emphatic wins but damaging defeats to Liverpool and Arsenal. The pressure surrounding Atleti’s European fate, combined with Simeone’s remarks about his long-term future, ensured his comments rapidly became the focus of media attention in both Spain and Italy.

The backdrop of Simeone’s remarks also includes growing scrutiny over Atletico’s season trajectory, with injuries to key players and fluctuating performances adding uncertainty. Inter’s arrival in Madrid heightened the sense of urgency for Atlético, who must secure positive results to stay on track for the knockout rounds. In that context, Simeone’s admission about his dream job became as significant as his tactical assessment of the match ahead.

AdvertisementAFPSimeone 'will' coach Inter 'one day'

When asked directly about his future ambitions, Simeone made his intentions clear, stating: "It doesn’t depend on just me, but in my coaching career I can imagine myself managing Inter one day." He reinforced that belief by adding: "I think it will happen one day."

During the same press briefing, Simeone showed deep admiration for Inter’s current side, offering a detailed breakdown of their quality. He said: "Inter play very well, they have character and a very clear attacking pattern. They have an incredible squad. They dominated the entire match against Milan, had scoring opportunities and could’ve won. They certainly played to win. As for in the Champions League, their numbers speak for themselves.

"For a team like Inter, losing the derby means putting it behind you straight away and moving on, because this is a very strong side, the favourites to win the Scudetto, and will go far in the Champions League too."

"Every match is important for us, regardless of the opponent. We are in the ascendant phase of our campaign. We’ve got to improve in various areas, but we are aware of that and working on it."

AFPChivu's work at Inter praised by Simeone

Simeone’s connection to Inter stretches back to his playing days, when he played a pivotal role in their 1997–98 UEFA Cup triumph, leaving a legacy built on leadership, discipline, and relentless competitiveness. His bond with the Nerazzurri has remained strong, with fans fondly remembering the midfielder who characterised their late-90s spirit alongside stars like Ronaldo and Javier Zanetti. That affection, combined with Simeone’s own admiration for the club, has kept his name attached to Inter speculation for more than a decade.

Inter, now coached by Cristian Chivu, are regarded as one of the continent’s best-built sides and remain unbeaten in the Champions League this season. Simeone refused to outline what Chivu has changed tactically, saying: "It is difficult to explain what you can see every day, so I won’t come here and tell you how Chivu has changed Inter." However, he made it clear that he respects their development, their structure, and their Scudetto-favourite status under the former Inter defender.

Chivu’s appointment marked a new era for Inter after Simone Inzaghi’s departure to Al-Hilal, and results have quickly vindicated the decision.

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Simeone has contract at Atletico until 2027

Simeone remains under contract with Atletico Madrid until 2027, meaning any move to Inter will only materialise once a vacancy opens or if the Argentine initiates a departure. With Inter thriving under Chivu and competing for major honours on multiple fronts, no immediate managerial change appears likely. Nevertheless, Simeone’s comments will intensify long-running speculation and ensure his name remains linked to the Nerazzurri job whenever an opening emerges.

Playing South Africa for the first time, and playing at the new Namibia Cricket Ground for the first time, the hosts won a last-ball thriller

Firdose Moonda11-Oct-2025Namibia made history in more ways than one in the one-off T20I as they inaugurated the new Namibia Cricket ground, played their neighbours South Africa for the first time in any international format, and then beat them in a thriller for good measure.The upset came against a patchwork South Africa side, with most of the first-choice T20I players currently in Pakistan, where they will play a Test starting tomorrow. But Namibia won’t care what kind of South Africa team they earned their first win against. They celebrated in front of a 4000-capacity crowd at the NCG (you read that right), complete with a lap of honour. South Africa are the fourth Full Member to be defeated by Namibia, after Zimbabwe, Ireland and Sri Lanka.On a slow surface and sluggish outfield, batting was tricky for both sides and Namibia had South Africa in trouble at 82 for 6 in the 13th over thanks largely to good catching. South Africa left it late to string partnerships together and their most profitable stand was 37 off 35 balls for the seventh wicket between Jason Smith and Bjorn Fortuin. Smith was the highest scorer with 31.Similarly, Namibia’s innings started badly and they were 84 for 5 in the 13th over. In what was close to an exact mirroring of South Africa’s batting, their seventh-wicket pair put on 37 but off just 21 balls. Zane Green’s unbeaten 30 off 23 balls on his birthday sealed the win.De Kock’s short-lived comebackThe stage was set for one of the most highly anticipated returns in the global game when Donovan Ferreira won the toss and chose to bat with Quinton de Kock carded at No. 1. But his return was short lived. Namibia’s captain Gerhard Erasmus opened the bowling and de Kock brought out the pull first up. He got a single to midwicket, then missed one that went down leg, and then tried to smash it over square leg but miscued to Ruben Trumpelmann, who took a simple catch to end de Kock’s stay at the crease in the opening over. De Kock also returned behind the stumps and took the only chance he had, but it was off a no-ball in the first over of the Namibian chase.Jason Smith top-scored for South Africa with 31•Cricket NamibiaNamibia hold on to everything… until they don’tTrumpelmann’s catch didn’t require much more than being in the right place, but he created more difficult opportunities that his team-mates took. In his first over, Reeza Hendricks tried to hit him over deep square but Malan Kruger sprinted in from the rope to take a tumbling catch and remove Hendricks for 7. By his second over, Rubin Hermann, who looked in good touch for his 23, was rushed by extra bounce as he tried to hit Trumpelmann over deep midwicket. Ben Shikongo claimed a good low catch to give Trumpelmann a second.Debutant Max Heingo had Lhuan-dre Pretorius caught behind off the glove and Ferreira at midwicket before Shikongo was rewarded by smart bowling and smarter hands. He followed Andile Simelane as he backed away to clear mid-off and sent the ball high. Erasmus got the skates on again and took a stunning catch to his left to leave South Africa 82 for 6.Smith and Fortuin steadied things but with only one boundary in 30 balls between the 13th and 18th overs, had to try and force things. Smith tried to hit Heingo over long-on and should have been caught by Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton but he put it down. In the next over, Smith tried to clear him at long-off but again, didn’t have the distance, and JJ Smit took a simple catch.Later in the over, Fortuin offered Smit a similar chance but he shelled it. Namibia finished things off with another catch as Gerald Coetzee tried to go big but found Louren Steenkamp at deep third.Coetzee’s nightmare over ends in injuryCoetzee was brought on first change and made an early impact. He started off too straight and was flicked for four but quickly adjusted his length to Lourens Steenkamp and even surprised him with a bouncer before bowling him. Namibia were 28 for 2 after three overs.But then things started to go wrong for Coetzee. He started his second over with a wide down leg, then got hit for four by Erasmus, and then bowled three more wides. He had his hands on his hips in frustration and the next ball whizzed past Erasmus but avoided the edge.Whatever extra effort Coetzee put into that ball seemed to do some damage and he left the field with three balls remaining in the over. Ferreira completed it and in the end it cost 12 runs. A CSA update said the injury was likely of the pectoral muscle.A fitting finale Namibia stayed in the hunt with contributions from Erasmus (a run-a-ball 21) and Kruger (18 off 21 balls) but South Africa’s attack didn’t let any of them get too far away to set up the perfect finish.Namibia needed 32 runs off the last three overs with four wickets in hand. They took nine runs off the 18th over, with Trumpelmann getting four off an inside edge, and 12 runs off the 19th, as Green started with a lofted cover drive and then ran hard with three twos in the over.That left 11 to get off the final over and Simelane was tasked with defending it. His first ball was short, Green got underneath it and sent it over fine leg for six and then took a single. Trumpelmann ran hard for two and then drew scores level. Green sent the last ball – a low full toss – over midwicket for four to complete the win.

Los Angeles Dodgers legend Clayton Kershaw is officially set to retire from MLB after the 2025 season, the team announced on Thursday.

It marks the end of an era in Los Angeles, as the beloved lefty and 11-time All-Star has played his entire professional career for the organization, spanning across 18 illustrious seasons. Kershaw isn't just a Dodgers icon, however. He's an MLB legend and one of the greatest pitchers to ever grace the mound in the big leagues.

After almost two decades of dominance, Kershaw has climbed the ranks of some of MLB's most distinguished pitching categories. The future Hall of Famer is one of the most decorated left-handers to pitch in MLB, and has a boatload of accolades to show for it, including three Cy Youngs, an NL MVP award, a pitching Triple Crown, five ERA titles, a Gold Glove and a Clemente Award, as well as a 2020 World Series win.

So, where does Kershaw rank in league history in some key pitching categories? We'll take a look below:

MLB All-Time Strikeouts Leaders

Across his MLB career, which will still include one more home start in the regular season, Kershaw has amassed 3,039 strikeouts. He's one of 20 pitchers in league history to clear the 3,000K mark, which he accomplished just this season. Kershaw ranks 20th all-time in strikeouts and is 45 behind John Smoltz for the No. 19 spot on the leaderboards. He's well away from Nolan Ryan's all-time record of 5,714 Ks, however.

MLB All-Time Wins Leaders

Kershaw racked up 222 wins in his career, which puts him tied for 73rd all time. If he can secure a win on Friday, he'd reach 223 and move into a tie with Paul Derringer and Mel Harder for 71st. As dominant as he was, he failed to rack up even half of the 511 wins Cy Young recorded throughout his career.

MLB All-Time ERA Leaders

Kershaw's pristine ERA throughout his 18-year career was an exceptional 2.54. That ranks 47th all-time on a list that consists of many relief pitchers, too. Ed Walsh, who pitched as both a reliever and starter in his career, tops the all-time leaderboard with a 1.82 ERA.

Among pitchers with at least 2,000 innings pitched in their careers, Kershaw’s 2.54 ERA puts him second-lowest in the Live Ball Era dating back to 1920.

MLB All-Time Cy Young Award Leaders

Kershaw has won three Cy Young awards in his career, joining just 11 pitchers in league history to win the award three or more times. He's on level footing with legends such as Justin Verlander, Sandy Koufax, Pedro Martinez, Tom Seaver, Jim Palmer, and Max Scherzer. The only pitchers with more Cy Young wins than Kershaw are Roger Clemens (7), Randy Johnson (5), Steve Carlton (4) and Greg Maddux (4).

Kershaw had an incredible MLB career, and he'll bid an emotional farewell to Dodgers Nation on Friday at Dodger Stadium, against a team he's plenty familiar with in the rival Giants.

Clayton Kershaw vs. MLB's Best Lefties

Not only is Kershaw one of MLB's greatest pitchers, but he's also a lefty. He ranks 18th all time in terms of wins by a southpaw with 222, trailing the great Warren Spahn who owns the No. 1 spot with 363 wins. He's ninth in ERA and is one of just four MLB left-handed pitchers to ever record more than 3,000 strikeouts, joining Randy Johnson (4,875), Steve Carlton (4,136) and C.C. Sabathia (3,093).

Gerald Coetzee picked up a pectoral muscle injury during the one-off T20I against Namibia

Firdose Moonda11-Oct-2025Gerald Coetzee, the South Africa pace bowler, suffered a pectoral muscle injury in the one-off T20I against Namibia, which could put his participation in the white-ball leg of South Africa’s tour to Pakistan in doubt. Coetzee bowled 1.3 overs – but 13 balls all told with four wides – before he left the field after delivering one with extra zip.Cricket South Africa confirmed that Coetzee would take no further part in the match and would be assessed on his return home from Windhoek, where the match is being played.Coetzee has had a spate of injuries, especially recently. He was ruled out of the Champions Trophy with a groin injury but made his return to the national side in Zimbabwe in July. He has since played for South Africa A against New Zealand A and has been named in both the T20I and ODI squads for the Pakistan tour – the white-ball leg starts in late October after the two Tests. He has not played a Test since November last year, when he injured his groin and was ruled out of the rest of the Test summer.He is the second prominent South African fast bowler to be injured in the last week. Left-arm seamer Kwena Maphaka was ruled out of the Namibia match and the Pakistan tour with a hamstring strain, which he sustained while playing in a domestic first-class match last weekend.Despite those setbacks, South Africa have a strong pace contingent at their disposal. Both Nandre Burger and Lizaad Williams have made successful comebacks after recovering from a lower back stress fracture and knee surgery respectively. Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch and Wiaan Mulder are their seamers for the Tests in Pakistan, the first of which starts on Sunday, while Lungi Ngidi will play in the white-ball matches. Ngidi has not been selected for the Tests, with South Africa anticipating spin-friendly conditions as they begin their World Test Championship title defence.

And how many visiting players have played their one and only Test at Lord’s?

Steven Lynch17-Jun-2025Both No. 1 openers in the WTC final were out for ducks. How often has this happened? asked Kirsty Grosvenor from Australia
You’re right that Usman Khawaja, No. 1 on the Australian scorecard, was out for 0 (from 20 balls) on the first day of the World Test Championship final at Lord’s last week, and he was followed later in the day by South Africa’s Aiden Markram (six balls; he did rather better in the second innings).This was only the tenth time in all Tests that the batters at the top of the order for both teams were out for 0 in the first innings of the same match (only considering the man who faced the first ball). There was no such double in the first 100 years of Test cricket: the first instance was in the match between Australia and India in Melbourne in 1977, when the rival No. 1s, Sunil Gavaskar and John Dyson, both fell for 0 in the first innings.The most recent occurrence before last week was in Hobart in the final Ashes Test in 2022, when David Warner and Rory Burns both collected ducks at the top of the order. Here’s the full list, of No. 1s being out for 0 in the first innings of a match.Does Pat Cummins now have the best bowling figures by an Australian captain (or any captain!) in a Test? asked Dane Kristoffer from Australia
Pat Cummins took 6 for 28 in South Africa’s first innings in the World Test Championship final. They were the best figures by a captain in the 147 Tests at Lord’s, beating Bob Willis’ 6 for 101 for England against India in June 1982.Cummins’ figures are the fourth-best by an Australia captain in a Test, behind the 7 for 44 of Ian Johnson against West Indies in Georgetown in 1955, Allan Border’s unlikely 7 for 46 vs West Indies in Sydney in 1989, and Monty Noble’s 7 for 100 against England in Sydney in 1904.The best bowling figures by any captain in a Test match are 9 for 83, by Kapil Dev for India against West Indies in Ahmedabad in 1983. Here’s the full list of best bowling performances by Test captains.Apparently Australia had played South Africa at Lord’s in a Test before – when was this? asked Stephen Bashenga from South Africa
Last week’s World Test Championship final was indeed the second time Australia and South Africa had met in an official Test at Lord’s. The first one was in 1912, during an ambitious Triangular Test tournament that was rather spoiled by the weather. In the match between Australia and South Africa at Lord’s – the fifth of the tournament’s nine games – Charlie Kelleway and Warren Bardsley made centuries and the Australians won by ten wickets.Fionn Hand’s only Test to date came at Lord’s two years ago•AFP/Getty ImagesAustralia also played a Test against Pakistan at Lord’s in 2010, as security concerns at the time precluded playing in Pakistan. Steven Smith made his debut in that one, which means he’s played Tests at Lord’s against three different opponents, a record for an overseas player. He’s also the leading Test run-scorer among visitors to Lord’s.How many people have played their one and only Test at Lord’s? I mean visiting players – I imagine there have been lots of Englishmen… asked Matthew Rowell from South Africa
If you’re only going to play one Test match, it would be special to do it at Lord’s… and, rather to my surprise, there are currently only three overseas players who fit the bill. The first two did it for India: Lall Singh, the Malaysia-born batter (and superb fielder) who played in their inaugural Test, in 1932, and opening batter Ghulam Parkar, who made two single-figure scores in a defeat in 1982. The third man might yet play again: Fionn Hand won his only Test cap for Ireland so far at Lord’s in 2023.A total of 14 England players have won their only Test cap at Lord’s, the most recent being legspinner Matt Parkinson, who stepped in as a concussion substitute against New Zealand in 2022. For the record, the others are Stanley Christopherson (1884), Walter Mead (1899), John King (1909), Alf Dipper, Jack Durston and John Evans (all in 1921), Harry Smith (1928), Johnny Arnold (1931), Jim Parks senior (1937), Frank Smailes (1946), George Pope (1947), Alec Coxon (1948) and Simon Brown (1996).In last week’s question about players who had appeared in every edition of the IPL, did you miss out Ravi Jadeja? asked Brij Mohan Mahagaonkar from India
You worried me there – I knew that Ravindra Jadeja featured in the inaugural IPL, in 2008 – but actually he missed the third one, in 2010, after running into contractual problems. He therefore just failed to emulate MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Manish Pandey and Rohit Sharma in playing in them all so far.Jadeja is one of five players who have appeared in 17 of the 18 editions of the IPL. Three of the others featured in every season until the most recent one: Shikhar Dhawan, wicketkeeper-turned-commentator Dinesh Karthik, and another keeper, Wriddhiman Saha. The other man is Ajinkya Rahane, who did not play in 2010. R Ashwin, Piyush Chawla, Amit Mishra and Jaydev Unadkat have all appeared in 16 IPLs.Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

Quentin Ndjantou delivered a fearless and mature Champions League debut as Paris Saint-Germain beat Tottenham, earning glowing praise from coach Luis Enrique and captain Marquinhos. The 18-year-old academy striker not only registered an assist but convinced his coach that he is “a real signing," sparking new confidence in PSG’s youth-first strategy.

Ndjantou earns stunning praise after Champions League debut

The French starlet Ndjantou’s first-ever Champions League start became one of the major storylines of PSG’s thrilling 5-3 victory over Tottenham. At just 18 years old, the academy forward was a surprise starter in Luis Enrique’s line-up, chosen ahead of Goncalo Ramos with Ousmane Dembele only fit enough for the bench. Despite not scoring, Ndjantou made a strong impact by providing the assist for Vitinha’s rocket just before half-time and consistently stretching the Spurs backline.

Boss Enrique described him as nothing short of extraordinary after the match, praising his courage and versatility. While, PSG’s captain Marquinhos echoed the sentiment, highlighting the youngster’s composure on such a massive stage. In a match filled with high-tempo exchanges and standout individual performances, Ndjantou managed to stand out as PSG’s latest academy revelation, strengthening the club’s emphasis on developing homegrown talent.

AdvertisementAFPEnrique and Marquinhos impressed by teenager

Coach Enrique did not hold back when assessing Ndjantou’s performance, using some of the strongest praise he has given a young player since arriving in Paris. Speaking post-match, he said: "To be honest, I think he was sensational! Because he has the ability to control the ball, to play as a number 9. And at the same time, he can provide continuity. He has a lot of mobility, he played everywhere, he showed his personality, and I'm very happy.

"He was a real signing, he is a real signing, and we don't need to go into the transfer window to sign a player like Quentin Ndjantou. I'm very happy. He can play anywhere, and I like this fearless way of playing football. Sensational, and he's a great signing. We're ahead of the other teams because we've already signed our first player."

The praise was not limited to the coach, and captain Marquinhos, who has witnessed several generations of PSG academy graduates arrive into the first team, emphasised how rare such maturity is at this level: "He played a very good match. He did what the coach wanted. He tried to find the open spaces between the lines… He played a very good match for a kid who's starting the season with us and who hasn't played many games with us yet."

The PSG captain highlighted not only Ndjantou’s technical showing, but also the importance of PSG’s academy producing first-team-ready talent, adding: "He made his debut in a Champions League match and showed a lot of character. I'm really proud that our youth academy is starting to produce results like this. I think he's an extraordinary player, and we'll be there to support him so he can develop at his own pace. He's still young, and he needs to know that a lot of things are going to happen in his life."

A bold tactical gamble that paid off for PSG

Enrique’s decision to start Ndjantou was bold, especially in a fixture of such intensity. The Spanish coach bypassed seasoned attackers like Ramos, and Ballon D'Or holder Dembele, Lee Kang-in and even fellow academy prospects Senny Mayulu, who scored in the Champions League final, and Ibrahim Mbaye to hand the false-nine role to the 18-year-old. His reasoning seemed rooted in exploiting Ndjantou’s pace, mobility and ability to attack spaces behind Tottenham’s explosive defensive line, especially against the athletic Micky van de Ven.

Ndjantou justified that trust and roamed between the lines, linked play cleanly, attacked every gap in the defence, and contributed directly to two key moments, the assist for Vitinha and the corner sequence leading to Pacho’s goal.

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AFPFuture opportunities and squad rotation

PSG’s packed schedule and Enrique’s emphasis on rotation mean that Ndjantou is likely to receive more opportunities in the coming weeks. The coach has already indicated that trust in young players is central to his game model, and performances like this only accelerate Ndjantou’s rise.

With Dembele returning from injury, Ramos competing for minutes, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Bradley Barcola in strong form, the fight for attacking places will intensify. But Enrique’s post-match words, especially describing Ndjantou as “a real signing” – suggest he is now firmly in the manager’s plans.

PSG’s next fixtures in Ligue 1 and Europe will test squad depth, making Ndjantou’s versatility crucial as the club aims to avoid injuries during a long campaign.

Have a day, Trey Yesavage.

The Blue Jays pitcher was just called up to the majors last month, and now he already etched his name in the World Series history books after his incredible Game 5 performance.

In seven innings of work on Wednesday night vs. the Dodgers, Yesavage recorded 12 strikeouts against Los Angeles batters, which is now the World Series record for the most strikeouts thrown by a rookie in a single game. He was the first rookie to record 10-plus strikeouts in a World Series game in 76 years, too. Yesavage was also the first rookie to strike out five consecutive batters in a World Series game. He didn’t walk a single batter.

Here's a closer look at all 12 strikeouts Yesavage recorded on Wednesday night.

To add to his excellence, it's worth noting that Yesavage had struck out every batter in the Dodgers lineup at least once through five innings on Wednesday night. That's pretty incredible when facing the reigning World Series championship team with a roster worth around $148 million this year. On the flip side, Yesavage's salary is $57,204 since being called up from the minor leagues, per .

This isn't even the first time Yesavage has recorded over 10 strikeouts in a postseason game this year. In Game 2 of the ALDS vs. the Yankees, Yesavage threw 11 strikeouts over 5.1 innings—Phew. Yesavage has been through a whirlwind introduction to life in the majors, and now is just one game away from a World Series ring.

West Ham boss Nuno Espírito Santo is a planning a serious overhaul of his squad as he makes ‘big plans’, according to a former Hammers employee.

West Ham battling relegation with January crucial

The Hammers find themselves embroiled in a desperate fight for Premier League survival following one of their most turbulent campaigns in recent memory, with the January transfer window representing a potential lifeline for Nuno’s struggling side.

Currently languishing in 18th with just 11 points, they’ve endured a nightmare start that saw Graham Potter dismissed after recording the second-worst win percentage of any West Ham boss in Premier League history.

9. Sam Allardyce

30.7%

10. Julen Lopetegui

30%

11. Gianfranco Zola

27.8%

12 Graham Potter

26.1%

13. Avram Grant

18.9%

via StatMuse

Recent form under Nuno has offered some encouragement, but the Portuguese faces an uphill battle to drag his squad away from the relegation zone.

West Ham play Man United in a vital clash tonight, which has been made all the more important by Leeds United and Nottingham Forest’s victories this week, with Nuno desperate not to let the points gap at the bottom grow any further.

Securing a striker has also emerged as the club’s absolute priority ahead of the winter window.

Niclas Füllkrug’s disastrous spell appears destined to end after just 18 months, with the German international managing only three goals since his £27 million arrival from Borussia Dortmund.

His agent publicly admitted a January departure “makes sense,” and West Ham have already begun identifying replacements.

Union Saint-Gilloise forward Promise David is a very solid candidate in this regard.

West Ham hold talks with £20m star who has the same agent as Kyle Walker-Peters

The Hammers already have a productive relationship with his representatives.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 3, 2025

The imposing 6 foot 5 striker has notched 34 goals in 63 appearances for the Belgian champions and could be available for just £17.5 million, representing excellent value for the east Londoners, who are reportedly in pole position after making contact.

West Ham also want a new defender and midfielder, according to insiders like ExWHUemployee, and this has been backed up by another former worker of the club.

Nuno making 'big plans' at West Ham in transfer revelation

Speaking to Football Insider, ex-West Ham senior scout Mick Brown has claimed that Nuno is making ‘big plans’ for the transfer market and wants to bolster an array of key positions.

Brown went on to claim that West Ham also have their eyes on a centre-half, midfielder and a top goalscorer, so there is a lot of work for David Sullivan to contemplate if they manage to stay in the top flight.

In terms of the budget for January to pull off this overhaul, West Ham may not have much to play with, as reports suggest they’re set to operate with limited spending power.

For Nuno to realistically get his wish, it’ll likely be over multiple windows, but that will again be dependent on West Ham’s standing come May.

Josko Gvardiol has warned Arsenal that they have no room for error after Manchester City again sliced away at the Gunners' lead at the top of the Premier League. City capitalised on Arsenal's dramatic 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa on Saturday with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Sunderland, reducing what was a seven-point deficit two weeks ago to a two-point gap.

City have chased down Arsenal before

City have managed to reel in Arsenal twice in the last three Premier League seasons. In 2022-23 Arsenal spent 248 days at the top of the table and were eight points clear of City at the start of April, albeit having played one game more. While the Gunners began to wobble in April with draws at Liverpool and West Ham after throwing away leads, City came into their own and thrashed Mikel Arteta's side 4-1 at the Etihad Stadium, going on to finish five points clear.

The 2023-24 season was more closely fought but City again outlasted Arsenal, winning the title on the final day of the season by two points. Gvardiol, who scored in the win over Sunderland, revealed that City saw that Villa had snatched their last-gasp win just before going out to warm up. 

The defender was involved in that title win and he reiterated how much pressure will be on both teams at the business end of the season. The Gunners are top on 33 points, City are second on 31 while Villa are just behind in third on 30 points after winning their last five Premier League games.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportGvardiol: We're getting closer

"I remember in my first season we were on the top and fighting for the Premier League and you go Fulham away, all the games, you need to win. If you lose or drop points that's it," Gvardiol told reporters. "First of all they have a good team. It's not just them, it's Aston Villa, Chelsea is good. Sunderland two weeks ago were there at the top. It won't be easy and the season is long. 

"We're not even at the halfway stage. Still a lot of games to play. Two points behind so we are getting closer. We need to build it up like we have for the last two or three months. We will see at the end. Every game is important and we need to win every game. It's a big three points and now focus on Wednesday [against Real Madrid]."

Gvardiol looking forward to facing England in World Cup

Gvardiol is also looking forward to coming up against his City team-mates when England face Croatia in their first game at the 2026 World Cup next June. Gvardiol made his major tournament debut for Croatia against the Three Lions at Euro 2020 when he was still playing for RB Leipzig, facing future club-mates Phil Foden, Kyle Walker, Kalvin Phillips and John Stones. England won 1-0 with a goal from then-City player Raheem Sterling.

The two nations have a big rivalry on the pitch stemming from the 2018 World Cup semi-final, which Croatia came from behind to win 2-1 after extra-time, although Gvardiol was not involved in that game as he was only 16 at the time. Croatia were also responsible for one of England's most humiliating moments in the 21st century as they stopped them from qualifying for Euro 2008.

"I just spoke to Nico [O'Reilly] about our group," Gvardiol said. "First of all it's life for Croatia, for my nation and our people. It's a big thing to be at the World Cup. When it starts all we try to do is go game by game and try to win as many points as possible and qualify for the next round. I'm happy that I'm going to see them [his City team-mates]. Hopefully all of them will be in the team. I spoke to Kalvin this morning. I remember my first Euros, his first Euros we played against each other in the first game. Kalvin was there, John, Phil, Kyle. I was playing as a full-back so I was on Kyle's side."

Croatia finished third at the last World Cup in Qatar, knocking out Brazil on penalties to make it to the semi-finals where they were eventually beaten by Argentina. But Gvardiol said they have to stay humble.

"We need to stay on the ground," he said. "We're a small nation and we go game by game. That's it. Even the results in Russia and Qatar, we weren't expecting it. With a bit of luck and the energy we put into the games, anything is possible."

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Getty Images SportVulnerable Real Madrid up next for reinvigorated City

City will be in a confident mood when they travel to Spain for Wednesday's Champions League clash at Real Madrid. The opposite is true of Los Blancos, who suffered a shock 2-0 defeat at home to Celta Vigo on Sunday and had two men sent off. The defeat increased the pressure on coach Xabi Alonso and City are hoping to pile more misery on the Spanish giants, who knocked them out of three of the last four editions of the competition and humbled them 6-3 on aggregate last season.

"We go to Madrid to win and not concede a goal and we are ready for that," said City forward Rayan Cherki. "We know Madrid are a very good team but we go there to win, just for that."

Pakistan hardly put on a clinic against Bangladesh, but the universe, it seems, can’t prevent the contest this competition has been destined for

Danyal Rasool26-Sep-20252:24

Aaron: Pakistan found right ‘mixture of calm and emotion’

Shaheen Shah Afridi is apparently a low-value wicket. So low-value, in fact, that Pakistan didn’t even use him with the bat against India last Sunday, which is objectively a high-value match. So low-value that even Bangladesh – impeccable in the field until then – appeared to momentarily forget it was still a wicket worth taking, and put down two fairly straightforward chances Afridi offered up. He had said on Tuesday after Pakistan’s victory over Sri Lanka he was willing to “give his life” for Pakistan, but no one seemed to take him seriously.But there hadn’t been much value from the batters Pakistan do set store by either. Within the first ten balls of the innings, Sahibzada Farhan had sliced Taskin to the backward-point fielder, and Saim Ayub had got his fourth Asia Cup duck after a heady two-game streak of getting off the mark.At this point, Hasan Ali had sprinted up to the middle – not, mercifully, to bat, though with Pakistan sticking and twisting with their order all tournament, you never could be too certain. He gave Fakhar Zaman a drink, and a message, as if Pakistan’s Plan B specifically covered being 5 for 2 inside ten deliveries.Related

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It’s unclear what Hasan said, though it didn’t seem to have helped Fakhar’s game much. He would spent his brief, tortured stay at the crease trying to charge Bangladesh’s quicks, his wild hacks connecting only with the desert air. By the time Rishad Hossain came to bowl after the powerplay, the 35-year-old was like the old family faithful that had fought to the very end, and had earned the right to give up. A weary slog off his 20th ball found long-off; his 100th T20I innings would also be his slowest in games where he had faced at least that many balls. The end of the powerplay had seen 24 dot balls, by that stage the highest for any side all tournament.When the innings’ halfway stage arrived, a bedraggled Pakistan had limped to 46 for 4, half of what they managed against India in their last game at this venue, and for the loss of three further wickets. Four days on from the perfect start to the one game Pakistan want to win most, the worst of Pakistan reared its head in the game they had viewed as a stepping stone to one last crack at beating India.

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It is said in football that the most dangerous situation is a two-goal lead, even though every side wants to get themselves in that position. That is perhaps because momentum, or the perception of it, feels like it plays an outsized role in a sporting contest, like a tug of war contest where the exact position of each line doesn’t matter so much as the direction of travel.With Pakistan 51 for 5 after 11 overs, Bangladesh are ascendant; that wouldn’t have changed even if Nurul Hasan’s little goose-step to the left had been timed well enough to allow the ball to stick in his hand. But it doesn’t. Three balls later, another primitive smear from Afridi flies up into the Ring of Fire lights. Mahedi Hasan puts it down again. Within a couple of overs, Afridi has connected with two balls that are sent sailing out of Dubai. That two-goal lead doesn’t seem quite as secure anymore.1:49

Wahab: Additional pressure on India in the final

“We’ve won a lot of games in the last few months where we were far from owning the whole 40 overs,” coach Mike Hesson said after the game. “We had to fight back. But what I can say about this team is they are incredibly proud to represent Pakistan. Every single one had belief we could fight our way out of it. That’s what you want in a team representing your country. We’re incredibly proud of the way we fought. We don’t want to be 4 for 33 all the time, I assure you that. But the fact we can win games from that position shows the character in the group.”That belief may also have to do with Pakistan’s addiction to these situations. Hesson would say after the game that Bangladesh had prevented Pakistan from playing the perfect match, but Pakistan’s ultimate yearning has always been for chaotic glory, not structured success. High on their own supply of fateful triumphs past, Pakistan strut their way around the remainder of the innings in a manner that belies the position they are in, or the circuitous route they took to get here. This is merely the latest turn for Pakistan in a tournament that has taken on a sense of inevitable destiny for them.That is a force much too powerful for Bangladesh to resist, who will wistfully look back at the last three quarters of the game, and how they allowed themselves to be background characters in Pakistan’s madcap adventure. Hesson’s tactic of eschewing specialist fast bowling to squeeze every last bit of batting into Pakistan’s side always felt like a tactic in search of a situation, but as Pakistan closed out their innings, you imagined this was the kind of game he kept envisioning: nos. 6-9 score a combined 89 in 60 balls, the final nine overs producing 84, the second-highest in the Super Fours so far.Bangladesh supporters outnumber Pakistan’s by at least three to one, so the noise in the stands is a verdict of Bangladesh’s position in the game. As the scorching heat of Dubai relents, more seats are gobbled up. But the voices seem to go even quieter.3:15

Why do Bangladesh struggle in pressure situations?

The four sixes Bangladesh hit in the powerplay belie the leaden timidity they display for much of it. When the fielding restrictions are lifted, they have already outdone Pakistan’s tournament-high dot-ball count; they have played 25. The required rate is soon climbing, and the moment has overtaken them. While Pakistan can grow into these situations, Bangladesh have historically shrunk from them. It is the perfect cocktail to turn them into fodder for Pakistan’s juggernaut.There is no sense, even in that passage of dominance, that Pakistan are putting on any kind of clinic. Even with victory virtually guaranteed, there are moments of comic Pakistan frenzy. Haris Rauf over-exerts himself in the 18th over, falling to his knees in the delivery stride. He will not get up for six minutes as he receives extended treatment. But when he does, he’ll send the bails flying twice in the next three balls.With Bangladesh down to their last pair, Pakistan let them get uncomfortably close, dropping a catch before conceding 21 in ten balls. It leaves the chase a mathematical possibility right down to the last two deliveries. But the universe, it seems, simply cannot hold back the contest this competition was probably created to deliver as frequently as possible.An India vs Pakistan final may have been divinely ordained, but it needed Pakistan at its flawed, human best to take the tournament to that point. There may have been plenty lost in Pakistan cricket over the years, but as the small pocket of supporters who stayed back to dance to “Dil Dil Pakistan” on a muggy Dubai night reminded you, it is still anything but low-value.