The BCCI has decided to scrap the Impact Player rule for the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy (SMAT). The rule was introduced in SMAT couple of years ago and was later extended to the Indian Premier League (IPL).”Kindly note that the BCCI has decided to do away with the provision of the ‘Impact Player’ for the ongoing season,” the BCCI informed the state associations on Monday.The BCCI’s decision to do away with the Impact Player comes shortly after they decided to retain it in the IPL for the next three seasons, up to 2027. Since its introduction in the 2023 season, the rule has stirred debate over whether it is indeed beneficial to Indian cricket, which was the original motive, or whether it could be hurting the development of allrounders. Several high-profile players such as Rohit Sharma had expressed concerns over the rule saying it could be detrimental to the development of allrounders.Related

• IPL mega auction: Six retentions, RTM back, Impact Player to stay

• Shah on Impact Player rule: 'Not permanent, but not saying that it will go'

“I generally feel that it is going to hold back (development of allrounders) because eventually cricket is played by 11 players, not 12 players. I’m not a big fan of impact player. You are taking out so much from the game just to make it little entertainment for the people around,” Rohit had said on the podcast.In May this year, the BCCI secretary Jay Shah had referred the rule as “a test case” in the IPL and that this “is not permanent [but] I am not saying that it will go.”Saurashtra head coach Niraj Odedra welcomed the BCCI’s decision. “It is nice change. Also the ICC doesn’t have this rule in major tournaments So it would be good for cricketers who want to play for India as they graduate from domestic season,” he said.

Ronaldinho’s son, Joao Mendes, is poised to join Championship side Hull City on a free transfer after severing ties with Burnley.

• Spent time on the books at Barcelona
• Has cut short spell at Turf Moor
• Ready for new challenge with the Tigers

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The reports on how the 20-year-old forward is set to link up with the Tigers’ academy system. He is expected to form part of their U21 squad that is based at Bishop Burton College.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Mendes is taking on a new challenge after spending a little over 12 months with Burnley. He signed a two-year deal with the Clarets when making his way to Turf Moor, but agreed to the termination of that contract over the summer.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Mendes started out in the youth ranks at Brazilian side Cruzeiro, before following in the footsteps of his famous father and heading to Barcelona. Eyebrows were raised when he swapped Catalunya for Lancashire.

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  WHAT MENDES SAID

  He is now preparing to trade one Championship outfit for another, with his intention being to step out of the shadow cast by his Ballon d’Or and World Cup-winning dad.

  Mendes has said to : “I want to be Joao, regardless of anything. I never tried to be my father, I never wanted to be my father. So to get away a bit from where he played [Barca] and what's close, I think it was a good start and a good step for me.

  “I think people on the outside want you to be something you're never going to be, whether you like it or not, right? My father was one of the best, if not the best, to ever play the game. So, being his son, being able to talk about him, is a source of pride. I try to do my own thing, I try not to put my father in the middle of things, I try to play my football my way, without pressure.”

Ipswich Town have made an offer worth a total of more than £8m to sign a player who Kieran McKenna has publicly praised.

Ipswich Town summer signings so far with bid accepted for Hackney

The Tractor Boys and McKenna are preparing for life back in the Championship ahead of the 2025/26 season and have been active in the transfer market as they eye an immediate return to the Premier League.

So far, Ipswich have brought in four new players, with Azor Matusiwa being the most expensive from Ligue 1 side Rennes.

However, the Championship transfer record could soon be smashed with Ipswich having a £20m offer accepted for Middlesbrough’s Hayden Hackney.

The midfielder is now considering his future, with Boro boss Rob Edwards recently speaking on Hackney’s proposed move to Ipswich.

“I can’t say too much more right now than what’s already been said [that an offer has been accepted]. The ball, so to speak, is in H’s [Hackney] court now, and that’s where we stand.

“I think it’s a win-win, and I’m happy to reassure fans of that and to be calm about the situation. If H stays here, he’s a brilliant player and he’s ours which is great. If he’s not, there will be funds available.”

Ipswich Town make contact to sign in-demand Sadio Mane-esque £17m forward

The Tractor Boys have made an approach for a centre-forward, who is being targeted by some of Europe’s biggest clubs.

1

By
Dominic Lund

Jul 27, 2025

However, he isn’t the only midfielder wanted at Portman Road, with an offer now made for another target who Tractor Boys fans know well.

Ipswich Town make bid worth total £8.2m to re-sign Cajuste

According to reports on Friday, relayed by The East Anglian Daily Times, Ipswich Town have made an offer to bring Jens Cajuste back to the club from Napoli.

The proposal on the table from Ipswich consists of a €2m (£1.7m) loan fee, with an option to buy that becomes mandatory in case of a return to the Premier League for €7.5m (£6.5m).

Worth £8.2m in total, Cajuste has also been linked with Premier League sides Burnley and Crystal Palace, as well as Turkish side Besiktas.

Ipswich’s midfield has seen an overhaul this summer, with McKenna without Sam Morsy and Massimo Luongo, while Kalvin Phillips and Cajuste returning to their parent clubs following their loan spells.

Therefore, Matusiwa, Hackney and Cajuste for 25/26 could be a strong engine room. Speaking back in May, McKenna called Cajuste one of Ipswich’s “top performers” in 24/25 when asked about the chances of re-signing the midfielder.

Now, it looks as if that is on the cards, making this one to watch.

أعلن مجلس إدارة نادي الزمالك، برئاسة الكابتن حسين لبيب، عن تمديد عقد لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة السلة، لمدة موسمين إضافيين، بخلاف الموسم الحالي المتبقي في عقده، ليواصل مشواره داخل القلعة البيضاء حتى عام 2027.

وشهدت جلسة توقيع العقد حضور المهندس هشام نصر نائب رئيس مجلس الإدارة، ومحمد طارق عضو المجلس، في إشارة إلى حرص الإدارة على إتمام التمديد بشكل رسمي وسط أجواء دعم ومساندة للاعب.

طالع أيضًا | رسميًا.. الزمالك يُعلن إقالة مدربه بعد الهزيمة أمام برشلونة

ويأتي قرار تجديد التعاقد مع اللاعب خالد عبد الناصر، ضمن خطة مجلس إدارة الزمالك للحفاظ على العناصر الأساسية للفريق، وتعزيز الاستقرار الفني، خاصة مع سعي النادي للمنافسة بقوة على البطولات المحلية والقارية خلال الموسم الجديد.

ويُعَد عبد الناصر أحد الركائز المهمة في صفوف فريق كرة السلة بالزمالك، حيث يمتلك خبرة كبيرة أسهمت في تتويج الفريق بعدة ألقاب، كما يحظى بثقة الجهاز الفني وجماهير النادي التي ترى فيه نموذجاً للاعب المخلص والملتزم.

Left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya has been named in Sri Lanka’s squad for the two Tests in South Africa, more than two years after he last played a Test. Offspinner Nishan Peiris, who made his Test debut against New Zealand in September, has also been included.Ramesh Mendis, the offspin-bowling allrounder, misses out on selection, though he claimed six wickets in his only Test appearance this year. Ramesh, additionally, can bat.Though Prabath Jayasuriya leads the spin contingent, this amounts to something of a shake-up in the ranks with Sri Lanka playing in Durban and Gqeberha, where the tracks are expected to take more turn than most South African surfaces, particularly as matches wear on.The squad is largely as expected in the batting and seam-bowling fronts, however. Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha and allrounder Milan Rathnayake make up fast-bowling outfit. Top order batter Oshada Fernando makes it in into this squad, but Nishan Madushka – who has made a bright start in ODIs – does not.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Both Embuldeniya and Oshada have partly been picked on account of their good performances in South Africa in 2019, when Sri Lanka had also played in Durban and what was then Port Elizabeth. Embuldeniya took six wickets at 23.83 across three innings on that tour, while Oshada hit a fourth-innings 75 not out alongside Kusal Mendis to see Sri Lanka home in what could have been a tough chase. Neither player, though, has been especially impressive in domestic cricket over the last season, though Embuldeniya did have a decent outing in the four-day National Super League.Several Test specialists are already in Durban for a pre-series training camp, overseen partially by former South Africa batter Neil McKenzie, who serves as Sri Lanka’s consultant on this trip.Kusal Mendis, Asitha, Kamindu Mendis and Pathum Nissanka have also been pulled out of the ongoing ODI series against New Zealand, after Sri Lanka sealed that series on Sunday. This is so those players can have a couple of extra days to recover and begin preparation for the Tests in South Africa.The first Test is scheduled to start on November 27, in Kingsmead, Durban.Both Sri Lanka and South Africa have a shot at finishing in the top two on the World Test Championship table.

Sri Lanka squad for Test series in South Africa

Dhananjaya de Silva (capt), Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Oshada Fernando, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Prabath Jayasuriya, Nishan Peiris, Lasith Embuldeniya, Milan Rathnayake, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha

MatériaMais Notícias

A primeira partida de Cuca no comando do Corinthians não poderia ter sido pior. O Timão teve raros momentos bons na derrota por 3 a 1 contra o Goiás, mostrou uma apatia irreconhecível e apresentou os mesmos problemas que vinha tendo com Fernando Lázaro.

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+ Róger Guedes é único destaque, e defesa é grande culpada em derrota do Corinthians

O novo técnico optou pela manutenção do 4-4-2, mas com algumas alterações, colocando Barletta aberto na esquerda e Giuliano na direita. A escolha foi apenas um dos vários erros de Cuca na partida, já que o Timão sofreu na marcação pelos lados e não conseguiu criar grandes chances.

Assim como Lázaro, Cuca foi incapaz de encontrar uma solução para o time sem Renato Augusto. A equipe não teve repertório ofensivo e se mostrou totalmente dependente de Róger Guedes, o único que se salvou na Serrinha. Porém, o treinador não é o único culpado, já que os jogadores não tiveram intensidade e mostraram completa apatia durante o jogo.

+ Todos os jogos do Brasileirão você encontra no Prime Video. Assine já e acompanhe o Timão!

O único ponto positivo no ataque foi a introdução de algumas jogadas ensaiadas durante escanteio, algo que o Timão não tinha com Lázaro e resultou no belo gol do camisa 10 corintiano.

No segundo tempo, o técnico tentou mudar a dinâmica da equipe colocando Pedro e Guedes nas pontas, fazendo alterações no meio-campo e adiantando suas linhas de marcação. Porém isso não alterou a inoperância no ataque, deixando apenas a defesa cada vez mais exposta

A linha defensiva formada por Fábio Santos, Gil e Balbuena mais uma vez se mostrou incapaz de segurar uma equipe rápida e minimamente organizada nos contra-ataques. O Goiás passou a tomar conta do jogo sem a posse de bola, e a sensação era de que a virada aconteceria a qualquer momento, como aconteceu.

+ Veja tabela e a situação do Timão no Brasileirão

O jogo aéreo defensivo voltou a ser o calcanhar de Aquiles da equipe, e essa precisa ser uma das prioridades de Cuca. Com pouco tempo de treino e uma decisão atrás da outra, o treinador terá que mudar drasticamente o emocional do time para salvar a temporada do Corinthians, que corre sério risco de ser eliminado por um time da terceira divisão na terceira fase da Copa do Brasil.

continua após a publicidade

The 264-run win placed Nigeria at No. 3 in the list for biggest victory margins in men’s T20Is

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Nov-2024Ivory Coast have entered the record books for the lowest total in a men’s T20I, rolling over for just 7 in a 264-run defeat to Nigeria in an ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Sub-Regional Africa Qualifier Group C game on Sunday in Lagos.Batting first after winning the toss, Nigeria rode on Player-of-the-Match Selim Salau’s 53-ball 112 (retired out) and half-centuries from Sulaimon Runsewe (50 in 29) and Isaac Okpe (65* in 23) to put up 271 for 4. It was carnage after that. Left-arm spinner Isaac Danladi and left-arm quick Prosper Useni picked up three wickets each, right-arm quick Peter Aho got two, and Sylvester Okpe got one, with one batter run out, as Ivory Coast were dismissed in 7.3 overs. Opener Ouattara Mohamed was the top-scorer with 4 from six balls. The batters’ scores read: 4, 0, 1, 0, 0, 1, 0, 1, 0, 0* and 0.This was the first instance of a single-digit team total in a men’s T20I, and beat the earlier lowest total in the format, 10 all out, which has been recorded twice: Mongolia vs Singapore in September this year and Isle of Man vs Spain last year.The 264-run win also made it to No. 3 in the list for largest victory margins in men’s T20Is. The leader there is the 290 runs Zimbabwe beat Gambia by last month, followed by Nepal’s 273-run win over Mongolia at the Asian Games in Hangzhou in September 2023.The win was Nigeria’s second in as many games in the group, and Ivory Coast’s second loss in as many games – they had been bowled out for 21 to lose by 168 runs to Sierra Leone in their first match. Nigeria are top of the six-team table, while Ivory Coast are bottom.

Manchester City have now engaged in talks over a deal for a Paris Saint-Germain star, who is very highly-rated by Pep Guardiola, according to a report.

Pep's Man City rebuild continues

Guardiola has rung the changes at the Etihad Stadium this summer, with two of his most long-serving players, Kevin De Bruyne and Kyle Walker, being shown the exit door, and another loyal servant could soon be on his way out of the club.

Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg has revealed that Ederson has agreed terms on a move to Turkish Super Lig champions Galatasaray.

Consequently, Man City may also be faced with the difficult task of finding a suitable replacement for the 31-year-old this summer, although there is certainly no shortage of exciting options on the shortlist.

Target

Current club

League clean sheets in 24/25

James Trafford

Burnley

29

Diogo Costa

FC Porto

16

Yassine Bounou

Al-Hilal

9

According to a report from The Boot Room, Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma has also been identified as a potential replacement for Ederson, with City engaging in talks over a deal after being approached by the ‘keeper’s representatives.

The 6 foot 5 goalkeeper is weighing up his future at PSG, despite winning the Champions League last season, with the shot-stopper yet to commit to new terms to extend his stay at Parc des Princes beyond next summer.

Having snubbed talks with PSG over a contract extension, the Etihad Stadium has now emerged as a potential destination for the 26-year-old, although there could be competition for his signature, with Galatasaray and Chelsea also named as potential suitors.

Approach made: Man City now in contact to sign £226k-a-week Barcelona star

City have stepped up their interest in a Barca player, having now made contact over a potential deal.

1 ByDominic Lund Jul 22, 2025 Pep believes Donnarumma has "huge skill"

Crucially, the £34m-valued Italian is held in very high regard by Guardiola, who once branded the goalkeeper “top”, while also claiming he has “huge skill” in 2017, and there are plenty of signs the PSG man could be a fantastic long-term replacement for Ederson.

City will no doubt be setting out to compete for a second Champions League title next season, and the towering goalkeeper has already proven he has what it takes to compete at the highest level, receiving high praise for his performance in the quarter-final against Aston Villa last term.

The Italy international also caught the eye in the semi-final against Arsenal, producing a remarkable save to deny Martin Odegaard in the second leg.

It will be a tall order to find a suitable heir for Ederson, but Donnarumma has proven he has what it takes.

It’s a massively exciting time to be a Nottingham Forest fan at the moment.

Nuno Espírito Santo has transformed a side that looked destined for relegation scrap after relegation scrap into a top Premier League side, one that’ll be playing in the Europa League this season.

While there are stars all across the team, from Matz Sels between the sticks to Chris Wood up top, the star of the team is undoubtedly Morgan Gibbs-White.

The England international is often at the heart of everything the Tricky Trees do in attack, so fans should be excited about reports linking them to a midfielder who’s won recent comparisons to him.

Forest target the new Gibbs-White

While Forest haven’t been as busy this summer as they’ve been in the past, they’ve still brought in several exciting additions to Nuno’s side.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Dan Ndoye, for example, scored nine goals and provided six assists for Bologna last season; Igor Jesus produced ten goal involvements in 29 games for Botafogo, and Jair Cunha looks like a promising pickup at the back.

However, with the window not closing until the start of next month, the Garibaldi appear determined to complete at least one more signing and bring in a player who’s been compared to Gibbs-White.

At least that is according to a recent report from the Daily Mail, which has claimed that Forest are one of several sides interested in Facundo Buonanotte.

Alongside the Tricky Trees, the report has revealed that West Ham United, Leeds United, Tottenham Hotspur, Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund have all shown an interest in the 20-year-old gem.

The good news is that Brighton & Hove Albion are happy to let the Argentine leave for a Premier League side this summer, but the bad news is that they want him to go on loan, although stories from earlier this summer suggested that the Seagulls could be willing to sell for around £30m.

Regardless of how Forest go about it, they should do what they can to sign Buonanotte this summer, as he’s a seriously exciting player and could become the new Gibbs-White.

How Buonanotte compares to Gibbs-White

In this instance, the comparison between Buonanotte and Gibbs-White stems from FBref, which looked at players in similar positions from Europe’s top five leagues and concluded that the Forest ace has been the ninth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the 20-year-old over the last 365 days.

We can gain a better understanding of how this conclusion was reached by examining the underlying metrics in which the pair ranks closely.

In this case, these include statistics such as non-penalty expected goals, expected assists, progressive carries, key passes, interceptions, clearances and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected Goals

0.23

0.20

Expected Assists

0.14

0.15

Progressive Carries

2.31

2.22

Shots on Target

0.71

0.67

Passing Accuracy

76.4%

78.3%

Key Passes

1.42

1.64

Interceptions

0.71

0.74

Clearances

0.83

0.93

Carries into the Penalty Area

0.53

0.42

These key numbers help to paint the young Argentine as a midfielder who could match the Englishman when it comes to attacking output, while also being able to chip in with some of the defensive work he’d need to do in a Nuno system.

It’s not just their underlying numbers that are surprisingly similar, though.

For example, in his 3142 minutes of first-team football for last season, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers star scored seven goals and provided ten assists, which comes out as an average of a goal involvement every 184.82 minutes.

For his efforts, the Brighton “magician,” as he was dubbed by Rising Star XI on X, scored six goals and provided three assists in just 1701 minutes of football for Leicester City last season, which, amazingly, comes out as an average of a goal involvement every 189 minutes.

Ultimately, while fans probably shouldn’t expect Buonanotte to be on the same level as Gibbs-White right away, it does seem like he’s not too far off.

Therefore, even if it has to be on loan to begin with, Forest should be doing all they can to sign the 20-year-old dynamo this summer.

A dream for McAtee: Nottingham Forest plot swoop for "explosive" £40m star

The promising talent would be an excellent signing for Nottingham Forest.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 12, 2025

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has a “long-standing relationship” which could help Spurs seal a high-profile deal for Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze.

After Spurs boss Thomas Frank oversaw his first Premier League game in charge of the club on Saturday afternoon, attention is turning back towards the summer transfer market, and if the north Londoners can strengthen before September 1’s deadline.

Lev and Frank, as widely reported, currently have two targets at the very top of their agenda – Eze and Man City winger Savinho.

Tottenham have opened talks to sign both Eze and Savinho in separate deals (Fabrizio Romano), so it isn’t a case of one or the other, as Spurs look to fill the gaping voids left by Son Heung-min’s departure to the MLS and James Maddison’s long-term injury blow.

According to some reports, City have already rejected a £42 million bid from Tottenham for Savinho, so there is still work to do on that front, and Pep Guardiola isn’t overly keen on letting the 21-year-old leave Eastlands so late in the window.

In Eze’s case, things are actually looking far more positive.

Tottenham want to pay around £55 million for the 27-year-old, a similar fee to their deal for Mohammed Kudus, while Palace are demanding the value of his previous £68 million release clause – which expired on Friday (Ben Jacobs).

However, Arsenal are hesitating over a move for the England international, and this has provided Spurs with a window of opportunity to sneak in and strike a deal for Eze. The player’s agents have also informed Frank’s side that personal terms won’t be an issue, according to talkSPORT.

What’s more, reliable football.london journalist Alasdair Gold has lifted the lid on a secret weapon that Levy has at his disposal.

Daniel Levy's "long-standing" connection to help Tottenham sign Eberechi Eze

Writing in a detailed transfer piece, Gold reports that Eze’s representatives, CAA Base, could be key.

Levy boasts a “long-standing” productive relationship with the agency, who also have a “strong” presence within Tottenham, and CAA also handled Son’s £20 million MLS-record-breaking transfer.

In light of this and other developments, Gold also states that Tottenham will try to wrap up deals for Eze and Savinho in the coming days to provide Frank with a major double-boost of quality.

The former QPR star is arguably perfect for Spurs right now.

Eze, capable of playing both as a number 10 and in Son’s previous position on the left, bagged 14 goals and 11 assists last season as a key attacking asset under Oliver Glasner – all whilst averaging more shots, key passes and successful take-ons per 90 than any other Palace player in the top flight.

Given Tottenham were once ready to splash £60 million on Morgan Gibbs-White earlier in the summer, Levy would be wise to reinvest that money into acquiring Eze’s signature – if he is indeed serious about challenging for more major honours.