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Now a senior voice in a new dressing room, de Kock comes into the Proteas set-up with fresh perspectives

Firdose Moonda30-Oct-2025Quinton de Kock had to walk away from his childhood dream of becoming an international cricketer to realise he hadn’t quite fulfilled as much of it as he wanted. And he did it quietly.After South Africa lost last year’s T20 World Cup final in heart-wrenching fashion by seven runs to India, de Kock, in his words, “disappeared”.He hadn’t retired from T20Is, hadn’t said any goodbyes, and simply wasn’t named in any of South Africa’s squads. Rob Walter, now the former white-ball coach, spent press conference after press conference saying he hadn’t spoken to de Kock and had no idea of his future plans until, eventually we stopped asking.Everyone – with good reason – assumed, de Kock was done. He popped up in T20 leagues as one spring came and went, but by the time another arrived, de Kock had spent enough time in the cold.Related

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“I missed the camaraderie and the whole thing of representing the Proteas,” de Kock said in his first media interaction post-comeback. “I’d played so much for the Proteas over the years that I kind of forgot about that feeling, as a kid that’s grown up to be a Proteas cricketer.”After having a bit of a break from the team, that childhood dream came back.”Many players say this kind of thing when they walk away: the achievements will blur into the background and it’s the friendships they’ll miss. Some keep them going at league level, and de Kock has, but not many return to make new connections. De Kock has decided that’s what he wants.”What I’ve really enjoyed is all the new faces,” he said. “There’s only a handful of the guys who are still here from when I left. Now I’m playing with a whole bunch of youngsters, new guys, new coaching staff, so it’s quite refreshing. I’m making some new friends now and there’s a new style within the team.”

“I’ve always been used to being one of the young guys in the team. So it’s a bit of a shell shock”Quinton de Kock

Those words may sound strange to those, like many of us, for whom de Kock is still the uber-talented 20-year-old who burst into South Africa’s squad in late 2012. But 13 years have passed, de Kock is 32 and is South Africa’s 10th most-capped international across all formats. Not much has changed about his public persona – he still “just doesn’t watch cricket,” – and didn’t say much about the women’s team making their first ODI World Cup final, but he’s no newbie. He is a senior and he intends to behave like one.De Kock’s second innings could see him play the 2026 T20 World Cup and the home ODI World Cup in 2027•Associated Press”Apart from trying to win games, I’m going to try to help youngsters grow in their careers. Obviously, I play a lot more international cricket than a couple of the guys on the team, so I’m just here to help them out where I can,” he said. “When I started, one of the big guys that I stuck close to, and is now one of my very good friends is Dale Steyn.”He taught me a couple of lessons along the way that really helped my career. A couple of the youngsters have been asking me questions and how to improve their game, so I’m happy to be here and help where I can, kind of like what Dale did for me. If I make an impact in their careers, it will be great. It’s very different, me coming back as one of the older guys. I’ve always been used to being one of the young guys in the team. So it’s a bit of a shell shock.”Equally, it will take some getting used to that de Kock, a former captain, is not guaranteed a place on reputation alone and he knows it. “I don’t think the door is completely open for me,” he said. “I still need to come here and score runs.”After only two matches, the comeback’s sample size is small but de Kock hasn’t had it all his way. He was out for 1 against Namibia earlier this month and made a good-looking 23 off 13 balls against Pakistan in the first T20I. Both times, he sliced the ball to fielders, which may indicate a little patience is required. De Kock’s time away, mostly spent as father to a young daughter, is likely to have taught him some. With the calendar head, he has more than enough matches to show it.De Kock has scored 24 runs in two T20I innings since his return•Getty ImagesSouth Africa play two more T20Is against Pakistan followed by three ODIs. Then, after two Tests in India (which won’t feature de Kock), they will play three ODIs and five T20Is in India in preparation for next year’s T20 World Cup. If de Kock is included in the India series, it would be a strong sign that he is being considered for the World Cup, but he isn’t thinking that way yet.South Africa are also co-hosts with Zimbabwe and Namibia for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Now that de Kock has reversed the ODI retirement he announced in 2023, he will also be eligible to play in that event.”When I spoke to Shukri [Conrad, head coach], I said I’d like to play for as long as I can, however long that’s going to be. Obviously, I’d like to play in a couple of World Cups in that timeline,” he said. “I said to him ‘Look, I’ve disappeared for a year or two but now I’m back to play for as long as I can. I’m still pretty fit. I feel fitter than ever at the moment. My body feels great, so I’m going to push it for as long as I can. I haven’t set a deadline or timeline.”

And how many women have fifties from No. 10 in a World Cup match?

Steven Lynch14-Oct-2025Who’s scored the most runs at the women’s World Cup over the years? Is it Mithali Raj? asked Anjuli Desai from India
That’s a decent guess, as Mithali Raj is currently second on this list with 1321 runs in all editions of the women’s one-day World Cup. But she’s some way behind the leader, New Zealand’s Debbie Hockley, who made 1501 runs in 45 World Cup matches between 1982 and 2000.The leading current player is another New Zealander, Suzie Bates, who started this year’s competition with 1179 runs. Nat Sciver-Brunt’s 117 against Sri Lanka in Colombo last weekend – a record fifth World Cup century, passing the four of Bates and England’s Jan Brittin – put her in sight of four figures with 974 runs.How many women have scored a half-century from No. 10 in a World Cup match, as Alana King did against Pakistan? asked Melanie Crozier from Australia
Alana King’s staunch 51 not out against Pakistan in Colombo last week, which helped Beth Mooney rescue Australia from 115 for 8 and take them to a match-winning 221 for 9, was not only the highest by an No. 10 in the women’s World Cup – previously 42 not out by Yulandi van der Merwe for South Africa against India in Christchurch in 2000 – but also the highest in any women’s white-ball international (Kim Garth also made 42 not out for Australia vs South Africa in North Sydney in 2024).There have been three bigger scores from No. 10 in women’s Tests, the highest being Shelley Nitschke’s unbeaten 81 for Australia against England in Hove in 2005.I noticed that Ricky Ponting scored more than 1000 Test runs at four different grounds. Has anyone else done this? asked Michael Chesterton from Australia
Ricky Ponting scored 1743 Test runs in Adelaide, 1480 in Sydney, 1338 in Melbourne and 1335 in Brisbane. The only other man to reach 1000 on four different grounds is Jacques Kallis, with 2181 in Cape Town, 1267 in Centurion, 1266 in Durban and 1148 in Johannesburg.Seven men made more than 1000 Test runs on three different grounds: Hashim Amla, Allan Border, Greg Chappell, Javed Miandad, Brian Lara, Kumar Sangakkara and Steve Waugh. Sangakkara’s long-time Sri Lanka team-mate Mahela Jayawardene only did it at two grounds, but made it count with 2921 at the Sinhalese Sport Club in Colombo (his home club) and 2382 in Galle. Those are the two highest aggregates at any single venue: Jayawardene is the only player to make 2000 Test runs on two different Test grounds.Rather surprisingly perhaps, the England opener Jack Hobbs didn’t make 1000 Test runs on any home ground, but he did amass 1178 in Melbourne: he’s still the only man to pass 1000 at an away venue.Jacques Kallis has over 1000 runs at each of four grounds in South Africa, including 2181 at Newlands, Cape Town•Getty ImagesHarry Brook has a healthy Test average of 57 after 30 matches. Where does he rank among batters after their 30th Test? asked Vinod Nair from India
England’s new vice-captain Harry Brook goes into the Ashes with a batting average of 57.55 after 30 Tests. It turns out there are 40 men who averaged 50 or more after 30 matches, and Brook lies 18th among those, not far behind Jack Hobbs (57.77), Viv Richards (58.21) and Steve Smith (58.52).Way out at the top, as regular readers will probably already have guessed, is Don Bradman, who averaged 92.30 after 30 Tests. Next comes England’s Denis Compton with 64.10, just ahead of another Australian, Michael Hussey (64.05). Six other men averaged over 60 after 30 Tests: Javed Miandad (62.38), Herbert Sutcliffe (62.33), Everton Weekes (61.21), Neil Harvey (60.92), Marnus Labuschagne (60.82) and Adam Gilchrist (60.38).I noticed that David Warner scored exactly 100 in a T20 international on his 33rd birthday. Has anyone else made a birthday ton in a T20? asked Kyle Morton from Australia
Australia’s David Warner hit 100 not out against Sri Lanka in Adelaideon October 27, 2019, his 33rd birthday. He was the second (and last to date) to score a T20 international century on his birthday, after Afghanistan’s Mohammad Shahzad, who hit 118 not out against Zimbabwe in Sharjah on January 10, 2016, his 29th birthday.Seven men have scored a birthday century in a one-day international: Vinod Kambli, Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar of India, Tom Latham and Ross Taylor of New Zealand (against Pakistan in Pallekele during the 2011 World Cup), Sanath Jayasuriya of Sri Lanka (on his 39th birthday in 2008, against Bangladesh in Karachi) and Mitchell Marsh of Australia.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

This is not the finest version of Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United, but there’s no question that the Magpies have made a measure of headway after a tough summer transfer window and a tough start to the season.

It’s been a strange old season for the Premier League so far. Spoils are there for all, but there is also the threat of sunken expectations for many outfits across the division. We are approaching Christmas, and Newcastle are 12th in the standings, yet trail Crystal Palace in the top four by only four points.

Say what you will about United’s lack of eloquence on the field at times – they toiled through the opening half-hour against Burnley at the weekend, and came under the cosh late on against the ten-man relegation contenders – but there remains a spirit and resourcefulness about this team that few rivals can match.

However, improvements are needed, and no mistake, with Anthony Elanga in particular still yet to repay the faith invested in him this summer.

Elanga's start to life at Newcastle

Elanga enjoyed a bright cameo off the bench during Newcastle’s recent draw against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, but it was a case of one step forward and two steps back when he flattered to deceive from the opening whistle against Burnley.

The 24-year-old has yet to score for the Toon, having filled a long-running gap on ther right wing at St. James Park this summer when signing from Nottingham Forest for £55m.

Perhaps what’s most frustrating is that Elanga was profiled extensively ahead of the ultimate acquisition; indeed, Newcastle tried and failed to sign the pacy winger in 2024.

He is talented enough and has enough Premier League experience to turn things around, but this is becoming something of a problem for Howe’s side, who need his speed and creativity and fluency down the right flank.

Analyst Raj Chohan said the £100k-per-week talent has been “a massive overpay”, and on the basis of the evidence over the past few months, this may be on the money, as it were.

Matches (starts)

38 (31)

15 (6)

Goals

6

0

Assists

11

1

Shots (on target)*

1.1 (0.6)

0.5 (0.2)

Pass completion

78%

81%

Key passes*

1.3

0.5

Big chances created

9

1

Dribbles*

0.7

0.3

Tackles + interceptions*

0.7

0.5

Duels (won)*

3.0 (45%)

1.7 (36%)

Sadly, Elanga wasn’t the addition the Magpies seem to have blundered on, with another making the Sweden international shine in comparison.

Newcastle "wasted their bag" on summer signing

Since Howe and PIF changed the narrative on Tyneside, Newcastle have been widely praised for their shrewd and calculated transfer business.

However, that reputation was knocked askew this summer, with Alexander Isak forcing his way over to Liverpool and a multitude of targets rejecting the Toon.

Howe did end up packaging his squad with a range of players, but Jacob Ramsey might be shaping into the worst of the lot, having arrived from Aston Villa for a £40m fee in August.

Like Elanga, Ramsey played from the opening whistle against the Clarets, and though Elanga left something to be desired, the former Villan star struggled to provide even a measure of his quality on an afternoon that demanded a big performance, such is the competitive nature of Howe’s squad.

The aforementioned Chohan remarked that Newcastle “wasted their bag” on the English playmaker this summer, who has already endured a continuation of the injury problems that had plagued him at Aston Villa, limiting him to just two starting appearances, the second of which may lead to a return to the bench, overshadowed by Joe Willock against a Burnley side who were afforded too much time and space.

Chronicle Live were quick to draw attention to Ramsey’s poor performance, branding the 24-year-old with a 5/10 match rating and criticising the needless concession of a late penalty which set up a nervy finish.

Minutes played

89′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Touches

73

Shots (on target

1 (0)

Accurate passes

56/60 (93%)

Chances created

1

Dribbles

1/2

Recoveries

8

Tackles

1/2

Duels won

4/5

He was tidy enough and resilient in defence, notably winning four of five contested duels against Burnley and showcasing his athleticism with eight ball recoveries, but Ramsey was purchased for his flair and initiative on the ball, and it was a fine representation of neither.

While there’s a sense at the club that Joelinton is winding down after a long and tireless career of service, there have been more than a few murmurs pertaining to Howe’s desire to bring Elliot Anderson back home, and a move such as that would only hinder Ramsey in his hopes of nailing down a starting berth, especially given that he is contesting with Willock already for minutes.

While both Elanga and Ramsey have what it takes to raise their level at St. James’ Park, Howe will be determined to kick on after a testing start to the season and match, maybe even eclipse, last season’s trophy-winning success, qualifying for the Champions League too.

The importance of achieving their goals mean that Newcastle can take no prisoners, and must be ruthless in upgrading the squad to a level that sits comfortably alongside the game’s heavyweights both in England and across Europe.

Given that technical director Ross Wilson has suggested that Newcastle have money to burn heading into 2026, should they decide that signings are needed, someone like Ramsey must be a bit concerned for his role in the outfit, having completed a start that has left much to be desired.

He's the next Bruno Guimaraes: Newcastle to launch move for £30m "monster"

Newcastle United could win themselves a future Bruno Guimaraes by making a move for this £30m ace.

ByKelan Sarson 3 days ago

After returning to club action following the final international break of 2025, Liverpool needed to find a remedy for their issues.

A defeat to Manchester City two weeks ago is hardly something to be ashamed about, but after consecutive wins across league and European action, it was a return to the doldrums of the previous month.

In truth, Arne Slot’s men have been way off it in 2025/26. The Anfield outfit are severely lagging behind in the race for the Premier League title and they can probably already forget about any hopes of retaining England’s biggest prize, but for a major miracle.

The nadir of the campaign so far came on Saturday. Nottingham Forest, sat inside the relegation places, visited Mersyeside and swatted aside Slot’s troops with ease, winning 3-0.

It was a ghastly defeat and one that was epitomised by the performance of club-record signing Alexander Isak.

The issues behind Alexander Isak

2025 has been a peculiar old year for Mr Isak. He began the year in career-best form and took Newcastle United to a Carabao Cup triumph at Wembley against his new employers.

Yet, he ruined his legacy. He chewed it up and spat it back in the faces of Newcastle supporters.

He didn’t go on the club’s pre-season tour in Asia and from that moment he was never seen in first-team training again.

Isak trained on his own at Newcastle’s complex and then after missing the opening weeks of the season, finally got his British record move to Liverpool. FSG shelled out a jaw-dropping £125m to sign him but he has not been worth that fee in the slightest.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The Swede has struggled with fitness and injury since moving, hardly surprising given he didn’t have a proper pre-season. That, however, is the player’s fault and he’s now paying the price.

The striker has now played nine games for his new side but has only scored once, a solitary goal in the EFL Cup.

He’s gone five Premier League matches without scoring and all four of his Liverpool starts in top-flight action have ended in defeat.

His performance against Forest on Saturday was the epitome of what he’s gone through on Merseyside to date.

As Slot’s side lost 3-0, Isak was nowhere to be seen. BBC Sport’s Phil McNulty described his afternoon as a “symbol of one of the most limp Anfield displays in recent years.”

As a consequence, the attacker only lasted 68 minutes on the pitch, amassing just 14 touches of the football and winning zero of his duels.

Isak vs Forest
Minutes played	68
Touches	14
Accurate passes	5/7 (71%)
Key passes	1
Successful dribbles	0
Shots	1
Shots on target	0
Ground duels won	0
Aerial duels won	0
Stats via Sofascore.

Before this game had even taken place Liverpool correspondent David Lynch had suggested the Swede was “offering Liverpool less than Darwin Nunez did”. Still, while Nunez never really got up to speed, there is a belief that Isak will eventually come good.

The same cannot be said for someone who plays further back than Isak.

Liverpool star is becoming this season's Darwin Nunez

What a puzzling character Mr Nunez was. The Uruguayan arrived in a £85m move from Benfica back in June 2022 but failed to ever really set the world alight.

He missed a catalogue of big chances. In January 2024, he set a Premier League record when he hit the woodwork four times in one game against Chelsea. No one has ever hit the bar or post on as many occasions in one match as that.

Furthermore, back in 2023/24, only Erling Haaland (34) missed more big chances than Nunez (27) in the top-flight. The trouble is, while the Norwegian powerhouse scored 27 that term, Liverpool’s leading number nine only found the net on 11 occasions in league action.

Then, last season, the South American netted just seven goals in 47 fixtures, prompting his exit from English football. He has since moved to Saudi Arabia and Al-Hilal, where he has netted five times in nine appearances.

Isak will likely have a better Anfield career than that, but he is arguably not the main scapegoat right now. That honour is in the hands of Ibrahima Konate.

The Frenchman, as Nunez did, has become the but of the jokes at Anfield this term and is the most under-fire player in Slot’s squad.

Yes, Florian Wirtz and Isak continue to disappoint, a huge problem given their price tags, but Konate has had one too many chances now and his Liverpool career is heading in a similar way to a certain Trent Alexander-Arnold.

His contract is due to expire at the end of the season and with Real Madrid allegedly chasing his services, it looks like the best option for all parties that he leaves on a free transfer.

Liverpool would love a fee, of course they would, but they just need to get him off their books now. He’s simply too error-prone. It’s not just one error either, something football analyst Raj Chohan outlined on social media during Saturday’s game.

Having made a dreadful mistake, beaten all ends up by Forest striker Igor Jesus, the Frenchman was extremely thankful that the goal that followed that sequence of events was ruled out for handball.

Writing afterwards, Chohan simply said, “every time he makes one error, he makes multiple.”

Tactical writer Dharnish Iqbal, further noted that Konate’s form at the moment is “shocking”, outlining him as one of the biggest problems at Slot’s disposal right now.

According to the official data, supplied by Sofascore, he has made three mistakes leading to a shot in league action alone this term. In the Champions League, he has made a further one. This is particularly bad as in the whole of the 2024/25 Premier League season, he made two. He’s already up to that number now from 12 starts.

He might not be like Nunez in the sense that he’s a striker, but he’s the new club scapegoat, and like Nunez, he needs to leave as soon as possible.

Worse than Konate: Slot must drop 2/10 Liverpool flop who lost 100% duels

Ibrahima Konate was not the only culprit during Liverpool’s 3-0 defeat at the hands of Nottingham Forest.

2

By
Matt Dawson

Nov 23, 2025

Nottinghamshire offspinner made history on debut and, at age of 17, has further ambitions to fulfil

Vithushan Ehantharajah03-Apr-2025It comes as no surprise to hear that Farhan Ahmed’s favourite bowler is Nathan Lyon. The offspinner grew up watching videos of Lyon on YouTube, and spent this winter consuming as much as he could live, particularly during the five Tests of the Border Gavaskar Trophy. Ahmed, like the Australian, is a twirler who is tall in his action, coming over the top of the ball to impart more overspin than your traditional “doorknob” offie.Modelling yourself on a bowler who has 553 Test wickets can only be a good thing. But Farhan aimed to go one better last season by trying to meet the man himself. With Lyon playing in Lancashire’s County Championship campaign through to July, the 17-year old spotted that his club Nottinghamshire would come up against him twice.Through restrictions imposed by Cricket Australia, Lyon sat out the first meeting at Trent Bridge, but that meant he would definitely play in the return fixture. Farhan circled that as the chance to finally meet his idol. Alas, life got in the way in the form of a Mathematics exam.”I was going to, and then I had a GCSE exam that week,” Ahmed recalls, still a little disappointed. “Notts played Lancashire in Southport and that was his last game. He didn’t play at Trent Bridge. I didn’t get to catch up with him.”I’ve watched Nathan Lyon bowl so much and he’s the offspinner that I always look up to. I see how threatening he is from around the wicket on a first day of a Champo game when it’s not spinning. You’re always looking at how to get the guy out and I worked on it quite a bit last year: changing the angle up and it’s helped me so much already.”Farhan continued his development on an impressive Under-19s tour of South Africa•Gallo ImagesHe ended up getting a 6 in Maths – a B in old money – and further studies will get in the way of his 2025 plans on a cricket field. But as you can tell by how he talks about the game, and the 25 wickets he took at 23.92 in his opening five first-class appearances last year, time in the classroom won’t stymie the progress of one of the most exciting youngsters in English cricket.Farhan’s name has been doing the rounds for a while, around the same time the precociousness of his brother, Rehan (three years older) was talked up ahead of a surprise Test debut at the end of 2022. That Farhan is an orthodox fingerspinner and Rehan a legspinner is no accident, by the way.”Dad said: ‘Rehan’s going to be a leggie so you’re going to be the offie, that’s how you’re going to play in the same team in the future – you can’t be two leggies and one misses out. I want you all to play together in the same team’.Farhan beams when talking about Rehan, who now has 11 England caps across all formats. “I’ve always said that he’s a role model. We live together and we eat together and everything. He’s already a role model that I’ll always look up to.”Two years after Rehan became the youngest man to play Test cricket for England against Pakistan (where their father, Naheem, was born), and then the youngest to take a five-wicket haul on debut, in the second innings at Karachi, Farhan emulated big bro with his own pair of red-ball records.In his maiden County Championship appearance last August against eventual champions Surrey, Farhan’s 7 for 140 in the first innings put him in the books as the youngest to take five or more in a first-class match in Britain. With three more wickets in the second, he dislodged WG Grace after 159 years as the youngest to take 10 or more in a first-class match on these shores.Farhan’s dream is to play alongside his elder brother Rehan for England•Getty Images”Last summer was a very important summer for me, I felt,” he says. “I thought it was very good and I was very grateful to break into the team. Especially in the Champo, I didn’t expect that.”I thought I was going to be involved in the Metro stuff (One-Day Cup) and trying to get involved in that was basically the main aim for last year.”I don’t like to look too far ahead, I try to live in the moment. [This season] For me, it’s trying to play as many Champo games as I can, hopefully perform well and see where that takes me.”The winter was spent honing his craft with the England U19s in South Africa. Further success included 11 dismissals across the two Youth Tests and four more in the 50-over leg in which he was the team’s most misery bowler, with an economy rate of 3.59. As well as working on his batting – he has the capacity to be a handy lower-order batter – he had the opportunity to work with another hero, Graeme Swann. Mentality formed a key part of their discussions.”Swanny’s been very good. He’s always helped me in whichever way. The main thing with Swanny is he’s in the wicket-taking mindset.”It’s not like if he gets hit for a six, he’d go defensive. It’s always coming back. I’ve worked with Swanny more tactically, the different fields and stuff like that.”What sets Farhan apart from his peers – and spinners a few generations above – is his unerring accuracy. Developmentally, he is ahead of the curve. But he has stock deliveries to fine-tune and, taking inspiration from Saqlain Mushtaq – perhaps the first exponent of the “doosra”, which turns away from off stump – tricks to hone.”I’d say at the moment I’m consistent with bowling different balls,” he says. “I think, over time, it’s just about working out what sort of pitch I need to bowl what kind of spin. I reckon that will come over time and with experience, hopefully.Related

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“I’ve got one coming,” he says of a doosra-like variation. “It’s been on display in the 19s, it’s just about bringing it over to the Champo. I reckon it will take three or four months and hopefully it will come out. It’s just the pace and the consistency of it.”Farhan carries a refreshingly practical outlook for what lies ahead this summer. At 17, he would be forgiven for wanting it all right now. But he appreciates Liam Patterson-White and Calvin Harrison have their own claims to the No.1 spinner spot at Nottinghamshire. Nevertheless, he has formulated early-season plans, even at his home ground, which is hardly spin-friendly.”Let’s talk about the start of April: I reckon you get more natural variation and once you have the shape on it and the overspin. I don’t know if it’s going to spin, so the batter will have no clue himself how much it’s going to turn,” he says. “If it goes straight then he’s already in two minds. In the early season, there’s not much going for you with the weather conditions. Any advantage you get, like bounce, can help quite a bit.”It’s always something as a professional cricketer you have to adapt to. You shouldn’t just think spinners can’t play at Trent Bridge because they always can, and they can always perform here as well. Especially on a green wicket, where they say the seamers get the wickets… but the spinner comes on. If it’s going to turn or not, the batsman’s already in two minds.”Having started his first-class and List A careers in 2024, Farhan is angling for a chance to make his T20 bow with Notts Outlaws. Wherever they come, he just wants more first-team cricket on merit.His long-term aims are just as clear. And it is not just playing for England but realising his dad’s dream of representing his country alongside Rehan. Such is his ambition, he throws eldest brother, Raheem, into the mix – a 21-year-old batter currently unattached, who will trial for Notts and other counties this summer in search of a professional contract.”It’s definitely the pinnacle and the end-goal,” Farhan says of a potential family affair at international level. “Hopefully that comes and we keep doing it for a while. Plus, there’s my older brother Raheem to come and do that as well. All three of us – we dream!”

Real Madrid forward Rodrygo has been at the centre of reports that he could leave the Bernabeu mid-season following a lack of game time under Xabi Alonso, and Tottenham are believed to be among the contenders for his signature.

Rodrygo finds himself at a career crossroads as his situation at Madrid continues to deteriorate.

The Brazilian, once considered a crucial part of Los Blancos’ attacking plans, has seen his role dramatically diminish since Alonso’s appointment, sparking widespread speculation about a potential January departure.

Rodrygo has played just 359 minutes this season, having started just two out of a possible 10 La Liga games, and is firmly behind Vinícius Júnior in the pecking order for his preferred left-wing position.

The 24-year-old, who was regularly linked with a summer exit, including to Spurs, has struggled for opportunities despite his previous contributions to the club’s success.

Rodrygo’s career at Real Madrid since joining from Santos

Appearances

283

Goals

68

Assists

53

Bookings

12

Red cards

0

Minutes played

16,512

ESPN Brasil have backed up the possibility that Rodrygo could leave in January, stating that the ex-Santos sensation is “dissatisfied with his situation” and “maintains the option” of leaving as early as the next transfer window.

This has put a host of Premier League sides on alert, including Tottenham once again, and there are suggestions that the north Londoners could go all out for his signature.

Now backed by the Lewis family as they attempt to usher in a post-Daniel Levy era, the club, led by co-sporting directors Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange are apparently prepared to pay a club-record £70 million for Rodrygo, according to reports from Spain.

The £283,000-per-week star would be a statement signing for the Lilywhites, and reports suggest that Real are prepared to slash his asking price from their original £88 million summer valuation down to around £53 million, amid rival interest from Arsenal and Chelsea (TEAMtalk).

This means that Spurs’ mooted £70m stance would be more than enough, but none of this means anything without the player’s approval.

Indeed, Rodrygo has now moved to speak out about his Madrid future, attempting to quell the noise surrounding his unrest in the Spanish capital.

Rodrygo breaks silence on Real Madrid future amid Tottenham interest

Speaking to the media, Rodrygo has hinted at his unhappiness surrounding game time right now, but also suggests he has no fears when it comes to inclusion in Brazil’s 2026 World Cup squad.

While the attacker appears to be presenting the front of ‘I’ll work hard for the manager’, behind-the-scenes whispers tell a different story, and we wouldn’t at all be surprised if a Premier League club manages to tempt him across the channel.

Meanwhile, football finance expert Stefan Borson is convinced that Tottenham could sign Rodrygo on loan.

Tottenham take on Arsenal in a mouth-watering North London derby clash this weekend, with all eyes on that and the looming January window as Frank looks to put his stamp on the squad.