Arsenal are now willing to sell a player for around £26m this summer, and AC Milan are interested in his signature, according to a report.
Arteta's summer transfer plans taking shape
There have been widespread suggestions that Arsenal are in a healthy position PSR-wise, which could mean they have the funds for a big signing this summer, and Mikel Arteta is particularly keen on getting a new striker through the door.
The Gunners were recently handed a boost in their pursuit of Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres, with it being revealed the Swedish forward is keen on a move to north London, while they also hold an interest in the likes of Alexander Isak and Benjamin Sesko.
Striker is not the only position in which Arteta is eager to strengthen, however, with the manager identifying the need for greater depth in wide areas, and Deportivo de La Coruna’s Yeremay Hernandez is a potential target, alongside Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams.
Offer ready: Arsenal keen to bid £30m for "special" Premier League forward
The Gunners are set to move for an attacking midfielder, who plays for one of their Premier League rivals.
ByDominic Lund Apr 6, 2025
With a new central midfielder clearly also of interest, given the widespread links to Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi, it could make sense for Arteta to offload some rotation players this summer, regardless of the healthy financial position the club find themselves in.
According to a report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are now willing to cash-in on Jakub Kiwior this summer, in order to fund their own transfer business, and they would be looking to receive a fee of around €25m – €30m (£21m – £26m).
There is no shortage of interest in Kiwior, with a whole host of European clubs being named as potential suitors, including both AC Milan and Inter Milan.
The 25-year-old wants to join a new club this summer, given that his development has been stifled by a lack of playing time for the Gunners, and it now looks like he may be given the opportunity to do so.
Arsenal’s upcoming fixtures
Date
Real Madrid (h)
April 8th
Brentford (h)
April 12th
Real Madrid (a)
April 16th
Ipswich Town (a)
April 20th
Crystal Palace (h)
April 23rd
Kiwior exit could be suitable for all parties
With Arteta planning to bolster his options in multiple positions this summer, it would make sense to generate as much money as possible by cashing-in on out-of-favour players, and the Poland international has made just 10 Premier League appearances this season.
At 25, the defender is at an age where he needs to be playing regularly, so it is understandable that he wants to move on this summer, despite putting in some impressive performances during his time in north London.
The former Spezia man has previously been lauded as a “monster” by reporter Sam Dean, and he put in a solid display against Everton last time out, making five defensive actions and creating one big chance.
Kiwior originally arrived at Arsenal for £20m, and given that he has remained a sporadic option for Arteta throughout his time at the club, it could be a shrewd piece of business if the Gunners are able to sell the centre-back for a profit.
He dominated attacks in the U-19 World Cup, but here he made an excellent century by being patient and cutting out risk
Vishal Dikshit23-Feb-2024A bear hug for the older son last week and an equally big embrace for the younger one on Friday.If Naushad Khan’s tearful reactions to Sarfaraz Khan’s Test debut in Rajkot spread like wildfire on social media last week, his emotional hug for Musheer Khan this evening after his maiden first-class hundred went unnoticed despite it happening in a metropolitan like Mumbai.Musheer, just 18, was playing only his fourth first-class game and it was a Ranji Trophy quarter-final for Mumbai at home against Baroda. After winning the toss, Mumbai found themselves at a precarious 90 for 4 on a turning and bouncing track. Without the injured Shreyas Iyer (back spasms) and Shivam Dube (side strain), without Sarfaraz (on national duty), and with an out-of-form captain Ajinkya Rahane (averaging 13.11 this season), the weight of Mumbai’s expectations fell on Musheer’s young shoulders as he walked out at No. 3.He had recently returned from the Under-19 World Cup in South Africa, where he was the second-highest scorer while averaging 60 and striking at 98.09. Musheer had to score quickly there because it was white-ball cricket, but when confronted with a tricky pitch at home, he needed to find a different gear.” (Our father has always prepared us for the red ball),” Musheer said after the day’s play. “We keep preparing with that and after returning from the Under-19 World Cup I had a few sessions with the red ball. So I was prepared for this.”With Baroda’s spinners, led by the experienced Bhargav Bhatt, exploiting the dampness in the pitch, Musheer knew he had to be tight. He relied on his technique to play the ball late and stayed away from any thoughts of playing the big shots. Unlike Sarfaraz, who is known for his aggressive batting, and even himself at the Under-19 World Cup where he struck eight sixes (the most for India), Musheer took care to keep the ball along the ground, although he did indulge in some audacious sweeps.”I trust my defence more,” he said of his shot selection. “I knew that if I would defend and play with the straight bat then I won’t get out easily unless one of the balls suddenly took off from the pitch.”Sarfaraz Khan (left) in his Under-19 days with his brother Musheer (middle) and father Naushad•Naushad KhanCall it patience or nerves of being in the nineties, Musheer spent a good few minutes and nine balls on 96 before he finally breached the three-figure mark with a single towards backward square leg to raise his arms. Just like Sarfaraz had punched the air from the non-striker’s end when his India team-mate Yashasvi Jaiswal had crossed 200 in Rajkot last week, Musheer’s team-mate Hardik Tamore punched the air for his partner’s landmark. Tamore had redefined what’s called “digging in” in a four-day game. In their unbroken stand of 106 for the sixth wicket, Tamore had gone from 4 off 43 to 15 off 90 at tea and 30 off 163 at stumps, with 137 dot balls.”My mindset was to talk to my batting partners to bat the whole day,” Musheer said. “Whether you score a hundred or double-hundred, it’s not easy to bat on this wicket, you’ll never be set. Some [balls] were turning, some were straightening. You can score boundaries only when you get those kind of balls so we were managing with singles.”He was not as settled early on but he defended his way through it and things got easier,” Musheer said of Tamore’s knock. “We had planned to bat through the day and kept targets of scoring five-six runs at a time.”” which means to hurry things up.”When I made my debut last year, I was thinking too far ahead,” he said. (I was racing ahead for no reason). And since they were my first few matches, there was some pressure. So this time I’m not thinking much and reacting to the ball.”I don’t think much now about many things, the focus is to play my normal game. If I get out early, it’s fine, otherwise I want to bat big.”Within a matter of 10 days the brothers have rewarded their father for the years of hard work he has put in with them. As Musheer gets a massage at the end of the day, a visibly tired Naushad waits outside on a bench before he can meet his son properly again. Naushad is feeling the fatigue from the constant travel he has to endure, whether to Hyderabad for the BCCI awards or Rajkot for a Test debut or Uttar Pradesh back home once in a while.But what might give him instant relief is that the rewards of all the hard work has just started to show.
Spinner outdoes previous Headingley cameo to claim maiden Test ten-wicket haul
Vithushan Ehantharajah26-Jun-20225:44
#PoliteEnquiries: How silly was Root scooping Wagner?
The trouble with being known for one thing above everything else is invariably, when people come across you, it’s all they want to talk about.Actors speak openly of frustrating periods in their lives when one role stuck with them a little too long. Christopher Mintz-Plasse once joked about asking his friends to start calling him McLovin because everyone else did. Bands often grow to resent their biggest songs, which might explain why the New Radicals last gig was in 2001, before Joe Biden brought them back 20 years later for his big inauguration do. And yeah, of course they played that songFor Jack Leach, the occasion of his 25th Test was a first return to the Leeds stage where he nailed the role that granted him cult status. That 1 not out alongside Ben Stokes against Australia here still ranks as the most celebrated single since Dua Lipa’s “One Kiss”, and probably just about shades it for airtime given how often it’s brought up. Along with shouts of “Leachy where are your glasses?!” and “Leachy – clean your glasses!”, which, to be fair, he handles with typical good grace, obliging every selfie and even the odd request to recreate the scamper after that nudge into the leg side off Pat Cummins.None of that will ever go away, and deep down he’d hate if it did. But the next time someone mentions “Headingley”, they’ll have to specify the year. Maybe even the innings, after his first effort of 5 for 100 was bettered with a second of 5 for 66. From no five-wicket hauls at home to two across four days. And now a maiden 10-wicket haul in a match that England are now in control of, needing just 113 of their 296 target on the final day, with eight wickets spare, to confirm a 3-0 victory over New Zealand in a series that feels seminal. Not bad considering this was his first home series since the end of that 2019 Ashes.Related
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Ollie Pope, Joe Root break England's chase after Jack Leach stars with maiden ten-for
“We need to get a win tomorrow, and then it will be very special,” answered Leach when asked if he’s got a new favourite memory at this ground. “So at the moment – no.”With 83 wickets at an average of 33.47 coming into this third Test with New Zealand, the tide was already turning. This was a 31-year-old left arm spinner, not some cuddly everyman nerd, who had won games for his country even if he has not been wholly settled. And quite apart from the obvious love and affection towards him – every fielder queued up to hug him when he sent an arm ball through Trent Boult to close New Zealand’s second innings on 326 – there felt a profound difference to the Leach we were watching out there. He didn’t just believe he deserved to be out there – he knew.This is probably a good sign to talk about “belonging” because we all yearn to be loved and carry a sense of purpose. And though Leach was not lacking in either, the last few weeks it is clear he has been treated differently and, in turn, blossomed.We can probably say it began when he concussed himself on the boundary at Lord’s, ruled out of the match and then being replaced by legspinner and people’s champion Matt Parkinson. Then came word that Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid were eyeing up another once-round on Brendon McCullum’s party bus, and at another time he might have been lamenting a time in the not-too-distant future where he was nudged out of the circle for being too square. A solid if unspectacular tour to West Indies after an awkward time in the Ashes had fuelled talk of uncertainty over his place in the XI, and indeed as the No. 1 spinner.But despite only being signed off as fully recovered from his head injury a day before the Trent Bridge Test, he was backed with a spot and 59 overs across both innings, returning a handful of wickets. There were another 70.5 overs here, but more telling as a show of confidence was how early he was called upon: 12 overs into day one (he removed Will Young with his first ball), then opening the second innings on day three. It meant by the time he stepped up at the Football Stand End for his spell after lunch on Sunday, Leach was his best self.Jack Leach claimed his first Test ten-for•PA Images via Getty ImagesAcross the 56 deliveries sent down, he wedded great control (46 dot balls) with a constant threat to both edges of the bat. He was consistently into the rough, which was that little bit rougher outside the right-handers’ off stump thanks to New Zealand’s left-arm duo of Trent Boult and Neil Wagner, which is where he caused the most trouble.A couple of chances went begging at slip, but there was never a doubt further opportunities would come. The overall tally of 4 for 28 in this little period was as dominating as it sounds, particularly in tandem with find of the summer, Matthew Potts. Sure, they were lower order wickets, with six of his overall 10 coming in at No. 8 or lower, but England have long struggled to finish teams off and it would require some wilful naivety to ignore the fact Leach was regarded as a key man in every phase of England’s time in the field.McCullum’s work as head coach plays a part, but even he admits he is merely amplifying the messages of his captain. It was particularly instructive at stumps to hear the working relationship Leach has with Stokes: “I say what about mid-on back and he goes, ‘nope!’ I don’t know, he’s got this knack of making me want to do stuff for him.”He went on to laud Stokes’ confidence in both the decisions he makes and those he asks to carry them out. “I’ve never experienced anything like it,” beamed Leach.”I think I felt like I was bowling more attacking,” he said of innings-turning spell. “I felt I needed to put more on the ball and find the right pace and the right length, and you have to be really precise with the field, so attacking and that for me was a really good thing.
“That third innings when they’re in the lead, it would have been easy to drop guys out and make it a little bit easier for them [but] Stokes is going the opposite way which is brilliant”Jack Leach
“In the past I might have felt I need a bit of protection to bowl attackingly and that worked really nicely. The way we’re going about things, which is credit to Stokesy and Baz, is always taking the positive option. That third innings when they’re in the lead, it would have been easy to drop guys out and make it a little bit easier for them [but] Stokes is going out the opposite way which is brilliant, and it gives me a new mindset which is trying to take wickets, working towards modes of dismissal, a bit more precise and specific with what I want to do rather than just bowling it.”Evidently the support act of 2019 has flipped three years on. Stokes is all of comforter, devil on the shoulder and ego manifest for Leach. Those nuggets of man-management, however, are coming off because of the graft Leach has put in. He has worked with Jeetan Patel on getting more overspin on the ball, developed subtle angle changes at the crease and increased pace to mix up drift through the air and reaction off the pitch. And the mantra that the hardest workers get the most luck was clear when a freak dismissal on day one when Henry Nicholls drove Leach to Alex Lees at mid-off, via a huge deflection of Daryl Mitchell’s bat, was followed by a comical sight on day four when Wagner was caught between the knees of Covid substitute wicketkeeper Sam Billings.After the battles with Crohn’s disease, a dangerous bout of sepsis in New Zealand at the start of 2020 and then into a pandemic where his “at risk” status curbed life and cricket, the temptation is to say he might have wondered if he’d ever get to experience a week of such high, or be so integral to a team on the rise.But Leach’s spirit and unshakeable steel comes from believing he was good enough for Test cricket and able to contribute match-winning performances in all conditions, home and away, no matter the match situation. Now, four years after his debut, with 92 wickets, an average of 31 and one in the “ten-for” column, he knows.
Samson, who was traded in, is understood to open the innings for the team
ESPNcricinfo staff15-Nov-20256:53
Samson-Mhatre CSK’s new opening pair?
Ruturaj Gaikwad will continue to be Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) captain for IPL 2026. In a social-media post, the franchise wrote, “Lead the way, captain Ruturaj Gaikwad,” ending the speculations that Sanju Samson could be the captain.CSK had traded in Samson from Rajasthan Royals in exchange for Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran. He comes with plenty of captaincy experience in the IPL but will not lead the franchise. It is understood, though, that he will open the innings.
Gaikwad had taken over the captaincy from MS Dhoni at the start of IPL 2024. CSK, who had won the IPL 2023, finished fifth in 2024 and tenth in 2025.Apart from Jadeja and Curran, CSK also released Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra and Matheesha Pathirana among others. Going into the auction, they have a purse of INR 43.40 crore and a maximum of eight vacancies, including four overseas slots.At the auction, scheduled for December 16 at Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena, they are likely to target an overseas allrounder to replace Curran. They have the purse to go hammer and tongs for Andre Russell, Glenn Maxwell, Liam Livingstone or Cameron Green. They will also look to sign a back-up for Nathan Ellis.
Grande sonho do Vasco para a sequência da temporada, Philippe Coutinho se reuniu com o presidente Pedrinho, na manhã deste sábado (25), em São Januário. A informação publicada primeiramente pela Band e confirmada pelo Lance!.
continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasFora de CampoRolê aleatório: entenda como Ronaldinho se envolveu na festa da torcida do Vasco para CoutinhoFora de Campo24/05/2024VascoPhilippe Coutinho chega ao Rio de Janeiro e fala sobre retorno ao Vasco: ‘Todo mundo já sabe’Vasco24/05/2024VascoVasco volta de folga com primeiras atividades comandadas por Álvaro PachecoVasco24/05/2024
➡️ Tudo sobre o Gigante agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Vasco
Em relação ao Al-Duhail, Coutinho terminou o empréstimo antes da vinda ao Brasil. Agora, os empresários do atleta trabalham pela rescisão amigável do jogador com o Aston Villa, clube que o jogador tem contrato até 2026. O clube inglês não deve criar muitos empecilhos para uma possível saída. A tendência é que Coutinho acerte com o Vasco por três anos.
Coutinho nos braços da torcida
Cria da Colina, Philippe Coutinho desembarcou no Rio de Janeiro nesta sexta-feira (24) e falou sobre a volta ao Vasco.
– Sempre tive muito carinho por eles. Eles sabem disso. Nesse momento não tenho muita coisa a falar. Todo mundo já sabe – disse Coutinho, em entrevista ao BTB Sports em São Paulo.
continua após a publicidade
O meia chegou ao Rio de Janeiro por volta de 15h, após conexão em São Paulo, e pediu para falar com os jornalistas no aeroporto. Ele reiterou vontade de atuar no Cruz-Maltino e confirmou conversas em andamento. Confira no video abaixo:
– Vou ser breve com vocês porque estou viajando há mais de 17 horas, estamos cansados. Não tenho muito o que falar sobre esse assunto ainda. A única coisa que consigo falar é que existem conversas, é verdade. E o que falei em São Paulo: sabem a minha vontade, isso todo mundo já sabe.
continua após a publicidadeA temporada de Coutinho
Nesta temporada, jogando pelo Al Duhail, Coutinho atuou em 21 jogos, marcando seis gols e dando três assistências. O jogador teve uma média de 2.1 chutes por jogo, além de acerto de 85% nos passes, 51% nos dribles e 1.9 passes chave. O craque também criou oito grandes chances em sua passagem pelo Catar.
One of Vitor Matos’ first transfer targets at Swansea City has now confirmed that he’s received contact from the Jacks ahead of a potential January move.
Vitor Matos instantly pinpoints "clear" Swansea problem
It wasn’t the start that Matos had been dreaming of on Tuesday evening, as Derby County battled to defeat a struggling Swansea, who now sit just two points clear of the Championship’s dropzone.
The former Liverpool coach would have been well aware that it’s not a quick fix in Wales, however, and has already pinpointed one “clear” issue that the Jacks had against Derby.
It’s clear that the young manager learned a thing or two from Jurgen Klopp during his time at Anfield, given his counter-pressing approach, but whether he can instill that approach into his side by this weekend remains to be seen.
Swansea square off against West Bromwich Albion knowing that defeat could leave them in the relegation zone by the end of the weekend.
It’s a squad in desperate need of reinforcements and Matos can’t afford any passengers in his pressing system – making the January window crucial.
It’s then that the new manager could welcome his first signing in Wales after Finland’s Leo Walta revealed contact from Swansea ahead of the winter window.
Leo Walta "ready" for big move after Swansea contact
Following initial reports that Kim Hellberg wanted to bring him to Wales before the manager chose Middlesbrough in controversial fashion, Swansea have kept their interest in Walta alive.
The Sirius midfielder could yet become Matos’ first signing after revealing that he’s already had contact from Swansea. Speaking to reporters, the 22-year-old said: “Yes. Yes, I have heard (from them). That they like me as a player and are interested.
“It’s quite early, we’re still in November. I’m going through different options, and we also have to talk to Sirius about the winter. I’m ready for a good league and to take a place straight away. I am a pretty good player, in my opinion, and I want to take a big step and see how far I can go.”
Instant blow for Matos as "one of Swansea City's key players" could now leave
An immediate concern for the managerial target.
ByTom Cunningham Nov 19, 2025
Still just 22 years old, Walta is undoubtedly one to watch, especially amid Swansea’s interest. The midfielder scored 17 goals and provided three assists in Sweden last season and could quickly become an impressive signing in Wales.
Already a Finland international, Walta is certainly ready to take the next step in his club career. Whether that results in a first signing for Matos remains to be seen, however.
Early blow for Matos: "Top clubs" now moving to sign Swansea's best young star
Derbyshire 17 for 0 trail Glamorgan 259 (Carlson 94, Reece 4-67, Dal 3-29) by 242 runs Kiran Carlson rescued Glamorgan on a hard-fought second day of the Rothesay County Championship match against promotion rivals Derbyshire at the Central Co-op County Ground.After high winds prevented any play on Monday, Derbyshire made up for lost time by reducing Glamorgan to 99 for 6 in helpful bowling conditions.But Carlson combined watchful defence with selective aggression to score 94 from 178 balls and shared a seventh wicket stand of 94 with Timm Van der Gugten who made 37 as the visitors recovered to 259.Luis Reece showed why he is the leading wicket-taker in Division Two by claiming 4 for 67 while Anuj Dal finished with 3 for 29 from 16 overs.Derbyshire, who need to win to have any chance of overtaking second-placed Glamorgan, closed on 17 without loss.After rain delayed the start by 30 minutes, Derbyshire’s decision to bowl first on a green pitch was quickly rewarded with Glamorgan’s openers falling in the space of seven balls.Reece claimed his 40th first-class wicket of the season when Asa Tribe played across the line in the fifth over and Zain Ul Hassan quickly followed, edging Ben Aitchison behind.There was plenty of assistance for the bowlers and Derbyshire exploited the conditions by bowling a challenging length to put pressure on the batters.Sam Northeast edged Reece just short of second slip before he had scored and with Carlson was starting to rebuild the innings until Zak Chappell claimed Derbyshire’s first bowling point.Chappell brought one in to trap Northeast lbw which brought in Colin Ingram who reached the milestone of 10,000 first-class runs before lunch.Glamorgan did well to go in at the interval only three down but they collapsed at the start of the afternoon session, losing three wickets in six overs.Reece found some inswing to get the ball between Ingram’s bat and pad before Dal struck twice in consecutive overs.Dal’s consistent off stump line forced Billy Root to steer to gully and when Chris Cooke edged his first ball to first slip, Glamorgan were in serious trouble.But not for the first time, Van der Gugten played a valuable innings to help Carlson guide the visitors towards respectability.He was solid in defence while Carlson became more expansive after reaching 50 from 120 balls.He twice pulled Rory Haydon for six and at tea, the pair had added 77 from 144 balls to take Glamorgan to 176 for 6.Carlson deserved what would have been a fourth hundred of the season but he was denied by a brilliant one handed catch at slip by Aitchison who plunged to his left to hold an edge off Dal.Aitchison then ended Van der Gugten’s stubborn innings by finding some lift to have him caught behind but Andy Gorvin and James Harris continued the lower order resistance.Derbyshire took the second new ball but the pair secured a batting point before Reece had Harris caught behind and the innings ended when Gorvin miscued to mid on.Reece then opened with former Glamorgan batter Aneurin Donald and they safely negotiated five overs to end an absorbing day 242 runs behind.
Folding your grandmother’s chaise lounge on a breezy day at the beach. Closing an umbrella in the teeth of a windstorm. Madly checking all your pockets when you’ve misplaced your keys. The swing of Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman has no comparison among major league hitters, so you are left to find endeavors in everyday life with such mechanical quirks.
The Freeman swing is no oil painting, unless you had a Jackson Pollock in mind. Freeman starts with his bat off the shoulder and parallel to the ground. His back elbow is raised. As the pitcher winds up, Freeman snaps the bat to attention, upright, as if a predator put on alert by the sudden scent of prey. Then he pulls his hands close to his body and throws the barrel at the ball with what looks like a flick of the wrists. He finishes with two hands high, the wrists having completely turned over, in the manner of someone who has striped a 300-yard drive down the center of the fairway.
This is the swing that has launched 2,329 hits, postseason included, including the one that salted away World Series Game 3 on Monday, a spoiler alert though it came just three batters into the game. Freeman ripped a two-run homer off a shaky Clarke Schmidt to send the Los Angeles Dodgers on their way to a 4–2 victory over the New York Yankees in a game that wasn’t nearly as close as the final score indicated. The Dodgers and Freeman, the presumptive MVP, are one win away from ending the World Series in a rout.
Freeman is on one of the greatest hitting heaters the World Series has ever seen. So hobbled by a sprained ankle a week ago that he did not play in the Dodgers’ NLCS clincher, Freeman joined Hank Bauer (1958) and Barry Bonds (2002) as the only players to homer in the first three games of a World Series. Amazingly, Freeman hit his three World Series homers in a span of just 10 swings.
BACCELLIERI: World Series Game 3 Takeaways: Buehler, Dodgers Bullpen Keep Yankees’ Bats Quiet
Including the 2021 World Series playing for the Braves, Freeman has homered in five straight series games, tying George Springer for the World Series record.
“There are points throughout the course of the season when the swing is actually good,” Freeman said, “but it felt like it was a constant battle all season long with my swing. It kind of happens like that. It seems hard: hit a round ball with a round bat. There’s a lot of different ways to do it. I’m thankful that it’s in a good spot right now when we need it the most. I’m just seeing the ball very well. You know, I'm swinging at the strikes, taking the balls … what you're trying to do every game. And thankfully I've been able to do it.”
Freeman has had a Hall of Fame career. He is one of only 33 players who have played 2,000 games with an OPS+ of at least 142. Thirty of those players have been on a Hall of Fame ballot and all of them have been voted in except for PED-tainted sluggers Manny Ramirez and Bonds. This World Series is burnishing Freeman’s reputation as one of his generation’s greatest pure hitters. This is his magnum opus. His career postseason OPS is .890, 17th all-time (min. 200 plate appearances) and just ahead of Reggie Jackson.
Those are the numbers. How Freeman gets it done, line drive after line drive, year after year, is worthy not just of admiration but peer review.
APSTEIN: Walker Buehler Burnishes Big-Game Reputation in Dodgers’ Game 3 Win
About eight miles south of Yankee Stadium, on the fourth floor of the Museum of Modern Art, hangs an Abstract Impressionism painting by Jackson Pollock titled . Pollock created it by flinging and pouring ropes of paint across a huge canvas stretched over the floor. You can stand back from it and, though there is no discernible pattern or point of focus, see what you will. Order, chance, chaos, rhythm, nature … all of it or some of it. It’s what great art does: It stimulates the mind.
With Pollock’s work in mind, I asked the Dodgers to stand back and look at , otherwise known as the Freeman Swing, and tell me what they see.
Freeman’s swing inspires awe and admiration from his peers. / Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
Walker Buehler: “The swing isn’t fun for me facing him. I felt like he was on time all the time for everything that I threw. And you look at the simplicity of his approach and his setup and it makes a lot of sense why you can hit any pitch anywhere.
“He hit a homer off me in the ‘20 playoffs that I think there’s very few people in the world that can hit the pitch that I threw in for a homer. And it was the hardest ball he's ever hit in the big leagues.
“It was a heater up in. I think he hit it about 118 [mph]. Mookie almost jumped for it. He's a special player, and somehow gets a little bit lost between Mookie and Shohei. You got two elite players and we have a third one who happens to be one of the top 20 baseball players in the world that we don’t talk a ton about. He certainly showed up in the past three games.”
Tommy Edman: “He's probably one of the most consistent hitters I’ve ever seen. I remember, I think it was two years ago when I was with St. Louis, we had a four-game series, and he got out once the whole series. He went like 14-for-15 or something like that. I was like, ‘This guy is the best hitter in baseball right now.’ And obviously it's clicking right now in the World Series on the biggest stage. It's been fun to watch.
“He does such a good job of keeping his hands inside the ball better than just about anybody. And you go out there and watch his batting practice and he just is hitting everything the other way, low line drives and, not trying to hit bombs and drive the ball out of the ballpark, even though he's done that in the first three games of this World Series.
“But I think it's probably a good lesson to a lot of young players out there is that you don't necessarily need to hit homers in batting practice in order to hit homers in the game.”
Jack Flaherty: “His swing works for him. Everybody's swing is different. That's all that matters. It's much more fun watching him on this side than just trying to get him out. He's one of those guys you look at the numbers and it's like, ‘I don't know, let's hope he hits at someone,’ because he's tough to punch out and it’s tough to get him to chase.”
Teoscar Hernández: “It just hard to describe because that's … that's how Freddie is. Freddie is not a guy that swings and misses a lot. He’s always putting the ball in play. It was a matter of time that he got his swing back. His health is a huge factor. And he's showing it. It was huge for us that he’s feeling better.”
Gavin Lux: “He’s one of the game’s best hitters. He’s going to be a first ballot Hall of Famer for a reason. It’s fun to watch him compete and take at-bats because he just doesn’t give anything away.
“Oh, man, I saw a video of his swing from high school and it hasn’t changed a bit. He’s got a really good bat path. He doesn’t swing and miss much. He doesn’t chase. He’s old school. He takes the ball the other way and he’s stubborn as hell. He’s not going to change. It’s fun to watch him do the same thing every day. He’s the ultimate consistency guy.”
Miguel Rojas: “You watch him work and it’s the same every day. Every swing he wants to hit the ball softly to shortstop starting out and then eventually line drives over the shortstop’s head. He never, ever changes. And what’s so special about him are his hands. His hands are amazing.”
Having canvassed enough patrons, I figured it was time to hear from the artist himself. Freeman on Freeman.
I told Freeman about my conversation the other day with Kirk Gibson, his brother in Dodgers walk-off World Series home runs. Gibson had told me he always admired Freeman, but never could come up with a similar comp to how Freeman swings the bat. I asked Freeman to describe the uniqueness of his swing.
“I don't know,” Freeman said. “I slow it down [on tape] and it looks weird. But, I just … I’ve always just tried to be short to it and inside the baseball. And I played a lot of golf as a kid, and I think that’s why I follow through like I do.
“But I don’t have a way to explain it. It works and I don't really want to figure it out. Because when you try and figure something out, then it may be gone. You have got to let that thing ride.”
Freeman is slashing .333/.385/1.250 during the World Series. / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
A week ago, Freeman was hitting on one good leg. Because of a badly sprained right ankle, he could not get weight to his front side. The best he could do was flick those wrists without support from his lower half. During the four days between the NLCS and World Series, he did not run at all, staying away from the activity that most aggravated his ankle. In a hitting session last Tuesday with Dodgers coach Robert Van Scoyoc, he developed a key mental cue. Freeman always has taken his stride with his front foot landing closer to the plate than his back foot. But to compensate for his weak ankle, he thought about stepping outward, with the front foot farther. He wasn’t actually stepping that far away, but the mental cue of doing so allowed him to stay on his back side longer. Immediately his practice liners over the shortstop’s head returned in familiar cadence. His ankle felt better and better.
Freeman burned Nestor Cortes in Game 1 and Carlos Rodón in Game 2. He had never faced Schmidt before Game 3. Freeman fell behind, 1-and-2 without taking a swing.
“Well, thankfully he threw all three pitches in those three pitches,” Freeman said. “So he went slider on the first pitch, and then he went cutter up, and then he threw the knuckle curve. So, I saw all three pitches. And you know, I was okay with being down two strikes because I got to see everything he had.”
Schmidt tried to throw a back door cutter. He missed on the other side of the plate, toward Freeman’s hands. Freeman crushed it into the right field seats.
“It changes the whole game,” said Buehler, who had a 2–0 lead before he threw a pitch. “The whole complexion of the game, not just for me for sure but for our team for sure. I think if you look at the numbers in terms of playoff baseball, whoever scores first … I talked kind of about grabbing momentum or keeping momentum and how important that is for playoff baseball. And there's not anything much bigger you can do on the road than hit a big home run for us.”
Like Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays in 1962, when the two best players in baseball went 10-for-53 (.189) in the World Series without an RBI, Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge are 2-for-23 (.087) without an RBI. Instead, in a galaxy of stars, it is the old soul with the old school approach and the Abstract Impressionism swing that has owned the World Series.
“Technique,” Pollock once said, “is just a means of arriving at a statement … It doesn’t matter how the paint is put on, as long as something is said.”
Seventy-four years after Pollock painted , the work still makes a statement. In the same way, 74 years on, people will recall the 2024 World Series for the statement Freeman made, if not how he did it.
Deepti Sharma clinched London Spirit’s maiden Hundred title with a straight six in the final at Lord’s last year but has pulled out of the 2025 season to manage her workload.Deepti, the Indian allrounder, is in England for India’s ongoing tour and has had a busy recent schedule, balancing international commitments and franchise leagues. With a 50-over World Cup on home soil looming later this year, she has opted to withdraw from her £36,000 contract in order to give herself a short break.She has been replaced by Charli Knott, the Australian allrounder, and Spirit’s squad will look significantly different this year. Charlie Dean will deputise as captain for the injured Heather Knight, while Meg Lanning has been replaced by Grace Harris and Chris Liddle has taken over from Ashley Noffke as head coach.Deepti’s withdrawal means that there are no Indian players under contract in the Hundred this year. The BCCI does not grant active men’s players No-Objection Certificates to play in overseas leagues, while the women’s players who have previously been involved either went undrafted or were unavailable due to workload concerns.Elsewhere, Trent Rockets have confirmed that Ash Gardner will captain them this season. ESPNcricinfo revealed last month that Nat Sciver-Brunt had stepped down from the role to ease her own workload after taking on the England captaincy, and Gardner said it was “an honour” to take over from her.Related
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In the men’s Hundred, David Willey will take over from Lewis Gregory as Rockets captain, after Gregory was released and signed by Manchester Originals. Willey has spent the last two years playing for Welsh Fire but was a £200,000 signing at the draft and has short-form captaincy experience with Northamptonshire, Yorkshire and Northern Superchargers.Each Hundred team will add four ‘wildcard’ players – two men’s, two women’s – to their squad next week, making signings based on performances in the T20 Blast. Birmingham Phoenix have secured an injury replacement ahead of the wildcard draft, with Nottinghamshire’s Freddie McCann replacing Derbyshire seamer Harry Moore, who has a back stress fracture.The Hundred will run from August 5-31 and is being viewed as a transitional season before the ECB hands operational responsibility for the eight teams over to their host counties and new private investors ahead of the 2026 edition.
Arsenal are looking to bounce back in the Premier League with a win after their last outing in the top flight. The Gunners were able to snatch a last-minute draw from the jaws of defeat against Manchester City last Sunday at the Emirates Stadium.
It was a sublime equaliser, too. Gabriel Martinelli’s excellent finish saw him lob new City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to earn a point for Mikel Arteta’s side. They have since played a game, with Arsenal running out 2-0 winners over Port Vale in the Carabao Cup in midweek.
Now, with a trip to Newcastle awaiting Arteta’s side, it will be fascinating to see if Martinelli can get into the starting lineup.
Where Martinelli could play against Newcastle
24-year-old Martinelli has had a curious season so far for the Gunners. He’s played 252 minutes across all competitions, totalling six appearances. In that time, he’s bagged two goals and set up another.
The strike against City was a prime example of how clinical he can be in front of goal. It was a perfectly-weighted lob over Italy’s number one Donnarumma, following a well-timed run in behind the Citizens’ defence.
It’s the second time this season that the Brazilian attacker has chipped in with goal involvements off the bench. His strike against City followed a goal and an assist as a substitute against Athletic Club in the Champions League. Again, they were decisive moments, with Arsenal running out 2-0 winners that day.
His form leaves Arteta with a huge decision to make. Does he keep Martinelli as a weapon off the bench or reward him with a start? That could even be in a fresh role as a number nine, replacing Viktor Gyokeres. Against City, the Swede put in a 3/10 performance and ‘stuck out like a sore thumb’, according to Goal journalist Sean Walsh.
So, bringing Martinelli into the lineup as a striker is a real option for Arteta. However, he might not be the only Gunners star given a new role against the Magpies.
The other Arsenal player given a fresh role
One of the biggest benefits of Arsenal’s current squad is the versatility on offer to Arteta. The Spaniard can, for example, play Noni Madueke on either wing when fit, Myles Lewis-Skelly at left-back or in midfield, and Martinelli on the flank or up top.
Well, in a similar mould, he has Eberechi Eze available to him. The England international can play out wide or in midfield, and it is the latter role in which he could operate at St James’ Park this Sunday.
The former Crystal Palace star has already played centrally this season for his new side. He played there against City for 45 minutes, after coming off the bench at the start of the second half and from the start against Port Vale.
Against Pep Guardiola’s side, it was his excellent pass over the top that set Martinelli up, and against Port Vale, he bagged his first Arsenal goal.
Eze is yet to play that role from the start in the Premier League for the Gunners. However, there is no guarantee that Martin Odegaard will be fit to play from the start.
If Arteta is looking for a player to execute the club captain’s role to a high standard, Arsenal’s number 10 could be the man. After all, he is a true “maestro” in midfield, according to Statman Dave and has already been compared to Dennis Bergkamp.
Not only does the England star have experience playing there before, but some of his numbers from last season show how similar a player he is. For example, Eze created an average of 2 chances and won 5.7 duels, compared to Odegaard’s 2.4 chances created and 2.9 successful duels per 90 minutes. He will maintain quality on the ball and add defensive nous off it.
Goals and assists
0.6
0.6
Chances created
2
2.4
Take-ons completed
2.4
1
Fouls won
1.8
0.9
Duels won
5.7
2.9
With all that considered, it certainly makes sense for Arteta to unleash Eze in this fresh role against Newcastle on Sunday. He’d be able to create chances to a similar level as Odegaard in those central areas.
After he played so well in midfield against Port Vale, it could well be an excellent move to unleash the England star from the same area against the Magpies in what will be a fresh role for him from the start for Arsenal in the league this season, having started on the left flank previously.
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