The first phase of MLB All-Star voting concluded last week, and two finalists at each position (six outfielders) advanced to phase two, where fans are voting to determine the starting lineup for both the American League and National League.

There will undoubtedly be some close races in the second phase of All-Star voting, with some position battles expected to go down to the wire. Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge have already cemented their status as All-Star starters, having garnered the most votes in their respective leagues.

With voting set to close Wednesday, let’s take a look at some of the toughest decisions facing voters.

American LeagueFirst Base – Vladimir Guerrero Jr. vs. Paul Goldschmidt

The battle at first base comes down to Toronto Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and New York Yankees veteran Paul Goldschmidt.

Offensively, Guerrero has been the superior performer in 2025, logging a .840 OPS with 12 home runs and 44 RBIs. He has 47 walks and just 49 strikeouts on the year, showing terrific discipline at the plate. His defense, however, has been somewhat lackluster, as his six errors at first base are tied for the MLB lead.

As for Goldschmidt, his steady bat and glove at first base have provided some much-needed stability in New York's lineup. While he's cooled off a bit at the plate, he's a reliable defender and still an elite contact hitter at 37 years of age. Goldschmidt has a .767 OPS and a 115 OPS+ while logging eight home runs, 32 RBIs and five steals.

Shortstop – Jacob Wilson vs. Bobby Witt Jr.

The emergence of Jacob Wilson has been one of the biggest surprises of the first half of the season, as the Athletics shortstop has been one of MLB's best hitters. He even garnered more votes than 2024 AL MVP runner-up Bobby Witt Jr. during phase one.

Wilson is slashing .339/.380/.473 in his first full big-league season, having been one of the few bright spots for the flailing A’s. He has just 26 strikeouts in 81 games and his 108 hits trail only Aaron Judge.

As for Witt, his numbers have dipped from his prolific 2024 season, but he's still having a great year. He boasts a .825 OPS with a league-leading 29 doubles to go with 11 home runs, 45 RBIs and 21 steals.

National LeagueShortstop – Francisco Lindor vs. Mookie Betts

Much like in the AL, the NL's starting shortstop battle is tightly contested. Two of MLB’s biggest stars are competing, as Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Francisco Lindor of the New York Mets topped phase one of voting.

By their standards, Lindor and Betts are having something of down years. But they've still been among the best at their position in the league. Lindor has a .775 OPS, his lowest since his first year with the franchise, along with 16 home runs, 43 RBIs and 13 stolen bases. They aren't world-beating numbers, but he's been plenty productive and could be in line to start the All-Star Game for the first time.

As for Betts, the Dodgers shortstop has a career low .707 OPS. He's never previously recorded an OPS below .812, so he's certainly been performing well below his usual production. Still, he's hit nine home runs with 41 RBIs and has struck out just 35 times in 78 games.

Third Base – Manny Machado vs. Max Muncy

Muncy and Machado have both been off to strong starts to the year, and the NL West rivals could see their battle to start at third base go down to the wire.

Machado has had his best year at the plate since 2022. He's batting .293 and has a .831 OPS with 13 home runs and 47 RBIs. He's hit 20 doubles and has eight steals, all while playing prolific defense at the hot corner.

As for Muncy, he got off to a slow start but has heated up with the weather. The veteran infielder was on fire in June, when he logged a 1.113 OPS with seven home runs, 24 RBIs and 19 walks in 25 games. He's now got a .845 OPS on the season with 13 home runs and 55 RBIs, which ranks tied for 10th in the NL.

Celtic manager Martin O’Neill has revealed that he may still be in interim charge of the club when they face Dundee at Parkhead on Wednesday night in the Scottish Premiership.

Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph claims that there has been a delay in finalising the deal to bring Wilfried Nancy to the club from MLS outfit Columbus Crew, which is why the Northern Irishman may still be in the dugout in midweek.

The French boss will surely be keeping close tabs on how the team fared under O’Neill in November, and will already be thinking about how he wants to set the side up moving forward.

The Celtic players who will have impressed Nancy against Hibernian

In the 2-1 win over Hibernian in the Premiership on Sunday, several players showed that they can be key players for the next head coach, whenever he finally takes charge.

Daizen Maeda and Arne Engels are the two obvious ones after they both got on the scoresheet in the first half, with the former tapping into an empty net and the latter bravely burying a header in just seconds later.

Reo Hatate also excelled in a number ten role ahead of Callum McGregor and Engels, biting into the tackle to then set up Maeda for the opening goal.

Goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel also made a couple of impressive stops late on in the match to secure all three points, and he will surely be Nancy’s number one, in the short-term at least.

Whilst several players, mainly the ones mentioned here, will have impressed the incoming boss, Nancy may already have an idea of the players he wants to move on when the January transfer window opens up.

The first Celtic player Nancy should sell in January

After a confident first-half showing, academy graduate Colby Donovan was forced off with an injury at the break and replaced by experienced full-back Anthony Ralston.

Within minutes of his introduction, the Scotland international was caught out defensively before playing a poor pass back that went straight out of play on the right touchline.

Speaking on Sky Sports’ live coverage of the game, former Hoops striker Chris Sutton described Ralston’s play as “really sloppy” and claimed that the defender “hasn’t recovered” from his below par showing against St Mirren.

Minutes

72

Tackles won

0

Ground duels won

1/2

Aerial duels won

0/2

Dribbled past

1x

Key passes

0

Crosses attempted

0

In that win over the Saints, as shown in the table above, the Scottish flop lost 75% of his duels and offered virtually nothing to the team from a creative perspective.

His disappointing displays against St Mirren and Hibs in recent weeks have not been a blip, unfortunately, as he also left far too much to be desired from his performance against Midtjylland in the Europa League at the start of November.

Ralston made it far too easy, as shown in the clip above, for Mikel Gogorza to beat him and score, which came just moments after the Spaniard had danced past the defender to cross for the opening goal.

He ultimately left the pitch with 45 touches, nine fewer than goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, while he also failed to have a shot, provide a cross or key pass and he also only made one interception.

Therefore, the 27-year-old dud’s performances on and off the ball this season have not been up to scratch, which is why he may already be a player who could be on the chopping block for Nancy.

With Alistair Johnston to come back from his hamstring injury and Donovan emerging as a genuine first-team level option at right-back, Ralston may not be needed beyond January, as potentially the third-choice option in his position.

That is why the incoming Celtic boss should make the experienced flop the first player he axes at Parkhead when the January transfer window opens for business, whether that is by sending him out on loan or by selling him on a permanent basis.

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Whilst you never know who will shine with a clean slate under Nancy, it is hard to look past Ralston as the first player he needs to move on from the squad when the next transfer window rolls around at the turn of the year.

An opening day that was theirs to claim came crashing down as they slipped from 78 for 1 to 84 for 4

Alagappan Muthu01-Nov-2024India might somewhat justifiably believe that their struggles during this series against New Zealand were the result of circumstances coming together. The rain in Bengaluru. The toss in Pune. But the chaos in Mumbai is less easy to wish away.They were on top, picking up seven wickets for 76 runs to limit the opposition to 235, and responding to that with 78 for 1 in 17 overs on a pitch where first-innings runs will be incredibly important. Until 4.47pm on Friday, everything was going according to plan. And then, in the next five minutes, it all fell apart. Three wickets in eight legal balls, and a day that was theirs to claim was back in the balance.Related

• Ajaz triggers late India slide after Jadeja keeps New Zealand to 235

The Indian players in the dressing room could only look on in horror. A set batter falling to a reverse sweep with stumps approaching. A nightwatcher dismissed first ball and using up a review. A world-beater run-out going for a quick single. Morne Morkel had his head in his hands. Ravindra Jadeja didn’t have the time to react even that much.”Everything happened in ten minutes,” Jadeja said at the end of the first day’s play in Mumbai. “But it happens. It’s a team game. You cannot blame one person. Everyone makes mistakes. The next batters will have to stitch some partnership and try to get [the score] beyond 230. Only then the second innings will come into play. So it will be better if the incoming batters contribute.”New Zealand have done what few others have been able to, and hang on until the moment where the balance can shift. They showed it in Bengaluru in their first innings when Tim Southee and Rachin Ravindra added vital lower-order runs. They showed it in Pune when they toppled India from 50 for 1 to 156 all out. And they’ve shown it again, here, breaking a 53-run stand between Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal with 13 minutes to go to stumps and then topping that with the direct-hit run-out of Virat Kohli.Ajaz Patel struck twice in two balls•BCCI”You want to keep taking wickets,” Daryl Mitchell, who top-scored for New Zealand with 82, said. “It’s always nice. Look, it’s the nature of the surface and playing Test cricket over here, the ebbs and flows happen throughout the day and happy with how we hung in there while they were building a partnership, and when you get one you hopefully can get two and three.”And thats our motto, its just keep giving to the team, the way Rachin and some of the other guys chased the ball right to the boundary, that’s the stuff we always pride ourselves on. It means everyone is engaged, everyone is giving to the team, so that if we get one, hopefully we get another and its nice that it paid off tonight.”Kohli was fully kitted up when the second wicket fell, but Mohammed Siraj came out to bat instead. The nightwatcher fell first ball and burned a review trying to survive. Kohli then came in but he took on Matt Henry’s arm at mid-on and lost. Rishabh Pant came out. It was a good thing no more wickets fell because the next man in, Sarfaraz Khan, wasn’t in his whites.India have already lost this series, and are looking to avoid their first-ever home whitewash in a series of three or more Tests. They’ve been reminded of these things everywhere they’ve turned. Was their plunge into this possibly avoidable situation a sign of a team buckling under pressure? Jadeja didn’t think so.”Only the individual can tell what’s going through in his mind,” he said. “But if you are behind in the series, and such a situation comes, it feels you panicked because you are 2-0 down and committed an error. But if you are 2-0 up and the same thing happens, everyone says it happens. But if you are behind in the series, even the small things look big. Our top order has made mistakes, so the next six batters need to go close to or beyond 230. If we bat well in the first innings, things will be easier in the second.”

Joshua Kimmich was not too impressed by the style of play imprinted by Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta into his team after Bayern Munich slumped to a 3-1 defeat against the Gunners in the Champions League on Wednesday. The German international explained that Bayern simply couldn't deal with the "sheer number of corners" they conceded, playing right into Arsenal's set-piece supremacy.

Arsenal outclass Bayern in the Champions League

Arsenal proved they mean serious business this season after defeating Bayern 3-1 in the Champions League at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, with the defeat bringing an end to the German heavyweights' 18-game unbeaten run across all competitions in the ongoing campaign. 

Jurrien Timber broke the deadlock in the 22nd minute, but wonderkid Lennart Karl made it all square 10 minutes later. The two teams matched each other in intensity in the first 45 minutes, although the hosts seemed to be in better control of the proceedings. 

However, Bayern were all over the place in the second half. Hampered by an attack that failed to impose their influence on the game, Bayern could only muster six shots in the 90 minutes, only two of those on target. Harry Kane's return to north London didn't go as planned, as he cut a frustrating figure against his former rivals. 

Arteta's men tightened the screws in the second half, thanks to their dominance in midfield and immaculate pressing structure. Bayern finally succumbed to the pressure after keeping the hosts at bay for the first 23 minutes of the second half, with substitute Noni Madueke converting Riccardo Calafiori's brilliant delivery in the 69th minute. Gabriel Martinelli put the tie to bed eight minutes later and will be thankful to Manuel Neuer for making a mess just outside the Bayern box.

The result not only cemented the Gunners’ status as the only team in this season’s Champions League with a perfect record, but also strengthened their reputation as arguably the favourites to go all the way.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportKimmich undermines Arsenal's victory

Speaking to reporters after the game, Kimmich admitted that Bayern deserved to lose, but also claimed that Arsenal weren't their toughest opponents yet. 

“It was definitely a deserved defeat. I thought we didn't do well at all with the ball. We weren't brave enough, we weren't active enough, we didn't give ourselves enough options," said Kimmich.

"We weren't physically up to par against the ball, although it was clear what kind of game it would be. It was clear that it wouldn't be a game like the one against Chelsea, where it's mostly about playing football. It was clear that it would be a lot about fighting, lots of long balls. Arsenal then naturally made every ball dangerous.

"I think the main problem today was the sheer number of corners we conceded. At some point, it simply becomes difficult to defend against that over and over again.

"This is an extremely important game for us. I'm convinced that we'll take a lot away from it, that we'll learn a lot from it. There were many aspects that we need to improve. Last season we had a few games, like the Barca game [from last season], which also weren't good, but we learned a lot from those as well."

Having beaten Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain already in the competition, Kimmich was asked if the London club have been the toughest opponents so far.

"No, I don't think so! PSG was our most difficult opponent… Arsenal is completely different. They rely a lot on set pieces. Against Paris, it was more of a football match," he said.

Arteta 'extremely proud' of Arsenal's display

Arteta was thoroughly delighted with what he saw from his players on Wednesday. The win stretched their unbeaten streak to 16 games across competitions.

"Well, I'm extremely proud to what I've seen tonight. I think, we've seen a team that, in my opinion, playing against the best team in Europe has behaved with a real presence, authority, determination, and belief, and that's what I wanted," Arteta explained. "You need some huge performance individually. We certainly had that. We took our moments, and I think overall, we just have to win the game.” His summary highlighted not only the collective strength on display but the individual excellence that fueled the win.

Arteta also spoke about the impact of his substitutes, who played an important role in the win. He added: “Yes. I mean, everybody's ready. Whether it's a starter and a finisher, the impact that the boys are having is tremendous because we have dealt with a lot of injuries, this season already. But, the fact that everybody's raising the level is hiding a lot of those issues, and I'm very pleased because, everybody's important. We're gonna need them, and I'm happy that the ones that even given the chance, they're constantly taking it."

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Getty Images SportBayern's next opponents – St. Pauli

While the defeat to Arsenal is sure to raise several questions, Bayern can nullify the external noise by returning to winning ways this weekend. The Bundesliga table-toppers will welcome St. Pauli at the Allianz Arena on Saturday.

Manchester City return to action in the Premier League this afternoon as they welcome Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth to The Etihad.

The Cityzens booked their place in the last eight of the League Cup on Wednesday night with a 3-1 win against Championship side Swansea City away from home.

That night in Wales provided some players with an opportunity to show that they deserve to start in the Premier League, and Rayan Cherki grasped that chance with both hands.

The key change Pep must make to the Man City starting XI

France international, Cherki, came off the bench against Villarreal and Aston Villa in the last two games after returning from injury, and finally made a return as a starter against Swansea in the League Cup.

Cherki, as shown in the graphic, was incredibly influential in the 3-1 win over the Welsh outfit, with a staggering 119 touches across the 90 minutes, which led to him creating six chances for the team.

The French magician buried a composed finish into the bottom corner for his goal and played a slick pass through for Omar Marmoush to score in the second half.

Chalkboard

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

Cherki is not the only player who should keep his place in the starting line-up from the win, though, as Pep Guardiola should also unleash Marmoush from the start to make Erling Haaland completely unplayable.

Cherki is not the only Man City star who can make Haaland even better

Haaland has scored 11 goals in nine matches in the Premier League, five more than any other player in the division, so you could argue that he already looks unplayable.

However, the Norway international blanked against Aston Villa last time out in the Premier League, as he only had 0.23 xG worth of chances, with Savinho and Oscar Bobb on the flanks to support him.

Savinho and Bobb, who are goalless in the Premier League this season, did not create any ‘big chances’ between them, which is why Cherki and Marmoush should be unleashed alongside Haaland against the Cherries.

They could provide a tangible threat at the top end of the pitch that the other two forwards have been unable to, which could then create more chances and more space for Haaland because of the attention that they can draw from opposition defenders.

Marmoush, who scored against Swansea, has proven that he can provide a consistent threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals, for Eintracht Frankfurt and since his move to Manchester City in January.

Appearances

17

16

xG

8.87

5.49

Goals

15

7

Minutes per goal

97

170

Big chances created

11

8

xA

4.14

2.12

As you can see in the table above, the Egypt international produced 15 goals and ‘big chances’ created in 16 appearances in the Premier League last season, which shows that he hit the ground running in English football.

Marmoush, who was described as a “proper maverick” by analyst Ben Mattinson, also has good memories against today’s opponents, as he won the club’s Goal of the Season award with a sensational long-range strike.

The former Bundesliga star has the quality to be a real difference maker for the Cityzens, as evidenced by his statistics, and Cherki, given his output against Swansea, falls into the same bracket.

Their combined presence at the top end of the pitch against Bournemouth could draw some of the attention away from Haaland, giving him more space to work with, which could make him completely unplayable.

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The Norwegian star is already the best striker in the Premier League, given his goal return this season, but selecting Cherki and Marmoush could take him to another level entirely.

Heading into Leeds United’s Premier League clash against West Ham United on Friday night, Daniel Farke was under some pressure in the Elland Road dug-out to pick up a positive result.

There had been reports, in the build-up to this must-win contest against the Hammers, that the top-flight newcomers had RC Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior on their radar as a potential replacement for the German.

Thankfully for Farke, his team hit back by collecting a 2-1 win over Nuno Espirito Santo’s strugglers, with the ex-Norwich City boss able to survive another day in the pressurised Leeds’ hot-seat, subsequently.

Brenden Aaronson really did step up when he was needed to during this tight win, with the American also able to respond to his critics emphatically with a man-of-the-match worthy display against the visitors from East London.

How Aaronson has turned around his Leeds career

Much like Farke has had to fight back against accusations that he isn’t cut out for the bright lights of the Premier League all across his managerial career to date, Aaronson has also had to deal with his fair share of critics deeming him not capable of being a top-flight level talent.

There had been some weight behind these comments, too, with Aaronson being deemed a “lightweight” presence that’s not “good enough” to pull on Leeds white by former Elland Road defender Jon Newsome, off the back of him only firing home one Premier League goal during his side’s disastrous 2022/23 season, which ended in relegation.

He hadn’t started this campaign in the best light, either, leading to the 25-year-old dropping in and out of Farke’s first-team plans. However, he was a force to be reckoned with against West Ham, perhaps saving his up-and-down career in West Yorkshire in the process.

Indeed, away from being the crucial individual who fired Leeds in front after just three minutes, Aaronson also constantly burst forward with purpose across the full match, with one of his three successful dribbles forward nearly resulting in one of the most memorable solo strikes of the season to date.

To his dismay, the resulting shot – after all his hard work had seemingly paid off – shaved the crossbar, with the ex-Red Bull Salzburg attacker also being praised at the full-time whistle for being a presence that “works his socks off” by his relieved manager, when winning a high eight ground duels.

He wasn’t the only presence in Farke’s XI who turned around their ongoing narrative in West Yorkshire, though, against West Ham, as one of Aaronson’s teammates on the night also breathed life back into their own stop-start tale.

The "monstrous" star who also saved his career

A lot of Leeds’ summer recruits have instantly hit the ground running, with Sean Longstaff already becoming an integral part of Farke’s starting lineup, with five big chances created in league action.

Noah Okafor has also seamlessly slotted into his new environment with two league goals already next to his name, but while those named have found adjusting to life in West Yorkshire to be straightforward, Jaka Bijol has struggled, on the other hand.

Before being handed a start against West Ham, Bijol had found himself rooted to the substitutes bench with zero league appearances to shout about, which was a surprise, considering the 6-foot-4 Slovenian didn’t leave Udinese behind for cheap this summer, having cost the Premier League newcomers a substantial £15m.

Thankfully, he made up for lost time with his commanding showing against the relegation-threatened visitors, with six duels won in total, seeing him already live up to his “monstrous” billing that was handed his way by analyst Ben Mattinson in Serie A.

Bijol vs West Ham

Stat

Bijol

Minutes played

90

Touches

75

Accurate passes

53/57 (93%)

Interceptions

2

Clearances

10

Ball recoveries

5

Tackles won

2/2

Total duels won

6/10

Stats by Sofascore

Joe Rodon would steal his thunder by standing out more in the heart of the Leeds backline, considering the Welshman popped up with a header to gift the hosts a 2-0 lead, but Bijol is also deserving of plenty of praise himself, having won all 100% of his tackles come the full-time whistle.

The “aggressive” number 15 – as he was also lauded by ex-Leeds defender Aidy White after the win was secured – further demonstrated a calmness on the ball under pressure with 53 accurate passes amassed, with Farke surely now ready to hand him even more league opportunities moving forward, considering that he’s finally off the mark.

Bijol’s playing days in England so far have been a slow burner, with the ex-Serie A titan now hopeful of even more minutes heading his way, as more wins are also picked by Farke and Co.

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Minority owners Red Bull have reportedly told Leeds United to replace Daniel Farke with a manager who has worked with Thomas Tuchel at Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea.

Leeds set fresh Farke sack timeline

The pressure is on Farke, who’s looking to avoid his very own Groundhog Day in the Premier League. The German is yet to achieve survival in the Premier League, despite previous attempts with Norwich City, and will be desperate to silence any doubters at Elland Road this season.

It looked for a moment as though the Leeds boss was about to do exactly that against Manchester City last time out, to his credit, only for Pep Guardiola’s side to turn on the style and secure a late 3-2 victory. A point at the Etihad would have been invaluable for those in Yorkshire, but they now play host to Chelsea this Wednesday with Farke under increasing pressure.

According to The Guardian, defeat against both Chelsea and Liverpool could spell the end for Farke at Elland Road. On paper, that may seem harsh. After all, Leeds are facing the world champions who just earned a point against Arsenal with 10 men and the Premier League champions, albeit during a tumultuous period for the Reds.

That is the harsh reality of the Premier League, though, and Leeds are seemingly willing to act as early as possible in an attempt to avoid the drop. As such, names like Ange Postecoglou have already been mentioned as potential candidates recently, but Red Bull have reportedly recommended Zsolt Low instead.

Red Bull tell Leeds to hire Zsolt Low

As reported by TeamTalk, Red Bull have told Leeds to hire Low to replace Farke if they decide to part ways with the German. The minority owners don’t have a say on sporting matters but are there for the 49ers to lean on, should they please.

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It seems that, if they choose to do exactly that, then Low could be an option. The 46-year-old won’t be a name that many are familiar with at Elland Road, but he is someone that PSG, Bayern Munich and Chelsea know well.

Low was Tuchel’s assistant at all three clubs and is known by Red Bull thanks to his time as the interim boss at RB Leipzig at the end of last season and his time as Adi Hutter’s assistant at Red Bull Salzburg.

Games

8

Wins

2

Draws

3

Defeats

3

Goals scored

13

Goals conceded

17

Out of the options available, Low would arguably be the greatest gamble. He’s had just eight games as a manager and won just two of those games at Leipzig last season – using a 4-4-2 system.

His work as an assistant is admirable, but Leeds must replace Farke with a far more experienced candidate.

Leeds lining up January spending spree for "phenomenal" Farke replacement

Tottenham have reportedly made an eye-watering initial offer to sign Real Madrid forward Rodrygo ahead of the January transfer window after contacting Los Blancos president Florentino Perez.

Rodrygo’s once-prominent status at Real has come under serious threat this season, with the Brazilian winger’s reduced role fueling speculation about a potential departure from the Bernabeu.

The 24-year-old’s situation has deteriorated rapidly since Xabi Alonso replaced Carlo Ancelotti in the dugout. Despite featuring in 13 matches this season, Rodrygo has managed just 359 minutes of playing time in all competitions, less than 18-year-old Franco Mastantuono, Arda Güler and the exit-linked Vinícius Júnior.

More tellingly, he hasn’t completed a full 90 minutes in any game at all this term, suggesting a serious fall down Alonso’s pecking order.

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

Rodrygo has started just three of his 13 competitive matches in 25/26, including only one start in his last seven La Liga games, raising serious questions about his future at the club where he’s won two Champions League titles.

The former Santos sensation, speaking to reporters in Brazil’s mixed media zone earlier this week, opened up about his lack of chances and put on a dedicated front.

However, behind-the-scenes, whispers are indicating that a January exit could be on the cards for him.

Rodrygo was attracting interest from Tottenham in the summer, with north London rivals Arsenal also holding talks over signing the South American as far back as May, according to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg.

While a move to the English capital didn’t materialise for Rodrygo, it could well be revisited in January, with ESPN Brasil reporting that he’s privately open to leaving Real after growing dissatisfied under Alonso.

From Tottenham’s perspective, it is believed that Thomas Frank’s side are prepared to spend a club-record fee on bringing Rodrygo to N17, as per reports from Spain, and there’s now been another update on his future, again involving Spurs.

Tottenham make 'initial offer' for Rodrygo after contacting Florentino Perez

As per Spanish media sources, the Lilywhites have approached Perez with a proposal already.

Tottenham are now said to have made an ‘initial offer’ of around £75 million for Rodrygo, with £62 million to be paid in full plus a further £13 million in add-ons. Right now, they’re apparently showing the ‘most interest’ of any potential suitor, with Johan Lange and Fabio Paratici setting their sights on a statement signing.

However, that isn’t to say they’re alone in the race, as other unnamed Premier League clubs have inquired about Rodrygo as well.

The Lewis family recently backed Tottenham with a £100 million cash injection which could be put towards the club’s recruitment drive, and reports of this nature suggest that they’re looking to usher in a post-Daniel Levy era with real aplomb.

Tactically, he offers Frank exactly what the Dane has been missing — creativity.

His strengths include exceptional dribbling, key passing, finishing and crossing ability (WhoScored), providing that spark from wide areas which Tottenham have desperately lacked so far, bar Mohammed Kudus.

Rodrygo’s versatility across the front three would give Frank real tactical flexibility as well, given he’s capable of operating on either flank or even centrally.

The winger scored 14 goals and bagged 11 assists in all competitions under Carlo Ancelotti last term, with Jude Bellingham calling him their most ‘gifted’ and ‘underrated’ player.

In a statement, Smriti Mandhana says “it’s time to move forward”

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Dec-2025India batter Smriti Mandhana has confirmed that her wedding has been “called off”. She and music composer Palash Muchhal were scheduled to marry on November 23, but it was initially postponed after Mandhana’s father was hospitalised.Mandhana appealed for privacy in her statement on Instagram. “Over the past few weeks there has been plenty of speculation around my life and I feel it is important for me to speak out at this time,” she wrote in her post. “I am a very private person and I would like to keep it that way but I need to clarify that the wedding is called off.”I would like to close this matter here and implore all of you to do the same. I request you to please respect the privacy of both families at this time and allow us the space to process and move on at our own pace.”I believe there is a higher purpose driving us all and for me that has always been representing my country at the highest level,” she wrote. “I hope to continue to play and win trophies for India for as long as possible and that is where my focus will forever be.”She concluded her statement by saying, “It’s time to move forward.”Mandhana was the second-highest run-scorer during India’s successful campaign in the recent women’s ODI World Cup, with 434 runs at an average of 54.25.Her next assignment is the five-T20I series against Sri Lanka at home from December 21 to 30, after which she will lead Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the 2026 WPL from January 9. RCB play the opening game of the season against Mumbai Indians in Navi Mumbai.

Heather Knight has opted out of playing in next year’s Hundred to take up a role as London Spirit’s first women’s team General Manager.In a move that signals Knight, the former England captain, could be considering taking a larger step back from her playing career after the 2026 T20 World Cup on home soil, her new franchise role involves offering technical support to coaching staff as well as acting as a sounding board for the on-field leadership team from the dugout on match days. She will work closely with Mo Bobat, London Spirit’s Director of Cricket.”I’m delighted to take up this new role with London Spirit,” Knight said. “I have absolutely loved my time at the franchise, as a player and also as a coach in last year’s edition of The Hundred.In addition to the T20 World Cup, England will also host the first Women’s Test match at Lord’s, against India in July, and Knight expects to play a key role in both under her ECB contract, which has another year to run.”I am still very much committed to and passionate about playing for England and Somerset, but this is a huge development opportunity for me,” she added. “It gives me the chance to learn from one of the best minds in the global game, in Mo, and broaden my experiences outside of my playing career. I am so excited for everything to come, on and off the field, in 2026.”Related

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Knight captained London Spirit in the first four editions of The Hundred, including to the 2024 title. Her new off-field role is a progression from the 2025 season when she acted as a team mentor and coach while recovering from a serious hamstring injury.Knight lost the England captaincy in March after a nine-year stint which ended with a winless Ashes tour of Australia at the start of 2025. She tore her hamstring tendon from the bone while batting against West Indies in May which sidelined her for much of the home summer but she recovered to be England’s leading run-scorer at the World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. She finished with 228 runs at 48.00 and a strike rate of 85.71 as her side exited in the semi-finals.Knight had foreshadowed a move into sports administration in 2023, when she completed her Masters of Leadership In Sport at the Institute of Sports Humanities, co-founded by former England Men’s national selector Ed Smith. Her dissertation focused on balancing traditional international interests with the growth of domestic franchise leagues in the women’s game.Bobat described Knight as “an asset in every sense of the word”.”Heather’s deep understanding of the women’s game, and of what is required to perform at the highest level make her the ideal person to be our first Women’s General Manager,” Bobat said. “She knows what it takes to win The Hundred and the franchise will benefit from having one of the game’s leading current players in such a key role.”I’m looking forward to working closely with Heather and excited at the prospect of her forming a trusted partnership with our Women’s Head Coach. It’s also great to be able to support Heather with her long-term ambitions and future career transition. I know how passionate she remains about playing for England and her unwavering commitment to representing her country.”