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Neymar and his father are set to to acquire the Pele brand through their company NR Sports. Neymar returned to Santos at the start of January having left the Brazilian side for La Liga giants Barcelona in 2013, where he'd go on to win La Liga and the Champions League. And the Brazil star is prepared to continue Pele's legacy as the player and his father acquire the brand rights.

• Neymar set to acquire Pele 'brand' for €15.5m

  Pele was on the Santos books between 1956 and 1974, where he excelled for the Brazilian powerhouse. Indeed, the Brazil icon scored 643 goals in 659 outings for Santos before spending three seasons with the New York Cosmos and ultimately retiring in 1977.

  Pele is considered to be one of the best footballers of all time with Neymar and his father expected to continue his legacy when they announce a deal to acquire his brand rights later this week. According to UOL, an official agreement worth a reported €15.5m (£14m/$18m) is expected on Wednesday, November 19 to mark the anniversary of Pele's 1,000th career goal.

  The Pele brand previously belonged to American company Sport 10 and relied primarily on appearances at events. However, the brand has been underutilised since Pele's tragic passing in 2022 at the age of 82 due to multiple organ failure, a complication of colon cancer, which was initially diagnosed in 2021.

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  Santos star out to revive Pele's image

  As a result of the acquisition, NR Sports will be able to use Pele's image and name, license for merchandise, and acquire historical footage as they look to revive and globalise the image of the former Brazil star. Pele's family still attend Santos games, with Neymar recently paying to renovate the box still occupied by the former's loved ones at the Vila Belmiro, which includes new seats, a remodelled bathroom, glass paneling, and air conditioning.

  Neymar has looked to continue his compatriot's legacy by adorning the famous number 10 shirt once worn by Pele for both Santos and Brazil. However, Neymar's return to Santos has been plagued by injuries, meaning the former Barcelona and PSG star has only made 13 league starts for the Peixe.

  Santos are also enduring a difficult domestic season and they head into the final knockings of the 2025 Brasileirao just one point and one place above the relegation zone. They did, though, claim a 1-0 win over Palmeiras at the weekend as Benjamin Rollheiser netted in second half injury time to claim a priceless three points.

• Neymar issued Brazil ultimatum

  Neymar has also been issued an ultimatum by Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti. The Selecao were underwhelming in CONMEBOL qualifying as they booked their 2026 World Cup spot in a bid to land a record-extending sixth World Cup, and their first since 2002.

  Earlier this month, Brazil boss Carlo Ancelotti said: "Neymar is on the list of players who can go to the World Cup. He has six months to make the final list."

  The 33-year-old returned to the Brazil squad back in March having last featured for the national team in October 2023, when he suffered a knee injury in action against Uruguay. And Ancelotti has made it clear that any decision for Neymar to return to the Brazil squad will be down to his physical condition after years of setbacks and fitness issues.

  "Neymar has recovered, but he needs to show performance. When the Brazilian league ends he'll have some vacation time, and then he must show his quality and physical condition again," the Italian added.

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  Neymar set for January transfer?

  One way for Neymar to maintain his fitness is to secure a January switch, with a transfer away from Santos mooted. Neymar's current deal runs until the end of the year, and Fabrizio Romano has hinted that the Brazilian trickster could be on the move again in the New Year.

  "Neymar is trying to help, but don't forget that Neymar could eventually be available as a free agent from the beginning of January," Romano said. "So an interesting situation to follow because Neymar could consider a move in the January transfer window. Now Neymar wants to be 100 per cent focused on his priority, so to help Santos avoid relegation and to do his best for his club.

  "In this moment Neymar is not having any advanced negotiation, but some calls have started to understand the situation of Neymar. When there is a player of his level available on the market, it is obviously an opportunity. Okay, maybe Neymar is not in the best physical condition now, Neymar is coming from an injury, he had several injuries recently. But now he’s back, he's fit, he’s trying to help Santos.

  "He's trying to find his best condition, and so keep an eye on Neymar because he could be one of the names to watch for the January transfer window on a free transfer, and so that could be an interesting situation to follow."

The domestic 2025 MLB season kicked off on Thursday and the very first game of Opening Day took place in the Bronx. The defending AL champion New York Yankees hosted the Milwaukee Brewers at Yankee Stadium, and it didn't take long for the fireworks to start for the home side.

In fact, it took almost no time at all. After the Brewers were retired to complete the first half-inning of the year, catcher Austin Wells got up to bat leadoff for the Yankees. With a 2-0 count Wells mashed a deep ball to right field that flew over the wall to give New York a 1-0 lead and give Wells a leadoff home run. It was the first home run of the 2025 season.

It was also a first in MLB history. With his home run, Wells became the first catcher ever to hit a leadoff home run on Opening Day.

It is always impressive when a player makes sports history but feels all the more so when it's baseball history, given MLB is over 100 years old. It is very hard to accomplish something nobody else has ever accomplished when records have been kept for well over a century.

Yet here we are. Wells's name is now in the history books. What a moment.

It would be easy to say that this is becoming a season to forget for Liverpool, but Arne Slot’s Reds have in actual fact sunk so low that this wretched campaign will be seared into the fanbase’s memory for years to come.

The Premier League champions have lost nine of their past 12 matches in all competitions, including twice at Anfield in a space of just five days. This is beyond concerning: this is a calamity.

For all the mitigating circumstances at the Merseyside club, there is simply no excuse for the lack of fight and intensity that fans have watched all too often since the summer, Liverpool having established themselves as title winners and broken the summer spending record.

Alexander Isak is the most expensive player in British history, joining Liverpool from Newcastle United for £125m on deadline day.

His only goal since joining came against Southampton in the Carabao Cup. The Sweden striker has not integrated well, though it’s not exactly easy to dovetail into this current Liverpool side.

He needs more support, and that’s why sporting director Richard Hughes is surveying the market for a new wide forward to replace Mohamed Salah.

Why Liverpool want to replace Mohamed Salah

Salah’s struggles this season must be viewed through a wide and balanced lens. The 33-year-old has been wildly out of sorts, but he’s ageing, grieving the passing of his teammate Diogo Jota and playing a tweaked role now that Liverpool have signed big-money strikers.

Taking all this into consideration, he’s still struggling to perform to the expected level. This is perhaps why Liverpool are gearing up for winter bid for Bournemouth’s versatile forward Antoine Semenyo, who has a £65m release clause.

But should Liverpool be aiming higher? After all, they need to land an elite winger who will succeed in rekindling Isak’s world-class quality.

Well, they may have found their man in Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise, with Spanish sources suggesting that Liverpool are prepared to fight for the 23-year-old’s signature next summer.

Olise joined Bayern from Crystal Palace in 2024 and has since staked his claim as one of the most exciting forwards in the business. Vincent Kompany’s side know this and will demand a staggering €140m (equating to £122m) sum for his sale.

Arsenal and Manchester United are also keen, so Hughes had better roll up his sleeves.

Why Liverpool should sign Michael Olise

It might have been an unhappy return to English shores for Olise this week as his Bayern team were beaten 3-1 at the Emirates, but the right winger still caught the eye, completing three dribbles and winning eight duels.

A fully-fledged member of Didier Deschamps’ France set-up, Olise has proven himself across a range of different levels, and now he is ready to take the baton from Salah and become a superstar at Anfield.

Should Salah find a purple patch within him once again, the fact remains that his £400k-per-week contract expires at the end of next season, and Liverpool are somewhat short of options on that flank.

The two could cohabit on Liverpool’s attacking flank next season, and Olise has the athleticism and output to ensure Isak reminds everyone that he is “the best striker in the Premier League”, as he was hailed by Jamie Carragher for his form with Newcastle during the 2024/25 campaign.

Olise ranks among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists and shot-creating actions, the top 4% for progressive passes and the top 7% for successful take-ons per 90, data via FBref.

Harry Kane is a very different type of number nine to Isak, but the Sweden international’s more energetic and mobile playing style might actually give rise to Olise’s finest creative qualities.

Indeed, Isak is fast and furious, skilful on the ball. His ability to split lines open with cleverly-timed runs would play into Olise’s playmaking.

Hailed as “one of the best wingers in the world” by podcaster Henry Swain, Olise would be taking Salah’s place on the right, whereas Isak is tussling for a starting berth with Hugo Ekitike, who also joined Liverpool this summer.

Should the Reds succeed in adding Olise to their ranks, he has the potential to become their star forward. This is quite a claim, Isak, Ekitike and Florian Wirtz are among the attacking options at Slot’s disposal, after all.

But it’s the truth. Here is a player whose proven ability across so many different areas underscores his quality. He is artful on the ball and combative and physical when he needs to be. Isak might have proven himself in front of goal in the Premier League, but his start to life on Merseyside shows that he has weaknesses within his game.

Olise, after all, has recorded 62 goal contributions from only 74 matches for the German giants, and that after enjoying a talismanic role at Selhurst Park with Palace.

Toward the end of the 2023/24 campaign, Carragher spoke on Sky Sports of Eberechi Eze and Olise’s brilliance for Oliver Glasner’s Palace. He said those Eagles would fly high at top clubs in the Champions League.

The pundit was right. Olise is a superstar, and given his Premier League and European experience, his flair and gusto, he would be the perfect right-sided forward to take Salah’s place and combine with a striker like Isak to fire Liverpool back into the ascendancy – and keep them there.

But given his potential to succeed Salah, and unenviable task if ever there was one, Olise might even prove a better deal than Isak, whose success perhaps runs counter to Ekitike’s own long-term ambitions at the front of the Anfield ship.

As bad as Konate & Van Dijk: £85m Liverpool duo cannot start together again

Liverpool plummeted to new depths after losing 4-1 to PSV at Anfield in the Champions League.

By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 27, 2025

You'll Never Walk Alone? Liverpool supporters started streaming out of Anfield long before referee Andy Madley brought an end to Saturday's shambolic showing against Nottingham Forest. They knew that there was no way back for their team after Morgan Gibbs-White fired in the visitors' third and final goal with 12 minutes remaining. Truth be told, it felt like the game was up for the hosts as soon as Murillo opened the scoring after just over half an hour of play, because this is a side suddenly bereft of backbone.

The Reds repeatedly came from behind to win or draw games during last season's Premier League title triumph, picking up 23 points from losing positions in total, but they've not managed to do so once this term. The net result is six defeats from 12 games, and Saturday's loss was the most embarrassing yet.

Despite starting the day in the relegation places, Forest cruised to victory at the home of the beleaguered champions, allowing their fans to spend the closing stages joyously alternating between demanding a fourth goal and mocking Arne Slot with chants of 'You're getting sacked in the morning!'

He wasn't fired, of course. Slot is still Liverpool's manager going into Wednesday's Champions League clash with PSV – but for how much longer? Slot himself admitted losing 3-0 at home to Forest was "a very, very, very bad result", so just how bad would things have to get before the club's owners decided to act?…

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  Isak issues a major problem

  Tom Werner was in attendance on Saturday, meaning the Liverpool chairman will now be acutely aware of the severity of the situation – if he wasn't already before. 

  The American would have arrived hoping to see the Reds kickstart their campaign with the help of their £125 million ($165m) man, Alexander Isak, who was surprisingly selected to lead the line ahead of Hugo Ekitike. What he witnessed was a complete and collective "mess", as captain Virgil van Dijk admitted afterwards.

  Isak was painfully poor, so utterly ineffective that some fans were left pining for Darwin Nunez, a wasteful finisher but a chaotic character always capable of making something happen. Isak, by complete contrast, offered absolutely nothing, touching the ball just 14 times before being mercifully withdrawn after 68 minutes of mediocrity.

  There can, of course, be zero sympathy for the Sweden striker, who is paying a heavy price for arriving at Anfield in such poor physical condition. However, that only made Slot's decision to start him all the more inexplicable.

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  Running out of time and patience

  Isak was meant to have played at least twice for Sweden during the international break but, after making an appearance off the bench against Switzerland, he wasn't used at all against Slovenia because new coach Graham Potter didn't want to run the risk of him picking up a booking that would have ruled him out of next March's World Cup play-off semi-final against Ukraine.

  So, why on earth was a ridiculously rusty Isak picked ahead of a fully-fit Ekitike, who had scored his first goal for France last Thursday week? Slot pretty much answered the question before the game by admitting that Liverpool are so desperate to get their club-record signing back up to speed that they're willing to give him game time ahead of more deserving team-mates.

  "This morning I had a conversation with the performance staff about what is the best way for Alex – not for Liverpool – to get him as fast as we can to 100 per cent," Slot said in his pre-match press conference on Friday. "I always have to find the balance between what is the best for him as an individual and for us as a team.

  "I do know that a 100% fit Alexander Isak is a big, big, big plus for this team. But for him to get there he might need to have minutes where you could argue that another player might be further ahead of him in terms of match fitness. Alex will end up being the player he was at Newcastle if we get him fit. That will take a little bit of time."

  It was a remarkable revelation, given both time and patience are running out on Merseyside.

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  Gomez's puzzling lack of game time

  One can understand Liverpool's pressing need for the time, money and patience they've invested in Isak to start reaping dividends – but starting him only makes sense if he's capable of contributing. Liverpool are carrying enough passengers as it is at the moment, so they hardly need to burden themselves with one more.

  The message it sends out is also awful. One can only imagine Ekitike's frustration when he learned that an immobile Isak would be starting ahead of him. Of course, Joe Gomez was probably feeling just as aggrieved on Saturday afternoon.

  With injury-plagued duo Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong both unavailable, the presumption was that the versatile Gomez would be asked to fill in at right-back – not least because that would allow Dominik Szoboszlai, Liverpool's best player this season by some distance, to play in his preferred position in midfield. 

  However, the Hungarian was once again asked to play in defence, while Gomez spent the entire afternoon on the bench. Consequently, the sum total of Gomez's Premier League game time this season remains 43 minutes spread across four matches – which is just staggering in light of Ibrahima Konate's consistently calamitous displays.

  Slot alluded to Gomez's longstanding fitness issues on Friday. "I think he's only played 90 minutes twice throughout the whole of this year," the former Feyenoord coach said. "If we want to keep him available longer, it is maybe a risk to play him seven times in 22 days."

  It definitely would be, but the point is that Gomez is barely playing at all – and we need to know why. Either the England international can no longer cope with the rigours of Premier League football or Slot simply doesn't feel he's even good enough to play ahead of the increasingly error-prone Konate, who gifted Forest the corner from which they opened the scoring on Saturday with a horrible touch under no meaningful pressure whatsoever.

  Of course, the fact that giving away a corner is akin to giving away a goal these days is another major problem for Slot. 

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  Losing too many battles

  Murillo's 33rd-minute opener at Anfield may have been shrouded in controversy due to the fact that it didn't appear very different to the goal that Virgil van Dijk had disallowed at Manchester City two weeks beforehand – but it exposed Liverpool's shocking inability to deal with crosses into their area. Indeed, they've now conceded nine times from set-piece situations this season – equalling their tally for the entire 2024-25 campaign – and what's really worrying is that nobody seems to know what's going on.

  Statistically speaking, Van Dijk remains the dominant aerial force in the Premier League, while Konate also ranks among the top 10 for average headers won per game (3.5, alongside Dan Burn and Gabriel Magalhaes). However, on far too many occasions this season, Liverpool players have reacted too slowly to flick-ons or second balls, and the air of apprehension among the supporters every single time a corner, free-kick or throw-in is conceded is an inevitable reflection of lack of confidence they're seeing on the pitch.

  "I don't think there is nervousness before a set-piece [among the players]," a visibly angry Van Dijk said on Saturday. "We cleared the ones before [Murillo's goal]. I think overall we were just not good in terms of the battles, the challenges, the second-ball fight. Too rushed. It's just a very, very difficult situation at the moment and we have to get out of this."

Javier Baez lived up to his nickname, El Mago, on Tuesday night, as the Detroit Tigers outfielder created magic in the team’s 10-9 win over the Boston Red Sox at Comerica Park.

First, Baez belted a go-ahead, three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to give Detroit a 6-4 lead. After the Red Sox and Tigers traded blows in the top and bottom halves of the 10th, Boston once again jumped ahead and took a 9-7 lead heading into the bottom of the 11th inning.

Thanks to a leadoff single by Tigers infielder Jace Jung to start the inning, the stage was set for Baez, with Jung on first and the auto runner Dillon Dingler on third base. And Baez delivered, as he smacked the first pitch he saw from Red Sox reliever Greg Weissert into the left-field seats for a walk-off homer.

Perhaps El Mago's best trick of the night? An immaculate bat flip in which the lumber did a baseball bat's version of a handstand before gently tumbling back down to the earth.

And while that was happening, Red Sox catcher Carlos Narvez, who knew the ball was gone the second Baez made contact, was going through it in a demoralized reaction to the walk-off.

Baseball is the best.

Tottenham Hotspur will feel hard done by after salvaging a draw against Newcastle United on Tuesday evening, having come unstuck after Anthony Gordon dispatched a controversially won penalty for the home side.

There’s a case to be made that Rodrigo Bentancur had infringed play in the box, but the tussle was waged between two players – one of whom was the 6 foot 7 Dan Burn – and there’s also a case to be made that Bentancur was pulled to the floor by the Newcastle defender.

Even as Cristian Romero’s brace rescued his side, Thomas Frank will know the pressure valve has not been released, and he still has much to prove if he is to cement his managerial berth in north London.

Frank's struggles at the Spurs helm

Tottenham have been something of a mixed bag in the Premier League this season. Their home performance woes have spilt from last year into the current term, with the defeat to Fulham meaning three have been lost on the bounce in the top flight.

Tactically, Tottenham are not creating enough. James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski are sidelined, have been since the summer, but this is no excuse for the stunted playmaking quality that has been on show. Spurs’ players are not maximising their own skillsets.

Frank is a more pragmatic manager than Ange Postecoglou before him, but his Brentford side still produced clinical and concise attacking play.

Now, much has been left to be desired in his Lilywhites team, and ENIC Group could be forced into cutting off their new manager and replacing him with a summer target.

Indeed, Daniel Levy (remember him?) interviewed Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, as per TalkSPORT, who confirm that he has his sights set on a move up the ladder, albeit with a preference to see out the season.

Given the depth of Tottenham’s interest, this could be a deal revisited. And anyway, it’s not like the Spanish tactician has done anything to deter suitors this year.

Why Iraola is a better stylistic fit

Iraola is a young manager, but he has taken to the Premier League with ease, inculcating his aggressive, attack-focused football at the Vitality Stadium and recording Bournemouth’s highest-ever points total (56) last year.

He has transformed Bournemouth from a band of hard-batting, relegation-contending troops to an easy-on-the-eye attacking force, so intense and energetic. The fact he boasts a superior points-per-game record to Frank in the Premier League only adds fuel to the argument.

It’s a style of football that feels tailor-made for a club like Spurs. To dare is to do, after all, and one of the biggest criticisms of Frank’s tactics has been a pragmatism and lack of creative ambition.

The Spaniard has even been generously named “the best coach in the Premier League” by journalist James Horncastle for his impact on the south coast, and though the Cherries are struggling for form right now, with four losses from five outings, there’s little question that he has laid out his credentials at the top.

Talented players like Xavi Simons are struggling. Tottenham are in a rut. Could Iraola provide the solution? His ability to adapt – evidenced after a summer exodus – could also play favourably into a north London outfit who have undergone a fair amount of chopping and changing in recent years.

It is not yet time for ENIC chiefs to push for a managerial change, but Frank will know that he will soon be on borrowed time if unable to prove that his tactical vision is slowly taking root at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Should push come to shove, Iraola may well prove the perfect replacement, his self-defined “rock and roll” brand of football aligning with Spurs’ free-flowing identity.

The new Son: Spurs prepared to pay £65m to sign "world-class" talent

Tottenham Hotspur could be about to fork out a hefty sum to land a new attacker for Thomas Frank.

By
Ethan Lamb

Dec 3, 2025

MLS commissioner Don Garber has publicly encouraged Mohamed Salah to consider a move to the United States amid escalating uncertainty over the Liverpool star’s future. With his relationship with manager Arne Slot fractured and interest growing across the Atlantic, Garber urged the Egyptian to speak directly with Lionel Messi and Thomas Muller to learn how transformative MLS life can be.

• Salah's links with MLS amid Liverpool fallout

  Salah’s future has been thrown into fresh doubt after a turbulent season at Liverpool, where a public breakdown in relations with Slot has sent shockwaves through Anfield. With Saudi Pro League interest strong and MLS teams unexpectedly entering the picture, the uncertainty has given rise to global debate about his next step.

  MLS commissioner Garber has now added fuel to the discussion by directly inviting Salah to consider the American league as a serious option. His public remarks came as rumours linked the Egyptian icon with a potential move to ambitious clubs such as San Diego FC or Chicago Fire, both of whom may have the financial structure and an open marquee-player slot to attempt such a deal. Whether Salah is indeed open to the idea remains unclear, but the commissioner’s comments have thrust MLS into the conversation.

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  MLS comimmisioner urges Salah to discuss MLS life with Messi and Muller

  Speaking about Salah's uncertain future, Garber made his stance clear, telling reporters: “Obviously, if [Salah] ever decides to come to Major League Soccer, we’d welcome him with open arms. I’d say he should reach out to Leo [Messi] and reach out to Thomas Muller and see how happy they’ve been and how successful they’ve been and how much they’ve really embraced being in Major League Soccer.”

  He also warned that MLS would not interfere with Liverpool's active contract: “I’ve seen some rumors about Mo Salah. We very much believe in the sanctity of a contract; that’s an American business dynamic. Mo’s under contract to Liverpool, people we know. It’s a great team.”

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  Salah's explosive fallout with Slot at Liverpool

  Salah’s link to MLS is emerging at a time when the Egyptian star is enduring the most challenging season of his Liverpool career. His fallout with Slot, punctuated by being benched for three straight league games and excluded from the squad against Inter Milan, has reshaped the narrative around his future. With his contract running until 2027, his next step hinges on whether he and Liverpool consider reconciliation possible or whether a major transfer becomes inevitable.

  The Saudi Pro League retains strong interest and has historically offered enormous financial packages to lure the forward. MLS, meanwhile, represents a different kind of appeal: lifestyle, market expansion, and the chance to follow the Messi blueprint, which has elevated the league’s visibility worldwide. 

  Yet the obstacles are considerable as MLS clubs must navigate salary-cap regulations, Designated Player slots, and competitive balance rules, all of which complicate deals of this scale. Even Inter Miami, who famously engineered the Messi signing, are believed to be prioritising other positions, making a 2026-style roster reconstruction more feasible than a 2025 splash for Salah. Still, given Salah’s global influence, MLS will not simply dismiss the idea.

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• MLS still an unlikely destination for Salah

  For MLS, the next step is simply to monitor the situation while maintaining an open line of invitation should Salah push for a move away from Liverpool. Garber's comments are intended to position the league as a viable destination without breaching contractual respect, leaving the decision firmly in the player’s hands. If Salah does explore the option, conversations with Messi, Müller and other European imports may prove influential.

  Liverpool, meanwhile, must resolve the deepening rift between Salah and Slot as the club enters a crucial phase of the season. Whether he stays or departs could depend on performances, dressing-room dynamics, and Liverpool’s stance ahead of the January window. Should relations continue to deteriorate, Salah could face a pivotal choice between staying in Europe, accepting a Saudi mega-offer or starting a new chapter in MLS.

Paul Skenes's day on the mound for the Pittsburgh Pirates was frustratingly familiar on Sunday.

Skenes was dominant, striking out 10 Seattle Mariners while scattering five hits across five innings before getting a surprising early hook, and watched the Pirates' bats once again fail to get across a single run. Pittsburgh fell 1–0 for the second consecutive game and were swept by the Mariners without scoring a run. Skenes was unable to improve on his 4–7 record, but the rest of his numbers continue to dazzle: He has a 1.94 ERA with 125 strikeouts and just 30 walks in 116 innings, for an impressive WHIP of 0.92.

Luckily for Skenes, the rest of baseball recognizes his dominance, even if the Pirates are more often than not unable to convert it into wins. Ahead of Sunday's game, manager Don Kelly announced to Skene and the rest of the Pirates that the young pitcher has been named to his second All-Star Game in as many years in the Big Leagues.

Pittsburgh captured a pretty special clubhouse moment for Skenes, who has a chance to start the game for the National League once again after doing so as a rookie in '24.

Skenes is the sole Pirates representative on this year's National League All-Star team, which also features arms like Chris Sale, Zack Wheeler, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and "Legend Pick" Clayton Kershaw.

Pittsburgh is 38–53 after the sweep at the hands of the Mariners, and find themselves in the basement of the NL Central, but Skenes remains a must-watch star every time he hits the mound.

Peshawar Zalmi, meanwhile, have an impressive-looking top order, but are short of fast-bowling pedigree

Danyal Rasool09-Apr-2025

Karachi Kings

Karachi Kings are in the kind of rut Lahore Qalandars found themselves in during the PSL’s early years. Three successive finishes outside the playoffs have seen their squad go through a bit of an overhaul. Shan Masood has been replaced as captain by David Warner, arguably the marquee signing of the league this year. Kane Williamson, Aamer Jamal and Adam Milne also come in, during a season in which home advantage will be limited; just five games take place at the National Stadium in Karachi across the league.Best result: Champions [2020]2024 finish: FifthStrengths:

• There’s greater variety in Kings’ fast-bowling attack than there was last season, with the extra pace of Milne and the acquisition of the regularly prolific Abbas Afridi.
• The batting line-up boasts experienced international star names, with Tim Seifert’s recent form against Pakistan’s bowling attack a potential point of difference.

Related

• Corbin Bosch banned from PSL for one year for withdrawing from 2025 season

• Can Islamabad United defend their title? Can Multan Sultans go one better?

• PSL@10: The purest and least problematic fun to be had in Pakistan

• Islamabad United vs Lahore Qalandars to kick off PSL 2025 on April 11; final on May 18

• Domingo replaces Gough as Lahore Qalandars coach

Weaknesses:

• Kings have a number of players with a large variance between their ceiling and floor. Warner, Khushdil Shah, Hasan Ali, James Vince and Jamal are more explosive than they are consistent, meaning short-term form could decide the Kings’ fate.
• The spin department looks light, with 40-year-old Mohammad Nabi and 36-year-old Zahid Mahmood the only established options.

Peshawar Zalmi

Peshawar Zalmi were among the standout teams in the early years of the competition, winning the title in 2017. Under Daren Sammy’s leadership, this was the side that came to be associated most with the light-hearted joy of the PSL in its honeymoon years, and was instrumental in the return of the league to Pakistan itself. They continue to boast Pakistan’s biggest stars; Babar Azam is the captain, but their explosiveness has been replaced by a middling consistency. Every team has won the PSL since Zalmi last won one, but they remain the only side never to miss out on the playoffs.Babar Azam and Saim Ayub are part of Peshawar Zalmi’s enviable top order•Pakistan Super LeagueBest result: Champions (2017)2024 finish: Second (Lost Eliminator 2)Strengths:

• The top-order batting combination is among the most desirable, featuring in Babar a reliable anchor alongside high-quality power hitters.
• Zalmi boast two local players who come into the tournament in hot form: Saim Ayub, returning from injury, and Sufiyaan Muqeem.

Weaknesses:

• Corbin Bosch’s withdrawal leaves Zalmi short of allrounder options, with Hussain Talat and Maaz Sadaaqat the only available options.
• Aside from Mohammad Ali, Zalmi’s fast-bowling options have little to no PSL pedigree.

Lahore Qalandars

No franchise embraces Pakistan’s all-or-nothing philosophy quite like Lahore Qalandars. Qalandars have the largest fanbase and the most enigmatic journey of all sides. They were the laughing stock in the first four years, finishing bottom each time despite stuffing their side with superstars ranging from Chris Gayle to Brendon McCullum. But the pendulum swung violently the other way; they remain the only side to have defended a PSL title, going back to back under Shaheen Afridi before finishing outside the playoff positions once more in 2024. The core of the squad remains unchanged but that doesn’t make anticipating what they do any easier.Can Shaheen Afridi lead Lahore Qalandars back to glory?•AFP/Getty ImagesBest result: Champions (2022, 2023)2024 finish: SixthStrengths:

• A fast-bowling trio of Shaheen, Haris Rauf and Zaman Khan is about as impressive as any PSL side can muster without using up an overseas slot.
• Qalandars were often top heavy in the past, but the presence of Daryl Mitchell, Sikandar Raza, Sam Billings and David Wiese gives them plenty of post-powerplay firepower.

Weaknesses:

• Form and fitness remain concerns for Qalandars’ star players. Abdullah Shafique and Shaheen are in a bit of a rut, while Fakhar Zaman and Zaman Khan have been plagued by recent fitness issues.
• Qalandars haven’t come close to properly replacing Rashid Khan, with Sikandar Raza as close as it comes to a recognised specialist spinner in their squad.

Manchester City are now preparing a move for an “incredible” Premier League player, following a direct request from Pep Guardiola.

Man City stepping up pursuit of new attacker

Man City are looking to maintain the pressure on Arsenal at the top of the table, and Phil Foden could be key to their chances of reclaiming the Premier League title, having received high praise from Guardiola after the victory against Sunderland.

The 54-year-old said: “Phil is incredible. He is scoring a lot of goals. He came to me after the game and said he didn’t feel well today and look what happened how he runs, in behind, regain the ball.”

“When he is in this momentum and this mood, he is a gift and a diamond. He is top.”

Although City have been very impressive from an attacking point of view this season, with Erling Haaland also impressing, they remain keen on bringing in additional attacking options, and a number of targets have been identified ahead of the January transfer window.

According to a report from Spain, Everton’s Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has also been identified as a priority target, with Pep directly requesting the signing of the attacking midfielder, given the level of his performances this season.

The Man City boss is willing to push to make the move happen, such is his level of interest, although the Toffees remain in a strong negotiating position, with Dewsbury-Hall contracted until 2030, having arrived from Chelsea for £28m back in the summer.

City are particularly fond of the Everton star’s versatility, with Pep regarding him as a ‘complete midfielder’, who would be a perfect fit in his system.

"Incredible" Dewsbury-Hall impressing at Everton

Lauded for his “incredible interplay” with Jack Grealish by writer Garrett Post earlier this season, the 27-year-old has kicked on since arriving at the Hill Dickinson Stadium in the summer, chipping in with four goals and three assists in 15 Premier League outings.

Worryingly for Everton, however, the Englishman was withdrawn early in the first half against Chelsea on Saturday afternoon, after clutching his hamstring.

With the Shepshed-born midfielder potentially set for a spell on the sidelines, pursuing him in January wouldn’t be ideal, and there are doubts over whether City even need to bring in another attacking midfielder.

Foden has been fantastic this season, amassing nine goals and five assists in 20 matches across all competitions, while Pep also has the likes of Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders at his disposal.

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As such, there is arguably little point in signing Dewsbury-Hall, and strengthening in defence may be a better idea, having conceded a combined six goals in the victories against Leeds United and Fulham.