Tottenham Hotspur sporting director Fabio Paratici is now planning to spearhead a move for a “world-class” £100m forward, having recently returned to N17 after a FIFA ban.

Spurs looking to strengthen attacking options

Thomas Frank is off to a solid start as Tottenham manager, despite being left a little light on attacking options at times, with Dominic Solanke, James Maddison, Randal Kolo Muani and Dejan Kulusevski all spending time on the sidelines.

In the week, Frank stressed just how important Kulusevski is to his side, and appeared to hint that the Sweden international may be back sooner rather than later, saying: “He’s a key, key player for us. Instead of putting an exact month on [his return]. I just want him back as quick as possible. I know the medical team and Dejan are working very hard on that. It’s not tomorrow, hopefully not too far away.”

The 25-year-old was a shining light in a Spurs side that underperformed in the Premier League last season, while also playing his part in the Europa League triumph, chipping in with four goal contributions during the run to the final.

Competition

Appearances

Goal contributions

Premier League

32

11

Europa League

11

4

FA Cup

2

2

EFL Cup

5

4

As such, the winger’s return will be a welcome boost for Frank, but Tottenham have set their sights on bringing in a new forward, according to a report from TEAMtalk, which states they are among the clubs chasing AFC Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo.

Having enjoyed a fantastic start to the season, Semenyo is being chased by a number of top Premier League clubs, but a deal could be very expensive, with the Cherries planning to hold out for a fee of around £80m – £100m.

Paratici has given the green light to lead the pursuit of the 25-year-old, with the Lilywhites expressing a strong interest in getting a deal done, which pre-dates the Italian’s return to north London.

Tottenham open agent talks to sign £35m Brazilian who's "deadly in the box"

Spurs have entered discussions over a deal for a new forward, who is being targeted by a number of top clubs.

ByDominic Lund Oct 19, 2025 "World-class" Semenyo would be statement signing for Tottenham

In his fourth season as a Premier League player, the Ghanaian appears to be entering his prime, having chipped in with six goals and three assists in eight matches, winning Bournemouth’s Goal of the Month award courtesy of a stunning strike against Liverpool in August.

Journalist Liam Canning was left particularly impressed by the forward’s performance in the Cherries’ 3-1 victory over Fulham earlier this month, singling him out for high praise on X after the match.

Even at £80m, the Bournemouth star would be by far Tottenham’s most expensive signing of all-time, but if the board want to make a real statement of intent in the post-Daniel Levy era, signing Semenyo would show they truly mean business.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are now targeting Brendan Rodgers as a replacement for Vitor Pereira, amid boardroom doubts about the Portuguese manager, who has made a very poor start to the campaign.

Indeed, Pereira is arguably fortunate to still be in a job, given that West Ham United and Nottingham Forest have already made changes, with the Old Gold sitting bottom of the Premier League, having failed to win any of their opening nine games.

Wolves have amassed just two points, which means they are currently six points adrift of safety, and the most recent result is likely to be particularly concerning, suffering a 3-2 defeat at home against newly-promoted Burnley.

Pereiera had to be dragged away from an altercation with the fans after the full-time whistle, before going on to urge the supporters to stick with the team in his post-match interview, saying: “We understand the frustration of the people and supporters but what I must say, if we fight united with them, we can win games and compete and achieve our targets – without them, it is impossible,”

“If we win two or three games in a row, things will change.”

The 57-year-old appears to be safe for the meantime, with the board not taking any drastic action after the Burnley defeat, but the club’s hierarchy are starting to have doubts about their manager…

Wolves targeting Rodgers to replace Pereira

According to a report from The Boot Room, Rodgers has now emerged as a target for Wolves, with the 52-year-old now available after resigning from his position as Celtic manager earlier this week.

Transfer expert Graeme Bailey adds: “Wolves, as it stands, are sticking with Vitor Pereira, but I understand the club’s hierarchy is split. Some wanted Pereira out after their weekend defeat to Burnley, so they are one to watch.”

As such, the former FC Porto manager may get a few more games to save his job, but if results don’t improve, the Northern Irishman could be brought in to replace him, having decided moving back to England is his “number one priority”.

After such a poor start to the season, the Old Gold may need a special manager to guide them to safety, and the ex-Celtic boss, who has managed 34 Champions League games, could fit the bill.

Gabriel Agbonlahor once lauded the former Leicester City boss for the work he did at the King Power Stadium, describing him as a “world-class” manager.

During his time with the Foxes, Rodgers, who often utilises a 4-3-3 formation, secured two fifth-place finishes and won the FA Cup, showcasing that he is capable of punching above his weight with a smaller club.

Despite signing a new three-year contract last month, there is only so long Wolves can stick with Pereira if results don’t improve dramatically, and the former Leicester manager could be the ideal replacement.

Could Jorgen Strand Larsen save Vitor Pereira's job? Related Wolves' "phenomenal" star looks like another Cunha-type player for Pereira

The talented international could be another Cunha-type star for Wolves this season.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 18, 2025

The last 12 months have been nothing short of a disaster for Manchester United, with the club falling way below the high standards it has set for itself in years prior.

Ruben Amorim led the side to a measly 15th-place finish in 2024/25, with such a position their lowest since the Premier League’s formation way back in 1992.

Despite such a disappointing year last time around, the hierarchy maintained confidence in the 40-year-old to bring the glory days back to Old Trafford.

He was subsequently handed a £200m injection into the first-team squad by the board in an attempt to help transform the situation and catapult the side up the table.

However, one player who has so often produced the goods for the Red Devils has fallen way below his own high standards during the early stages of 2025/26.

Bruno Fernandes’ struggles in 2025/26 for United

Last season, Bruno Fernandes was undoubtedly United’s biggest threat within attacking areas, with his contributions saving the club in countless key moments.

The Portuguese international popped up with 37 combined goals and assists across all competitions, undoubtedly preventing the side from an even lower top-flight finish.

However, he was subject to interest from Saudi Arabia during the summer, but he rejected the eye-watering contract in favour of remaining in Manchester.

The 30-year-old has struggled to replicate such form in the last couple of weeks, with the club captain only registering two combined goals and assists in his first outings.

He’s also missed two spot kicks to date, one against Brentford and the other against Fulham – with both misses undoubtedly costing the Red Devils key points.

Amid the big spending in the final third, Fernandes has had to drop into a slightly deeper role, which will have no doubt restricted him from making the desired impact.

As a result, the 30-year-old could well find himself further down the pecking order in the years ahead, with one player potentially inheriting his current squad number.

The Man United player who could steal the #8 from Bruno

A new midfielder was on the agenda for United during the summer transfer window, but they struggled to identify the key fit needed to improve the squad.

Carlos Baleba was one player hugely touted with a switch to Old Trafford, but his £100m asking price saw the Red Devils withdraw from negotiations, subsequently unable to identify an alternative.

Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte are just two players who still remain as options at Amorim’s disposal, but are seen by many as players not good enough to take the side back up the table.

However, another option currently on their books is Kobbie Mainoo, but the Englishman has struggled to make a huge impact since Amorim was appointed last November.

The academy graduate managed just 20 starts in the Premier League last campaign, often being selected behind the aforementioned duo and Fernandes.

However, such a decision may come as a surprise, with the youngster enjoying a phenomenal 2023/24 season, scoring in the FA Cup final triumph against Manchester City in his breakthrough season. It was during that term that he was labelled as a future “£100m-plus footballer” by United writer Alex Turk

This campaign has been just as tricky for the midfielder, making five league appearances – all of which were off the bench, and only featuring for a total of 113 minutes.

The “incredible” star, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has previously managed to impress, even being compared to Declan Rice by FBref for his performances in the league last campaign.

Games played

25

Minutes played

1656

Pass accuracy

87%

Chances created

1.7

Successful dribbles

1.3

Tackles won

63%

Duels won

5.9

Interceptions made

1.2

Recoveries made

4.8

He managed to outperform his compatriot in numerous key areas, further highlighting the talent he possesses when given the chance to star on a regular basis.

The Arsenal star cost a staggering £105m back in the summer of 2023, with such a fee being one of the highest in English history – but United could well have their own gem on their hands in Mainoo.

At just 20, he has bags of time to develop further and become a world-class talent, but he desperately needs the manager to put faith in him and give him the game time he needs.

With Bruno’s lack of impact as of late, the manager needs to give him an opportunity to stake his claim, with Mainoo having the tools to replace the Portuguese midfielder long term – subsequently taking his number in the process.

Fewer touches than Lammens: Man Utd star is on borrowed time under Amorim

Manchester United got back to winning ways with a vital win over Sunderland on Saturday afternoon

ByRobbie Walls Oct 5, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur have now entered talks to sign an “elite” new striker, with sporting director Fabio Paratici a big fan, it has been revealed.

Spurs looking to sign new striker amid Tel and Solanke concerns

Dominic Solanke has struggled on the injury front ever since his arrival at N17, with the striker suffering knee, thigh and ankle issues during the 2024-25 campaign, and he has been unable to put the problems behind him at the beginning of this season.

Solanke is set to be out of action for a prolonged period, with it emerging that Thomas Frank may not be particularly fond of the English striker, who was Ange Postecoglou’s first-choice option at centre-forward last season.

With the 28-year-old on the treatment table, Mathys Tel has led the line for Frank’s side in recent weeks, but Jamie O’Hara has not been impressed, and the former midfielder singled the Frenchman out for criticism after the 2-1 loss against Aston Villa.

As such, Tottenham are now ramping up their pursuit of a new striker, according to a report from Caught Offside, which states they have now opened talks over a deal for FC Porto star Samu Omorodion.

Paratici is a big fan of Omorodion’s versatility, and Spurs have held discussions over the possibility of an initial short-term deal with an option to buy, but the Portuguese club’s huge asking price has proven to be a major issue.

Indeed, the Liga Portugal side are set to hold out for a huge fee for the 21-year-old, with it being revealed they are unwilling to let him leave for below the €100m (£87m) release clause in the youngster’s contract.

Tottenham join hectic race to sign £75k-p/w star who Redknapp called "tremendous"

The Lilywhites could beat Chelsea to the deal…

ByTom Cunningham Oct 26, 2025 "Elite" Omorodion could take Tottenham's attack to next level

Scout Ben Mattinson has made it clear he believes the Porto striker is able to play at a much higher level, having already established himself as a Liga Portugal star.

The three-time Spain international has made a flying start to the campaign, scoring eight goals in ten matches in all competitions, off the back of scoring 19 league goals, in what was a very impressive 2024-25 campaign.

With Tel struggling, and Richarlison finding the back of the net 23 times in 103 games for Tottenham, it would make sense for Frank’s side to bring in a new striker, and Omorodion has proven he could be a fantastic option.

GOAL reviews the major takeaways from Americans playing in Europe, including consequential goals from Pepi and Adams

There were two U.S. men’s national team stars on the scoresheet this weekend. One was expected – Ricardo Pepi, given how often he scores. The other? Not so much. Who had Tyler Adams popping up with a goal?

Pepi's goal came off the bench in a win. Adams, meanwhile, wasn't so lucky as his Bournemouth side succumbed to Manchester City, as so many do.

They weren’t the only ones to impress. While Christian Pulisic, Malik Tillman, and Antonee Robinson were unavailable, several other USMNT regulars made their mark at the club level. Chris Richards helped Crystal Palace keep a clean sheet, while Weston McKennie showed another layer to his game under a fresh manager.

The November international break is around the corner, and there will be some difficult decisions to make with that squad. This weekend, though, was largely a good one, setting the scene for the roster selection to come later this week.

GOAL looks at the major takeaways from this weekend's Americans Abroad.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  PSV's Pepi problem

  Since making his return from injury, Pepi hasn't been starting for PSV. Instead, they've been leaning on Guus Til and Ismael Saibari to lead the attack. Peter Bosz, the club's manager, is the first to acknowledge that, while Til and Saibari have done so many things right, it is a bit unlucky that Pepi isn't getting his chance, too.

  "Pepi is my first striker," Bosz said. "It's just that things are going so well right now…. And he understands that."

  To Bosz's point, PSV have been scoring without Pepi. Saibari and Til both found the back of the net on Friday, but Pepi made sure he got in on the fun, too, scoring to send a message to his coach that things could be even better with him in the XI.

  Pepi netted PSV's fourth in a 5-2 beatdown of Fortuna Sittard, finding the back of the net in the 82nd minute. The goal came as part of a 30-minute cameo, one that Pepi, as always, made the most of. He now has three league goals in less than 300 minutes played. You can mix in his goal and assist in a six-minute cameo against Napoli in the Champions League, too.

  It seems, then, that it's a matter of when, not if, Pepi gets back into the starting XI. For now, though, PSV have a good problem: too many goal scorers scoring too many goals.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Adams stars, but Man City too much for Bournemouth

  Adams doesn't score often. In fact, he hadn't scored a single goal since arriving at Bournemouth. That changed on Sunday against Manchester City. For a few minutes, it seemed as if Adams' first Premier League goal would make a difference. It didn't happen that way because Erling Haaland exists, but it's still worth acknowledging what Adams' goal means in the big picture.

  After conceding an early goal to Haaland, Bournemouth fought back on Adams' first for the club: a scrappy finish to cap a set piece. What followed was, largely, not Adams' fault. City added two more goals of their own, one from Haaland and one from Nico O'Reilly, to effectively bury in the first 60 minutes en route to a routine 3-0 victory.

  Back to Adams, though. He has taken his game to a new level this season, running the show from the midfield. He's also now adding goal contributions to his game, which has long been the big knock against him. At this level, there are few better defensive midfielders in the world. Adams is proving that every week.

  Bournemouth will hope that the Adams' late injury scare Adams – he limped off the field – is just that and nothing more serious. They can’t afford to lose him. Sunday was further proof of that.

• Getty
  

  Reason for Reyna optimism

  It's no secret that Gio Reyna hasn't had the easiest season, or few seasons, to put it frankly. Maybe this weekend was a sign of progress, then, even if that was ever so slight.

  Having played just 36 minutes this month, Reyna got 12 minutes to work in Borussia Monchengladbach's 4-0 win over St. Pauli. In those 12, he looked something like the old Reyna. He created a chance, completed 16 of his 18 passes and completed two passes into the final third. Reyna, to put it simply, was dangerous.

  Yes, there are obvious caveats when it comes to the state of the game and the time left in it. But when it comes to Reyna, any sign of progress is worth applauding. The hope is still that, at some point, he can break into the starting XI, but, for now, this cameo provided some reason for optimism for a player that sure could use a little bit of that right now.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Richards' usage an issue?

  Richards has been playing a lot of soccer recently. He logged another 90 minutes on Saturday in a 2-0 win over Brentford. Even ahead of that game, Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner took aim at the USMNT for Richards' workload.

  “My only complaint is the U.S. team didn’t talk to us because Chris was struggling with his calf for many weeks,” he said on Friday. “We talked to them and said he should rest as they were just friendlies. But they played him twice, every single minute. That’s a little bit disappointing. On the other side, we’ve tried to manage his minutes here, resting him against AEK Larnaca, but you can’t cheat your body."

  Glasner became the second coach to raise concerns about USMNT duty, following AC Milan’s frustrations over Christian Pulisic’s usage. Yet the U.S. find themselves in a unique situation as World Cup hosts. Yes, they’re playing “friendlies,” but those matches are all they have to prepare without qualifiers.

  International soccer is part of every top player’s workload, and it naturally brings fatigue. The USMNT, as a result, are facing growing scrutiny – fair or not. It's a good problem, in a way. It's an indication that Richards is as vital for club as he is for country. As long as that continues, expect Richards to continue being among the first names on Glasner's starting XI. 

تمكن فريق برشلونة من تسجيل الهدف الثاني في شباك خصمه سيلتا فيجو، في مباراتهما الجارية حاليًا، في بطولة الدوري الإسباني لكرة القدم.

ويستضيف ملعب “بالايدوس” مباراة برشلونة وسيلتا فيجو، في ختام منافسات الجولة الثانية عشر من الدوري الإسباني، موسم 2025/26.

وتمكن برشلونة من تسجيل الهدف الثاني في شباك سيلتا فيجو، في الدقيقة 37 من عمر الشوط الأول.

جاء الهدف عن طريق النجم روبرت ليفاندوفسكي، حيث مرر ماركوس راشفورد الكرة ناحيته، ووصلت إلى البولندي الذي سددها على الفور في الشباك.

ولم يدم تفوق برشلونة طويلًا من جديد، بعدما سجل سيلتا فيجو الهدف الثاني في شباك تشيزني عن طريق بورخا إيجليسياس، بعدما سدد كرة صاروخية من على حدود منطقة الجزاء، في الدقيقة 42.

وتشير النتيجة في الوقت الحالي إلى التعادل بين برشلونة وسيلتا فيجو، مع العلم أن ليفاندوفسكي هو من سجل هدفي حامل لقب الليجا.

Even after taking treatment, Pant looked in excruciating pain as he left the field

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jul-20251:15

Manjrekar: India introduced their spinners too late

India had to call on substitute wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel after Rishabh Pant was hit on the left hand in the second session of the first day of Lord’s Test when collecting a ball down the leg side. It resulted in a long break in play during which he received attention and treatment, but Pant couldn’t carry on beyond the end of the ongoing over, the 34th of Engand’s innings.Since 2017, the regulations of the game allow for a wicketkeeper to be substituted during the match, but the substitute is not allowed to bat. Since his debut, Pant has been India’s second-highest run-getter in Test cricket. He scored two hundreds in the first Test at Headingley, becoming the first wicketkeeper to do so after Andy Flower.In the 34th over at Lord’s, Bumrah ended up slipping a ball down the leg side. Pant went for it, but was hit on the index finger. Even after taking treatment, he looked in excruciating pain as he put his gloves back on.1:12

Manjrekar: Reddy looked like India’s best seamer

Jurel, who debuted in Pant’s absence in 2023-24, averaged 63.33 with the bat in his first series in 2023-24. Once Pant was back in the side, Jurel played one Test in Australia as a batter alone, aggregating 12 runs across two innings.The series was level 1-1 after England won in Leeds and India in Birmingham. Choosing to bat first ,only for the second time at home in the Bazball era, England were 93 for 2 when Pant got injured. Joe Root and Ollie Pope were the batters in the middle. Not only was the decision at toss a departure, their scoring rate and intent was also the lowest in the Bazball era.There will be a long break between the third and the fourth Tests. An update on Pant’s status and availability during the rest of the Test was awaited.

MatériaMais Notícias

Dorival Júnior comparou as características de James Rodríguez a Arrascaeta, do Flamengo. O treinador também explicou que, em termos de participação no elenco do São Paulo, o colombiano está apresentando uma boa evolução e ‘se sentindo bem’.

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Sobre a comparação com Arrascaeta, Dorival justificou dizendo que ‘teoricamente falando’, não teria porque não usá-lo. Vindo como um reforço em julho, James Rodríguez esteve presente em nove jogos até o momento. Para o treinador, é preciso ter paciência, uma vez que o jogador ‘ficou muito tempo sem jogar’. Antes de chegar ao Tricolor, James não entrava em campo desde maio.

– James Rodríguez tem as características do Arrascaeta, teoricamente falando. Não tem por que não usá-lo. Participação ele vem melhorando, James ficou muito tempo afastado de partidas, temos que ter paciência. Ele próprio está tentando que vai ser importante em determinado momento – disse Dorival Júnior em entrevista ao programa ‘Bola da Vez’.

+ Transforme sua paixão pelo futebol em profissão. Descubra o caminho com o curso Gestor de Futebol!

Segundo Dorival Júnior, pelo nível que o atleta apresente, é normal que ele queira mais espaço. Mas acompanhando o dia a dia, o técnico disse que é notável que ele está encaminhando para conquistar. Entretanto, o treinador afirmou que não existem tratamentos diferentes no elenco.

– É natural um jogador desse nível quer jogar a todo instante. Ele se sentindo bem quer estar participando. Mas a mesma lealdade que uso com o James, uso com o garoto da base. Tem o seu momento, vai chegar – concluiu.

Yorkshire 376 for 5 (Wharton 78, Bairstow 72, Luxton 71, Bean 57, Lyth 47) vs Surrey Jonny Bairstow completed a punchy 72 off 90 balls during less than a session’s play possible on day two between his Yorkshire side and Surrey at Scarborough.Yorkshire are handily placed on 376 for 5 from 110.1 overs in this 10th round Rothesay County Championship fixture which has seen just short of a day wiped out by the weather.The White Rose county started today, at 1pm following a wet outfield, on 282 for five, with Bairstow on 19 and Matthew Revis yet to score.They went on to complete a fifth-wicket partnership of 88, which Bairstow aggressively led before miscuing Indian spinner Sai Kishore to deep mid-on.Despite sunshine for a good portion of the morning, umpires Nigel Llong and Russell Warren were concerned about the condition of some problem areas, including both bowlers’ run-ups, following some heavy rain late on day one and into the evening.Rain then arrived to prevent any play beyond 2.35pm. The umpires called things off at 4.40pm.Yorkshire started well. Bairstow twice drove Dan Worrall through the covers for four as the score ticked beyond 300.Shortly after, he swept left-armer Kishore for six en-route to a 68-ball fifty, his sixth of the Championship season and third against Surrey after two in the defeat at the Kia Oval in mid-May.By that stage, Yorkshire had moved to 334 for four in the 100th over.For large parts of this season, 35-year-old Bairstow has been reserved at the crease in Championship cricket.During the early stages of day two, however, he was noticeably aggressive.And while he had success, it also contributed to his downfall as he miscued an attempted loft over the top against Indian left-arm spinner Sai Kishore and holed out to deep mid-on, leaving the score at 364 for five.Revis had reached 34 and Will Sutherland six by the time the rain swept across this North Marine Road ground, and no further play was possible.Bairstow, whose late father David’s ashes are scattered here at North Marine Road, is awaiting the birth of his second child. He may have to leave this game at any point over the next three days should his partner go into labour.

Zimbabwe end their tri-series campaign with no wins in four games with serious questions around their batting depth

Firdose Moonda24-Jul-2025New Zealand smashed the highest score of the tri-series and any hope of Zimbabwe earning a consolation win as they laid down a marker ahead of Saturday’s final against South Africa.After choosing to bat first – despite captains in this tri-series usually bowling – a second-wicket stand of 108 between Tim Seifert and Rachin Ravindra set New Zealand up well. Both went on to score half-centuries before a Michael Bracewell cameo of 26 of 16 balls pushed New Zealand to 190. They bowled Zimbabwe out in 19 overs, as only three Zimbabwean batters got into double figures.As dominant as New Zealand were, Zimbabwe will be particularly unhappy with their lapses in the field. They put down three catches – Tim Robinson on 0, Seifert on 13 and Bracewell on four – and bowled seven wides and a no-ball in a messy display which left them needing to complete their second-highest successful chase to win.Any chance of that happening was blown away when Zimbabwe were reduced to 44 for 5 in the eighth over. Ish Sodhi took three of those wickets, bowling in the powerplay, and proved too much to handle for Zimbabwe’s top-order. A sixth-wicket stand of 51 between Tony Munyonga and Tashinga Musekiwa leant the innings some respectability Sodhi’s career-best 4 for 12 scripted a simple win for New Zealand. With 150 T20I wickets, he also climbed to third on the all-time wicket-takers’ list in the format.Zimbabwe will be spectators on Saturday and have no more fixtures scheduled before they host the Africa Region T20 World Cup Qualifiers in September.Ngarava among the wickets again Richard Ngarava has been Zimbabwe’s most successful bowler of the series and almost struck with his second ball when Robinson chased a delivery that angled away and got a thick outside edge. Ryan Burl at wide slip could not hold on. There was not too much damage done from that miss as Ngarava had Robinson caught at deep third off the second ball of his next over. Ngarava was brought back at the death and though he was hit for three successive by Seifert, he eventually foxed him with a slower ball that he feathered through to Clive Madande. Two balls later Bevon Jacobs tried to hit a short, wide ball out of the ground but was done for pace and sliced it to backward point.Ngarava’s change-ups worked again when he had Mitchell Santner caught behind off a slower ball in an over that lasted 10 balls. His next challenge is to enhance his wicket-taking skills with a bit more discipline in order to truly lead Zimbabwe’s attack.Ish Sodhi (150*) moved past Shakib Al Hasan (149) to take the No. 3 spot on the T20I wicket-takers’ list•ESPNcricinfo LtdSeifert sees another opportunity to cash inDon’t drop Seifert. He was put down on 0 by South Africa in the previous match and went on to score 66* in a clinical run-chase. In this match, he was on 13 and had already hit two fours when Munyonga, at deep backward square, put him down off Tino Maposa and Seifert didn’t need a second invitation.Two overs later, he smacked Dion Myers into the leg side for his third four and the runs kept coming. Wellington Masakadza was sent through extra cover, Myers through the slip area and Sikandar Raza past short fine. Seifert brought up his 12th T20I fifty off 33 balls and went on to score his first six when he deposited Raza over long-on. He was especially good in a wide ‘v’ down the ground with 50 of his runs coming between extra cover and mid-wicket before he eventually fell to Ngarava for 75.Myers might be an opening option In search of a solid start, Zimbabwe asked Myers to open the batting, ahead of Wessly Madhevere, for the first time in his T20I career and he was off to a flier. He drove and cut Matt Henry for back to back boundaries to give Zimbabwe a blazing start and then showed off his pull shot to end the first over on 14 without loss. Myers was less in control against Zakary Foulkes, who he inside-edged over the keeper but showed intent against legspinner Sodhi, albeit without success.He walked across his stumps off the second ball he faced from Sodhi and tried to flick him fine but gave himself too much room and was bowled. A score of 22 from 18 balls is not much to write home about but given how poorly Zimbabwe have batted through this series, it could be an option worth exploring in future.Henry gets Raza and Zimbabwe unravel Zimbabwe were 28 for 3 after five overs thanks largely to a Sodhi double-strike and New Zealand clearly in control despite Henry’s expensive opening. He switched ends to complete the powerplay, started with a wide and then went short to Sikandar Raza, who met with him aggression. Raza swiped Henry to the leg side three times, and the third was well enough to get four before Henry adjusted his length and caught Raza in the crease. Raza was given out lbw and indicated he was not happy with the decision which left Zimbabwe 37 for 4 and in danger of their lowest score against New Zealand which sits at 84.They got to 130 but were never in the hunt to chase down the target and have serious questions about their batting depth.