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Celtic are beginning to circle for key targets and could now be set to be embroiled in a high-profile chase for a prolific goalscorer, according to reports.

Celtic's striker question yet to throw up a definitive answer

Brendan Rodgers has made it crystal clear that Celtic want several options across their forward line after Kyogo Furuhashi’s departure. Meanwhile, Nicolas Kuhn moving to Como has left room for more goals to come into the side over the coming weeks.

Addressing their striker situation, the Irishman admitted Shin Yamada’s arrival from Kawasaki Frontale is just the tip of the iceberg, as he stated: “He’ll have a medical over the next couple of days and we’ll have a look at him. We’ve lost a lot of goals, so we need to replace that. Hopefully, this can be one of a number of players we can bring in that aspect.

“He’s got intensity and workrate. It’s something the scouts have seen. In terms of the club, we will bring in players to develop and players for now. Even though he’s a bit older, he’s probably one that can give us that intensity and pressure.”

Intriguingly, Rodgers has seemed to confirm the suspicion that Celtic are operating two different transfer strategies this window. On one hand, the Bhoys appear like they are trying to get ahead of the curve with ‘club’ signings, while arrivals such as Kieran Tierney come in with more of a personal touch from the manager.

Odsonne Edouard is another reported target that may fall into the latter category, albeit it is hard to envisage the Scottish Premiership champions matching his Premier League-level wages.

Balikwisha will love him: Celtic exploring deal to sign "exciting" star

Celtic could land a dream signing alongside Michel-Ange Balikwisha by landing this star.

By
Dan Emery

Jul 17, 2025

With Celtic clearly in the market for another leading light in attack, recent developments may point supporters in the direction of their latest pursuit.

Celtic see bid rejected for Louis Munteanu

According to reports from iAMsport.ro, Celtic have seen an opening bid of £6.9 million turned down for CFR Cluj forward Louis Munteanu, with their owner Ioan Varga said to be holding out for a fee of £15.6 million.

Meanwhile, Ligue 1 clubs Rennes, Lille and Nice are also monitoring his situation at the Dr. Constantin Rădulescu Stadium.

Louis Munteanu at the UEFA EURO Under-21 Championships (Fotmob)
Goals	1
Shots	5
Shots on target	2
Successful passes	31
Duels won	11

Earning his stripes last term, Munteanu registered 25 goals and three assists in 42 appearances across all competitions, and he kicked off the new campaign with a goal in Europa League qualifying against Paksi FC earlier this month.

Making his presence known, the 23-year-old is a clinical finisher with a track record of delivering at a high standard. However, it remains to be seen whether Celtic will bow to his lofty valuation or whether alternative targets will be pursued.

Celtic are looking to bring some attacking reinforcements into the building, and a fresh update on their hunt for a centre-forward has entered the public domain, courtesy of journalist Pete O’Rourke.

Celtic's state of play in their pursuit of a striker

The Bhoys find themselves in the hunt for another striker after losing Kyogo Furuhashi’s services in January, which led to Daizen Maeda taking on a prominent role through the middle alongside Adam Idah.

Johnny Kenny is another offensive option, and Brendan Rodgers has confirmed he wants the Irishman to sign a new contract at Parkhead before determining whether he will go out on loan or be part of the first-team picture this term.

He explained after his side defeated Cork City last week: “We would like to sign him to a new deal. And then we will see what path it takes, whether he stays or whether he needs to go and get games.”

Callum Osmand arrived for nominal compensation from Fulham earlier in the window. Nevertheless, Celtic have Napoli’s Giuseppe Ambrosino on their radar to fill the void following his encouraging displays at the Under-21 European Championships.

Furthermore, Shin Yamada is expected to join the Bhoys from Kawasaki Frontale after both clubs agreed on a transfer fee of £1.5 million for the Japan international.

The next Jota: Celtic are now attempting to sign "very exciting" £3.2m star

As Celtic continue their busy summer transfer window activity, could the Hoops win the race to sign a “very exciting” £3.2m-rated Portugues youngster?

ByBen Gray Jul 13, 2025

With plenty of potential options to choose from, you do wonder whether Celtic’s wish for quantity is a systematic ploy from Rodgers to ensure he has variety in the final third, which lacked towards the end of last term due to a shortage of recognised strikers. Either way, they could now be set to step up their hunt for a new centre-forward with the competitive campaign now only weeks away.

Celtic set to escalate hunt for a new striker

According to Football Insider’s O’Rourke, Celtic could look to sign two strikers this summer to complement Rodgers’ attack amid their potential loan pursuit of Italy Under-21 international Ambrosino.

He stated: “It would be a gamble, bringing such a young player to a new league if Celtic were to pursue his signature. Ambrosino is a young player, who’s obviously got big potential as well.

What other strikers could Celtic turn to excluding Giuseppe Ambrosino and Shin Yamada?

Club

Bojan Miovski

Girona

Evan Ferguson

Brighton

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

Free agent

“He’s a player that Celtic could develop and give minutes to, but I think Brendan Rodgers will also be looking to bring in a big-name striker signing as well. I fully expect, from what my sources are telling me for Celtic to sign two strikers, a big name and a younger one they can develop.”

Whether Yamada and Ambrosino is the plan remains to be seen amid a groundswell of names being linked to the club over the past few weeks.

Given the Bhoys are edging closer to the start of the league campaign, supporters may not have to wait too long to find out who could be competing for a place in their starting XI.

Tottenham Hotspur salvaged their 2024/25 campaign when a goal from Brennan Johnson was enough to secure the Europa League against Manchester United.

Ange Postecoglou ended the club’s 17-year wait for a trophy by winning that game, securing Champions League football in the process, and was subsequently relieved of his duties.

Daniel Levy has, since, replaced the Australian head coach with former Brentford boss Thomas Frank, who will now be looking to kick the team on to win even more silverware in the years to come.

The Danish manager could look to the transfer market to bolster his squad, although deals for Mathys Tel and Kevin Danso have already been agreed and will be made official at the start of July.

Spurs bringing in new recruits to improve the team could help them to kick on in the Premier League, after finishing closer to relegation than the top four, but it could also mean that some members of the current squad could have to make way.

One player whose future remains up in the air is Dejan Kulusevski, who is a reported target for Italian giants AC Milan and Napoli in the summer transfer window.

Why Spurs should cash in on Dejan Kulusevski

The 25-year-old star joined the club on loan from Juventus at the start of 2022 before eventually signing on a permanent deal, and has been a solid performer over the years for Spurs.

To date, Kulusevski has racked up 25 goals and 30 assists in 146 appearances in all competitions for Tottenham, which is a very respectable return and shows that he can provide quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

However, the Sweden international is one of the top earners in the squad and has not delivered enough consistent quality in the final third to justify that.

Heung-min Son

£190k

Cristian Romero

£170k

James Maddison

£165k

Dejan Kulusevski

£110k

Dominic Solanke

£90k

Richarlison

£90k

Pedro Porro

£85k

Radu Dragusin

£85k

Ben Davies

£80k

Rodrigo Bentancur

£75k

As you can see in the table above, Kulusevski is one of only four players in the squad who earn more than £90k-per-week, on a weekly wage of £110k, which suggests that he should someone the team can rely on week-in-week-out.

The left-footed forward, though, has never produced more than eight goals or eight assists in a single Premier League season for Tottenham, failing to hit double digits in either type of goal contribution.

Therefore, Spurs should look to cash in on this reported interest from Napoli and Milan in order to make room for a new attacker to come in this summer, with a view to them delivering more quality, through goals and assists, in the Premier League next season.

In fact, Tottenham are already reportedly eyeing up a Bundesliga star who could come through the door as an upgrade on Kulusevski in the coming months.

Spurs eyeing deal for Bundesliga star

According to GIVEMESPORT, Tottenham Hotspur have identified RB Leipzig attacking midfielder Xavi Simons as one of a number of targets in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Netherlands international, formerly of Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona, is on the club’s radar as they consider their options in the number ten role.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

It adds that Tottenham are also among a number of teams keeping tabs on Harvey Elliott’s situation at Liverpool, and are interested in Crystal Palace attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze.

Simons represents a slightly more left-field option, as he is unproven in the Premier League, and the Dutch playmaker is said to be open to a move to the English top-flight this summer.

Leipzig failed to qualify for any European competition ahead of the 2025/26 campaign and are reportedly looking for a fee in the region of £60m to part ways with the 22-year-old talent.

Why Spurs should sign Xavi Simons

Described by one data analyst as “one of the best 10s in the world”, the Lilywhites should press ahead with a deal to sign the young attacking midfielder because he is a player who has the potential to deliver goals and assists more frequently than Kulusevski has for Spurs to date.

Simons could come in as a big upgrade on the Swedish forward in the attacking midfield and wide areas, if he can translate his form for Leipzig in the Bundesliga over to the Premier League in North London.

The Dutch starlet, who was once described as a “pocket rocket” by analyst Raj Chohan, has hit double figures for goals in each of the last three seasons for Leipzig and PSV combined, and racked up double figures for assists in two of the last three seasons.

Simons produced ten goals and 13 assists in all competitions in the 2023/24 campaign, creating 14 ‘big chances’ and averaging 2.5 key passes per game in the Bundesliga, which speaks to the kind of quality he can provide in front of goal on a regular basis.

Appearances

25

32

xG

5.11

4.23

Goals

10

7

Big chances created

12

9

Key passes per game

2.0

2.1

xA

5.98

3.94

Assists

7

4

As you can see in the table above, the Dutchman’s form in the 2024/25 Bundesliga season also suggests that he has more to offer to Tottenham than Kulusevski moving forward, with more xA, more assists, more ‘big chances’ created, and more goals, despite playing seven fewer matches.

The Leipzig star is also on a reported wage of roughly £98k-per-week, per Capology, which suggests that he could arrive on similar wages to the Sweden international, unless he demands a significant pay hike to make the move.

If Spurs can bring Simons to the club on a similar wage to Kulusevski, the Dutch star’s performances for Leipzig in recent seasons suggest that he would arrive as a big upgrade on what Frank currently has to work with.

The 22-year-old maestro has the potential to provide more goals and more assists as an attacking midfielder, as a player who can finish his chances with more efficiency, whilst also creating more high-quality opportunities for his teammates.

Frank's next Mbeumo: Spurs discussing move to sign "world-class" £70m star

Tottenham Hotspur are plotting a move for a star who could star under Thomas Frank.

1 ByEthan Lamb Jun 29, 2025

Therefore, Spurs should sign the £60m-rated star to bolster Frank’s squad before the summer transfer window slams shut, to improve their options at the top end of the pitch.

Leeds United are now willing to trigger the £21m release clause in the contract of a “spectacular” midfielder, according to a report.

Leeds looking to sign midfielder amid £120m cash injection

The 49ers are showing they mean business as Leeds prepare for their return to the Premier League, having injected £120m into the club, with former Everton CEO Keith Wyness revealing the Championship title winners are willing to splash the cash.

Wyness said: “I think a chunk of it will be going towards transfer business. I think that £100million mark is a minimum spend now, and they’ve got to spend it wisely.

“This cash injection will pay for some new players to give the fans hope.”

One position in which the Whites are particularly keen on strengthening is central midfield, with Kalvin Phillips being linked with a return to Elland Road, while they are also “one to watch” in the race for Tottenham Hotspur’s Yves Bissouma.

Moves for Bissouma or Phillips could make sense, having proven themselves in the Premier League, but there have now been suggestions that Daniel Farke’s side may also take a risk on a La Liga midfielder.

According to a report from Super Deporte (via Leeds United News), Leeds are now willing to activate the £21m release clause in Uche’s Getafe contract, with the midfielder catching the eye of some bigger clubs courtesy of his performances in Spain.

Brighton & Hove Albion are also in the race for the Nigerian, with the Seagulls also showing a desire to trigger the release clause in his contract with the Spanish side, so there may be stiff competition for his signature.

New target: Leeds want to sign "spectacular" GK who's outperforming Meslier

Leeds have joined the race for a new goalkeeper having missed out on Caoimhin Kelleher

By
Dominic Lund

Jun 5, 2025

"Spectacular" Uche impressing in La Liga

The 22-year-old emerged as a key player for Getafe in the 2024-25 La Liga season, making 33 appearances, during which time he has displayed his versatility by featuring in a range of positions, including striker, although the maestro most commonly plays in a midfield role.

It is clear to see why the Nigeria international has been given the nod further forward, having picked up four goals and six assists in La Liga during the 2024-25 campaign, scoring with an impressive effort from outside the box back in August.

However, the “spectacular” Getafe gem, as lauded by manager Jose Bordalas, is also strong at winning back possession, ranking in the 95th percentile for tackles per 90 over the past year, and the 89th percentile for interceptions, when compared to his positional peers.

Uche’s versatility could make him a very useful option for Farke next season, and £21m feels like a fair fee, given his recent exploits in La Liga, but Brighton’s interest could pose a problem, considering they are a more established Premier League side.

Chelsea’s desire to sign a new defender this summer is no secret. After conceding 57 goals across all competitions this term, it is clear another centre-back or two is needed.

Much will depend on just how much money Enzo Maresca has to spend when the transfer window opens.

A few players might be sold in order to balance the books, although if the club achieves Champions League qualification, Maresca will need to strengthen his side.

Several defenders have already been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge, although one has chosen Real Madrid instead…

Chelsea targeting defenders in the transfer window

Dean Huijsen was a name on the list of targets for Chelsea, but defender ended up joining Real Madrid, who activated the £50m release clause that was in his Bournemouth contract.

The Blues must move on, and they have already earmarked an ideal alternative to the Spaniard. Ajax defender Jorrel Hato is the latest name linked with a move to Stamford Bridge.

Hato, who is currently valued at £42m, only turned 19 in March and has the advantage of being able to play either at centre-back or on the left side of the defence.

The chance to play Champions League football with the Blues could give them a boost in their pursuit and he would make for an interesting signing.

Despite showing interest in both of these young, talented defenders, Maresca has someone in his squad who came through the Cobham academy and is valued higher than Hato and Huijsen; Levi Colwill.

Why Chelsea have struck gold on Levi Colwill

Colwill may have had to wait until the 2023/24 season to make his debut for Chelsea after a number of loan spells, but he has been a regular ever since.

Under Maresca, the Englishman has played 36 times in all competitions, even breaking through to earn three caps for England.

Metric

2023/24

2024/25

Accurate passes per 90

38.2

67

Clean sheets

4

9

Total duels won per 90

5

4.5

Tackles per 90

2.1

1.4

Possession lost per 90

10

8.9

Colwill has missed just three Premier League games this season for the Blues and, throughout the campaign, he has won 56% of his total duels per match, kept nine clean sheets and recovered 3.5 balls per game in the top flight.

Furthermore, when compared to his peers in the division, Colwill ranks impressively, notably sitting in the top 12% for passes completed (67.32) per 90, along with ranking in the top 32% for aerials won (2.32) per 90 for Chelsea.

He is still only 22, meaning he could be a cornerstone for the club over the next few years. Indeed, his performances have even seen his value rise exponentially with some reports noting last year that the club now value him at a whopping £100m.

This means he is worth even more than both Hato and Huijsen put together, signifying just how impressive a player Maresca has on his hands.

His performances were praised during a loan spell with Brighton and Hove Albion during the 2022/23 campaign, with talent scout Jacek Kulig claiming he was a “world-class talent”.

If he continues on this upwards trajectory, Colwill could become one of the best players for the Blues over the coming years, and they have certainly struck gold on him.

Chelsea readying huge £70m bid to sign their new version of Mason Mount

Chelsea are reportedly ready to pay the release clause for a star who could be Mason Mount 2.0.

ByDan Emery May 19, 2025

After overseeing yet another Wrexham promotion – their third in three years – Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have already reportedly set their sights on their first summer signing in preparation for the Championship.

Wrexham continue Hollywood dream

Everything that those in Wales could have dreamed of has so far come true since they decided to roll out the red carpet for Hollywood stars Reynolds and McElhenney. The two Americans haven’t just taken Wrexham back into the EFL, they’ve taken them within one promotion of the Premier League after sealing League One promotion last weekend.

After overseeing history, Reynolds told reporters: “It just seemed like an impossible dream. We’re story-tellers, and when you’re story-tellers you look at the macro view of this history.

“We wouldn’t be here right now if it wasn’t for the history of the club. The Gresford disaster and Mickey Thomas – who is a huge and pivotal point of aspiration for the club, and a goal to reach that feeling again.

“Paul Mullin, Ollie Palmer. This coaching staff – the greatest dressing room in sports I think I’ve ever seen before. There are so many beating hearts of this club, but it all comes back to Phil and that leadership in the locker room.”

What once seemed an absurd dream and arguably nothing more than that is now an increasing possibility for Wrexham, who will undoubtedly be among the most interesting sides to watch next season once again.

As the transfer window approaches too, Reynolds and McElhenney may well put their Hollywood fame and riches to good use once again to build a side capable of dreaming bigger than ever.

Wrexham could make Tomas Galvin their first summer signing

According to Football League World, Wrexham are already plotting a summer move to sign Tomas Galvin this summer in what would be their first capture in the Championship. The Dungannon forward has reportedly attracted the interest of Portsmouth and Charlton as well as Wrexham, who will be looking to pull off yet another coup on the transfer front.

At just 20 years old, Galvin has thrived in Northern Ireland – scoring seven goals in all competitions this season to potentially earn a move to English football. Whether he, like many, will give into the temptation of stepping onto Wrexham’s red carpet remains to be seen, however.

Rodney McAree will certainly be keen to keep hold of his talented forward, having been so full of praise for him last season. The Dungannon manager told reporters: “Tomas has been brilliant recently. He’s a great lad and one for the future…he’s a strong boy, is loving his football and has a smile on his face.

“His first one is a great finish and his second is instinctive…I think he wins the header on the first occasion and then he reacts and manages to get it in the back of the net.”

From raising the profile of domestic first-class cricket and finding ways to win overseas, to curbing lopsided power plays in the board, the BCB’s new chief has his work cut out

Mohammad Isam23-Aug-2024Faruque Ahmed, the BCB’s new president, is the first to get the role after having played cricket at the top level – he even captained his country at the ICC Trophy in 1994. That’s a departure from the usual trend: in the past the top job has been manned by politicians, a military general, bureaucrats, and a real estate tycoon.Faruque’s main contribution to Bangladeshi cricket till now has been as a chief selector; in his first stint in that role, when he ushered in a new generation of cricketers like Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal. He is also widely known as a thinker of the game, so there will be great expectations of him.What should his priorities be as he takes office? ESPNcricinfo gives you a run-through.Related

• Shakib among 147 named in FIR for alleged murder during Bangladesh unrest

• Faruque wants 'someone better' as Bangladesh coach

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Shut down the media circus

Nazmul Hassan publicly weighing in on all matters big and small was distracting and, ultimately, damaging for Bangladeshi cricket. His press conferences came thick and fast. He spoke for long, in strong words, which worked well for social media clips and reels. Players, coaches, administrators and match officials had become wary of being taken apart by the board president after a poor performance.Faruque, on the other hand, is a reserved person in general. He will know the cameras will be waiting for him every day, but it is up to him to choose to ignore them and get on with the job.

Aim for a better overseas record

As chief selector, Faruque has overseen two good World Cup campaigns. He introduced young players like Shakib, Tamim and Mushfiqur ahead of the 2007 ODI World Cup, while also forming a strong relationship with coach Dav Whatmore and captain Habibul Bashar. He continued to make sensible calls in his second stint as selector, during which Bangladesh reached the quarter-finals of the 2015 ODI World Cup.Bangladesh haven’t replicated those performances at global events since then. Faruque has talked about changing the head coach, but the team is a few moves short of regaining lost ground from the 2010s.Formulating plans to win red- and white-ball matches overseas should be a top priority. Once they break that barrier, the team will start to feel more at ease against top opponents in foreign conditions, and more big-tournament success could flow from that.Mushfiqur Rahim, Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan came into the national team when Faruque Ahmed was chief selector•AFP/Getty Images

First-class overhaul needed

Faruque has to find ways to raise the competitiveness and status of the domestic first-class competitions. Players call it “picnic cricket” even after the BCB introduced a new two-tier system for the National Cricket League (NCL).Firstly, players earn very little from first-class cricket, compared to the limited-overs competitions like the Dhaka Premier League (DPL) and the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).Secondly, selection committees have traditionally paid little attention to first-class performances. Bangladesh squad selection largely depends on DPL performances and Under-19 World Cup appearances.Thirdly, the NCL is just not competitive. Teams like Dhaka Division and Khulna Division dominate due to their better facilities and regional tournaments and scouting. Rajshahi Division used to be a heavyweight while Rangpur Division and Dhaka Metropolis have done well at times. Barishal Division, Sylhet Division and Chattogram Division have been below-par for a quarter of a century. So there’s plenty of work to do on this front.

Bangladeshis need more T20s

This might sound off, but Bangladesh’s professional cricketers don’t play enough competitive T20 matches. Overseas cricketers get all the key roles in BPL teams, so it leaves very few domestic players with the opportunity to command a place in the national team or other franchise leagues.To begin to address this gap in supply, Faruque could encourage the tournament committee to organise regional T20 tournaments, where scouts could look for brand-new talents. Bangladesh’s lack of big-hitters and legspinners might be fixed in this process.

A change in constitution, and attitude

Conflict of interest is a major problem in the BCB. It stems from the board’s constitution, which allows DPL club representatives to gain the majority stake on the board. So they have traditionally had a bigger say on BCB matters, and have tended to protect their clubs’ interests.If this is addressed through an amended constitution, the different BCB departments will have more independence to formulate plans as needed, without delay or deference. For instance, the cricket operations department had to wait for Nazmul Hassan to firm up decisions on the national team. This wasn’t always the case with the BCB, and it is not how the board should be run if it is to become a truly professional unit. To change this, Faruque needs loyal lieutenants. Loyal not to him, but to Bangladesh cricket. It will be a major shift if he can pull it off.

Jamie Overton, Harry Brook and Matthew Potts are among the contenders for selection on Wednesday morning

Alan Gardner17-May-2022Openers
A perennial problem area for selection, from the cast of thousands who partnered Alastair Cook to frequent chopping and changing among four or five familiar candidates over the last couple of years. Zak Crawley and Alex Lees are the incumbent openers, but they averaged just 21.33 across six Tests in the Caribbean, with a highest stand of 51. Since coming back, Crawley has struggled for form with Kent – four single-figure scores and a best of 54 from eight innings – but can point to innings of 77 at the SCG and 121 in Antigua, not to mention his mammoth 267 in 2020, as reasons to stick with him.Lees, meanwhile, has scored two Championship hundreds and two fifties for Durham, and might potentially benefit from having the England captain as a county team-mate. Among the recently discarded, Rory Burns and Haseeb Hameed have a century apiece but not much else, while Dom Sibley looks to have rediscovered his mojo to average 53.83 for Warwickshire. Two ghosts of summers past, Keaton Jennings and Sam Robson, are in even better form – Jennings has scored 348 runs from two innings, including a career-best 238 in last week’s Roses match – but may need a sustained season of run-scoring to return to contention.Probable: Zak Crawley
Possibles: Alex Lees, Dom SibleyCrawley impressed over the winter but has struggled this season•AFP/Getty ImagesMiddle-order batters
Some clarity here, at least. Two of the very few selection certainties are Root and Stokes, who have already been inked in at No. 4 and No. 6 respectively. That means England are looking for a No. 3 – another position that has tended to be filled by locums – and a No. 5, with a variety of fresh faces and previously capped players making a case among the glut of early season run-scoring. Of those actually batting at No. 3 for their counties, the three with the best numbers are Ben Duckett, Tom Abell and Nick Gubbins, none of whom has been close to selection recently. For that reason, England could return to Dawid Malan, who was first drop in Australia over the winter and has 482 runs at 80.33 this season, mostly batting at No. 4 – though he will miss this round of Championship fixtures with a sore Achilles – or even shuffle Crawley back down.Related

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Dan Lawrence had his moments in the Caribbean but has yet to make a score in the Championship and has been sidelined by a hamstring injury, potentially handing Ollie Pope (417 at 69.50) another bite at the cherry; Jonny Bairstow revived his Test career over the winter but would have to make a swift transition from playing at the IPL. Also in the mix will be Yorkshire batter Harry Brook, who has made three centuries and 758 runs at an average of 151.60 amid a stellar start to the summer. The 23-year-old, who won a T20I cap in February, looks cut out for Test cricket and would be a bold choice to debut between Root and Stokes at No. 5.Definites: Joe Root, Ben Stokes
Probables: Ollie Pope, Harry Brook, Jonny Bairstow
Possibles: Dawid Malan, Tom Abell, Nick Gubbins, Dan LawrenceBairstow has found form at the IPL but would face a tight turnaround if selected for the first Test•BCCIWicketkeeper
England seemed to have finally made up their mind to give Ben Foakes a crack at proving his credentials as the world’s best gloveman – copyright, Alec Stewart – during an extended run in the Test side. But his keeping in the West Indies was a little scruffy, and neither did the runs flow… meanwhile, over at the IPL, Jos Buttler has slipped seamlessly back into his groove as one of the most-domineering forces in the white-ball game. Could his friendship with Stokes, as well as the support of a fellow T20 maverick in McCullum, lead to Buttler making yet another Test comeback? The fact the first Test begins just four days after the IPL final, with Buttler’s Rajasthan Royals very much still in contention, mitigates the chances – but stranger things have happened. For that reason we can’t entirely discount Bairstow either, a key man alongside Stokes in the engine room during his best years in Test cricket. But Foakes, who has made 395 runs at 98.75 for Surrey, remains the frontrunner.Probable: Ben Foakes
Possible: Jos ButtlerParkinson has started the county season in fine form•Getty ImagesBowlers
It is almost a decade since England rested both James Anderson and Stuart Broad from a home Test against West Indies as part of some attempted succession planning. But here we are, a couple of months after they were both omitted for the tour to the Caribbean, with the old stagers primed to take centre stage once again. Stokes has already intimated that he considers them both part of his best XI, and they are – somewhat ironically – among the few fit options at England’s disposal. A lengthy list of those in the treatment room includes Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Saqib Mahmood, Matthew Fisher and Jofra Archer, while Sam Curran is easing his way back from a back stress fracture and Ollie Robinson has only delivered 59 overs – some of that bowling offspin – across two outings for Sussex.Durham’s Matthew Potts is the bolter most-likely to benefit, having claimed 35 wickets already this season, including four five-fors and match figures of 11 for 101 in his most-recent game; Jamie Overton could also win a first call-up, having offered a sustained pace threat with Surrey.As for the spinners, Matt Parkinson is the leading wicket-taker in the country among spin bowlers and can surely do no more to make England pick him, but Jack Leach did an admirable job in against West Indies and produced a timely eight-for in Somerset’s win over Gloucestershire last week.Definites: James Anderson, Stuart Broad
Probables: Matthew Potts, Jack Leach
Possibles: Jamie Overton, Ollie Robinson, Craig Overton, Matt Parkinson

Before the Red Sox traded Rafael Devers to the Giants in June, tension emerged between Boston and Devers over his position this season.

The conflict began when the team signed Alex Bregman and decided to play him at third base over Devers, who previously manned the position for the Red Sox. Devers eventually agreed to be the designated hitter by the start of the season, but tension re-emerged when they asked him to spend time at first base following a season-ending injury to Triston Casas. The Red Sox felt like Devers wasn't living up to the responsibilities of his massive contract with the team, and ultimately traded him to the Giants.

Mike Yastrzemski only played alongside Devers on the Giants for less than two months before he was traded to the Royals, but quickly learned the type of teammate and player Devers is for a team.

"He was the best," Yastrzemski said of Devers on . "Awesome teammate, willing to do whatever he had to. I think he just got thrown into a weird circumstance and sometimes as players you have to stick up for yourself. I think that's what he tried to do and the wording of it was delivered poorly because he's an awesome teammate, he works his tail off, he tries to help everybody.

Yastrzemski continued, "If you're facing a guy that he's faced and you haven't faced him, full scouting report, where you want to look for the ball, what pitch you want to hit, how he's gonna pitch you. He's really smart and he cares about winning so much. I don't understand where all the heat came from."

While Devers's approach appeared to quickly change when he arrived in San Francisco and said he was "here to play whatever [position] they want me to play," he said he wasn't trying to spite the Red Sox or be a bad teammate. He later explained that he felt he had earned respect in Boston and would have been willing to play first base for them had they asked in spring training. The Giants gave him time to train to play first base, and he is beginning to find his groove at the position.

The Houston Astros are reuniting with their World Series champion shortstop Carlos Correa.

According to a report from ESPN's Jeff Passan, the Minnesota Twins, who have been very actively selling their roster at the deadline, have agreed to trade the three-time All-Star shortstop back to Houston. Correa waived his no-trade clause to secure the reunion with the Astros.

Correa played his first seven seasons with the Astros before leaving the franchise in free agency ahead of the 2022 season. He helped the Astros capture the 2017 World Series title.

Correa, 30, is hitting .267 this season with seven home runs and 31 RBI in 364 plate appearances. He will likely spend the rest of his career back in Houston, as he is under contract until 2033, when he will be 38 years old.