Chelsea’s brilliant run of results, which saw them beat the likes of Benfica, Nottingham Forest and Liverpool, came to a screeching halt on Saturday afternoon.

Instead of picking up another Premier League win against the recently promoted Sunderland, Enzo Maresca’s side managed to lose 2-1 thanks to a late goal from Chemsedine Talbi.

What is most frustrating about the game, though, is that while the West Londoners were not anywhere near their best, they still had chances to win, taking seven shots on target to the Black Cats’ four.

Unfortunately, they just didn’t have their shooting boots on, although with the striker situation at the club, that is hardly surprising.

So, there is an argument that Maresca should look to drop Marc Guiu and start one of Cobham’s most exciting prospects, a striker compared to the legendary Didier Drogba.

Chelsea's striker situation

In the summer, Chelsea decided to sell Christopher Nkunku to AC Milan and João Félix to Al-Nassr, while also loaning out David Datro Fofana to Karagümrük and Nicolas Jackson to Bayern Munich.

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

Now, while these weren’t necessarily bad moves for the club, they did only sign Joao Pedro and Liam Delap to replace the leaving players, and when the latter went down with a hamstring injury earlier this season, they were forced to recall Marc Guiu from his loan with Sunderland.

Moreover, while nobody can question Pedro’s ability, it has become increasingly clear that his best position is just behind another striker, either as an advanced ten or a classic second striker.

In other words, due to their business and the injury to the former Ipswich Town star, Maresca has been forced to either use Pedro out of his best position, start the young Tyrique George up top when he’s a natural winger, or, as he has done recently, play Guiu.

To give the former Barcelona gem his credit, he did score against Ajax in the Champions League, but against the Black Cats on Saturday, he was poor.

In fact, the Spaniard was so underwhelming that the Standard’s Sam Tabuteau gave him just a 4/10 match rating, writing that he showed ‘plenty of energy but not a lot of finesse.’

In short, Chelsea really need another option up top this season, and while it would be a risk, it looks like Cobham might have the player for them – a player compared to Drogba.

Chelsea's future Drogba

Now, it should really go without saying that comparing a youngster to Drogba is not something that should be done lightly.

After all, the Ivorian icon was one of the best strikers to ever play in the Premier League and is most certainly a massive Chelsea legend.

With that said, there is plenty of excitement building around 18-year-old Shim Mheuka, so much so that one analyst has made the bold comparison, calling him “the new Didier Drogba.”

So then, what makes him such an exceptional talent, and one worthy of a proper run in the first team?

Well, simply put, he is starting to look like a real goal machine and potentially one of “Cobham’s finest” prospects, per talent scout Jacek Kulig.

For example, despite being just 16 at the start of last season, he ended the campaign with 11 goals and three assists to his name, 30 appearances across the U18S and U21S.

Moreover, he also got a few run-outs in the first team, making five appearances totalling 118 minutes across the Conference League and Premier League.

This season, he has taken another leap forward, and as things stand, he has already scored ten goals and provided two assists in just ten appearances, totalling 883 minutes for the U21S and Youth League sides.

That works out to an average of 1.2 goal involvements every game, or one every 73.58 minutes, and if that’s still not enough, he has also racked up a tally of ten goals and three assists in 18 appearances for England’s U19S.

Ultimately, while it is still so early in his career, it is becoming increasingly clear that he is a lethal goalscorer, and while he might not reach the level of a Drogba, he might be able to have a significant impact on the team this season.

Chelsea now looking to sign "outstanding" £168k-a-week CB who's won 11 trophies

The Blues want to bring in a new defender, having struggled defensively at times this season.

By
Dominic Lund

Oct 27, 2025

Spending big money in the transfer market is one way to bring about success in the modern game, but it’s not a guaranteed marker that trophies will follow.

Manchester United have spent upwards of £800m in the last three years alone, but they are currently on a 12-month drought without any form of silverware under Ruben Amorim.

Another option football clubs desperately rely on is their youth systems, with the use of top-level academies often presenting a constant conveyor belt of talent for the future.

The Red Devils have been known for their success in producing elite-level stars, with the Class of ’92’ arguably one of the most iconic groups of prospects to make the jump into the professional game.

One other player has also successfully made the jump and impressed at Old Trafford in recent seasons, after massively impressing through the ranks as a youngster.

Marcus Rashford’s youth record at Man Utd

Many of United’s young prospects join the club at a young age and spend the majority of their youth years as part of the Red Devils’ infamous academy system.

Attacker Marcus Rashford was no different after joining the club at the age of seven and enduring a remarkable rise and progression through the ranks as a youngster.

It’s unclear how many goals he scored before reaching the U18 age group, but he did make himself a household name as he edged towards the end of his scholarship.

The Englishman scored 13 goals for the U18s during the 2015/16 season – sitting at the top of their goalscoring charts until he was handed his first-team debut.

At 18 years and 113 days, Rashford was handed his first start against FC Midtjylland in the Europa League – subsequently taking advantage of the opportunity handed his way.

Despite being a teenager, he netted twice against the Danish outfit in February 2016, which made him an instant hit with the Red Devils’ supporters at Old Trafford.

He’s since racked up over 450 appearances for his boyhood club, but has had to move away on a temporary basis to gain regular football after falling down Amorim’s pecking order.

The United gem who could be their next Rashford

The decision to offload Rashford by Amorim has been one that has been called into question over recent weeks, amid his form on loan at Barcelona from United.

He scored within the first few minutes of the Amorim tenure against Ipswich Town, but it would be one of the few highlights for the forward after a fallout with the 40-year-old.

The 27-year-old has since joined Hansi Flick’s side on loan for the 2025/26 campaign, scoring five times and registering four assists in his 12 outings for the LaLiga outfit.

However, he still has the chance to resurrect his career in the near future, but he could find it tricky to secure his place in the first-team if Chido Obi is handed a chance to thrive.

The 17-year-old generated huge excitement last season with his phenomenal goalscoring record at youth level – with the Dane thriving with valuable minutes at Carrington.

He scored 17 times in just 20 appearances, often featuring for the club’s U18 and U21 sides and helping the former finish second in the youth Premier League.

As a result, he was handed multiple substitute appearances in the first-team setup, registering seven league outings, but only appearing for a total of 160 minutes.

Arsenal U18s

21

32

Arsenal U21s

2

0

Man Utd U18s

11

13

Man Utd U21s

18

8

Man Utd first-team

8

0

Despite not scoring, Obi was highly praised by many for his performances – leading to one analyst labelling him as a “homegrown Oshimen” – a huge compliment given the Nigerian’s record of 37 goals in 41 appearances throughout 2024/25.

At just 17, it’s crucial that Amorim and various other staff behind the scenes manage the youngster in the right way to help him reach his full potential at the Theatre of Dreams.

However, the similarities to Rashford are there for all to see, given his time in the youth system, but he’s yet to score as early as the Englishman did in the first-team.

At present, the Dane is still 12 months younger than the former academy graduate when he made his first-team bow, showcasing how much time he has to make an impact under Amorim.

However, if Obi can replicate Rashford’s form with the Red Devils, he may have a huge bearing on any success the side manages to achieve in the near future.

Amorim has unlocked the new Bruno Fernandes in "world-class" Man Utd star

Manchester United already have a player on the books who can emulate Bruno Fernandes at Old Trafford.

1 ByEthan Lamb Oct 22, 2025

There are fewer than two months left in the 2025 MLB regular season, and the playoff races in the American and National Leagues are really starting to heat up. 

In the American League, five teams are within five games of the final wild card spot, while the No. 4 team – the Texas Rangers – is just a half-game out of the third spot. A lot could change in the next few months, especially with teams like the Minnesota Twins and Tampa Bay Rays selling at the deadline, but there likely will be a team – or two – that misses the playoffs that was expected to make it in.

In the National League, the top wild card teams (New York, Chicago and San Diego) seem pretty set in stone, but the Cincinnati Reds (three games back) are still within striking distance with plenty of games to go.

Here’s a look at the playoff odds for every team in the hunt, and a few storylines to watch when considering bets for these playoff markets. 

American League Playoff OddsDivision LeadersToronto Blue Jays: -2500Detroit Tigers: -5000Houston Astros: -1000

Toronto (19 games over .500), Detroit (17 games over .500), and Houston (14 games over .500) all appear to be locks to make the playoffs in the 2025 season.

Detroit has a seven-game cushion in the AL Central – the largest of these three division winners – which is why oddsmakers have it priced at -5000 to reach the playoffs for the second straight season.

It would be relatively surprising to see any of these teams fall out of the race, especially since they’d slot in pretty high in the wild card standings if a team were to overtake them in the division. 

Wild Card RaceBoston Red Sox: -450Seattle Mariners: -360New York Yankees: -330Texas Rangers: +115Cleveland Guardians: +320Kansas City Royals: +650Tampa Bay Rays: +950Minnesota Twins: +1800Los Angeles Angels: +2500Baltimore Orioles: +5000

The AL wild card race is going to be extremely fun to watch down the stretch of the season.

Entering Wednesday’s action, the Texas Rangers could overtake the New York Yankees, who are just a half-game ahead of them in the standings. New York has played under .500 ball over the last few months, and despite some trade deadline moves, it is fading fast in this market.

Oddsmakers project the Yankees to be the team that is currently holding a spot to be the closest one to drop out (-330 to make the postseason). 

While Cleveland, Minnesota, and others are long shots to make the playoffs, Texas is a team to watch since it has been elite at home (36-20) and still has 25 games at Globe Life Field left in the 2025 season. 

National League Playoff OddsDivision LeadersPhiladelphia Phillies: -3000Los Angeles Dodgers: -20000Milwaukee Brewers: -10000

All three of these division leaders appear to be locked into a playoff spot, as the implied probability for Philadelphia (the team with the worst odds) to make the playoffs is 96.77 percent.

There’s a chance that all three of these teams could lose their spot atop the division (Milwaukee has the largest lead at four games), but they’d all just fall into a wild card spot, barring a crazy run from the Reds or another fringe wild card team. 

Wild Card RaceChicago Cubs: -1400New York Mets: -650San Diego Padres: -575Cincinnati Reds: +250San Francisco Giants: +600St. Louis Cardinals: +1100Arizona Diamondbacks: +2500Miami Marlins: +3000Atlanta Braves: +5000

There is a lot less intrigue in the National League, as the Reds – who made some big moves at the deadline to acquire Ke’Bryan Hayes, Zack Littell, and others – are the only team that seems to have a chance to supplant New York, Chicago, or San Diego.

However, there is a lot of time left for a team like the Giants or Cardinals (both hovering around .500) to get hot and make some inroads in this race.

For now, Cincinnati is the only team at plus money that I’d consider in the NL playoff market. 

MatériaMais Notícias

Cássio não vai permanecer no Corinthians. O goleiro tomou a decisão de deixar o clube onde atua desde 2012. Com contrato até o fim desta temporada, o camisa 12 agora trabalha em busca da rescisão do seu vínculo com o Timão, que vai até o fim do ano.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Timão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Corinthians

O atleta possui uma proposta do Cruzeiro para atuar nas próximas três temporadas e a ideia é entrar em um consenso com a diretoria corintiana para ser liberado na janela do meio do ano. O departamento de futebol da equipe alvinegra, no entanto, não pretende liberar o profissional sem receber alguma quantia em troca.

Cássio e a atual administração do Corinthians, que é liderada pelo presidente Augusto Melo, nunca se entenderam. Inclusive, esse foi um dos motivos principais para que o goleiro optasse por encerrar a sua história no time do Parque São Jorge. Primeiro, ele se sentiu exposto como líder do elenco, já que no início da temporada muitos erros de planejamento da direção respingaram no campo. Depois, ele não gostou da condução nas conversas pela renovação do contrato. Já que os corintianos, inicialmente, ofereceram um salário menor do que o jogador recebe hoje e com somente um ano a mais de vínculo.

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Mesmo com os ruídos na relação, o ídolo do Timão entende que a sua imagem e serviços prestados dão a ele o direito de pedir para antecipar a liberação, principalmente por não haver mais clima para ele vestir a camisa alvinegra. Cássio entende que se não houver a rescisão amigável no meio do ano, a alternativa será o afastamento das atividades até o encerramento do vínculo, em dezembro, o que não ficaria bom para a gestão, que já precisa conviver com inúmeros problemas nos bastidores.

➡️ As melhores e mais variadas ofertas para o Brasileirão estão no Lance! Betting! Abra já a sua conta!

Nos últimos dias, o então diretor de futebol Rubens Gomes, o Rubão, foi desligado do cargo por Augusto Melo. Antes, os dois eram aliados. A partir de então, ambos têm trocado farpas e acusações públicas, fazendo do ambiente político corintiano cada vez mais tenso.

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Cássio Roberto RamosCorinthiansCruzeiroFutebol Nacional

There was a common theme in the four wild-card series games that kicked off Major League Baseball's postseason on Tuesday. Three of the four winning sides received dominant pitching from their southpaw starters and the fourth benefitted from a very serviceable effort as well.

Detroit's Tarik Skubal got the ball rolling by striking out 14 and holding the Guardians to a single run in 7 2/3 innings. Chicago's Matt Boyd left his start in the fifth inning down 1-0 but the Cubs rallied for a victory. Garrett Crochet matched Skubal's line with three fewer strikeouts during a 117-pitch masterpiece. Dodgers ace Blake Snell put a capper on the night by taking care of the Reds with seven innings of two-run ball.

All told, lefty starters threw 28 2/3 innings while surrendering five earned runs and racking up 36 punchouts. In the cases of Skubal and Crochet, the electricity of their performances were through the roof and a reminder that both have a reasonable case to claim the title of best arm in baseball.

The quartet of performances led MLB Network analyst Chris Young to offer up a take that might be hard to completely fact-check yet seems legit.

"Today was the best day ever that I've seen with left-handed starting pitching," he said.

Young then asked purists to go back through the record books and prove him wrong.

On its surface what he's saying holds some water. Especially if extra weight is given to the magnitude of the games being played. It helps a lot that the baseball playoffs have expanded to the point where there are four games per day in the earlier rounds yet doesn't diminish the accomplishments.

انتقد جلين جونسون لاعب ليفربول السابق، أحد لاعبي الفريق الإنجليزي مؤكدًا أنه يفلت من العقاب بسبب اسمه، ومؤكدًا أنه لم يكن قريبًا من أفضل مستوياته، ويرتكب الأخطاء وليس استثناءً.

وتلقى ليفربول هدفًا في الدقائق الأخيرة من مباراة ليدز يونايتد خلال مباراة الفريقين بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، والتي حسمت بالتعادل 3-3، وتراجع بطل البريميرليج إلى المركز العاشر في جدول الترتيب.

بعد التعادل، هاجم محمد صلاح ناديه ليفربول ومدربه آرني سلوت، في مقابلة حادة مع الصحفيين، مدعيًا أنه “ألقي تحت الحافلة” ويتم الاستغناء عنه، بعد جلوسه على مقاعد البدلاء للمباراة الثالثة على التوالي.

واستهدف جونسون قائد النادي فيرجيل فان دايك، مشيرًا إلى أن الهولندي يفلت من العقاب بعد سلسلة من العروض المتواضعة.

وقال جونسون في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “ديلي ميل” البريطانية: “كان فيرجيل فان دايك مخطئًا تمامًا مثل إبراهيما كوناتي مؤخرًا، إن لم يكن أكثر، ولأن اسمه فان دايك، فإنه يفلت من العقاب”.

اقرأ أيضًا | محمد صلاح يستعد لخطوة جريئة بشأن مستقبله مع ليفربول

وأردف: “ما زلت أعتقد أنه لاعب عالمي، وكان كذلك لفترة طويلة، ولكن في الوقت الحالي، لم يكن قريبًا من أفضل مستوياته، وكذلك اللاعبون من حوله”.

وأضاف: “أعتقد أن كوناتي قد تم إلقاء اللوم عليه قليلاً، وهو أمر مفهوم لأنه ارتكب بعض الأخطاء مؤخرًا، ولكن الجميع كذلك، يستمر خط دفاع ليفربول بأكمله في ارتكاب الأخطاء، وفان دايك ليس استثناءً”.

وتابع: “ليفربول بحاجة إلى قلب دفاع جديد في يناير، أول لاعب يتبادر إلى ذهني هو مارك جويهي من كريستال بالاس”.

وواصل: “لا يزال من غير المؤكد ما إذا كان سينضم إلى نادٍ مثل ليفربول ويواصل التألق، لكنني أعتقد أنه بحاجة إلى منحه الفرصة لإثبات جدارته على أعلى مستوى، كما فعل مع منتخب إنجلترا”.

وأتم جونسون: “أعتقد أنه سيكون صفقة رائعة لليفربول، هم بحاجة ماسة إلى التعاقد مع بعض اللاعبين في يناير”.

Newcastle United resume their Premier League campaign after the international break hesitant about what the near future holds.

Indeed, back-to-back away defeats to West Ham United and Brentford very much exposed Newcastle’s weaknesses, as a lethargic defence was caught out in both games in London, alongside the midfield ranks looking equally as ropey.

In particular, Joelinton has fallen short of his usual high standards in recent defeats, with only three duels won by the midfielder at the London Stadium, who was once referred to as an energetic “machine” by Magpies teammate Kieran Trippier.

He could well be dropped for some fresh blood centrally, therefore, as Manchester City do battle with the Toon to close out November up next.

In an ideal reality, though, Eddie Howe’s men would still have Elliot Anderson to call upon, as the former St James’ Park product continues to excel for both Nottingham Forest and England.

Why Newcastle would love Anderson back at St James' Park

Once upon a time on Tyneside, a far rawer, younger Anderson would be clamouring for more senior minutes at his boyhood club.

Unfortunately, that failed to come to fruition, courtesy of an injury-ravaged final season at the Toon. In total, Anderson would make just a paltry three league starts during this swansong year.

But, the revitalised 23-year-old has never looked back since leaving the Magpies behind, with the Forest number 8 now setting the standard for midfielders in the Premier League this campaign, even as his side loiter towards the bottom of the division.

It was yet another classy display from Anderson last time out in league action before the break interrupted Forest’s flow, winning five duels and making seven ball recoveries, keeping a nervous Leeds largely at bay in a vital 3-1 win. While he excelled again, Joelinton limped off against the Bees scared for what his first-team future holds.

He also shone for England to further pile on the Newcastle misery, as only six of his 136 passes didn’t reach their intended target against Serbia and Albania.

Thomas Tuchel even heralded him as “one of the best midfielders in the Premier League” in the build-up to the Serbia encounter.

Chalkboard

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

Safe to say, Newcastle desperately wish they still had the much-talked-about 23-year-old on their books, but Howe could start to unearth a new version of Anderson back on Tyneside.

Newcastle's next Anderson

Newcastle will need to ensure they don’t suffer another Anderson-style clanger soon, with Yankuba Minteh also sold prematurely by the Magpies, before he then exploded into life at Brighton and Hove Albion.

If they aren’t careful, they could lose Lewis Miley down the line, with the 19-year-old now ready for some “serious minutes” at his boyhood employers, according to journalist Liam Kennedy, after starring as a combative, yet skilful midfielder in flashes for Howe and Co in recent matches.

Much like Anderson has proven on the big stage countless times now for the Tricky Trees, Miley hasn’t looked fazed at all this season when also being dropped into the deep-end, particularly when he shone against Benfica in Champions League action to receive these rave reviews.

Indeed, the teenage sensation won all of his tackles on the night and also won four duels, while further exiting the field of play with only four passes going astray.

To further back up his similarities to the departed Anderson, the 19-year-old also stood out for the Three Lions at U21 level during the break when facing the Republic of Ireland.

Miley has also being tipped for greatness at international level, far beyond his current age bracket, notably hailed as “England’s next superstar” by BBC pundit Pat Nevin.

Again, much like his showing against Benfica, Miley stood out as a calm and assured operator, also capable of getting stuck in, with a 95% pass accuracy, coupled with three tackles and ball recoveries being amassed.

Of course, Newcastle would love to have the finished product of Anderson at their disposal. But, to win him back, it is reported that it could take an eye-watering reported £100m to regain his services.

Therefore, Miley could be their next best bet, having been branded a “mature” performer by Howe this season when used irregularly. That word not only aptly describes the Toon’s budding midfielder but also Anderson.

A Thiaw repeat: Newcastle keen on signing "one of the best RBs in Spain"

Newcastle United could pick up their next Malick Thiaw by landing this cut-price star.

By
Kelan Sarson

Nov 17, 2025

Chris Sutton took aim at one Leeds United star after spotting an “odd” moment in the Whites’ dramatic 3-2 defeat at the hands of Manchester City.

Leeds lose late on at Man City

It was very nearly an unforgettable afternoon for Leeds, who came from behind to level things up at 2-2 in the second-half, courtesy of Lukas Nmecha’s reactions to rebound from his own penalty.

As so many have experienced at the Etihad over the years, however, it simply wasn’t to be for Daniel Farke’s men. The Citizens’ simply had too much quality and, for a split second, Phil Foden had too much time. The England international fired home his second goal of the day in the 91st minute to break Leeds’ hearts.

Upon reflection, Farke will be wishing that he started with Dominic Calvert-Lewin rather than setting up to frustrate Man City. It took just 59 seconds for Foden to give the hosts the lead, before Josko Gvardiol’s goal looked to be the beginning of a thrashing.

Farke soon changed things at the break, though, and Calvert-Lewin’s effort from the bench set the tone for Nmecha to then go and convert the rebound of his own spotkick.

The Yorkshire side certainly deserved at least a point, but simply felt the harsh reality of the Premier League in its full extent instead. From here, they must pick themselves up and go again against Chelsea at Elland Road.

Things won’t be getting any easier for a Leeds side who could be three points adrift of safety if other results go against them this weekend.

Chris Sutton, covering the game for BBC Sport, was particularly critical of Pascal Struijk in the first-half after spotting an “odd” moment from the Leeds defender.

Sutton slams "odd" Pascal Struijk moment

Taking aim, Sutton slammed Struijk for how he was “content” with entering the break at 2-0 down, wasting time at the end of the first-half. The defender’s aim was damage control and, to his credit, it worked in his favour as Leeds soon came from behind.

The moment, which sparked Sutton’s frustration, may well have helped Leeds stay in the game. It was an absolute onslaught from Man City in the first period and Farke desperately needed to get his side back into the game without letting the hosts out of sight. And the £50,000-a-week defender was well aware of that.

The visitors can take a lot of positives, despite their defeat. It’s very rare that sides come to the Etihad, find themselves 2-0 down and don’t find themselves on the end of a battering. Leeds, however, showed plenty of fight.

Leeds eyeing move for 4-3-3 Farke successor who has admirers at Elland Road

Also on our list of ten: captain fantastic Shreyas Iyer, Arshdeep boss-both-ends-of-the-innings Singh, and one Fraser-McGurk who offers a glimpse into the heady future of T20 batting

Nagraj Gollapudi21-Nov-202412:15

Pant? Rahul? Which Indian player will get the big bucks at the auction?

Rishabh Pant

Set 2: Marquee. Base price: INR 2 crore (USD ($ 237,000 approx.)On the morning of deadline day, Delhi Capitals were unable to close negotiations with their captain Rishabh Pant, who opted to head to the auction instead. Fans and experts alike believe he could be one of the most expensive players at this auction, crossing the INR 20-crore mark.Related

• Don't rule out a 25-crore buy at the IPL 2025 mega auction

• Who should MI and CSK right-to-match?

• IPL 2025 auction – Full list of 577 players

• Who will RCB and LSG use their right-to-match options on?

• Who should DC and GT use right-to-match options for?

Why is Pant that valuable? Measured purely in terms of his T20 numbers, Pant doesn’t stand out. Counted among the most dangerous batters in Test cricket already, Pant, who is 27, has won just eight Player-of-the-Match awards in his 111-match IPL career which started in 2016.But Pant has always made us expect something special or freakish, that’s his X-factor. Also, alongside DC, several franchises – Royal Challengers Bangalore, Punjab Kings, Lucknow Super Giants, Kolkata Knight Riders – are on the lookout for a captain. Pant doubles up as a wicketkeeper-batter, too, a skillset many teams have a vacancy for. DC have the option of buying him back via the right-to-match card (RTM). A top India player, a leadership option, a growing brand, and, importantly, a fan favourite – there is a lot that can drive Pant’s bids to escalate quickly.Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer are captaincy options for teams•BCCI

Shreyas Iyer

Set 1: Marquee. Base price: INR 2 crore ($ 237,000 approx.)Like Pant, Shreyas Iyer is a frontrunner to fill the captaincy role available at several franchises including KKR, whom he led to the IPL title last season. Shreyas was bought by KKR at the 2022 mega auction, the franchise staving off rival bids from four others (RCB, DC, LSG, GT) to secure his services for INR 12.25 crore. They appointed him captain straightaway. After missing the 2023 season with a back injury, Shreyas took charge last season and worked successfully with the leadership group led by current India coach Gautam Gambhir.While KKR were open to retaining him, Shreyas opted to head to auction; their talks failed over money. Having retained six players, KKR don’t have a RTM to buy Shreyas back. They will still keep the option of buying him back with a modest purse (INR 51 crore) open, but Shreyas the captain is also an attractive option for PBKS – who have the strongest purse going into the auction (INR 110.5 crore) – as well as DC (purse: INR 55 crore) and LSG (purse: INR 69 crore).Shreyas the batter is also a bankable option in the middle overs, and there are teams who will eye him for that role too.

Mitchell Starc

Set 1: Marquee. Base price: INR 2 crore ($ 237,000 approx.)Last time around, the multiple-World-Cup winner breezed past the record bid of INR 20.50 crore that SRH had minutes earlier made for Pat Cummins, making him momentarily the most expensive player bought at any IPL auction. KKR had broken the bank for Starc, spending 80% of their purse (INR 24.75 crore out of 32.7) on him.Quiet during the league phase, Starc burst through SRH in the two matches that mattered: Qualifier 1 and the final. On both occasions, Starc hurt their top order with fiery spells of fast bowling which included the early wickets of the red-hot form players Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma. Starc was the Player of the Match in both games.With his varied skills, Starc is equally impactful in the powerplay and death overs, the crucial phases where matches are predominantly won and lost in T20s. After the 2024 IPL final, Starc, who will be 35 next January, said that he would be focusing on franchise cricket in the last leg of his career – this means whoever signs him could see him as a three-year player.With his experience, teams will also look at Starc as a bowling leader and a mentor. No surprises then, if Starc ends up adding another million or two to his wallet.KL Rahul has had six 500-plus years in the IPL•BCCI

KL Rahul

Set 2: Marquee. Base price: INR 2 crore ($ 237,000 approx.)Since IPL 2018, KL Rahul has scored 500-plus runs in six seasons. The one time he didn’t, in 2023, he had missed the second half of LSG’s campaign having injured his quadricep. In comparison, Virat Kohli and David Warner, bonafide IPL legends, have had seven 500-plus aggregates though they started much earlier than Rahul. Despite the constant chatter around the manner of his batting and strike rate specifically, Rahul has stuck to his strengths and shown enough signs of improvement during his three-season stint at LSG.He opted to leave LSG, who are highly unlikely to trigger the RTM option for him. Rahul has dropped hints that he would be happy heading to RCB, where his IPL journey started in 2013. RCB are on the lookout for a captain and Rahul could be seen as a long-term leadership option. RCB also need a keeper-batter, a position Dinesh Karthik performed from 2022-24 before retiring last year.There are also several other teams that need an experienced top-order Indian batter-cum-wicketkeeper, which means Rahul could be in for a significant bid.

Jos Buttler

Set 1: Marquee. Base price: INR 2 crore ($ 237,000 approx.)Since the 2022 IPL season, among top-order batters, Jos Buttler is the fourth-highest run-maker with a strike rate of nearly 145. In the same period, Buttler is also the fourth-highest six-hitter (71). Buttler can both create pressure with the bat and release pressure by hitting the ball into areas not many others can, especially thanks to his dextrous wrist work.Buttler, who is 34, has had recent struggles with his calf but showed his batting powers have not diminished with a brutal 83 in his second T20I on return for England against West Indies, playing at No. 3. At Rajasthan Royals, where he played since 2018, Buttler played mainly as an opener.A T20-World Cup-winning captain, Buttler offers teams the leadership option too.

Arshdeep Singh

Set 1: Marquee. Base price: INR 2 crore (US $ 237,000 approx.)From IPL 2022 to 2024, only Bhuvneshwar Kumar (64) and T Natarajan (61) delivered more yorkers than Arshdeep (50) in the death overs. The yorker is a key weapon for a fast bowler in the final overs, with batters looking to hit boundaries every single delivery. Despite such pressure, Arshdeep has an economy rate of 5.76 for his yorkers – that is only slightly higher than Jasprit Bumrah’s 5.38 for his 49 yorkers.In the death overs in these seasons, Arshdeep has 28 wickets, which is the second-most after Harshal Patel (50). Arshdeep has also been effective in the powerplay, where his 24 wickets are the fourth-most since IPL 2022.On top of this ability to bowl at the start and the close of an innings, Arshdeep has proven himself to be a matchwinner at the international level – think back to the recent T20I series in South Africa.Arshdeep Singh has been impressive in the death overs•BCCI

Liam Livingstone

Set 2: Marquee. Base price: INR 2 crore (US $ 237,000 approx.)Even in the noisy world of T20, some bats make a distinct noise. One of them belongs to England’s batting allrounder Liam Livingstone, who can bludgeon the ball hard and far. And usually, he will flex his muscle in the second half of the innings: in the last three IPL seasons, Livingstone’s strike rate of 191.66 (575 runs in 21 innings) is behind only India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav (193.85, with 789 runs in 26 innings). Third on this list is Heinrich Klaasen at 182.40 (757 runs in 24 innings).Livingstone also has the unique ability to switch between wrist- and fingerspin in the same over: he can bowl legbreaks or dart in sliders based on the match-up. Because of those factors, he earned INR 11.5 crore at the 2022 mega auction despite his bid coming on the second day. In 2025, it will be the first time Livingstone will be a part of the marquee set at an IPL auction. A power-hitting allrounder is always a popular buy in the IPL, and with PBKS having a RTM option and a strong purse, Livingstone’s price could once again escalate quickly.

Ishan Kishan

Set 5: Wicketkeeper (1). Base price: INR 2 crore (US $ 237,000 approx.)At the previous mega auction, in 2022, India’s wicketkeeper-batter Kishan was the most expensive buy with Mumbai Indians paying INR 15.25 crore ($2.033 million approx.) for him. Four teams were keen on him (skillset: left-hand opening batter-cum-wicketkeeper). PBKS got things started, followed by GT, and eventually MI sealed it after a stiff bidding contest with SRH.Kishan’s returns that season were poor, but in the last two years he has shown vast improvement – especially in the powerplay. In 2023, when MI made the playoffs, Kishan struck at a strike rate of nearly 145 (scoring 333 runs in 15 innings). In 2024, where MI finished bottom of the table, Kishan’s strike rate in the powerplay was over 161 (239 runs in 13 innings). Across the last two IPL seasons, Kishan is the third-highest run-maker in the powerplay (572 runs in 28 innings), and his strike rate of 151.32 is ninth highest.A left-hand opening batter is something several teams would desire. Add wicketkeeping to that, and the fact that he has age on his side (Kishan is 26), and you know you could have another bidding war coming up.

Phil Salt

Set 5: Wicketkeeper (1). Base price: INR 2 crore ($ 237,000 approx.)Sunil Narine was the undisputed MVP last season, but the KKR great would acknowledge much of his batting success was owed to his opening partner Phil Salt, who displayed some blistering stroke play.Since 2022, only Travis Head has a higher strike rate than Salt in the first six overs in T20s (min. 1000 runs), although Head has played far fewer matches. In 131 innings, Salt has scored 2450 runs at a strike rate of 163.77.Salt’s strength is dealing in boundaries, virtually every ball. In IPL 2024, Salt’s balls-per-boundary count was 2.61 (in 15 innings). Only Jake Fraser-McGurk, the young Australian who opened for DC, had a better count at 2.04, though he batted in just nine innings. Salt was also second in the balls-per-six count at 8.77, behind Fraser-McGurk’s phenomenal 5.05.Salt has shown his electric starts can contribute to a title-winning run. Moreover, he is now a regular wicketkeeper for England.Jake Fraser-McGurk sparkled in his first IPL season in 2024•Getty Images

Jake Fraser-McGurk

Set 3: Batter (1). Base price: INR 2 crore (US $ 237,000 approx.)This might seem like an outrageous pick. But outrageous is also the apt word for Fraser-McGurk’s batting in IPL 2024, his maiden season. With a baseball batter’s stance, Fraser-McGurk, 22, blasted bowlers of all kinds and provided powerful starts to DC in the powerplay. Owner of the fastest century in List A cricket – which he reached in 29 balls, two fewer than AB de Villiers against West Indies – Fraser-McGurk announced himself in the IPL by smashing 15-ball half-centuries twice.One came against MI, on a sweltering day in Delhi, when he went on to score 84 off 27. This included hitting Jasprit Bumrah for a six first ball, followed by a four and then another four off the final delivery of that over, making it the most expensive by Bumrah (18 runs).He remains a batter still being moulded, but Fraser-McGurk has already showcased, in his small sample size, the fast evolution of T20 batting – especially T20 powerplay batting. Dating back to IPL 2022, Fraser-McGurk has the best balls-per-boundary (2.04) and best balls-per-six (5.95) count in the first six overs. His strike rate of 250.94 is the highest for any batter to have played two or more overs in the powerplay last season.He struggled for form in white-ball cricket after the IPL, but recently showed he still has what it takes by carting Shaheen Afridi – again, showing the guts to take on the best of the best – for 18 runs in an over in a T20I.With franchises on the lookout for batters who can provide electric starts, Fraser-McGurk has the potential to earn some good money.

The Blue Jays saw their World Series title dreams end on a cruel double play in the 11th inning of Game 7's loss to the Dodgers, a heartbreaking finish for Toronto that will likely haunt the franchise for quite some time.

The Blue Jays had their best chance of clinching it in the ninth, when pinch runner Isiah Kiner-Falefa came mere inches away from what would have been a walk-off game-winning run. Two innings later, Toronto found themselves down 5-4 and couldn't get the break they needed against Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamomoto, and Los Angeles went on to win their back-to-back World Series championship.

After the loss, Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was seen sitting in the dugout by himself, as he was the last player to leave. It made for quite the lonely picture of the $500 million man who once seemed like he could lead Toronto to baseball's biggest prize this October:

Fox's cameras also caught Guerrero wiping away tears immediately following the 5-4 loss in an emotional moment:

Suffice to say, Blue Jays fans at Rogers Centre who were praying for their first title since 1993 were feeling the same way.

Entering Saturday night's do-or-die matchup, Guerrero reportedly had a simple message for his teammates, who may have been feeling jittery ahead of the elimination game. Guerrero said, "If you're nervous tonight, look at me." He showed poise and leadership when his team needed it most, and made some impressive postseason franchise history with his bat in the process, but ultimately came painfully short of closing out a championship run for the Blue Jays.

"I got to be very thankful, very grateful for our fans, for the city," Guerrero told reporters postgame. "I'm sorry, because we couldn't give that title that we know the entire city wants."