Over the past few months, Playground Productions has been busy bringing Pablo Sanchez, Stephanie Morgan and the beloved video game franchise back to Eckman Acres and the rest of the neighborhood ballparks.

While the old classics continue to be rereleased, a next-generation video game is on the way.

Playground Productions recently told that the new video game project, which will be officially announced later Tuesday, is "deep in production." While the featured sport of the new game is unknown and the release date has yet to be announced, Playground Productions CEO Lindsay Barnett and chief product officer Chris Waters have a specific vision for how it will look.

"Being able to be in position to bring back a franchise that I love, I want to make sure that we are putting in the work to bring back that nostalgic feel," Barnett said in an exclusive interview with . "And make it authentic to the people who loved it in the 1990s. That’s definitely the design language and what we’re going for [in the new game]. … We want to make sure this game is accessible for little kids who want to play this and also [difficult enough for] adults who want to play it."

The franchise's original video game, , was created by Humongous Entertainment in 1997, introducing the world to an iconic cast of 30 fictional kids. Over the next few years, the franchise added soccer, football, basketball and hockey games to its repertoire and partnered with the MLS, NFL, NBA, WNBA, NHL and MLB to feature professional athletes in the games as the kid versions of themselves.

After the brand fell silent for about a decade, Playground Productions purchased the publishing rights and initially announced its intent to reboot the franchise in August. On Oct. 10—exactly 27 years after the game's initial drop—the original was rereleased and opened as the top-ranked sports video game on Steam.

The next-generation project currently in production will mark the franchise's first new release since 2015, although it'll feel more like the original classics when the series was at its peak.

"What we can say is we are eternally grateful for the Humungous Entertainment team and the legacy they left, especially those early games in terms of the design language, in terms of the accessibility, in terms of how could be played by everybody," Waters said. "There was so much love in terms of the animation, in terms of the design. And then it drifted in later years. We really want to pay homage to those early games in terms of the look. … So we’re not going to stray too far from what we think makes those games really special to fans."

Playground Productions has yet to disclose if professional sports leagues and athletes will be featured in the next-generation game under development.

"We have these 30 characters, plus our announcers, that we want to showcase," Waters said. "And so first and foremost, that’s our priority. In terms of other partnerships, whether it’s professional athletes, whether it’s leagues, those are conversations we’re excited to have."

"We want to make sure that it’s a really authentic experience for our fans," Barnett said. "We also have a good understanding of what people loved about the original games. The greatest road map that we have as producers and creators of this next iteration of this franchise is taking a look at what worked in the past and making it even better for the future."

The story behind the reboot

Revamping the franchise has been the dream of Barnett, the founder and CEO of Playground Productions, for many years. Like millions of other kids in the 1990s and early aughts, she grew up an avid player of the video games.

But even Barnett didn't know she'd actually be able to bring it back to the mainstream.

When the global pandemic struck in 2020, Barnett was a public school teacher in Chicago. Adjusting to life as a full-time remote teacher, she noticed many books that she would read to her students were getting turned into television shows and movies on streaming platforms. That reinvigorated her long-term goal to create a children's and family production company, and the chase to track down Pablo Sanchez and the series began.

It didn't come easy. Rights to the franchise changed hands so many times over the last decade-plus that it became quite the unexpected scavenger hunt.

"It became a much bigger journey," Barnett said. "I thought it was going to be something you could Google search and get an answer to who owns the brand. It wasn’t that simple. I wound up hiring a private investigator to track down the rights. Six months later, the PI came back and said we found the rights to this. It began a very long negotiation and relationship with the former owners. It was really crazy that was the process of getting this—didn’t think I was going to become Nancy Drew."

While Barnett worked to find the rights, the games gained media attention earlier this year when former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce mentioned to his brother Travis Kelce on their podcast that he was determined to bring back the series. That news excited the massive fan base, but at the time, Barnett was still trying to cross the goal line on her acquisition.

"It’s actually really funny," Barnett said. "Every friend or family that knew of the journey I was on was reaching out being like, 'Did you see Jason and Travis talking about on the podcast?' And I was like, 'I haven’t signed the deal yet, guys. I need to close this!' It was so nerve-wracking for me. The sellers were amazing and, ultimately, were true to what they said they were going to do.

"Jason and Travis are awesome fans of the brand. … It’s so fun to see all of the professional athletes who are at the top of their games who are reaching out and saying how much they love this brand."

Add Kansas City Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. to that group. Before Playground Productions officially announced the relaunch of the franchise, they wanted to plant a bat during MLB Players Weekend in August. Witt, in the midst of his first career All-Star season this summer, took them up on the offer and used a Pablo Sanchez-themed bat in a game against the Cincinnati Reds.

And, of course, he homered.

A few days later, Playground Productions made its highly anticipated announcement.

"It just felt like destiny, the timing of everything coming together," Waters said. "Bobby is such a great ambassador for baseball and is such an incredible young player. Just an example of how much this game captured the imagination and probably inspired a lot of these guys to go play baseball."

Despite there not being a renowned video game newly released in nearly two decades, the fan base lived on. Before the Playground Productions relaunch, there were online communities that continued to play the games together in Discord leagues or live streamed classic game play on Twitch. Mega Cat Studios, the developer in both the rereleases and the new game currently in production, hired some of those engineers who would mod the game in their free time.

Between those developers, Barnett—the self-described obsessive fan—and Waters—who sports a Pablo Sanchez tattoo—it's clear the long-absent franchise has found the right owners. This relaunch is run for fans, by fans.

"Every single ambitious and optimistic dream has been exceeded because of this brand," Barnett said. "And that’s really the power of Pablo and Sunny Day and Pete and our developers. They have done such an amazing job. We just can’t imagine this getting any better. But it just seems to be getting better every day."

Other developments

In addition to the new game currently in production, Playground Productions is officially rereleasing on Nov. 27. Just like the relaunch in October, will be available for purchase on Steam and via Steam Deck.

Four more titles—, , and —will follow suit in the future.

Playground Productions is also working on making the rereleased games mobile-accessible, bringing the beloved PC games to phones and tablets in the near future. They are also about to go into production on an animated project that will be available to watch in 2025.

"Right out of the gate, I think what the fans said is we love this game, we want this game back, and we want more of it," Waters said. "We’re working on the games but other verticals in entertainment and animation. I think it’s made us even more bullish about our future and what the appetite is for content."

Southern Brave 161 for 6 (Wolvaardt 36, Bouchier 34, Franklin 2-28) beat Oval Invincibles 72 (Villiers 3-17) by 89 runs Southern Brave produced a devastating all-round performance to inflict a record-breaking 89-run defeat on Oval Invincibles at Utilita Bowl to maintain their 100 per cent record and move top of the table.Set 162 for victory, the Invincibles could only muster 72, never recovering from a two-wicket burst by Sophie Devine (2 for 15) in her opening set, the Kiwi castling Meg Lanning with a peach before sending Lauren Winfield-Hill on her way three balls later.When Lauren Bell (2 for 11) struck with consecutive deliveries, utilising the short ball to great effect to induce edges from Alice Capsey and Paige Scholfield, the visitors slumped to 28 for 4 and they were eventually skittled in 83 balls, Mady Villiers picking up 3 for 17 with her off-breaks.Earlier, England duo Maia Bouchier and Danni Wyatt-Hodge put on an opening stand of 59 after Brave were asked to bat, Bouchier the main aggressor in her innings of 34 from 23 before picking out Scholfield at deep mid-wicket to give Tash Farrant the breakthrough.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Wyatt-Hodge (26 from 24) was clean bowled by a Phoebe Franklin slower delivery but Laura Wolvaardt kept up the momentum, the South African cruising to a 19-ball 36 including a slog-swept six off Amanda-Jade Wellington but the Aussie leg-spinner had her revenge next ball when Lanning held on to a catch at extra-cover.Freya Kemp was involved in a mix-up which saw Devine run out for 19 but the England starlet made amends with a sparky cameo, smashing two sixes in her 11-ball 24 to post a target which was well beyond the Invincibles’ reach and set up a fifth straight victory for the 2023 champions.Meerkat Match Hero Sophie Devine, who picked up the award for a third game straight at Utilita Bowl, said: “I feel a bit embarrassed because today was a great team performance and there were so many people who should be standing here instead of me. Today was exceptional from this group and I’m really proud of everyone.”The great thing about this group is we’ve spoken at length about different plans and having the ability to be able to execute that is something I’ve found incredibly impressive. That should stand us in good stead come the important part of this tournament.”For us there’s a great focus on each and every game. We’ve got some tough games coming up but we’ll celebrate our success here today. It was a comprehensive win but we certainly know we’ve got a big job to finish off this competition strongly.”

Wrexham CEO Michael Williamson has explained why Ryan Reynolds, Rob Mac and the rest of the club’s board are already planning for life in the Premier League. The Red Dragons have enjoyed a meteoric rise under Hollywood co-owners and continue to make no secret of the fact that their ultimate objective is to deliver top-flight football to the Racecourse Ground.

History makers: Record run of promotions for Wrexham

A historic run of three successive promotions, lifting them out of the National League and into the Championship, has the Welsh outfit needed to take just one more step up the ladder in order to reach the big time. Big money has been invested while chasing that dream.

The odd stumble has been endured this season – with the second tier presenting more problems than the third, fourth and fifth did – but Phil Parkinson’s side are aiming high and cannot be written out of the top-six picture just yet.

Play-off heartache has been endured in the past, but Wrexham are prepared to tread that path again if necessary. They have cleared every hurdle placed in front of them so far and remain confident that they can be competitive among the elite once a standing at that level is secured.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALUltimate target: Premier League now within reach

Ambitious projects on and off the pitch are being lined up, with Williamson telling of how Wrexham are preparing for a Premier League future: “I think during pre-season, before we had announced a lot of players, I made the comment that I want us to be competitive. I want us to be in and around a play-off spot, which if you're sitting 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, you can see how tight this league is and how many points make the difference between that.

“I felt if we were in that kind of position in the table, that if we gave ourselves a chance to make a run for a play-off spot and then ultimately if we were in the play-offs, with the momentum we have and the mentality that this group has and the mentality that our supporters have, I know we haven't done historically well in play-offs but I felt that this was one of those situations where I wouldn't put anything by us.

“The objective was to be competitive and to show that we could go toe-to-toe with any club in the Championship and so far this season, that's what you've seen. In fact, I'd argue that you could see us with several more points if you look at some of the matches where we've had leads that we've given it up for a draw or even starting from the very first one at Southampton where we gave up a goal in the 89th and the 95th minute to lose three points or even one point there.

“I think we could definitely be higher in the table than we are today but the important part is that we've shown that it doesn't matter which club we're playing against in this league, we can go to toe-to-toe with anyone and come out ahead of it.

“From my perspective now, how do we build on and off the pitch to prepare ourselves for when that time comes that we do arrive to the Premier League? It's ultimately our objective, I think everyone is clear of that by now.”

Ambitious plans: Wrexham ready for the top-flight

Williamson added on the Red Dragons facing every challenge head on: “It will be interesting to see where this ends up at the end of the season but for us, we need to be ready whether it's the end of this season, the season after that, or the season after that.

“We need to be prepared on and off the pitch for what it means to arrive to the Premier League because as much of a step up, with challenges both on and off the pitch, that it was going from League One to the Championship – and it is a massive step – it's an even larger, more significant step from the Championship to the Premier League in all those areas.

“It's just making sure that we are in the best position possible so that when we do arrive, just like we did when we were in League One when we arrived at the Championship, that we were in a place where we could build off the foundations and be prepared for it. It's the same thing we're trying to do for when we arrive in the Premier League.”

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GettyWrexham 2025-26: League standing, points total & next fixture

Wrexham have reached the third international break of the 2025-26 campaign sat 13th in the Championship table. They have picked up 21 points from 15 games, leaving them only four adrift of the play-offs in what is a congested division.

The odd question has been asked of Parkinson’s methods this term, despite all that has been achieved during his tenure, and he will be looking to silence more doubters when the Red Dragons return to action on November 22 with a trip to Ipswich.

Tottenham Hotspur have some painful attacking teething problems under Thomas Frank. Everything is relative, and there are variables at play, but the struggle to impress on the playmaking front is becoming an unwelcome narrative for the club this season.

But that aside, there is also the sense that purses may need to be pulled out for a new centre-forward in 2026. It feels like Richarlison’s days are numbered at number nine, and Dominic Solanke hasn’t fared all that well since his £55m move from Bournemouth last year, too often injured and too often unconvincing.

Both strikers are 28 years old, and while service has proved thin in recent months, Tottenham will need to consider their options in January.

There is another solution, of course. Randal Kolo Muani appears to have replaced Richarlison as Frank’s first-choice frontman, having started two games in a row in the Premier League.

But, unless a formula is discovered to support him, the Frenchman’s season-long loan spell is going to be a forgettable one.

Randal Kolo Muani's opportunity to shine

Tottenham have more than their share of issues at the moment. It’s an interesting one. They are more stable with Frank at the helm, competitive at the upper end of the Premier League and unbeaten on their return to the Champions League, three games in.

But we cannot ignore the depletion of creativity that has left things feeling rather pedestrian, and even with James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski sidelined since the start of the campaign and a distance away from returning, there is much to improve upon down N17.

Kolo Muani has not scored or assisted across his six outings in a Spurs shirt so far, and the 26-year-old may well feel somewhat aggrieved by the lack of service that came his way against Chelsea, taking only 16 touches across 76 minutes of action, creating a chance and getting stuck in but failing to unleash a single shot (as per Sofascore).

One content creator acknowledged the Les Bleus star for his exciting, progressive efforts when on the ball. However, such efforts were, as stated, few and far between, and he said it “must be absolutely horrible playing up front for this team”.

(1) Crystal Palace

13

18.2

(2) Man City

18

17.8

(3) Man United

15

17.5

(4) Chelsea

18

17.1

(5) Arsenal

18

16.9

(=5) Liverpool

18

16.9

(15) Tottenham

16

10.1

Tottenham don’t create enough chances, and this is impeding Kolo Muani in his desire to get going in white. However, given that he’s only here for the season, it’s unlikely a permanent deal would be explored if things continue as they are.

Especially when the Lilywhites have an exciting up-and-comer making his way toward the surface.

The Spurs talent who could end Kolo Muani's stay

Tottenham have long boasted one of the most efficient production lines in Europe, and Mason Melia is set to make his way as the latest in this long line of hopefuls.

However, while the pathway from youth to professional football is long and treacherous, Melia is regarded as a rising star with the potential to nail down a place under Frank’s wing, with The Athletic’s Connor O’Neill saying he’s “easily the best young talent I have seen in the League of Ireland”.

The 18-year-old striker has already played 98 senior matches for St. Patrick’s Athletic, scoring 25 goals and registering eight assists. Across the 2024/25 campaign, he posted 14 goals and four assists. As a Republic of Ireland U21 international, he has bagged three goals from just four caps so far.

Both confident in front of goal and athletic enough to drive into the danger area himself, not reliant on his creative teammates, Melia could provide a tonic to Spurs’ current tactical pecadillos, lacking as they are in attack.

He is very young, of course, and could hardly be expected to waltz in and prove an instant upgrade on an established European star like Kolo Muani, but Harry Kane proved in the past that a young striker stands a chance of succeeding where senior peers fail.

Tottenham signed the teenager earlier in 2025 for a record-breaking £3m fee, making him the most expensive footballer to leave Ireland’s top flight. However, he has yet to wear the Spurs shirt in a professional capacity, having agreed to leave his homeland in January 2026.

St. Pat’s’ Young Player of the Year last season, he is widely regarded as one of the most exciting talents in Irish football, with his touch and speed and awareness in the final third all suggesting he has the bearing of a Premier League-level striker.

Given the paucity of reliable options in the final third at Tottenham right now, and with Richarlison among those slated to leave next year, Melia could find himself fast-tracked under Frank’s wing, earning regular opportunities in the first team and potentially even outperforming someone like Kolo Muani, who must continue adapting to the English game himself.

Tottenham might need to play the waiting game for now, but with Melia set to arrive in just a few months, he may find himself earning a string of opportunities before the end of the campaign.

And should he impress as if talent suggests is within his capacity, then it’s hardly out of the question to imagine that Melia could be leading the line in the not-too-distant future.

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علق مجيد بو قرة، المدير الفني لمنتخب الجزائر المشارك في كأس العرب، على الخسارة أمام مصر، في مباراة ودية أقيمت اليوم، الجمعة.

وكان منتخب مصر المشارك في كأس العرب قد حقق الفوز على الجزائر بنتيجة 3-2 في الودية الأولى التي أقيمت ضمن برنامج الإعداد للبطولة.

وقال بو قرة في تصريحات لقناة “أون سبورت”: “كل شيء كان ممتازًا، من الجيد جدًا أن أعود لاستاد القاهرة، لدينا ذكريات جميلة هنا، المباراة كانت جيدة جدًا للفريقين، المستوى كان مرتفعًا خاصة من الجانب المصري”.

طالع | تعديل موعد مباراة مصر والجزائر الودية بسبب المنتخب الأول

وتابع: “كان من المهم أن أواجه المنتخب المصري قبل بطولة كأس العرب، لأن مصر لديها فريق جماعي ممتاز ويتحركون بشكل جيد كما أنهم أقوياء للغاية وذوي مهارات عالية”.

وأضاف: “التجربة كانت مثالية، ولنرى ما هي نقاط الضعف المتواجدة لدينا، المباراة كانت صعبة على الفريقين”.

وكشف: “أغلب المنتخبات ستشارك بالفريق الأول مثل السعودية وقطر والإمارات والعراق والبحرين، فقط المنتخبات الإفريقية لن تشارك بالمنتخب الأول مثل مصر والجزائر وتونس والمغرب وليبيا إذا تأهلت، علينا أن نضم اللاعبين الذين لم يذهبوا لكأس أمم إفريقيا”.

واختتم: “الأمور تحتاج إلى الكثير من التحضير، عندما تكون حامل اللقب يصبح الأمر صعبًا، لأن كل المنتخبات تريد التفوق عليك وكل الفرق ستكون أكثر تركيزًا أمامنا لمحاولة التفوق علينا”.

Just five days after the transfer window slammed shut the shock news emerged from Tottenham Hotspur that Daniel Levy would be leaving the club.

It’s the end of an era and whatever you say about the former chairman’s stint at Spurs, he did deliver success. Under his watch, a remarkably impressive new stadium was built, they reached a Champions League final and won the Europa League. Not bad, really, eh?

Sadly, the Lilywhites have largely always been the bridesmaid rather than the bride. They’ve failed to soar to the next level but under Thomas Frank they will hope things change.

Perhaps a big £100m investment could help? Last week, it was announced that ENIC, which, before this transaction, owned nearly 86.91% of Spurs, have provided £100m in new funding to Spurs. The sum has been provided to ENIC via the Lewis family trust which did own 70% of ENIC and 61% of Spurs.

Essentially, ENIC have provided the cash in exchange for shares, increasing its ownership stake in the club, increasing its percentage in Tottenham Hotspur to 87.62%.

The Athletic understand that the £100m may not be added to a transfer war chest, but extra investment can’t he a hindrance. Perhaps there will be some extra room for manoeuvre in the transfer window anyway.

Will a Harry Kane return come about as a result?

Could Harry Kane return to Spurs?

When Kane left north London behind in August 2023, he did so with the blessing of the fanbase.

The club could not provide him with the silverware he craved and so he departed for Bayern Munich having scored 280 times in 435 outings, making him the club’s all-time record goalscorer.

Spurs

435

280

England

107

74

Bayern

106

103

Millwall

27

9

Orient

18

5

Leicester

15

2

Norwich

5

0

Since heading to Germany, he has taken his game to a whole new level and is now in the conversation to win the Ballon d’Or next year, currently ranking as the fourth favourite to take home the award.

Why? Well, the England skipper has been in remarkable form during 2025/26. He has scored a mind-boggling 18 goals in just ten fixtures, cementing himself as the most prolific forward on the planet.

Despite that, there is a hope that one day he will return to Spurs. Reports in recent months have suggested that they were ready to launch a bid to re-sign their former striker if given encouragement by the player.

Kane’s currrent deal in Germany ends in 2027 and there is a release clause of £56.7m that could reportedly be activated next summer.

Sadly for Spurs supporters, the player could look to extend his terms. Speaking to the press last week, the centre forward commented: “In terms of staying longer I could definitely see that. I have not had those conversations with Bayern yet but if they were to arise I would be willing to talk and have an honest conversation.”

It’s safe to say Frank could certainly do with Kane. While the former Brentford boss has made Spurs look like a more organised and defensively sound outfit, they are struggling to score goals.

Four players hold the honour of being the club’s top scorer this term, with Joao Palhinha, Brennan Johnson, Richarlison and Micky van de Ven all level on three. That rather says it all, really.

That being said, by the time Kane’s deal at Bayern ends, he will be 34. Younger legs will be required.

The Harry Kane alternative Spurs must sign

Bringing back their record scorer to the club would be an incredible way for ENIC to begin the post-Levy era but it’s perhaps not the smartest use of their funds.

A striker will likely be signed within the next year but they must not neglect the flanks either. That’s where Bournemouth talisman, Antoine Semenyo, comes in.

Transfer Focus

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

Far-fetched? Quite possibly, but reports emerged last week indicating that Spurs were preparing a move to sign the winger in January, with Frank allegedly making it clear that he is “the perfect fit” for his team.

Few would find a reason not to sign Semenyo in 2026. Erling Haaland aside, he has been the best player in the Premier League this season, scoring six goals and registering three assists in his seven outings to date.

The wide forward has taken his game to a whole new level. In 2024/25, he exited the campaign having scored 13, 11 of which came in the league. He’s currently on course to obliterate that record, rubberstamping precisely why every top side in the division, Spurs included, should be looking to sign him next year.

In the words of former Spurs and England star, Chris Waddle, Semenyo is now “definitely the best winger in England right now”.

Predominantly preferred off the right flank, Mohammed Kudus may not be too pleased about this signing but the summer arrival has the skillset to play off the left and through the middle too.

One has to say; the thought of Kudus, Spurs’ “player of the season” in the words of reporter Alasdair Gold, linking up with Semenyo is a scary thought indeed.

It would, of course, be scary to see him linking up with Kane but that feels like a pipe dream right now. Semenyo is certainly more realistic and he could use Kudus’ marvellous creativity to take him to even greater heights.

Both representing Ghana at international level, there is a pre-existing relationship there both on and off the field.

Kane is every supporter’s dream but Semenyo would be an incredible signing. There is a reason both Liverpool and Arsenal are reportedly interested in his services.

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The summer of 2023 was a landmark period for Arsenal. It signalled the arrival of a certain Declan Rice no less.

The midfielder arrived in a club-record £105m move. The Gunners had beaten Manchester City to his services, thus securing the talents of one of England’s finest players of his generation.

Since he moved across London from West Ham to Islington, there has still been a feeling that Arsenal have missed a player of the calibre of a certain Granit Xhaka.

Over the last year, in particular, Rice has eradicated memories of the Swiss warrior but their Arsenal stories are woven together.

The year Rice arrived, Xhaka left and in perhaps peculiar circumstances. The veteran had just enjoyed the finest individual campaign of his time at the Emirates Stadium, scoring nine goals in all competitions.

No longer was he the defensive midfielder that a great Arsene Wenger once signed. He was now a goalscoring number 8.

After departing, Xhaka enjoyed a fabulous time under Xabi Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen, where he won the Bundesliga but he’s now back in England and proving to be one of the signings of the summer.

How Xhaka inspired Sunderland to a draw with Arsenal

Over the last few years the newly promoted teams have been swept aside without so much as a noise. To put it frankly, they’ve been terrible.

However, Sunderland are bucking that trend. Ahead of Sunday’s fixtures in the Premier League, they sat fourth in the table and a large reason for that has been the performances of Xhaka.

The Switzerland midfielder signed for the Mackems in a £17m deal back in the summer and was swiftly made club captain. His displays since then have been admirable.

Sky Sports analyst and Sunderland supporter Dougie Critchley went as far as to say he is the “best player” he’s ever seen in the famous red and white strips after his goal against Everton last week.

While Xhaka did not find the net against Arsenal on Saturday, it was another fine display from Sunderland’s tempo-setting midfielder.

Xhaka is a warrior, a leader of men and he demonstrated that by completing 90% of his passes, winning four of his five ground duels and completing seven clearances this weekend.

Minutes played

90

Touches

57

Accurate passes

35/39 (90%)

Key passes

0

Shots

0

Fouled

1x

Tackles won

2

Interceptions

1

Clearances

7

Recoveries

1

Ground duels won

4/5

Aerial duels won

1/1

Dan Ballard and Brian Brobbey made the headlines but Xhaka issued Arsenal a timely reminder of his qualities.

Up against Rice and Martin Zubimendi, Arsenal’s midfield pairing exudes similar qualities but they aren’t the only men in Mikel Arteta’s ranks who bring a Xhaka-like presence to the squad.

Chalkboard

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

Arsenal's Granit Xhaka of 2025

The date is 28th October 2019. Unai Emery has chosen to substitute club captain, Xhaka. The response from Arsenal supporters inside the Emirates Stadium was remarkable.

He was booed and jeered as he left the field, which sparked an eyebrow-raising reaction from the Swiss. He cupped his ear, asked for more and then chucked the captain’s armband on the floor.

It was not a surprise to see that he was stripped of the captaincy just ten days later.

Speaking about the incident back in 2023, Xhaka labelled the situation as a “nightmare”. “The passports were out. I was done with Arsenal”, he said.

He ultimately stayed and enjoyed a remarkable change in fortunes under Arteta. The Spaniard turned him into a more forward-thinking midfield and after a hellish first few years in London, enjoyed a fabulous 2022/23 season, in particular.

That was the year Xhaka scored nine times and provided seven assists in all competitions.

The 33-year-old was still a vocal presence on the pitch and while he didn’t possess the armband, he still felt like a captain on the pitch. In the present day, the same could be said of defender Gabriel Magalhaes.

While the Brazilian hasn’t fallen out with supporters since moving from Lille in a £27m move, their Arsenal careers certainly have parallels.

Gabriel headed to London as an exciting talent but he was still incredibly raw. He showcased that during his first few years in English football.

The centre-back was rash and truth be told, a bit error-prone. Rio Ferdinand was particularly scathing of the defender back in 2022.

It was an incident that led to a DM exchange between Gabriel and Ferdinand and since that moment, he has gone from strength to strength.

Like Xhaka in his early days at Arsenal, the big Brazil international was a bit of an accident waiting to happen but they both enjoyed remarkable comebacks.

In the words of Jamie Carragher, Gabriel is now “the most influential player in the Premier League” this season and is in with a real shout of winning the PFA Player of the Year award if the Gunners win the league.

The defender has been a colossal presence in the heart of Arteta’s backline, a true “monster” as per pundit Troy Deeney. He’s a giant at the back, composed with the ball at his feet and has made a rather ridiculous impact from set-pieces.

So far this season, Gabriel has scored two goals and supplied three assists. Since joining in 2020, no centre-back in Europe’s top five leagues has scored more goals than him (22).

Like Xhaka, he’s also now one of the strongest commanders of men in the squad. He’s captained Arsenal on several occasions now and to quote Carragher once more, he is “the leader” in Arteta’s backline.

A midfielder he may not be, but he is certainly like Xhaka in plenty of ways. From being riddled with mistakes to becoming a cult hero at the Emirates, the parallels are certainly there.

The New York Mets signed free agent Juan Soto during the offseason, luring him to Queens with little more than a 15-year, $765 million deal. f that sounds like a lot, well, it is. And not just because it's the largest contract in sports history.

It also dwarfs the amount that 22 other teams combined to pay free agents this winter. Yes, more than two-thirds of the league combined. That's how much the Mets spent on Soto. ESPN's Jeff Passan spelled it out in a column on Tuesday.

Soto will account for $51,875,000 of the Mets' MLB-leading $301,950,000 payroll this season. The Marlins are currently on the books for just $43,630,000 this coming season. The Athletics are one more firesale away from dropping below Soto's figure as well.

And don't count out the White Sox moving Andrew Benintendi or Luis Robert Jr. to fall behind Soto either. Those are the only players on their roster who will make more than $6 million this season. The Mets have 13 players making more than that in 2025.

What's the point of being a billionaire owner if you're not going to spend like one?

The New York Yankees have had a busy offseason acquiring big stars to load their roster for the 2025 season. Some of those players include pitcher Max Fried from the Atlanta Braves, outfielder Cody Bellinger from the Chicago Cubs, first baseman Paul Goldschmidt from the St. Louis Cardinals and pitcher Devin Williams from the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Yankees released photos on Tuesday showing these news stars wearing the pinstripes. For some fans, it was their first time seeing the players in the iconic uniforms. However, fans did get to see Fried in the uniform last week when the pitcher arrived at the team's training facility in Florida.

This might be a weird sight for MLB fans.

Fans will get to see these four players, along with the other Yankees superstars like Aaron Judge and Gerrit Cole, in the Spring Training uniforms starting on Friday, Feb. 21. Otherwise, fans will have to wait to see the stars in the famed New York uniforms until the regular season starts on Thursday, March 27.

Sri Lanka went into the game unchanged after Dunith Wellalage re-joined the team

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Sep-2025Bangladesh won the toss and decided to bowl, as the Asia Cup Super Fours stage kicked off in Dubai. Chasing sides have a 70% win record at this venue and that played a big part in Litton Das’ decision. He also added that he was a little “confused” by how the wicket would behave.Sri Lanka are a side that prefers to chase in general, and Charith Asalanka said as much though, with this being a used pitch, he’s not too bothered by batting first.Sri Lanka have gone with an unchanged XI with Dunith Wellalage rejoining the team after leaving for home following his father’s death. Bangladesh have made two changes with Mahedi Hasan and Shoriful Islam coming back into the side. Offspinner Mahedi’s return is presumably to combat Sri Lanka’s left-hander heavy batting line-up.Related

Bereaved Dunith Wellalage rejoins SL squad in Dubai

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Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar during the pitch report noted that while the potential of dew means chasing might be easier, if it doesn’t come in and the pitch continues to get drier, that equation could change. In terms of ground dimensions, one square boundary is shorter than the other.Sri Lanka: 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Kusal Mendis (wk), 3 Kamil Mishara, 4 Kusal Perera, 5 Charith Asalanka (capt), 6 Kamindu Mendis, 7 Dasun Shanaka, 8 Wanindu Hasaranga, 9 Dunith Wellalage, 10 Dushmantha Chameera, 11 Nuwan ThusharaBangladesh: 1 Saif Hassan, 2 Tanzid Hasan, 3 Litton Das (capt & wk), 4 Towhid Hridoy, 5 Jaker Ali, 6 Shamim Hossain, 7 Mahedi Hasan, 8 Rishad Hossain, 9 Taskin Ahmed, 10 Shoriful Islam, 11 Mustafizur Rahman.