Welcome to Dev's Digest, the Sky Sports column where award‑winning journalist Dev Trehan brings you exclusive updates and thoughtful commentary on the most significant stories affecting British South Asians in football. For the best viewing experience, we recommend using the Chrome browser to access the embedded video player.
The second half of the World Cup coincided with South Asian Heritage Month in the United Kingdom, providing a perfect backdrop for celebrating two pioneering figures who appeared together on the Sky Sports News studio. Our long‑standing transfers analyst Dharmesh Sheth, a fixture on the channel for more than two decades and a trailblazer for under‑represented voices in sports media, was joined by New Zealand international forward Sarpreet Singh. Singh, fresh from a recent transfer to Portuguese side Farense, made history at the 2026 World Cup by becoming the first player of Indian descent to start a match in the tournament. "When the squad was announced and I saw my name, it was an incredibly proud moment for me and my family," Singh told Sky Sports News.
"I feel privileged to be the first Indian and the first Punjabi to step onto a World Cup pitch. The support I receive from fans around the globe is overwhelming, and I see it as a huge honour. I’m ready to face the challenges that come with that responsibility and to represent my community as best I can." The segment also highlighted Singh’s childhood idol, Didier Drogba. Growing up in New Zealand, Singh would often wake up in the middle of the night to watch the Ivorian legend play for Chelsea, dreaming of one day following in his footsteps.
Although Singh never faced Drogba on the field, he did get the chance to line up against England in a pre‑World Cup friendly in Tampa, sharing the pitch with Harry Kane and Marcus Rashford – players he had admired from the Premier League for years. "It was a surreal experience to test myself against the likes of Kane and Rashford. It felt like another dream come true, but my focus was on doing my country proud," he recalled. There was also talk of a potential club future that never materialised.
After a standout showing at the 2019 FIFA U‑20 World Cup, Bayern Munich signed Singh, and he spent four seasons with the German giants. He featured in the 2019 Audi Cup final against Tottenham and made his Bundesliga debut later that year under then‑coach Hansi Flick, now manager of Barcelona. Singh described his time in Munich as "unreal," noting that he trained alongside future stars such as Alphonso Davies and Joshua Zirkzee, forming friendships that still endure.
Switching gears, the column reported on a major investment development involving British‑Indian businessman Amit Bhatia. Bhatia, a former co‑owner of Queens Park Rangers, leads a consortium that has expressed interest in acquiring a strategic minority stake in Liverpool FC.
The approach was confirmed by Fenway Sports Group (FSG), Liverpool’s owners since 2010, on the same day Bhatia stepped down from the QPR board after an 18‑year involvement, transferring his share to majority owner Ruben Gnanalingam. A spokesperson for FSG said, "A consortium led, managed and represented by Amit Bhatia has shown interest in making a strategic minority investment in Liverpool Football Club." Reports also suggest that Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has been approached to join the consortium, though negotiations remain in their early stages. Liverpool was bought by FSG for £300 million in 2010 and has recently been valued by Forbes at roughly £4.6 billion.
Bhatia’s departure from QPR was announced with a heartfelt statement about the club’s significance to his family. He served as vice‑chairman before becoming chairman in 2018, a role he held for five years. Bhatia is married into the Mittal family; his mother‑in‑law Lakshmi Mittal heads the global steel and mining conglomerate ArcelorMittal, which is estimated at £23.2 billion. The edition also celebrated the fourth annual British South Asians in Football Team of the Season, produced in partnership with DesiBallers.
This unique initiative remains the sole annual recognition of the on‑field contributions made by British South Asians. Several players featured this year have returned to action after injury or loan spells.
Leicester City stalwart Hamza Choudhury, the club’s longest‑serving South Asian player, captained the Foxes during pre‑season. Goalkeeper Jas Singh reclaimed his spot at Tamworth, while Kam Kandola started every pre‑season fixture for Hereford after joining over the summer. Zidane Iqbal, fresh from becoming the first British South Asian to appear at a World Cup, is enjoying renewed form at FC Utrecht and featured in their pre‑season matches.
Dilan Markanday returned to Chesterfield and participated in their Irish tour, and Yan Dhanda rejoined Hearts after a loan spell at Dundee, hoping to feature in the club’s Champions League second‑leg qualifier against Sturm Graz. In women’s football, Pakistan international Zahmena Malik is set to sign for Actonians, one of the few independent clubs competing in the top four tiers of English women’s football alongside Liverpool Feds and London City Lionesses.
Malik, an East London native, previously played in Cyprus’s top division with Lakatamia and has represented clubs such as Leyton Orient, London Seaward and Saudi side Al‑Hmmah. She made history by scoring Pakistan Women’s first ever goal in an Olympic qualifier, a 1‑0 win over Tajikistan in 2023, and netted again in an 8‑0 victory against the Turks and Caicos Islands during a FIFA tournament in Ivory Coast. Birmingham City’s pioneering midfielder Riya Mannu, the first British South Asian to play league football for the club’s women’s side, is moving to West Bromwich Albion. Mannu impressed during a dual‑registration loan at West Brom, scoring on her full debut against Rugby Borough.
She was also a key figure in Birmingham City’s U21 squad that won the PGA Cup final over Leicester City and earned the club’s Professional Game Academy Player of the Season award. The column concluded with a surprising cameo: West Ham legend Michail Antonio appeared in a Sikh football tournament final in Leicester, representing Singh Sabha Slough in the Over‑35s competition. After recovering from a serious leg injury sustained in a car accident, Antonio scored a spectacular long‑range goal, provided an assist and even missed a penalty in a 2‑0 win that was later forfeited because he had not been officially registered. Guest player Danny Barham praised Antonio’s humility and professionalism, likening his goal to Ronaldinho’s famous strike against Chelsea.
The match was officiated by Jarnail Singh, the only turbaned Sikh ever to referee in the English Football League, who recalled his own early days in the Khalsa Football Federation tournaments of the 1980s. For more in‑depth stories, video features and updates, visit the dedicated South Asians in Football hub on skysports.com and stay tuned to Sky Sports News and its digital platforms. Play Super 6 for a chance to win £250 k – entry is free.