Welcome to Dev's Digest, the Sky Sports column where Asian Football Award laureate Dev Trehan shares breaking news and thoughtful commentary on the most significant stories affecting British South Asians in the beautiful game. **Note:** For the best viewing experience, we recommend using the Chrome browser to access the embedded video player. The second half of the World Cup unfolded just as South Asian Heritage Month kicked off across the United Kingdom, providing a perfect backdrop to celebrate two pioneering figures who appeared live on Sky Sports News.
Our long‑standing transfers specialist Dharmesh Sheth, a familiar face on Sky Sports News for more than two decades, was joined on set by New Zealand international Sarpreet Singh. Sheth has been instrumental in opening doors for under‑represented groups within sports broadcasting, and Singh’s presence added a fresh, multicultural dimension to the discussion. Singh, fresh from completing a transfer to Portuguese club Farense, made history at the 2026 World Cup by becoming the first player of Indian heritage 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 feature at a World Cup. The support I receive from fans around the globe is overwhelming, and I welcome the challenges that come with this historic responsibility. I aim to represent my community and all those who have backed me with the utmost pride." **Transfer Centre LIVE on your phone!** Download the Sky Sports App for instant updates.
--- ### Singh’s Early Inspirations Growing up, Singh idolised Didier Drogba and would often stay up late in New Zealand to watch the Ivorian legend light up Chelsea’s attack. While he never crossed paths with Drogba on the pitch, Singh did get the chance to line up against England in a pre‑World Cup friendly in Tampa, sharing the field with the likes of Harry Kane and Marcus Rashford.
"Playing against the players I’d watched for years was a dream come true," Singh recalled. "I just wanted to give my best for New Zealand." ### A Bayern Munich Chapter That Could Have Been Had circumstances been different, Singh might have been a teammate of Kane at club level next season. After impressing at the 2019 FIFA U‑20 World Cup, Bayern Munich signed him, and he spent four seasons in the Bavarian powerhouse.
Singh remembered his debut: "It was surreal to play in the 2019 Audi Cup final against Tottenham and then make my Bundesliga debut later that year. Being around world‑class players and learning from the best every day was priceless. Hansi Flick was the manager then, and I trained alongside Alphonso Davies and Joshua Zirkzee – we were all friends." --- ### Investment Interest in Liverpool A consortium led by British‑Indian businessman and former QPR co‑owner Amit Bhatia has signalled interest in acquiring a minority stake in Liverpool FC. Fenway Sports Group (FSG), the current owners, confirmed the approach on the same day Bhatia stepped down from QPR after an 18‑year involvement, transferring his share to majority owner Ruben Gnanalingam.
A spokesperson for FSG said, "A consortium headed and represented by Amit Bhatia has expressed interest in a strategic minority investment in Liverpool Football Club." Sky News later reported that Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, has also been approached to join the investment group. No agreement has been reached yet; discussions are still in the early stages.
FSG bought Liverpool in 2010 for £300 million, and Forbes now values the club at roughly £4.6 billion. Bhatia’s departure from QPR was announced with a heartfelt statement: the club had been "a deeply important part of my life and my family’s life." He served as vice‑chairman before becoming chairman in 2018, a role he held for five years.
Bhatia is also linked to the Mittal family through marriage; his father‑in‑law, Lakshmi Mittal, is an executive at steel giant ArcelorMittal, which is valued at about £23.2 billion. --- ### British South Asian Team of the Season This month marked the release of our fourth annual British South Asians in Football Team of the Season, produced in partnership with DesiBallers.
The initiative remains the sole yearly celebration of on‑field contributions made by British South Asians. Several players have returned to action: - **Hamza Choudhury** continues as Leicester City’s longest‑serving player and captained the Foxes during pre‑season. - **Jas Singh** reclaimed his goalkeeping duties at Tamworth.
- **Kam Kandola** started every pre‑season match for Hereford after joining over the summer. - **Zidane Iqbal**, fresh from becoming the first British South Asian to appear at a World Cup, is back in Utrecht’s plans and featured in their pre‑season fixtures. - **Dilan Markanday** is active with Chesterfield, taking part in their Irish tour, while **Yan Dhanda** has re‑joined Hearts after a loan spell at Dundee, featuring in all pre‑season games and hoping to play in the Champions League second‑leg qualifier against Sturm Graz. ### Women’s Football Highlights - **Zahmena Malik**, the first British South Asian woman to play at a World Cup, is set to sign for Actonians, one of the few independent clubs remaining in England’s top four women’s divisions.
Malik, a London‑born midfielder, previously played in Cyprus’s top tier for Lakatamia and has represented clubs such as Leyton Orient, London Seaward, and Saudi side Al‑Hmmah. She also scored Pakistan Women’s first Olympic‑qualifier goal in 2023 against Tajikistan. - **Riya Mannu**, a Birmingham City pioneer, will join West Bromwich Albion.
The 19‑year‑old helped Birmingham secure promotion to the Women’s Super League and impressed during a dual‑registration loan at West Brom, scoring on her full debut. Mannu made history in 2024 as the first British South Asian to play league football for Birmingham City Women and was named the club’s Professional Game Academy Player of the Season. --- ### Michail Antonio’s Surprise Appearance West Ham’s record Premier League scorer Michail Antonio turned heads when he featured in a Sikh football tournament final in Leicester.
The Khalsa Football Federation (KFF) event, running for over five decades, allows three non‑South‑Asian players per side. Antonio, still recovering from a serious leg injury sustained in a December 2024 Ferrari crash, played for Singh Sabha Slough in the Over‑35s final against Punjab United Sports Wolverhampton.
Antonio delivered a spectacular performance: a stunning long‑range goal, an assist, and even a missed penalty. Despite the team’s 2‑0 win, the trophy was forfeited because Antonio had not been officially registered.
Guest player Danny Barham praised Antonio, saying, "He traveled from London at 7 am for a 10 am kick‑off, was the nicest person I’ve ever met, and scored a world‑class strike reminiscent of Ronaldinho’s Champions League goal against Chelsea. He played with the humility of a true professional." The match was officiated by Jarnail Singh, the only turbaned Sikh ever to referee in the English Football League, and father to pioneering officials Sunny Singh Gill and Bhupinder Singh Gill. Singh reflected, "I’ve been involved in KFF tournaments since the early ’80s, first as a player then as a referee. Michail was a humble, smiling lad who played for the love of the game.
The crowd loved seeing him, and he stayed after the match to take photos with everyone." --- For additional stories, in‑depth features, and video content, visit the groundbreaking 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 £250,000 – entry is free.*