على الرغم من تدهور علاقة رودري وريال مدريد بعد صراع الكرة الذهبية العام الماضي، إلا أن النادي الإسباني لم يغفل عن موهبة نجم مانشستر سيتي الكبيرة.
وقد ارتبط ريال مدريد بشكل متزايد بالتعاقد مع رودري لاعب خط وسط مانشستر سيتي في الأشهر الأخيرة، وهو أمر مثير للاهتمام في وقت يبقى فيه مستقبل فينيسيوس جونيور غامضًا.
وعلى الرغم من معاناة رودري من إصابات عديدة إلا أن ريال مدريد يدرك موهبة اللاعب الإسباني وما يمكن أن يضيفه للفريق.
اقرأ أيضاً.. ريفالدو: أتفهم سبب غضب فينيسيوس.. ولم يعجبني أداء برشلونة أمام ريال مدريد
ونقلاً عن صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” الإسبانية فإن مانشستر سيتي يدرك تماماً موهبة رودري ويسعى الآن لتمديد عقده.
وينتهي عقد رودري الحالي مع مانشستر سيتي في عام 2027 ويحرص النادي على تجديد عقده قبل فوات الآوان، وبدأ السيتيزن بالفعل تجديد عقد اللاعب الإسباني حيث تعافى من إصابته والمفاوضات جارية.
وحدد مانشستر سيتي رودري كلاعب أساسي في النادي، ويسعى النادي الإنجليزي لتأمين مستقبل ركيزة أساسية للفريق، ويعد هذا جزء من استراتيجية للحفاظ على لاعبيه الأساسيين.
Returning from injury, Mayank Yadav is expected to play a pivotal part in LSG’s push for a playoffs spot
Ashish Pant18-Apr-20253:48
Ganga: Mayank Yadav is perfect for the T20 world
Big picture: RR’s problems keep getting biggerThat things haven’t quite gone to plan for Rajasthan Royals (RR) in IPL 2025 is known. Barring Yashasvi Jaiswal, their top order has underperformed, the bowlers have consistently struggled, and they are languishing in the bottom half of the points table. If that isn’t enough, they are sweating over captain Sanju Samson’s fitness as they get ready to host a resurgent Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).Samson was forced to retire after hurting his side in RR’s previous game, against Delhi Capitals (DC). Rahul Dravid confirmed at the pre-match press conference that Samson “experienced a bit of pain in the abdominal area”. He further said that Samson had undergone scans, and his availability would be decided based on the reports.If Samson does not recover in time, Riyan Parag is expected to take over the captaincy reins. Parag led RR in the first three games of the season, with Samson recovering from a finger injury. At the time, Samson had batted as an Impact Player and did not keep wicket.Related
Samson set to miss RR's game against LSG; Parag to lead again
Nitish Rana 'okay' to bat at any position for Royals
Jaffer: Pant 'needs to get better at rotating strike'
Mayank Yadav likely to play against Royals
Royals unsure if Samson will play LSG game
If he is not fit, then who replaces Samson? There is Shubham Dubey, who has been coming in as an Impact Player for RR, but he isn’t a top-order batter. Then there is Kunal Singh Rathore, the 22-year-old wicketkeeper-batter. The other option is for one of Parag or Nitish Rana, or even Dhruv Jurel, to open the batting with Dubey slotting in the middle order.RR do have a readymade opener in Vaibhav Suryavanshi, but he is only 14 and untested. Will RR risk such a young player in a game where a loss could derail their season? They have just two wins in seven games so far and a loss would mean having to do a lot of catching up for the playoffs.For LSG, who started the season without Akash Deep, Mayank Yadav, and Avesh Khan, and lost Mohsin Khan, they have held their own quite brilliantly. After seven games, they have won four and lost three and a win will take them to ten points. With Mayank back in the mix, they now also have an almost full-strength bowling unit to choose from.It didn’t seem that way when the season started, but LSG now have a solid chance to make it to the playoffs. Nicholas Pooran and Mitchell Marsh have scored 652 runs between them. The middle order has been dependable, while spinners Digvesh Rathi and Ravi Bishnoi have been more than a handful.LSG are coming into the game having suffered a defeat to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at home. They will want to make amends against a patchy RR side.2:43
Cricinformed: Nicholas Pooran, the unstoppable force
Form guideRajasthan Royals LLLWW Lucknow Super Giants LWWWLNew loyaltiesYudhvir Singh was part of LSG in IPL 2024 and is now with RR. Avesh, who has been key in LSG’s fast-bowling lineup this season, was part of RR last year.In the spotlight: Yashasvi Jaiswal and Mayank YadavYashasvi Jaiswal’s form was always going to be critical in RR’s fortunes but with the top order misfiring, it becomes even more crucial. Jaiswal had a poor start to his season with scores of 1, 29 and 4, but has since scored three fifties in his next four innings and looks fluent.Jaiswal scored 75 the last time he was in Jaipur on what was a tacky surface. He has a handy record here – two fifties and a hundred in 11 IPL innings – and would want to step up.Mayank Yadav had a breakthrough IPL 2024 where he touched the 156.7kph mark on the speed gun and regularly breached 150 clicks. He played just four matches, in which he picked up back-to-back Player-of-the-Match awards in his first two games, and seven wickets in all. It got Mayank an India debut against Bangladesh in October last year.However, since then, he has been down first with a back injury and then a toe injury. But he is now back and expected to play a pivotal part in LSG’s push for a playoffs spot. He joined the team on Tuesday and his express pace adds a new dimension to what has already shaped up to be a more than handy bowling attack.2:51
Pujara: Parag could open the batting for Royals
Team news and likely XIIsDespite the loss against CSK, LSG are unlikely to make too many changes to their starting XI. Mayank is almost certain to make his IPL 2025 debut. He is likely to come in place of Akash Deep, who has seemed off the mark since returning from a back injury.Lucknow Super Giants: 1 Aiden Markram, 2 Mitchell Marsh, 3 Nicholas Pooran, 4 Rishabh Pant (capt, wk) , 5 Ayush Badoni, 6 David Miller, 7 Abdul Samad, 8 Shardul Thakur, 9 Avesh Khan, 10 Mayank Yadav, 11 Digvesh Rathi, 12 Ravi BishnoiRR could bring in Akash Madhwal or Yudhvir in place of Tushar Deshpande, who has hardly inspired any confidence so far this season. If Samson is not fit, Jurel is likely to don the wicketkeeping gloves. Kumar Kartikeya is expected to come in as the impact sub.Rajasthan Royals: 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 Sanju Samson (capt, wk)/Vaibhav Suryavanshi/Shubham Dubey, 3 Nitish Rana, 4 Riyan Parag, 5 Dhruv Jurel, 6 Shimron Hetmyer, 7 Wanindu Hasaranga, 8 Jofra Archer, 9 Maheesh Theekshana, 10 Sandeep Sharma, 11 Tushar Deshpande/Akash Madhwal, 12 Kumar KartikeyaThe big questionPitch and conditionsThere has been only one game so far this season in Jaipur – a day game – where RR went down by nine wickets against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). The pitch felt a touch two-paced but eased out as the evening progressed. The Sawai Man Singh Stadium isn’t historically a high-scoring venue. Since IPL 2023, the average first-innings score here has been 179. There is a warning in Jaipur for excessive heat, but the temperatures should drop by the time the match gets underway. Dew could be a factor later in the evening.Stats and trivia Pooran is just one away from 9000 T20 runsPooran has fallen to Jofra Archer three times in seven T20 innings and averages just 13 with a strike rate of 108 against the quick Nitish Rana has fallen to Avesh twice in five IPL innings Bishnoi has the wood over Shimron Hetmyer in T20s, having dismissed him three times in six innings – Hetmyer has an average of 8.00 and a strike rate of 65 against the legspinner RR have the third-best run rate in the powerplay (9.69) and third-worst run rate in the middle-overs (7.39) in IPL 2025Quotes”We have suffered a little bit with our death bowling. I think that is another area for us that we need to get slightly better with, working with slightly more in execution. I think our plans have been pretty good. It is just more around the execution of some of those skills. A lot of teams are going for runs, but it is those extra 15-16 runs that we seem to go for. Even if, say, for example, a 57-60 is acceptable in the last five overs, it has become almost a norm now. We seem to go for 72-77. “
Jogando no Estádio Couto Pereira, o Bragantino alcançou uma importante vitória pensando em seguir na parte alta da tabela do Campeonato Brasileiro. Com o triunfo por 1 a 0 sobre o Coritiba, gol de Sorriso, o Massa Bruta salta para a quinta posição, com 31 pontos, perdendo para o Palmeiras apenas no saldo de gols (16 contra 10). Por outro lado, o Coxa Branca perde a chance de ficar mais perto de sair do Z4, estando em 18° lugar, com 14 pontos.
>Olho no Brasileirão! Assine o Prime Video e acompanhe todos os jogos do seu time do coração!
CURITIBA OU BRAGANÇA PAULISTA?
Respeitando seu estilo baseado na posse de bola e em transições rápidas, o Braga era a equipe que se mostrava mais capaz de envolver o adversário do que os anfitriões. Além disso, a equipe paulista conseguia se segurar bem na defesa, protegendo efetivamente as imediações da meta defendida por Cleiton.
Curiosamente, foi quando conseguiu se aproveitar de uma rara subida ao ataque do seu adversário que os espaços apareceram para um contra-ataque letal. Depois de bola lançada, onde Vitinho se livrou bem da marcação em duelo individual, no lado esquerdo, Sorriso recebeu um cruzamento rasteiro e completou para a rede, de primeira, na segunda trave.
MUITA DISPUTA, POUCA AÇÃO
Depois de aberto o marcador, o duelo entrou em um momento onde as divididas nos mais diferentes setores eram muito mais presentes do que a elaboração de novas jogadas. Seja para ampliar a dianteira do Bragantino ou para o Coritiba deixar tudo igual. A torcida da equipe da casa perdia a paciência gradativamente. A primeira etapa da partida seguiu este panorama até apito do árbitro Yuri Elino Ferreira da Cruz, que decretou o intervalo.
UM ASSUSTOU, O OUTRO GUARDOU! MAS…
Seja pela questão técnica como pelo psicológica, o Braga parecia mais perto de aumentar o marcador por seu trabalho ofensivo e consistente na ideia de jogo. Chegando, não à toa, a formular uma jogada de grande perigo quando Eduardo Sasha escorou, e Luan Cândido bateu com força, obrigado Gabriel a grande intervenção.
>Olho no Brasileirão! Assine o Prime Video e acompanhe todos os jogos do seu time do coração!
Mesmo sem encaixar da melhor maneira sua partida, tendo sérias dificuldades para superar as linhas de marcação e muito mais correndo atrás da bola do que tendo a posse dela, Marcelino Moreno chegou a deixar tudo igual em lance onde o camisa 10 do Coritiba bateu cruzado e superou Cleiton. Todavia, antes da bola passar pelo argentino, Bruno Gomes recebeu passe em impedimento captado pelo Árbitro de Vídeo.
COM AS ÚLTIMAS FORÇAS
Se valendo de uma mistura de necessidade e certo desespero, na reta final do confronto, os donos da casa se atiraram com mais agressividade ao plano ofensivo enquanto o Bragantino, sem qualquer pudor, recuou totalmente suas linhas e se limitava a sair daquela condição somente com a chance de contra-ataques mais claros. Dentro desse panorama, a organização defensiva dos paulistas prevaleceu, com o marcador no Alto da Glória não sendo mais alterado até o término do confronto.
FICHA TÉCNICA DA PARTIDA CORITIBA 0 x 1 BRAGANTINO – Campeonato Brasileiro – 18ª rodada
Local: Estádio Couto Pereira, em Curitiba (PR) Data e horário: 6 de agosto de 2023, às 18h30 (horário de Brasília) Árbitro: Yuri Elino Ferreira da Cruz (RJ) Assistentes: Kleber Lucio Gil (SC) e Luiz Claudio Regazone (RJ) VAR: Carlos Eduardo Nunes Braga (RJ) Cartões amarelos: Andrey, Bruno Gomes, Jamerson (CTB); Andrés Hurtado, Cipriano, Juninho Capixaba, Luan Cândido e Vitinho (BRA) Cartões vermelhos: Thiago Kosloski (CTB)
Gols: Sorriso, aos 18’/2°T (1-0).
CORITIBA
Gabriel; Natanael (Diogo Batista, no intervalo), Kuscevic, Henrique e Jamerson; Andrey (Mauricio Garcez, aos 38’/1°T), Bruno Gomes (Edu, aos 27’/2°T) e Matheus Bianqui (Sebastián Gómez, aos 13’/2°T); Marcelino Moreno, Diogo Oliveira e Kaio César (Fransérgio, aos 13’/2°T). Técnico: Thiago Kosloski.
BRAGANTINO
Cleiton; Andrés Hurtado (Aderllan, no intervalo), Luan Patrick, Cipriano (Guilherme, aos 30’/2°T) e Juninho Capixaba; Matheus Fernandes (Yani Quintero, aos 6’/2°T), Lucas Evangelista e Luan Cândido; Sorriso, Eduardo Sasha (Gustavinho, aos 21’/2°T) e Vitinho (Thiago Borbas, aos 21’/2°T). Técnico: Pedro Caixinha.
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علق ييس توروب، المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي، على الفوز على إيجل نوار بهدف نظيف في إياب دور الـ32 لدوري أبطال إفريقيا.
وكان الأهلي قد حقق الفوز في مباراة الذهاب بهدف دون رد، على إيجل نوار، السبت الماضي، ليصعد لدور المجموعات في دوري أبطال إفريقيا بنتيجة 2-0 بمجموع المباراتين.
وقال توروب في المؤتمر الصحفي عقب اللقاء: “كان هدفنا هو التأهل لدور المجموعات، نتيجة الذهاب ساعدتنا، لدينا دائمًا طموح للمكسب والتأهل للخطوة التالية، مررنا بموقف صعب اليوم لعبنا بـ10 لاعبين لمدة 75 دقيقة”.
طالع.. فيديو | بـ10 لاعبين.. الأهلي يهزم إيجل نوار بهدف ويتأهل لمجموعات دوري أبطال إفريقيا
وتابع: “أحد الصحفيين سألني في المؤتمر الماضي عن كيفية الدفاع، أظن أننا أجبنا بعد مباراة اليوم، أغلقنا بشكل جيد ودافعنا جيدًا، وأشكر عمر كمال عبد الواحد على استغلال الفرصة، وأشكر اللاعبين على الأداء رغم النقص العددي”.
وواصل: “لم أر هناك أي اختلاف بين أداء الفريق في الشوط الأول والثاني، بالعكس أرى أن هناك نضجًا من جانب اللاعبين رغم النقص العددي في اللقاء، كما أننا أجرينا تعديلات كثيرة على التشكيل وعلى الرغم من ذلك قدموا جودة كبيرة وهو يؤكد على أن الفريق الأحمر يمتلك لاعبين جيدين وأصحاب جودة عالية”.
وعن ضغط المباريات وتغيير طريقة اللعب: “أنا من نوعية المدربين الذين لديهم مرونة لذلك كل مباراة ألعب بطريقة مختلفة تناسب الخصم، والمهم أن يكون لدي أساس أعمل عليه، أنا أتعلم كل يوم وأتعلم من كل مباراة، ومن حديثي مع اللاعبين في أول 3 مباريات حققنا 3 انتصارات، الأهم هو أنني أحقق الفوز وأعمل على تطوير الأداء وكذالك تحقيق الفوز، اليوم غيرنا عناصر كثيرة في التشكيل وحققنا الفوز”.
واختتم: “لن أرد على وجود مداروة بين الشناوي وشوبير، أنا لدي هذه الميزة ولكن لن أفصح عن ما سأفعل، دائما أعتمد في طريقتي على منح الثقة لكل اللاعبين، ولن أخاف بشأن تغيير اللاعبين، وأحتاج أن يشعر كل اللاعبين أننا فريق واحد لأننا بالفعل هكذا”.
Unbeaten stand of 129 between Paul Walter and Matt Critchley keeps hosts afloat following Durham’s 587
ECB Reporters Network24-Jun-2024
Ollie Robinson underlined his Test credentials with a new career-best score•Getty Images
Essex 249 for 4 (Walter 80*, Critchley 51*, Potts 2-65) trail Durham 587 (Robinson 198, Lees 113, Ackermann 73, Critchley 4-158) by 338 runsPaul Walter and Matt Critchley dug Essex out of trouble on day two of their Vitality County Championship run-fest with Durham.Durham’s fast bowling attack had restricted the hosts to 120 for 4 in response to 587, but Walter struck 80 not out and Critchley unbeaten 51. The duo put on 129 for the fifth wicket to close the day on 249 for four.Earlier, Ollie Robinson had done his England Test hopes no harm with a flawless 198 as Durham secured maximum batting points in their title charge.Durham, resuming on 445 for 4, continued to drown Essex’s attack in runs – as they smashed 142 runs in 26 morning overs before they were bowled out – with maximum batting points pocketed.Robinson completed his 150 with the third ball of the day – the last four of his nine career centuries have exceeded the milestone.The former Kent man simply picked up where he had left off on day one, scoring runs at ease and refusing to allow the bowlers to build any pressure.He passed his previous best of 171 – collected against Lancashire in May – and looked set for 200 before trying to force a cut shot but only edged behind. He was given a generous applause by the crowd on his return to the dressing room.Otherwise, Critchley and Simon Harmer plugged away with semi-regular wickets amongst the flow of runs.Harmer and bat-pad Nick Browne combined to dismiss Colin Ackermann and Bas de Leede, with the South African later bowling former team-mate Peter Siddle. The off-spinner returned 4 for 188, the most runs he had conceded in a Championship innings.To go with Robinson, Critchley also snaffled Ben Raine and Matt Potts. Essex’s spinners joining for figures of eight for 346 with Durham bowled out for 587 – the 15th highest score at Chelmsford.After an energy-sapping 122 overs in the field, the hosts were lethargic with the bat. Browne had already survived being dropped at second slip on 12 when he tickled Potts behind in the sixth over.Dean Elgar oozed elegance with seven fours in 40, in a 51-run stand with Tom Westley, but edge Siddle to first slip before Westley was leg before to Raine. Jordan Cox got a start but also fell before making a telling contribution – bowled by a jag backer from the energetic Potts. It left Essex 120 for 4 and starting to worry about the follow-on target.But Critchley mimicked Alex Lees’ controlling style, while Walter was closer to Robinson’s aggression, to resuscitate the innings with a century partnership.Walter was imperious in his decision-making, whether it was slog sweeping for six, clipping off his legs, touching to third or flashing outside off stump. The maximum took him to 2,000 first class runs before his half-century came up in 63 balls.Walter and Critchley – whose fifty came in 111 deliveries – were unbreakable in the evening session, as Essex finally found a foothold in the match, but remain 188 runs shy of the follow-on.
It’s safe to say that Liverpool fans will have very little care for the ongoing Club World Cup in the United States of America. In fact, not many football fans in general have tuned in for proceedings just yet.
Chelsea’s opening game with LAFC was played in front of a minuscule crowd considering how big the stadium actually was.
Despite that, there are some talking points on the pitch, none more so than Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Real Madrid got their campaign underway against Saudi side Al Hilal on Wednesday and could only manage a 1-1 draw. Perhaps the gap to Saudi’s top sides isn’t as big as we may think.
How the media world reacted to Trent’s debut
It doesn’t feel like long ago now that Alexander-Arnold announced to the fanbase that he’d be leaving his boyhood club behind in favour of the Spanish capital, Madrid.
After he let it be know that he’d be departing; the right-back was understandably greeted with a chorus of boos. For one of the club’s most infamous academy graduates, this was surprising.
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Yet, once all was said and done, the right-back didn’t actually end up leaving on a free transfer.
Before the aforementioned Club World Cup got underway, there was a frenzy in the transfer market as a plethora of teams tried to get early deals over the line.
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At Chelsea, it was striker Liam Delap arriving while Manchester City confirmed the additions of Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Rayan Cherki. Not bad at all.
As far as Madrid were concerned, they ended up parting ways with around £8m in order to bring Alexander-Arnold to the club in time for the beginning of this summer’s tournament in the USA.
Well, after his debut on Wednesday evening, Florentino Perez and Co may well be wishing he hadn’t officially signed yet.
This clearly wasn’t Madrid at full strength but it was a horrible afternoon for the Merseyside defender.
He was slapped with a 5/10 match rating from one Real-based outlet, who noted the full-back had ‘some problems’ in the first half and was rather ‘discreet’ throughout.
Another Spanish publication, Football Espana, weren’t too kind either, also giving Trent a rating of 5/10. They were also damning of his abilities, writing that it was an ‘underwhelming’ debut where he was ‘not at his best defensively’. Now, isn’t that a surprise?
Closer to home, 90min gave the new signing a 4/10 rating, making note of how he ‘sometimes forgot’ his marking duties.
How Trent compares to Huijsen on debut
Also making his debut for Madrid in the game with Al Hilal was Dean Huijsen.
The Spaniard was the subject of interest from a plethora of Premier League clubs before the window got underway with the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool in particular chasing their signature.
The Reds were reportedly one of the favourites to prise him away from Bournemouth but like Alexander-Arnold, Madrid was an offer he could not refuse.
As it happens, the centre-back enjoyed a far better maiden game in Real colours, handed a 7/10 rating by Football Espana.
They wrote that, ‘in contrast to Alexander-Arnold, Huijsen looked assured in his debut. He helped a lot in build-up, which would have pleased Alonso.’
Trent vs Huijsen – Real Madrid debuts
Trent
Stat
Huijsen
65
Mins played
90
2
Clearances
3
1
Interceptions
1
0
Tackles
3
57
Touches
80
89%
Accurate passes
87%
1
Key passes
1
1/4
Ground duels won
6/6
0/1
Aerial duels won
2/4
Stats via Sofascore.
Despite the setbacks of not signing Huijsen and losing Trent, Liverpool appear to be in a good place, having confirmed the arrival of Jeremie Frimpong and reportedly on the verge of signing Florian Wirtz in a British record deal and Milos Kerkez.
Therefore, it’s unlikely they’ll be losing too much sleep over the Alexander-Arnold situation now.
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The left-arm swing bowler is Maharashtra’s highest wicket-taker in the Ranji Trophy
ESPNcricinfo staff22-Jun-2024
Samad Fallah picked up 272 Ranji wickets for Maharashtra•Dainik Dabang Dunia
Samad Fallah, Maharashtra’s highest wicket-taker in the Ranji Trophy, has formally announced his retirement. The left-arm swing bowler picked up 272 Ranji wickets for Maharashtra, and 287 first-class wickets overall, in 78 matches, at an average of 28.48.Fallah also took 75 List A wickets and 62 in T20s. He was instrumental in delivering Maharashtra their only silverware at the senior level since 1940-41, picking up a match-winning four-wicket haul in the final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (T20) in March 2010.Fallah’s last official match was a Vijay Hazare Trophy (50-overs) game for Uttarakhand in March 2021. Having moved to Uttarakhand for the 2020-21 season, he returned to Maharashtra and made himself available for selection in all three formats, but didn’t get a chance to resume his career.Related
The free jazz of Samad Fallah's bowling
Now 39 and head coach of Nashik Titans in the Maharashtra Premier League, Fallah has made his retirement official. Fallah traced an unusual path to professional cricket, never playing any representative age-group cricket, and making his way into club cricket via eye-catching performances in tennis-ball tournaments. He made his Maharashtra debut at 22 and immediately made an impact, picking up a match-winning second-innings six-wicket haul against Himachal Pradesh in November 2007. He quickly established himself as the leader of Maharashtra’s attack, picking up 20-plus wickets in every Ranji season from 2007-08 to 2014-15.As he reached his peak, Maharashtra built one of the best seam attacks in Indian domestic cricket, with Fallah, Anupam Sanklecha, Domnic Muthuswami and Shrikant Mundhe combining to lead the team to the Ranji final in 2013-14 and the semi-finals in 2014-15. Fallah’s high point came in the semi-final in Indore in January 2014, when he picked up 7 for 58 on the first morning to help bowl Bengal out for 114.The unconventional trajectory of Fallah’s career found expression in his bowling too. He enjoyed long spells of nine or ten overs, and seldom marked a fixed run-up, preferring to begin his run from wherever his mood took him. He constantly varied his angle and approach to the crease too, sometimes even running in zigzag to try and unsettle batters.At the time of retirement, Fallah is the second-highest wicket-taker in the Ranji Trophy among left-arm fast bowlers, with only Jaydev Unadkat (316) above him. Hiralal Gaekwad, whose Ranji Trophy career stretched from 1941 to 1963, picked up 278 wickets, but he bowled a mixture of left-arm spin and seam.
Liverpool’s pursuit of Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz appears to be entering the endgame phase as they look to wrap up a deal for the Germany international.
Arne Slot is attempting to bolster his squad, having already signed Jeremie Frimpong in the summer transfer window, and the midfield creator is next up on his wishlist.
Florian Wirtz
According to BILD journalist Christian Falk, an offer of £110m from Liverpool for the German wizard has already been rejected by Leverkusen, as they want up to £118m for his services.
The reporter claims that the Bundesliga outfit are expecting the Premier League champions to come back with a final offer for Wirtz, and that both sides are expected to agree on a fee of £118m.
This deal for Wirtz looks set to smash the club’s record transfer fee, set at £85m when they signed Darwin Nunez from Benfica in the summer of 2022, but is he worth the money?
Why Florian Wirtz is worth the money for Liverpool
The 22-year-old starlet is worth the gamble, even at a whopping £118m, because the star could be a transformational signing for the Reds, even after they won the Premier League in the 2024/25 campaign, due to the impact he could make at the top end of the pitch.
No central or attacking midfielder for Liverpool managed more than Dominik Szoboszlai’s return of six goals and six assists in the top-flight for Slot’s side, which shows that none of the manager’s options in that area of the park were particularly prolific or creative.
Liverpool's DominikSzoboszlai
Wirtz, however, is a number ten who can consistently provide quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals, as evidenced by his performances for Leverkusen in the Bundesliga over the past two seasons, in particular.
During the 2024/25 campaign, the right-footed dynamo racked up 16 goals and 14 assists in all competitions for the German outfit, including six goals in nine matches in the Champions League.
Florian Wirtz (Bundesliga)
23/24
24/25
Appearances
32
31
xG
9.00
9.40
Goals
11
10
Big chances created
12
17
xA
9.75
9.44
Assists
11
12
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Wirtz has hit double figures for both goals and assists in each of the past two Bundesliga campaigns, which shows that he can provide a consistent threat in the final third from an attacking midfield position.
Whether the 22-year-old superstar can translate that kind of form over to the Premier League still remains up for debate, of course, but he has done it on the big stage for Germany as well.
The international star scored four goals and provided three assists in seven matches for his country on their way to the semi-finals of the Nations League, which is further proof that he would be worth the money for the champions.
Bayer Leverkusen's FlorianWirtz
Liverpool, alongside a deal for Wirtz, could unearth England’s answer to the German star by signing one of their reported targets, Morgan Gibbs-White.
Liverpool's interest in Morgan Gibbs-White
It was recently reported by a Spanish outlet that Liverpool are one of a number of teams eyeing up a possible move for the Nottingham Forest playmaker in the summer transfer window.
The outlet claimed that Chelsea and Manchester City are also in the running to sign the England international from the Tricky Trees, who qualified for the UEFA Conference League for next season.
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It also revealed that Nottingham Forest would be willing to negotiate with those three clubs for a fee in the region of £70m, which means that he would be significantly cheaper than Wirtz as a number ten option.
The report, however, did not mention any incoming bids or imminent talks planned with the Premier League side for the Reds, so Gibbs-White may not be a priority target for the champions at this moment in time.
Nottingham Forest's MorganGibbs-Whitereacts after the match
Irrespective of whether or not Liverpool finalise a move for Wirtz from Leverkusen, the Nottingham Forest star would be an excellent signing for the club as England’s own version of the Bundesliga star.
Why Gibbs-White could be England's own Wirtz
England fans watched on, likely in boredom, as their team struggled to break down Andorra and came away with a drab 1-0 win, thanks to Harry Kane’s 50th-minute strike from close range.
Despite the fairly dismal attacking showing from the Three Lions, Gibbs-White was brought on with just one minute left to play and did not have a chance to make an impact.
Morgan Gibbs-White for England
Moving to Anfield and playing in Europe, in the Champions League, would put the former Wolves starlet in the spotlight at the very top of the domestic game and make it incredibly difficult for Thomas Tuchel to ignore him.
A transfer to Liverpool could also help to take Gibbs-White’s output to the next level as part of a team that creates more chances and has more of the ball than Nottingham Forest.
In the 2024/25 season, Liverpool created 82.2 xG to Forest’s 45.5 xG and averaged 57.7% possession to Nuno Santos’ side’s 41.2%, as per FBref, which means that the English star would be part of a far more dominant and attacking outfit if he made the move to Anfield.
24/25 Premier League
Morgan Gibbs-White
Appearances
34
xG
6.34
Goals
7
Big chances created
10
Key passes per game
1.5
Assists
8
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the 25-year-old playmaker still managed to produce 15 goals and assists combined in the division, despite his team’s lack of dominance and creativity on the whole.
Gibbs-White, once dubbed “exceptional” by Pep Guardiola, scored more goals and provided more assists than any of Liverpool’s central midfielders. Now imagine how many goal contributions he could rack up as part of Slot’s dominant side…
Nottingham Forest player Morgan Gibbs-White
The Forest star has not had the chance to showcase his talent in a team as great as Leverkusen’s or Liverpool’s, like Wirtz, and could explode in the final third if given that opportunity, based on his outstanding output in Forest’s team.
Therefore, the Reds could unearth England’s answer to Wirtz and give themselves two versions of the German star by signing the Tricky Trees talent before the end of the summer transfer window to provide him with a chance to flourish in a dominant side.
Move over Wirtz: Liverpool can sign Salah's next Firmino in £84m "magician"
Mohamed Salah is going to have some exciting new attacking talent alongside him next season.
Leeds United are heading towards the opening of the summer transfer window on Sunday, and are preparing to build a squad that can compete in the Premier League next term.
Daniel Farke’s side will be competing in the top-flight in the 2025/26 campaign after they won the Championship title with a staggering 100 points, beating Plymouth Argyle 2-1 away from home on the final day of the season to clinch the trophy.
The Whites are now tasked with preparing a group to battle against relegation from the top-flight at the first time of asking, which is going to be incredibly difficult when you consider recent history.
Southampton, Ipswich, and Leicester were all relegated from the Premier League this season, after Sheffield United, Burnley, and Luton all went down the season before, all six of whom had just been promoted from the Championship.
This illustrates the size of the task at hand for Farke and his players heading into the upcoming campaign, which is why this summer transfer window is particularly important.
Leeds needs to ensure that they have a team that is good enough to compete week-in-week-out in the top-flight, and that is why Brenden Aaronson’s future in the starting XI should be in doubt.
Why Brenden Aaronson must be replaced
The USA international started 43 of his 46 appearances in the Championship as a regular starter under Farke in the number ten position, but he has not done enough to suggest that the step up to the Premier League will suit him.
Aaronson ended the season with a return of nine goals and two assists in those 46 outings in the second tier, which was a decent, but unspectacular, haul for the attacking midfielder.
His finishing left a lot to be desired throughout the season for Leeds, with nine goals from 11.43 xG, and this does not suggest that he is ruthless enough in front of goal to be an effective operator at the top end of the pitch in the top-flight.
Aaronson, of course, played for the Whites in their last season in the Premier League, under Jesse Marsch, Javi Gracia, and Sam Allardyce, and his lack of quality was on full display that year.
22/23 Premier League
Brenden Aaronson
Appearances
36
xG
3.86
Goals
1
Key passes per game
1.3
Assists
3
Ground duel success rate
43%
Aerial duel success rate
17%
Stat via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the American flop was incredibly wasteful in front of goal, underperforming his xG by almost three goals, and was a liability out of possession, as opposition defenders dominated him in duels.
With this in mind, the former RB Salzburg star should not be guaranteed to keep his place as a starter when the Premier League season gets underway next season.
Instead, Leeds should attempt to replace him during the upcoming summer transfer window, which appears to be what they are aiming for with their latest target.
Leeds eyeing move for Championship star
According to Leeds United News, reporter Graeme Bailey claims that Leeds United are one of the teams interested in a deal to sign Jack Rudoni from Coventry City this summer.
The report claims that the Whites are keen on doing a deal for the English attacking midfielder in the coming weeks, as they eye up a move for the Championship sensation.
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Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast
It adds that the second tier champions are yet to make an enquiry about his availability, though, which suggests that any transfer is in the very early stages at this point.
Meanwhile, EFL Analysis claims that Sheffield United, Leicester City, and Southampton are also lining up moves for the Sky Blues attacking midfielder this summer, providing competition for his signature.
Leeds, though, could have an advantage over those three clubs because of their promotion to the Premier League, and they should use that to snap him up ahead of next season.
Why Leeds should sign Jack Rudoni
The Whites should swoop to sign Rudoni from the Championship side this summer because he could be way better than Aaronson for Farke in the top-flight.
Whilst the left-footed star is unproven in the Premier League, having yet to play there in his career, his performances in the Championship during the 2024/25 campaign suggest that he has more to offer to the team than the American lightweight does.
The former Huddersfield Town star, who was dubbed a “standout” by pundit Lee Hendrie, joined Coventry in the summer of 2024 and hit the ground running as an instant star for the club this term.
Rudoni only delivered five goals and three assists in 35 appearances for the Terriers in the 2023/24 Championship campaign, but the move to the Sky Blues helped to get the best out of him.
24/25 Championship
Jack Rudoni
Brenden Aaronson
Appearances
43
46
xG
7.49
11.43
Goals
9
9
Big chances missed
6
11
Big chances created
16
9
Key passes per game
1.8
1.6
Assists
12
2
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the Coventry star delivered 21 goals and assists in 43 appearances for Frank Lampard’s side, ten more than Aaronson managed in three more appearances.
They scored the same number of goals, nine, but the EFL star managed that tally with an xG of just 7.49, which shows that he was far more efficient with the chances that came his way.
Rudoni, whose personality was described as “infectious” by Lampard, also created seven more ‘big chances’ and produced ten more assists, speaking to the kind of creative quality that he could provide Farke’s team with in the Premier League.
These statistics suggest that the Coventry magician could be way better than Aaronson for Leeds by coming in to deliver more quality as a finisher and a creator in an attacking midfield position.
This could give him a greater chance of being a success in the top-flight in comparison to the USA international, as he appears more likely to make an impact in the final third.
Orta wanted him: Leeds eyeing move for "very prolific" Piroe upgrade
Leeds United are eyeing a Joel Piroe upgrade who was previously wanted by Victor Orta.
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It is now down to the club to win the race for his services in a battle with the likes of Southampton, Sheffield United, and Leicester this summer.
Tottenham Hotspur face the very real prospect of losing a key member of their squad when the summer window reopens, despite their Europa League triumph last week, with an elite club set to open imminent talks over his signature.
Tottenham preparing for summer with Ange Postecoglou future uncertain
The main topic at N17 right now is manager Ange Postecoglou and his long-term future.
Salah-like forward considers joining Tottenham as contract expires in 2025
Spurs have an opportunity to strike a bargain deal.
ByEmilio Galantini May 28, 2025
The Australian guided his side to a first European trophy since 1984, ending their 17-year wait for any major trophy in the process and securing a spot in the Champions League for next season – which comes as an almighty transfer boost for the Lilywhites.
However, Postecoglou’s domestic campaign told an entirely different story.
The 59-year-old oversaw Tottenham’s largest number of Premier League defeats in a single season (22), with the north Londoners finishing just one place above the relegation zone.
Tottenham’s best-performing regulars in the Premier League – 2024/2025
Average match rating
Son Heung-min
7.00
James Maddison
6.98
Pedro Porro
6.95
Dominic Solanke
6.84
Dejan Kulusevski
6.83
via WhoScored
2024/2025 was an extremely mixed bag for Postecoglou, and if they hadn’t narrowly squeezed past a lacklustre Man United side in the Europa League final, it’d be a no-brainer that the tactician should be given his marching orders.
The joyous celebrations and emotions that come with the end of Tottenham’s trophy drought have given Levy some serious thinking to do, with Spurs chiefs currently ’50/50′ about sacking Postecoglou, according to some reports.
A decision must be made soon, as this summer’s first mini-transfer window opens in just three days.
Tottenham have been handed a significant financial windfall from their qualification from the Champions League, not to mention more pull in the transfer market overall, with Spurs suddenly a more appealing destination for out-of-contract Bayern Munich star Leroy Sané (Sport Bild).
There is a consensus within the club that they need to bring more experienced players in to bolster their young squad (Sami Mokbel), and while their Europa League glory will help in that aspect, there is still a very real possibility that they lose some imperative stars as well.
Atletico Madrid to open imminent talks for Cristian Romero
According to Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas, Tottenham defender Cristian Romero remains high on the agenda of Atletico Madrid heading into June 1.
The Argentine played a crucial role in helping to deliver Spurs their Europa winners’ medal, being crowned the tournament’s Player of the Season, all while putting in a Man of the Match display against United in the final.
However, Spanish media sources believe Romero still has every intention of leaving Tottenham this summer, despite their memorable night in Bilbao, following other previous reports that the £165,000-per-week centre-back is keen to quit the club for Atletico (Marca).
Postecoglou’s side value him at around £60 million, and won’t sell for any lower than £44 million (Marca), even if the La Liga side wish to negotiate an agreeable fee.
Following these reports, Thomas has claimed that Atletico could open talks for Romero as early as this week, with Diego Simeone’s side competing in next month’s Club World Cup and potentially wanting to get business done early.
Given the “underrated” Romero’s importance to Tottenham, and Levy’s well-known stubbornness when it comes to negotiating transfers, we don’t expect this saga to be resolved quickly.