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Glasgow Rangers have agreed a deal to sell a prominent Ibrox player during the summer transfer window, according to a new transfer Gers update from Sky Sports.

Martin's ruthless transfer approach at Rangers

Russell Martin has taken on a huge job at Ibrox, with the Englishman tasked with not only closing the gap on Celtic, but becoming Scottish Premiership champions again.

The 39-year-old is certainly speaking well in his early weeks and months in charge at Rangers, providing a ruthless outlook when it comes to the type of players he wants to sign this summer, and outlining what will put him off bringing in some individuals.

“People need to be desperate to play for this club and not just be an option. When we have spoken to people and they say, ‘Well, I need to hear my options,’ we are onto the next one. People need to be desperate. Spoke to Joe [Rothwell] and there was no other choice on his mind, and he had a lot of options.

“Same with Manny [Emmanuel Fernandez], spoke to my old manager at Peterborough, Darren, and he spoke so highly of him, and he has the potential to be anything he wants to be, I really believe that. Max [Aarons], loads of options in Europe but wanted to be here. Hopefully, because of the strength of the relationship with myself and Gilly [Matt Gill], but also because he wants to come and win and be part of something.”

There are likely to be plenty of ins and outs at Rangers before the transfer window reaches its conclusion, and it looks as though one current player’s time at Ibrox is now coming to an end.

Rangers agree deal to sell £9,000-a-week defender

According to a fresh update from Sky Sports, Rangers have now “agreed a deal” to sell centre-back Robin Propper back to former club FC Twente this summer.

“Rangers have agreed a deal for defender Robin Propper to return to Dutch club FC Twente. He moved to Ibrox last summer and will now be allowed to return to the Eredivisie if he can agree personal terms. Rangers will also allow the likes of Leon King, Ben Davies, Clinton Nsiala and Jose Cifuentes to depart this summer.”

This feels like the right decision by Rangers, despite Martin recently confirming the agreement in place and admitting that he has been “really impressed” with Propper since coming in as manager.

Robin Propper’s 2024/25 SPL stats

Total

Appearances

25

Starts

21

Minutes played

1851

Clearances per game

4.0

Aerial duel wins per game

3.2

Tackles per game

1.6

Interceptions per game

0.9

Goals

2

Assists

0

The 31-year-old has struggled to wholly convince on a consistent basis since arriving from Twente in the summer of 2024, making only 21 starts in the Scottish Premiership last season.

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The £9,000-a-week defender also isn’t getting any younger, meaning the Rangers can cash in on him now and use the funds to look to bring in a younger centre-back option – one who could be a regular starter for Martin.

Celtic are said to have made an approach for a £2.5m-rated midfielder, as they look to beat a Premier League club to his signature, among others.

Rodgers pushing for "statement" Celtic signing

Brendan Rodgers doesn’t appear to be messing around this summer, during a transfer window in which he knows the importance of nailing his business.

In fact, the Celtic manager is even thought to be personally pushing to sign Brighton striker Evan Ferguson, according to former scout Mick Brown, with the Republic of Ireland striker linked with either a loan or permanent move to Parkhead this summer.

“Celtic can offer attractive opportunities to players like Ferguson. They’re going to be playing in the Champions League and competing for trophies, which would be valuable experience for a player of his age.

“He could go to Celtic as the main man up front, away from the pressure that comes with the Premier League, and prove what he can do. I think Brendan Rodgers will be pushing to get that done, he wants to be ambitious in the market. He expects to be backed and this would be a statement of intent, even if it’s on a loan deal.”

On the flip side, Celtic will be at risk of losing certain key players, with Nicolas Kuhn falling into that category and reportedly wanted by RB Leipzig, having been in their academy earlier in his career.

Celtic make approach for £2.5m midfielder

According to Africa Foot [via Sport Witness], Celtic have made an approach for Yverdon Sport midfielder Moussa Baradji, in what looks to be a competitive battle for his signature.

Fiorentina, Parma, Torino, Basel and Galatasaray are all mentioned in the report, but it is Sunderland who are in transfer talks ahead of their return to the Premier League next season, looking to get ahead of others in the race. He is expected to cost £2.5m.

Baradji will be something of an unknown to plenty of Celtic supporters, with all due respect to him, considering he is yet to play for a team in Europe’s top five leagues.

That’s not to say that he wouldn’t be a good signing for the Hoops, however, and the level of interest in him suggests that he could be an effective addition to Rodgers’ squad, with analyst Maxime Schar calling him a player who is “at ease under pressure”.

At 24, Baradji is at a perfect age, possessing enough experience to hit the ground running immediately, but also still having a healthy chunk of his career ahead of him.

While at his best as a box-to-box midfielder, the Frenchman is also adept of playing in a deeper role, too, and even as a right winger, if needed.

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It looks as though Sunderland are pushing particularly hard to sign Baradji this summer, but Celtic can offer him Champions League football, which will hopefully prove to be a huge lure for him.

Celtic supporters are starting to get very excited about next season.

On Tuesday afternoon, in one of the worst-kept secrets in the history of Scottish football, Kieran Tierney’s return to the club was confirmed, six years after he was sold to Arsenal for £25m, still to this day a joint-club record.

So, with a true club icon and fans’ favourite on his way back to Paradise, Brendan Rodgers and his recruitment staff can turn their attention to other targets, but are the Premiership champions set to miss out on their dream centre-forward?

Latest on Celtic's pursuit of Mathias Kvistgaarden

According to a report by Michael Gannon of the Daily Record, Celtic’s interest in Mathias Kvistgaarden has cooled, with the 22-year-old, who is valued at £12m, set to join either West Ham United, Eintracht Frankfurt or Lazio instead.

The striker scored 23 goals this season for Brøndby, who finished third in the Danish Superligaen, and his performances have earned widespread praise.

Farzam Abolhosseini of Tipsbladet labels him “magical”, scout António Mango believes that he is “absolutely sensational” and Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout forecasts that Kvistgaarden will only continue to improve.

However, his £12m price-tag was always likely to prove prohibitive, considering Celtic’s record signing remains the £11m paid to sign Arne Engels last August.

So, with the Hoops now focusing on other targets, one in particular stands out.

Celtic's search for a new number nine

As has been previously reported, Celtic are one of many clubs interested in securing the services of Youssef El Kachati.

The 25-year-old is available as a free transfer, having left Telstar following the expiration of his contract.

Despite that, he departs Sportpark Schoonenberg a bona fide club legend, having scored 25 goals this season, firing the White Lions back into the Eredivisie for the first time in 47 years, netting five times in six play-off matches, on target home and away as Telstar defeated Willem II in the final.

So now, Martin McMillan of the Glasgow Times claims that El Kachati has turned down the chance to join German second-tier outfit Hannover, with Anthony Evans of the Daily Record reporting that Celtic are ‘supremely confident’ of making this deal happen.

The Dutch-born, Moroccan youth international’s performances in the Eerste Divisie have yielded plenty of praise, including from writer Martin Bjerke, who notes that El Kachati “combines physical presence with dynamic movement”, adding that he is “technically gifted”.

So, let’s assess how he compares to Kvistgaarden.

Appearances

45

38

Minutes

3,517

2,542

Goals

25

23

Assists

6

7

Shots on target %

40.5%

48.8%

Shots per 90

3.86

3.58

Shots on target per 90

1.56

1.75

Goals per shot

0.14

0.21

First and foremost, worth stating up front that, according to Global Football Rankings, the Superligaen is the 13th strongest league in the world, with the Dutch second division down in 70th, which is obviously worth considering.

That caveat aside, the pair do have similar statistics this season, with El Kachati scoring two more goals, albeit in around 1000 more minutes, while registering slightly more shots per 90.

Transfer Focus

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Thus, it goes without saying that Kvistgaarden is a massive talent, and it is a blow that Celtic are seemingly set to miss out on him, but El Kachati certainly offers a low-cost, low-risk and potentially high-reward alternative.

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Liverpool are in the market for savvy additions this summer and club officials have come back impressed from a recent scouting trip involving a defender in Europe’s top-five leagues.

Liverpool step up their hunt for reinforcements

The Reds are marching towards the summer window safe in the knowledge that they will be one of the finest Premier League destinations for potential recruits following a successful league campaign. Arne Slot arrived with a vision and delivered with flying colours, which is a theme the Dutchman will be keen to follow up on once the transfer window opens for business.

Mapping out a summer that could see mass changes engulf his squad, Liverpool have lined up Real Madrid sensation Rodrygo as an ambitious venture despite his steep £85 million valuation. On the same token, the Merseyside giants have submitted an enquiry to Monaco involving defender Vanderson amid Trent Alexander-Arnold’s departure on a free transfer.

Earning a controversial reception against Arsenal after coming off the bench, the Three Lions international’s successor will have considerable pressure on their shoulders to take on the creative void needing filled once the 26-year-old moves to Real Madrid.

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Truthfully, it will probably take several additions and a tactical rethink to solve the intriguing conundrum, but Slot has already shown his adaptability over the course of the season.

Before anything else, the Dutchman will value flexibility and depth in his mission to dominate English football. Alterations are a necesarry evil of progression, though adequate cover will be needed to replace any outgoing figures.

Now, Liverpool are lining up a swoop for an impressive defender who could be available on a cut-price deal, according to reports.

Liverpool impressed after Jhon Lucumi scouting mission

According to TBR, Liverpool officials have scouted Bologna defender Jhon Lucumi and his intermediaries have been in contact with several clubs to inform them of his situation heading into the summer window. Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton & Hove Albion, Brentford, Crystal Palace and Leeds United have also watched the 28-cap Colombia centre-back in action as his contract runs into its final 12 months in Italy.

Jhon Lucumi’s statistics in 2024/25 – all competitions

Appearances

41

Goals

1

Assists

1

Juventus and Inter Milan have joined the hunt for his signature, though Liverpool have identified the 26-year-old as an ideal candidate to strengthen their defensive ranks after another solid term at Bologna. Labelled a “phenomenon” by Vincenzo Italiano, Lucumi has been a dominant presence in the Italian top-flight this campaign, winning an average of 3.8 duels per match.

Expectedly, Bologna don’t want to lose one of their star assets on a free transfer next summer, hence why they would be open to a sale in the correct circumstances. Heeding that, Liverpool could now move to complete a bargain transfer to kickstart a trail of exciting recruitment under Slot’s stewardship.

Manchester United and Ruben Amorim have now identified a 30-year-old who they could sign in a £34 million transfer, according to a recent report.

Ruben Amorim confirms Diogo Dalot injury blow

Ahead of United’s next Premier League game against AFC Bournemouth, Amorim has revealed that his side have suffered another injury blow. Defender Diogo Dalot has suffered a calf injury and could potentially miss the rest of the season.

Amorim said in his press conference on Friday: “He has a problem with his muscle in his calf. He had a sequence of games; he played all the time. We tried to manage, but some of the players have to play a lot of minutes, and we have to protect the ones that we think are not so ready to cope with that, but Dalot felt something.”

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This is a big blow for Amorim and United, as the Portuguese international has been a persistent starter for the Red Devils this season, cementing that right wing-back spot as his own.

His absence from their Premier League matches isn’t much of a concern, given there isn’t anything riding on those games, but Amorim will be hoping he can have his defender back for the Europa League, even if it is the second leg or final, should United get there.

Man Utd want to sign 30 y/o compared to Matic in £34m transfer

As Amorim tries to deal with his latest injury blow, according to Italian outlet Tuttomercatoweb, relayed by Sport Witness, Man Utd are now interested in signing midfielder Stanislav Lobotka from Napoli.

The report states that his performances for Antonio Conte’s side have caught the attention of United, who have ‘expressed a desire’ to hold talks with the player’s agent. It goes on to add that Napoli may look to move the player on this summer, as they see it as their last chance to earn a lot of money from his exit, as he is under contract until 2027.

Given that Lobotka will turn 31 soon, Conte believes his value will only go down and therefore are willing to do business should they receive an offer of €40 million, which is roughly £34 million.

Interest from United comes as they may look to move Casemiro on at the end of the campaign, and therefore, a replacement will be needed, and Labotka could be that person, as he is someone who is very similar to Nemanja Matic, a player United fans know very well.

Lobotka

Matic

Apps

29

25

Assists

1

1

Progressive carries

29

33

Progressive passes

112

132

Passes attempted

1619

1243

Passes completed

1463

1080

Tackles (Won)

43 (28)

35 (28)

Interceptions

20

12

Clearances

57

27

However, the Red Devils are not the only team chasing his signature, as Barcelona have been linked with the midfielder a few times, and French champions Paris Saint-Germain are also keeping an eye on the player. Labotka has really impressed this season, so much so that former Arsenal midfielder and now Como manager Cesc Fàbregas has labelled the midfielder as someone who can “make you win games”.

Fabregas said: “Napoli have many players who won the league, like Lobotka. Please, give me Lobotka. What a player, Mamma Mia. He is marvellous. Players like this make you win games for their ability to understand football and recover many balls. I go crazy for players like this.”

Legend starts new role just days after Lord’s send-off, but is his former team ready?

Vithushan Ehantharajah16-Jul-2024Some were short. Some were wide. Some were too fast. Some too slow.Considering 49 of James Anderson’s 73 dismissals at Trent Bridge have been caught, it was a surprise to see him struggle with his accuracy during England’s slip practice. To be fair to him, he’s not spent much time searching for edges while wearing a baseball mitt on his left hand.Tuesday marked the launch of “James Anderson, bowling coach”. A second volume of his England career begins while some were still locked into the first. And as the 41-year-old got to grips with his new job after his enforced retirement came to pass at Lord’s on Friday with the conclusion of the first Test against West Indies, you could forgive the awkwardness.Cards on the table, it felt very weird. This could not have been further from Friday’s festivities. A dank cricket ground, empty but for the departing West Indies after their training session, and the constant buzzing of groundstaff who were locked in a battle with the weather for most of the day.Anderson, decked out in his same England tracksuit, was treated to a round of applause in the team huddle from now-former teammates and new coaching colleagues. That came after Mark Wood – who replaces Anderson in the XI – was welcomed back to the group. See? Weird.After finding his range with the cordon, Anderson moved over to a practice strip to oversee Wood and Dillon Pennington going through their paces. Soon enough, the rest of the seamers – Matthew Potts aside, who was batting – came over to bowl under Anderson’s gaze. A grim shower – one of the last scheduled for this week – sent them all inside, where Anderson’s watching brief continued, without hurling (or bowling) a ball at a batter.Should Anderson even be here? As blunt as that may seem, there are a few different strands to that question. But it’s worth focussing on two in particular.A legend deserving of a send-off is equally deserving of a bit of space, either for a few more Guinnesses or to scope out what’s next. To be fair to Anderson, his motivation for assuming the role so soon after retirement is to see if (a) he likes the fit and, (b) he fits the team. This isn’t simply about justifying what remains of his ECB central contract or handing him a consolation gig. Ironically, this, too, is about building for the next Ashes.The spikier strand, however, is wondering how England can really learn to live without Anderson, grow beyond Anderson or even simply move on from Anderson, when he is still there.Zak Crawley looks on during England’s training session•Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty ImagesFor all the knowledge there is to tap into, his presence represents a glory of old that is incredibly intimidating to newcomers. Literally four days ago, he was turning Joshua Da Silva inside-out for his 704th Test wicket. Can a new attack grow in his shade? Is it even possible to fill the void of his personality when that personality remains? And how will Anderson feel when some of the tenets he has lived by are not quite openly dismissed, but now frowned upon? Again, he was bowling in a Test literally four days ago.That, ultimately, is something that will get ironed out. But the challenge is not so much for Anderson but for the core of this England team that has grown in prominence during the tenure of Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes. And it is now, as they head into a home Test without either Anderson or Stuart Broad for the first time since both were rested in June 2012, that they will truly take the reins over the evolution of this team.Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Ben Duckett and Harry Brook have emerged as respected heads in this dressing-room, as much through performances as personality. Since the start of 2023, the quartet are among England’s top five runscorers, with Joe Root leading the way.Indeed the growth of these top-order batters can also be measured in the field. The confidence – and lack of chopping and changing – has improved England’s catching by and large. Their success percentage of 78.7 percent in the above period is better than Australia’s (77.0) and only 0.2 off India.They are surer of themselves to either offer Stokes advice, or direct traffic themselves when they sense a hunch, and are not afraid to do so without asking for their captain’s permission. At a time in this team’s life cycle where the bowling attack has lost 355 caps in the space of two retirements in successive home Tests, such assurance in the batting group is a necessity.Related

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“It’s certainly a changing of the guard,” Crawley said on Tuesday when addressing life beyond Anderson. With 45 appearances, he is now the fourth most-capped player in the team, with 11 more than Wood, who debuted in 2015, four years before the opening batter.Crawley’s journey to this point has been riddled with what we can now describe as “character-building” bumps. England’s leading runscorer in last year’s Ashes and this year’s tour of India has emerged as a front-runner as a potential successor to Stokes. Not many would have made that leap when he finished the 2022 summer with an average of 23.But it speaks of the dressing-room that Crawley now carries a healthy amount of responsibility without regarding himself as a “senior” player.”In terms of senior players, it’s weird in our environment,” he said. “We’re a very tight-knit group and we’re all encouraged to add to the environment, help the environment.”Even Dillon [Pennington] coming in for his first game [with the squad at Lord’s], you’re encouraged to help everyone around you. I feel like we all have that responsibility.”Of course, I feel like I have a responsibility to my teammates to help them. But I think that’s across the board. to be honest. I don’t feel like more than a leader than anyone else.”That’s reiterated to us all the time, that we look after each other. We’re a close-knit group and I see it as my role to help people around me and I’m sure they feel the same. In that sense I suppose I can have that impact on people but I think we all do in the group, that’s why we’re tight-knit.”That Gus Atkinson became the fifth player to take a five-wicket haul on debut under McCullum and Stokes backs up Crawley’s words. Similarly, the Surrey quick’s match haul of 12 for 106 at Lord’s suggests Anderson’s presence did not impede him at all.Nevertheless, we are about to enter a period that, much like England’s search for an opener after Andrew Strauss’s retirement in 2012, could involve a lot of trial and error.The onus is on the likes of Crawley to help the bowling group through whatever growing pains emerge. After all, Anderson might only be around for the summer.

She smashed 62 off 44, bowled a maiden in her 2 for 28 and put on a show of her electric ground fielding

Annesha Ghosh29-May-2022It’s no secret that Deandra Dottin can turn a match on its head single-handedly. And that’s usually the outcome if she clicks in just one department.But there are days when Dottin metamorphoses into a three-dimensional force of nature. What hope might the opposition have in such contests, then? Ask Velocity, whose pursuit of a maiden Women’s T20 Challenge title was thwarted by the West Indies allrounder’s chief-destroyer act for Supernovas in the final at Pune’s MCA Stadium on Saturday.Related

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All that was missing from Dottin’s phenomenal day at the office was a blinder or two to add to her electric ground fielding and match-winning returns of 62 off 44 and 2 for 28. In her best performance yet across two successive seasons and as many appearances in the final, Dottin World-Bossed her way through the ebbs and flows of a box-office encounter that ended in Supernovas clinching a four-run win in a humdinger of a finish.The numbers alone don’t entirely tell just how wily Dottin, named Player of the Match and the Series, was on the night. In the face of tight bowling from seamers Kate Cross and Ayabonga Khaka and offspinner Deepti Sharma in the powerplay, Dottin traded run-scoring pace for circumspection at the start of her innings. The result: she scored just 16 off her first 15 balls, with a solitary four, a let-off by Sneh Rana on 13, and a close shave against a DRS umpire’s call to her name.Rana’s introduction in the sixth over flicked the switch for Dottin. Two imperious sixes came off the first two balls as she found in the arc between deep midwicket and cow corner her backyard. It helped that Velocity themselves put on a brand of fielding and bowling through that phase that was more the backyard-cricket level than anything else.With Dottin receiving another lifeline on 32 and feasting on free hits off overstepping errors, it was only a matter of time before she made them pay with her first fifty of this edition. She reached the milestone off 33 balls with a disdainful six over the cow-corner fence off left-arm spinner Radha Yadav.”The game plan was to spend as much time on the crease as possible and survive the first six overs,” Dottin said after her innings, having added 73 with fellow opener Priya Punia and 58 with first-drop Harmanpreet Kaur. “Having a slow start is not always bad. You can’t always have a fast start all the time. The plan was to continue to stay and target bowlers from the end where the wind was strong.””Yeah, it’s true (that luck gave Supernovas free hits), but I wanted to cash in on one,” she said.”To be honest, it’s fun batting with Punia. We enjoy batting together. We talk a lot and give each other encouragement after each ball and each over… It was always really nice to watch Harman hit from the non-striker’s end.”

“She’s an incredible cricketer, an incredible T20 player. She’s so powerful with the bat, and then she bowls as well, and bowls really well.”Laura Wolvaardt on Deandra Dottin

With the ball, too, Dottin was a quick thinker. Bowling at a good pace – an element of her all-round game that flagged following a career-threatening shoulder surgery that pushed her to the brink of contemplating retirement in 2019 – she executed what seemed well-drawn up and batter-specific ploys.Against two of the most destructive batters in the Velocity line-up, Shafali Verma and the uncapped Kiran Navgire, she unleashed a barrage of back-of-a-length deliveries and skiddy bouncers. Cramming Shafali for room was an inswinger to have her caught behind in the third over, thanks in part also to a superb diving take by wicketkeeper Taniya Bhatia.Two legal deliveries later, she pinged Navgire, fresh off a resounding 34-ball 69 a night ago, on the helmet. Visibly rattled, though medically unaffected by the rammer, Navgire played out 12 dot balls, 11 of those against Dottin alone, before being bowled by Sophie Ecclestone for a duck.Sprinkling her end-overs spell with a few surprise short deliveries also proved the perfect stratagem. No. 9 Cross, swinging wildly for her seven-ball 13 in a bid to decisively swing the momentum Velocity’s way, edged Dottin behind, unable to negotiate the pace or the spite in the delivery.”She’s an incredible cricketer, an incredible T20 player,” South Africa batter Laura Wolvaardt, whose 40-ball unbeaten 65 nearly got Velocity over the line in their chase of 166, said. “She’s so powerful with the bat, and then she bowls as well, and bowls really well.”I think she bowled really well today, especially upfront. She had a lot of change-ups and variations and was bowling bouncers and yorkers, so it was hard to predict what she was doing.”And she had a couple of different fields as well, which we don’t really see too often. So, I think it’s great the way that she plays her game and goes about it and when she is in form, like she is now, she’s very destructive.”At the presentation ceremony, Dottin described herself as a shy person by nature, an antithesis to her style of play and the self-adopted moniker, “World Boss”. As the heady Saturday night drew to a close, and the cheers of a raucous 8621-strong Pune crowd quieted, Dottin trudged along the boundary barricade near the Supernovas dugout, autographed her cap and handed it to a teen female cricketer in flannels waiting on the other side.On a night when she shattered the opposition’s dreams, giving wings to a young fan’s might have been the most Dottin way to cap it.

Centuries were fewer and 230 v 230 a norm at forgotten venues that threw up a feast

Sreshth Shah in Potchefstroom10-Feb-2020Spin rules in traditionally fast-bowling centresEight of the top 11 wicket-takers at the World Cup were spinners. Four – Rakibul Hasan, Aryan Lakra, Ashmead Nedd and Lewis Goldsworthy – were slow left-arm tweakers, three – Ravi Bishnoi, Shafiqullah Ghafari and Tanveer Sangha – were legspinners while Hamidullah Qadri was an offspinner.While some of them were frontline options, who have or will be regulars for their first-class or franchise setups at home, many were part-timers. It showed that spin continues to a potent wicket-taking option in the white-ball format, and that to win matches, wickets in the middle overs continue to be paramount. The worrying factor for all teams, however, was the gap in skill and temperament that existed among batsmen facing spin bowling.ICC via GettyLearn from the Asian sidesThe Asian sides brushed aside any notion of being slow starters in conditions traditionally known to assist swing and seam movement.Bangladesh toured around the world before coming here, Pakistan thumped the hosts 7-0 in a series before the World Cup, India played a bilateral and a quadrangular in South Africa through December and Afghanistan showed that honing your strengths will reap rewards irrespective of conditions. Sri Lanka were the only team that underachieved, but that goes down, in part, to a tough group that had India and New Zealand.Australia played a fifth of the games that India played between the 2018 edition and now, England played a third while this West Indies squad began playing as a team only from mid-2019. The difference showed in the games and these teams, too, now know what they must do going into 2022.Even bat and ball contestsAt the 2018 edition, there were nine scores above 300, including two 400-plus totals. But at the 2020 edition, there were only six – including five against Japan, Nigeria, Scotland and Canada. The only Test team to concede 300 was West Indies, after they were knocked out from World Cup contention. Scores between 220 and 250 were the norm and they made for fascinating contests.There were fewer centuries, though. In 2018, there were 25 but this time there were only eight, of which five game against Japan, Nigeria and Canada. Whether that’s the fallout from the exposure of these teenagers to T20 cricket, or whether the batsmen were not prepared to play long is something batting coaches will do well to examine.ICC via GettyThe ICC’s efforts are worth itFor Nigeria and Japan, this tournament was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to show the world the giant strides they’ve taken at the grassroots. They both played six games, finishing 15th and 16th respectively, but it wasn’t about where they finished as much as it was about them turning up and showing they were here to learn.An extensive qualifying process to get here meant their participation was no fluke, although Japan did get in because of Papua New Guinea’s disqualification. It also inspires teams that have never been on the World Cup roadmap to plan and prepare, showing them that a focused effort behind the scenes does pay off in the long run.Cricket returns to forgotten venuesPlaying games in Kimberley, Bloemfontein, Benoni and (four venues at) Potchefstroom took the game to places which have slowly lost their place in South Africa’s international cricketing calendar. The cricket-starved fans at these grounds came out in large numbers, even as South Africa and England’s senior teams tussled at the big venues.Schoolchildren were invited to all the games, entry was free for the general public, targeted radio campaigns brought people in while towards the knockouts, flyers distributed among the expat Asian population ensured the atmosphere for each game did justice to the occasion.

The USMNT’s placement in Group D for the 2026 World Cup – alongside Paraguay, Australia, and the winner of Play-Off C (Türkiye, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo) – quickly ignited debate. Fans, analysts, and pundits reacted in real time, sharing everything from excitement to anxiety as the draw unfolded.

• USMNT DRAWN INTO GROUP D

  After four years of anticipation, the USMNT has finally learned its 2026 World Cup fate, drawn into Group D alongside Paraguay, Australia, and the Winner of Play-Off C (Türkiye, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo), their first home World Cup since 1994. With the tournament just months away and serving as a crucial test for Mauricio Pochettino's squad on home soil, there is plenty at stake for the Americans – and fans are building excitement across social media platforms.

  GOAL takes a look at the best social media reactions following the USMNT's favorable group stage draw, with supporters already analyzing potential knockout round matchups should they advance as expected.

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• WHAT U.S. FANS ARE SAYING

• WHAT PUNDITS AND PLAYERS ARE SAYING

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  The group draw has contributed to the growing narrative of the 2026 World Cup as a pivotal moment for American soccer. Social media conversations reflect a broader enthusiasm for the sport’s growth in the U.S. and the opportunity to showcase the national team on a global stage. The matchup against diverse opponents in Group D symbolizes the challenges and opportunities facing the USMNT as they seek to make a deep run in the tournament.

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank is now having to deal with unsettled players as he also prepares for a vital North London derby this weekend, according to a new report.

Spurs, under the new leadership team of co-sporting directors Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange, are bracing for a significant January transfer window where several fringe players could well depart N17.

The most high-profile of them appears inevitable for Yves Bissouma, whose spell at Spurs appears to be nearing a conclusion. The 28-year-old Mali international’s contract expires in June 2026, positioning him for a potential free transfer next year amid ongoing interest from Galatasaray after they failed to sign him in the summer.

Frank has already criticised Bissouma for his punctuality and discipline, explaining at the start of 2025/2026 that the midfielder “has been late several times and the latest time was one too many”.

The midfielder is currently absent with an ankle problem and hasn’t featured in a competitive game all season, but The Mail report Bissouma’s contract includes a one-year extension option — meaning they might not lose him for free next year after all.

Dejan Kulusevski

Knee

29/11/2025

James Maddison

ACL

01/06/2026

Radu Dragusin

Knee

22/11/2025

Ben Davies

Thigh

23/11/2025

Kota Takai

Ankle/Foot

23/11/2025

Mohammed Kudus

Knock

23/11/2025

Randal Kolo Muani

Jaw

23/11/2025

Yves Bissouma

Ankle/Foot

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Lucas Bergvall

Concussion

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Dominic Solanke

Ankle

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Archie Gray

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via Premier Injuries

In any case, they’d also only trigger it if they can’t sell him in the winter, and Bissouma isn’t the only player who could leave in under two months time.

Indeed, Richarlison’s future also hangs in the balance.

The forward’s own contract runs out in 2027, and he’s struggled for consistency not just this season, but ever since his £60 million move from Everton in 2022. Richarlison is believed to be attracting interest from his former club and Frank reportedly views the 28-year-old as ‘expendable’, meaning a January exit for the Brazil international isn’t ruled out despite Dominic Solanke’s injury woes.

On-lookers wouldn’t be at all surprised if one of the aforementioned pair left Spurs in the winter, provided they can sign a replacement for Richarlison, but a much more surprising name has now been touted for the exit door as well.

Mathys Tel keen to leave Tottenham in January and 'unhappy' in London

Just months after his £30 million permanent move from Bayern Munich, Roma have now emerged as potential January suitors for striker Mathys Tel.

Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport reports the 20-year-old is unhappy in London and keen on departing Tottenham when the winter window opens, which comes as a shock given he’s basically only just arrived and performed fairly well when called upon.

Tel scored Tottenham’s equaliser against Man United last time out with an excellent finish on the turn, and opened the scoring in Spurs’ 2-1 win away to Leeds just before the October international break.

However, he was also controversially excluded from Tottenham’s 22-man Champions League squad by Frank, owing to the limited numbers they could select due to homegrown quota issues.

Roma boss Gian Piero Gasperini has identified Tel as his primary target, viewing the youngster as someone with significant room for development who possesses the ideal profile to strengthen Roma’s attacking options.

La Gazzetta even suggests that Spurs could green-light a loan deal as opposed to an outright sale, but given both Randal Kolo Muani and Solanke’s struggles to stay fit, this would be rather unwise.

Given Frank’s limited attacking options, Roma’s apparent optimism about securing a deal may prove very premature. Tottenham need more options up top, not less, and Tel is someone who’s still raw but could pay dividends in the future as he continues to adjust to life in England.

Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann once backed Tel to become a ’40 goal a season’ striker, and while he’s still some way off that, letting him leave certainly doesn’t benefit the Lilywhites in any way.