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Both Warriorz and RCB are now out of the tournament, with Gujarat Giants joining DC and MI in the playoffs

Shashank Kishore08-Mar-20256:01

RCB ‘have a lot of work to do’

UP Warriorz went out of WPL 2025 in the most thrilling manner, and they took defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru along with them. This means Gujarat Giants will now make their maiden playoffs appearance, joining Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians. The fight for the top spot, though, is still wide open.Warriorz belted the tournament’s highest total yet, courtesy Georgia Voll’s unbeaten 99, another record for the WPL’s joint-highest individual score. And that nearly didn’t prove enough because Richa Ghosh and Sneh Rana threatened a jailbreak.Ghosh smashed 69 off 33, but her dismissal with RCB needing 55 off 3.4 overs left them on the edge. Then came another twist, when Deepti Sharma, who dismissed Ghosh, conceded the most runs in a single over in the WPL’s short history – 28 off the 19th – as Rana smacked her for an incredible sequence of 4, 6, 6, 4, 6 to bring the target down to 15 off seven balls.Sneh Rana’s six-ball 26 gave RCB a glimmer of hope•BCCIOne of the fours also came off a no-ball, but more dramatically, prior to delivering that ball, Deepti stopped short of her delivery stride when Kim Garth backed up too far at the non-striker’s end, but did not run her out.But Rana’s magic ended when she muscled a flat hit straight to Poonam Khemnar, whom RCB had let go ahead of the auction, at the deep midwicket fence. That blow, which left RCB nine down, was the knockout punch for the defending champions, with Warriorz sealing victory in the final over when they had Renuka Singh run out.Fittingly enough, Voll, who at one point may have wondered if her magical knock may have gone in vain, delivered the final over that she began with two dots to all but close it out before the run-out. It marked an incredible end to Voll’s maiden WPL stint, which had needed her to cut short her home renovation in Queensland to make a quick dash to India only a week ago.Having come in as a replacement for Chamari Athapaththu, Voll showed potential to possibly be retention material, a definite positive for the Warriorz in a campaign that brought them just three wins in eight matches.Voll, Harris make merryHaving made an impression in her first set of games for Australia in Alyssa Healy’s absence, Voll did the same in the WPL too. Three nights after hitting a half-century on debut, she cranked it up several notches along with Grace Harris as the Warriorz went hell for leather in the powerplay, hitting the second-most boundaries (13) in this phase in the tournament’s short history.Voll exhibited her strong back-foot game, a consequence of having been brought up on bouncy decks in Queensland. She often stayed beside the line and opened up impossible gaps in the backward point region, but the standout was her display of brute forearm strength and a strong bottom hand to play a ferocious whip in front of square.At the other end, Harris scooped and paddled her way to boundaries, quick to pounce on anything loose – and there were plenty of such deliveries from RCB’s new-ball pair of Garth and Renuka. Warriorz muscled their way to 67 for 0 in six overs – the highest powerplay score this season.Kiran Navgire’s 16-ball 46 came at a strike rate of 287.50•BCCINavgire cranks it upRCB had a gift soon after the powerplay when Harris was run out, but Kiran Navgire didn’t take long to settle in, muscling her second ball, off Ellyse Perry, over the 60-metre boundary at deep square leg, and then carrying on to hit legspinner Georgia Wareham for back-to-back sixes in the following over.At the other end, Voll raised her second straight fifty, off 31 balls, when she swung a full-toss to the deep midwicket boundary. The second-wicket pair’s comfort against spin forced Smriti Mandhana to turn to Renuka again in the 12th over, but the move proved utterly ineffective as Navgire clobbered her for 4, 2, 4, 0, 6, 6. The sixes were a thing of beauty for her nonchalance in swatting length balls bowled into the deck over the leg-side fence.Overs 9-12 brought Warriorz 64 runs as they set themselves up for over 200. RCB had a clutch of wickets in the back end when they dismissed Navgire, Chinelle Henry and Sophie Ecclestone, but a tiring Voll charged towards a the tournament’s first-ever century, only to be denied off the last ball when a half-attempt at a second run to long-on, which would have brought up the landmark, led to Deepti being run out.Richa Ghosh reached fifty off 25 balls•BCCIRCB go hell or high waterMandhana was out to a tame pull early on, but RCB kept going after the bowling with S Meghana, playing in her first game of the season, picking up 22 off the second over, bowled by Harris. Perry didn’t take long to settle in either, as she was up and running with three successive fours off Henry – all to different parts. She got on top of the bounce to cut the first one along the ground, then flicked a full-toss to fine leg, and followed up with the most blistering of pulls.This intent cost Meghana and Perry their wickets, but not before they had played neat cameos. But there was a sense that they’d left too much for Ghosh to cover up – which she nearly did, exhibiting tremendous range. She used the depth of the crease to pull, made room to get beside the line to loft imperiously, and was quick to rock back when the bowlers dropped short to unfurl flat-bat pulls that bisected long-on and deep midwicket.Her 64-run sixth-wicket stand with Wareham kept RCB alive, before it got to a point where it was Ghosh or nothing. When she fell, the end was nigh. But Rana wasn’t going to go down without a fight. In the end, she nearly pulled RCB home, but the fairlytale wasn’t to be.

Tottenham’s transfer business for 2025 has officially concluded following one of the most dramatic and memorable summer windows on-lookers have ever seen, with Spurs enjoying a solid one themselves.

Despite their failure to bring in a natural left-winger and centre-back for manager Thomas Frank, which were two key items on their to-do list (Sky Sports), a recruitment team stocked with Daniel Levy, CEO Vinai Vinkatesham, technical director Johan Lange and unofficial advisor Fabio Paratici did work some magic.

Tottenham’s summer signings

Price tag

Mohammed Kudus

£55 million

Kota Takai

£5 million

Mathys Tel

£30 million

Joao Palhinha

Loan

Kevin Danso

£21 million

Xavi Simons

£52 million

Randal Kolo Muani

Loan

Following their infamously botched deals for Morgan Gibbs-White -who reportedly phoned Frank to apologise for his U-turn over joining Spurs – and Eberechi Eze, Spurs finally managed to get a replacement for the injured James Maddison by signing Xavi Simons in a £52 million deal from RB Leipzig.

It was all happening in N17 during the final days, with an ankle injury to striker Dominic Solanke also partly forcing Frank’s side into a late temporary deal for long-time target Randal Kolo Muani.

Tottenham were actively pursuing the PSG-owned forward in January, only to back out and see Juventus win the race for his signature instead.

The France international really impressed for Juve, bagging 10 goals and three assists in all competitions, and while Igor Tudor wanted him back in Serie A, they couldn’t agree to re-sign him despite lengthy summer talks.

Instead, Spurs tempted Kolo Muani with a move to the Premier League, and Frank is set to benefit from the introduction of a centre-forward who can play in multiple areas with a proven scoring record. Interestingly, the 26-year-old was also a player who ex-manager Ange Postecoglou pushed for in the winter (Paul O’Keefe), and it’s not hard to see why.

His best-ever season to date in 2022/2023 saw the attacker rack up a brilliant 23 goals and 17 assists in all competitions for Eintracht Frankfurt, with Kolo Muani also making his mark for France on the international stage.

Semi-final goals against Morocco at the 2022 World Cup and Spain in Euro 2024 showcase partly why Didier Deschamps has kept faith in Kolo Muani, even amidst a lack of game time at PSG, and Tottenham are in dire need of him now that reports suggest Solanke could be out for even longer than anticipated.

Kolo Muani’s arrival could end up being crucial with the influx of matches awaiting Spurs after this international break, leaving little wonder Levy and co were clamoring to get him through the door.

Tottenham agreed "un-Spurs like" Randal Kolo Muani deal condition

Giving his take on the deal, reliable correspondent Alasdair Gold says that Tottenham agreed an ‘un-Spurs like’ condition to sign Kolo Muani from PSG.

Namely, Gold states that the lack of any buy option in this move is something quite out of the ordinary for them, and some might suggest that it highlights their “desperation” to bring in another new attacker (football.london).

Without the inclusion of an obligation or option to buy, if Kolo Muani’s move proves a success, then Levy will need to return to the negotiating table with PSG – by which point they’d be able to command a loftier price tag.

They’ll also face competition from other elite sides on the look-out for a proven striker, so Tottenham face the prospect of this being Kolo Muani’s only season in north London, regardless of how well he performs.

It’s certainly out of Tottenham’s character not to take the future into account, but Frank’s need for attacking reinforcements was pressing, and it perhaps indicates Levy’s increasing willingness to compete after the Lilywhites tasted Europa League glory in May.

The guidelines come with a warning that “non-compliance” could result not just in disciplinary action, but heavier sanctions including exclusion from domestic cricket and IPL

Nagraj Gollapudi17-Jan-202514:09

‘How did we get to this?’ – Manjrekar, Bal question how Indian management ‘let it slip’

The BCCI has sent a ten-point guideline document to India’s contracted men’s players in a bid to “promote discipline, unity and a positive team environment”. It is an unprecedented response to a run of poor Test results and comes with a warning that “non-compliance” could result not just in disciplinary action, but heavier sanctions including exclusion from domestic cricket and the IPL, as well as deductions from central contract retainers. The policy will be effective immediately.The document, accessed by ESPNcricinfo, is titled ‘Policy Document for Team India’. It was sent to the players on Thursday.The document was prepared by the BCCI, building on suggestions made at a review meeting last weekend with key decision-makers in Indian cricket. The review meeting was called by BCCI to assess India’s poor run, starting with the home Test series defeat against New Zealand, where India lost 3-0, followed by the 3-1 loss in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. Present at the review meeting were head coach Gautam Gambhir, the Test and ODI captain Rohit Sharma, chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar, and BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia.Here are some of the key points.Players cannot travel separately to tours/matches/trainingOne of the most significant points discussed at that meeting concerned players not following protocols, which eventually hurt overall atmosphere in the dressing room. Instances were cited of players travelling on their own to series, some players travelling separately to the venue rather than in the team bus, and some players not spending enough time with the group at the team training sessions.Related

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Going forward, the BCCI has said, a player will need a “pre-approved” nod from the head coach or head selector to travel separately to and from matches and training sessions. “Separate travel arrangements with families are discouraged to maintain discipline and team cohesion,” the document said. Additionally, the BCCI has said players “are required to stay for the entire duration of scheduled practice sessions and travel together to and from the venue. This rule ensures commitment and fosters a strong work ethic within the team.”Going ahead a player cannot abort a tour or a series even if the match(es) finish earlier than planned. “This ensures unity, fosters team bonding, and avoids disruption to team dynamics.”Families can be around for a maximum two weeks on long toursAnother key point was whether the presence of players’ families, which became more common after the Covid-19 pandemic, on long tours like the recent one in Australia, was distracting and affecting the focus of players. Consequently, the BCCI has said on tours of 45 days or more, players’ immediate families – partners and children (up to 18 years old) – can be with them for no more than 14 days. The families can visit only once and their travel arrangements have to be made by the player in question after a nod from the coach, captain and the BCCI’s general manager, operations.”The BCCI will cover shared accommodation with the player for the visitors’ period. All other expenses are to be borne by the player,” the document said. The BCCI also said that additional costs outside the pre-approved period for the family would be borne by the player.Players must travel together to and from the venue, the BCCI has said in the document•Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

No travelling with personal staffThe BCCI has also said that team members need to “restrict” personal staff on tours. This could include, and will not be restricted to, personal managers, chefs, assistants and security. “This ensures that the focus remains on team operations and minimises logistical challenges. – this has to be done away with.”The BCCI has also advised team members to not “engage” in personal commercial shoots on tour or during a series to ensure the “focus remains on cricket and team responsibilities”.Domestic cricket ‘mandatory’ for national selectionThe BCCI has reiterated that it’s “mandatory” for players to make themselves available for all domestic cricket. Not doing that could cost them selection for international assignments as well as their central contracts. This rule was laid down by the BCCI last year when it said it was a “cause for concern” having noticed the trend of some players “prioritising IPL over domestic cricket”.In the fresh guidelines, the BCCI has said: “participation in domestic matches is mandatory for players to remain eligible for selection in the national team and for central contracts, as per BCCI guidelines. This policy ensures that players remain connected to the domestic cricket ecosystem, fostering talent development, maintaining match fitness, and strengthening the overall domestic structure. It also inspires emerging players by providing them opportunities to compete alongside top cricketers, ensuring continuity in talent progression.”The BCCI said it would not entertain any exceptions barring “extraordinary circumstances”, which would need the approval by the selection panel head.The sanctionsThe BCCI has stressed that players need to “adhere strictly” to the guidelines and if there is any “non-compliance”, there will be “disciplinary action” including sanctions.”The BCCI reserves the right to take disciplinary action against a player which may include sanction against the concerned player for participating in all BCCI conducted tournaments including the Indian Premier League and deduction from retainer amount/match fees under BCCI player contract.”Implementing such measures, the BCCI said, “ensures accountability and reinforces the importance of adhering to established policies and prioritising Indian cricket.”

A clash broke out between pro-Shakib Al Hasan and anti-Shakib Al Hasan groups outside the Shere Bangla National Stadium on Sunday, the day before the first Test between Bangladesh and South Africa.A group called “Shakibians” chanted slogans, demanding Shakib be reinstated in the Test squad, but was chased away by another group in the presence of security forces. All this while the South Africans were training inside the stadium. There were no injuries reported, but the Dhaka-based said that security forces had detained one person.Until this clash, the two sets of protesters – those who want Shakib to get a chance to play a farewell Test series and those who are politically opposed to Shakib, who was a member of the Awami League party whose government was overthrown in August – had carried out their protests separately.Related

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Shakib had been picked in Bangladesh’s squad for the first Test against South Africa last Wednesday, but a day later, a group called Mirpur Chhatra Janata (a student body) sent the BCB a letter demanding his removal from the squad. Things moved quickly after that. Shakib told ESPNcricinfo on Thursday that he wouldn’t be traveling to Bangladesh for the game. The BCB withdrew him from the team the following day, with sports adviser Asif Bhuiyan confirming that he had told Shakib not to travel to Bangladesh because of security concerns.Shakib’s fans gathered outside the Shere Bangla for the first time on Friday, demanding his reinstatement in the Test squad. They repeated the protests on Sunday, though this time they were barricaded by security forces.Shakib, a globetrotting cricketer, lives primarily in New York City, and hasn’t been in Bangladesh since May this year. At the time of the anti-government protests, which led to the overthrow of the Sheikh Hasina (Awami League) government, Shakib – a member of parliament from the party at the time – was in Canada taking part in Global T20 Canada. Prior to that, he was in the USA for Major League Cricket and, since then, he has played Test cricket in Pakistan and India apart from playing one game for Somerset in the County Championship.

ترى إحدى الشبكات الإنجليزية أن محمد صلاح، نجم فريق ليفربول، تعرض لعملية سرقة واضحة في سباق المنافسة على جائزة الكرة الذهبية لعام 2025، والتي توج بها في النهاية عثمان ديمبلي لاعب باريس سان جيرمان.

وتواجد محمد صلاح ضمن قائمة المرشحين التي تضم 30 لاعبًا للمنافسة على الكرة الذهبية، لأفضل لاعب في العالم لذلك العام.

وأقامت مجلة “فرانس فوتبول” حفلها السنوي، مساء أمس، في العاصمة الفرنسية باريس، حيث تم الإعلان عن فوز عثمان ديمبلي بالجائزة، في حين تواجد محمد صلاح في المركز الرابع.

ونشرت شبكة “planetfootball” الإنجليزية 13 إحصائية حققها النجم محمد صلاح، في الموسم الماضي، والتي وصفتها بـ”المجنونة”، موضحة أن تلك الأرقام تُعد دليلًا على كون المصري تعرض لعملية سرقة واضحة في الكرة الذهبية.

1- ساهم محمد صلاح في 47 هدفًا في الدوري الإنجليزي بمفرده، أكثر بـ13 هدفًا من أي لاعب آخر في الدوريات الخمس الكبرى في أوروبا، وأكثر بـ20 هدفًا من ديمبلي في الدوري الفرنسي.

اقرأ أيضًا | ثنائي ليفربول يهنئ ديمبلي على الكرة الذهبية.. ورد فعل محمد صلاح

2- يُعد محمد صلاح أكثر لاعب مساهمة في الأهداف في موسم واحد من 38 في الدوري الإنجليزي، ليحطم الرقم القياسي.

3- ساهم محمد صلاح في 57 هدفًا في مختلف المسابقات، وهو أيضًا أكبر عدد لأي لاعب يلعب في الدوريات الخمس الكبرى في أوروبا.

4- في ديسمبر 2024، سجل محمد صلاح 7 وصنع 7 في الدوري الإنجليزي، هذا أقل فقط بعشر مساهمات مما حققه لامين يامال في موسم الدوري الإسباني بأكمله.

5- إجمالي مساهمات محمد صلاح البالغة 47 هدفًا في الدوري الإنجليزي، أقل 6 أهداف فقط من مساهمات عثمان ديمبلي (29) ولامين يامال (24) مجتمعين سويًا، في الدوري الفرنسي والإسباني على التوالي.

6- كذلك إجمالي مساهمات محمد صلاح أقل بهدفين فقط من مساهمات ليونيل ميسي البالغة 49 (36 هدفًا و13 أسيست) في الدوري الإسباني موسم 2018/19، وهو الموسم الذي قاد فيه برشلونة لتحقيق لقب الدوري الإسباني وفشل في دوري أبطال أوروبا.

7- كان نوتينهام فورست النادي الوحيد في الدوري الإنجليزي الذي فشل صلاح في التسجيل أو الصناعة ضده الموسم الماضي.

8- ساهم محمد صلاح بـ 18 هدفًا في 10 مباريات ضد “الستة الكبار” في الدوري الإنجليزي، بمتوسط ​​مساهمة 1.8 هدف في المباراة الواحدة في تلك المباريات.

9- سجل محمد صلاح أو صنع هدفًا في الدوري الإنجليزي كل 71.9 دقيقة، وهي أفضل نسبة بين أي لاعب في الدوريات الخمس الكبرى في أوروبا.

10- قدم محمد صلاح تمريرات حاسمة في موسم 2024/25، 18 أسيست، أكثر من أي لاعب آخر في ليفربول في موسم واحد في الدوري الإنجليزي، وكان ستيف ماكمانامان يحمل الرقم القياسي بـ15 تمريرة حاسمة في موسم 1995/96.

11- بعد تسجيله هدفًا وصناعة هدف ضد مانشستر سيتي في ملعب الاتحاد والأنفيلد، أصبح محمد صلاح أول لاعب في تاريخ الدوري الإنجليزي يسجل ويصنع هدفًا في كلتا المباراتين ضد حامل اللقب.

12- قدم محمد صلام 169 تسديدة ناجحة في الموسم الماضي من الدوري الإنجليزي، ويتفوق عليه فقط لامين يامال (188)، وبرونو فرنانديز (193)، وكول بالمر (202) حيث قدموا تمريرات حاسمة أكثر في الدوريات الأوروبية الخمس الكبرى.

13- سجل محمد صلاح وصنع في مباراة واحدة بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز الموسم الماضي (11 مرة) أكثر مما فعله إيدن هازارد طوال مسيرته مع تشيلسي (10).

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.

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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.”