da lvbet： Anthony Gordon starred over both legs as Newcastle United, frankly, took Arsenal to the cleaners in the Carabao Cup semi-finals.

da brwin： He’s shaped into one of the best wingers in English football, winning Newcastle’s Player of the Year award in 2023/24, his first full season at the club.

There’s no love lost between Everton and their former starboy, who rose through the Finch Farm ranks before becoming a regular feature for the Blues during the 2021/22 campaign,

Pundit and one-time Tottenham keeper Paul Robinson’s verdict was that the young Toffee was “not enough of a goal threat” and failed to “hit the heights” of his breakout campaign, with Everton struggling and Gordon tempted by mounting interest in his services.

He got his wish and left in acrimonious circumstances. Everton banked a pretty penny for his sale, with Newcastle forking out £45m after Gordon’s transfer request, but Everton lost one of their finest youngsters before he could truly hit his stride on Merseyside.

It would be nice if David Moyes could bring another top talent through to the senior squad.

Everton's best current youth prospects

Gordon completed 78 senior appearances for Everton after graduating from Finch Farm but only scratched the surface of his lofty potential, scoring only seven goals.

The fact remains that he is one of the club’s finest prospects over the past decade, however, Moyes will be delighted to note that there is an abundance of quality pushing through to the fore right now.

Within the U21 set-up, right-back Roman Dixon, 20, has already made three senior appearances due to injury issues earlier in the campaign, while 19-year-old midfielder Jack Patterson will be looking to feature under Moyes after making headway over the past few years.

Up top, forward Omari Benjamin, poached from Arsenal’s Hale End, is pushing to make his senior debut before the end of the season, comfortably leading the club’s scoring charts with six goals to his name this term, notably scoring both as Everton beat Liverpool 2-0 before Christmas.

Benjamin was hailed for his ‘explosive finishing ability’ by The Guardian before joining Everton’s youth system and will be confident that he can emerge as the club’s finest prospect since Gordon.

However, that’s easier said than done when he’s competing with Braiden Graham.

Everton's most exciting star since Gordon

Sometimes, an up-and-coming forward emerges with a natural ball-striking ability that bespeaks top-level success. Graham might only be 17 years old but he has that knack for finding the back of the net.

Linfield boss David Healy once hailed Graham as a “deadly finisher” before his Everton transfer and he’s yet to let his former gaffer down in England. Graham scored twice for Linfield’s first team before leaving Northern Ireland and signing for the Toffees last summer.

He’s yet to be promoted to the U21s, but Graham is hardly failing to impress in the U18 Premier League, firing seven goals home across 11 matches, also racking up two assists.

Graham’s positional flexibility further suggests that he could be Moyes’ own version of the above-discussed Gordon, for he has been placed across a variety of roles this term.

Braiden Graham – Everton Stats by Position (24/25)

Position

Apps

Goals

Assists

Attacking midfield

4

3

1

Centre-forward

3

2

0

Right winger

2

1

0

Left winger

1

1

1

Stats via Transfermarkt

Perhaps more curiously, Graham seems to retain his clinical value wherever Leighton Baines, U18s manager, places him. The Northern Irish prospect is endowed with natural speed and an athletic ability that allows him to confuse defenders and link up with teammates before finding space and rifling well-struck shots into the inside netting.

Such transferrable skills are perfectly evidenced through his goals across every area of the frontline this term, and a larger sample pool would be needed to reach conclusive data.

His grace and balance do suggest that he would be well suited to a permanent role on the flanks or behind the centre-forward, dropping off opponents’ shoulders, bursting away and causing chaos.

Everton and Moyes like to play with a physical and focal number nine, and while Graham’s finishing ability suggests he could play such a role, the teenager may actually benefit from creating a dynamic partnership with a profile such as Beto or Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

There’s also the matter of Wayne Rooney, who was prodigiously promoted to the Everton senior set-up way back in 2002 by a certain Scottish manager.

Graham obviously won’t be expected to hit the same heights in the maiden stage of his career, but there’s little question that Moyes is the right type of manager to equip him with with confidence needed to earn opportunities among more senior teammates.

Where the Irish talent’s best position lies remains open to question, but with such an exciting and prolific start to life at Everton, there’s every chance that he will emulate Gordon and emerge as a talented and high-value member.

Let’s just hope that this time, the prospect in question won’t seek a future away from Merseyside while still developing their quality.

Moyes is looking to build a dynasty at the outfit for the second time, and if his start to life is anything to go by, he’ll steer Everton away from the dysfunction that has dominated the recent years.

In The Pipeline

Expand Collapse

It all needs to come together, with academy players like Graham as part of the process.

Related After Alcaraz signing: Everton can now finally axe Dyche's "shining light"

Everton’s new signing might get a start at the weekend

Posts 1 ByJoe Nuttall Feb 6, 2025

With the January transfer window now shut, attention is now already turning to the summer window, and some clubs are still nervously sweating on the futures of some of their stars.

That comes with a slew of Premier League stars set to see their current contracts expire at the end of the current campaign, with 19 of the 20 clubs set to lose at least one player as a free agent as things stand and some clubs losing as many as eight members of their first-team squad.

Though there is still time for that to change in the months ahead, a massive 78 players across the top flight are set to walk away for absolutely nothing in June 2025 as it stands. Below, we’ve broken down each club’s current situation.

Arsenal 3 players

Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal are set to lose three players at the end of the season unless they take action in the coming months.

Kieran Tierney is set to finally end his torrid spell in north London, and has even reportedly agreed a return to Celtic, while Italian midfielder Jorginho is also out of contract and has been linked with a move to Flamengo when his deal expires.

Of their strongest first XI, they could also be waving goodbye to Thomas Partey as things stand, with the Ghanaian’s deal also coming to an end, though there is still time to change that.

Player

Age at expiry

Position

At club since

Kieran Tierney

28

Defender

August 2019

Jorginho

33

Midfielder

January 2023

Thomas Partey

32

Midfielder

October 2020

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Arsenal could have a mass clearout this summer.

2 ByRoss Kilvington Feb 7, 2025 Aston Villa 2 players

Aston Villa are in a slightly healthier position than Arsenal, with only two players set to depart for nothing at the end of the current campaign.

Defender Kortney Hause and goalkeeper Robin Olsen are the two in question, with Hause having failed to make an appearance in any competition under Unai Emery this season, while Olsen has only managed two, suggesting that neither will be missed too much at Villa Park.

Bournemouth 0 players

Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth are the only side across the entire top flight without players set to be out of contract this summer, though they will lose Kepa Arrizabalaga as he returns to Chelsea from his loan spell at the Vitality Stadium.

The south-coast outfit are still likely to be busy in the summer, though, with their impressive form having caught the eye of plenty of clubs, with the likes of Milos Kerkez, Dean Huijsen and Antoine Semenyo all being linked with Europe’s elite in recent months, leaving the Cherries with a headache of a different nature as they juggle their own ambitions with potential significant windfalls.

Brentford 3 players

Thomas Frank set to lose two of his Brentford veterans as things stand. 35-year-old centre-back Ben Mee is out of contract at the end of the season, but has been largely phased out of the squad this term, making just six appearances in the top flight.

The same cannot be said for Christian Norgaard, who has been a key man for the Bees this season, but whose deal expires this summer. Though there is thought to be an option for a further year included, it has not yet been activated, and as it stands, the Dane will be seeking a new challenge away from the Gtech.

Also set to be a free agent is Josh Dasilva, who has not featured this season after undergoing knee surgery, and whose deal also includes the option of a further year yet to be exercised.

Brighton & Hove Albion 4 players

Tariq Lamptey leads four players set to depart Brighton this summer for nothing, with the young defender having struggled for game time under Fabian Hurzeler and his time on the south coast having been plagued by injury.

Also set to leave, and perhaps retire, is 39-year-old midfielder James Milner, who has struggled with a thigh injury all season and whose short-term deal will expire at the end of the season. Goalkeeper Tom McGill, who spent the first half of the campaign at MK Dons, is also set to become a free agent.

More concerningly for the Seagulls is that Joel Veltman’s contract is also up, with the Dutchman having been a key figure at full-back in recent seasons and making 18 appearances already this campaign. He is one that they will certainly need to renew or replace adequately.

Chelsea 1 player

Given Chelsea’s recent habit of offering extremely long contracts for most players they sign, it is probably little surprise to know that only Lucas Bergstrom is set to leave for nothing at the end of the current campaign.

The 22-year-old shot-stopper has spent this season at Stamford Bridge, but is well down the pecking order, and with both Mike Penders and Djordje Petrovic set to arrive back in west London, his future is clearly away from the Blues.

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1 ByBarney Lane Jan 27, 2025 Crystal Palace 6 players

It is going to be a busy summer at Selhurst Park. While all the focus has been on Marc Guehi, whose contract expires in 2026, Crystal Palace are set to lose six players for nothing this summer.

There remains uncertainty over Tyrick Mitchell, with some suggestions that he has already penned a new contract beyond 2025, but they are certainly on course to lose Will Hughes, who has been a key man for Oliver Glasner amid injuries to his first-choice midfielders.

Meanwhile, long-standing servants Nathaniel Clyne and Joel Ward are both set to leave, with the pair having seen their roles reduced significantly this season.

Elsewhere, veteran goalkeeper Remi Matthews will see his deal expire, and talented 20-year-old winger Franco Umeh-Chibueze is also set to become a free agent.

Everton 8 players

As if Everton didn’t have enough on their plate with financial struggles and the move to a new stadium, they are also set to lose the joint-most players out of any Premier League outfit this summer.

Striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin leads a gaggle of first-team stars set to leave for nothing, a group that includes Abdoulaye Doucoure, Idrissa Gueye and Ashley Young, while squad players Michael Keane and Seamus Coleman are both also set to miss playing in the new stadium on Merseyside unless new terms can be agreed.

Fulham 6 players

Willian’s return to Fulham on a short-term contract means that he will again depart Craven Cottage at the end of the season as things stand. He leads a lengthy list for Marco Silva’s side, in which the most concerning name to fans will be Raul Jimenez, who has found the net nine times already this season.

Carlos Vinicius is set to leave, but there will also be concern over Adama Traore, Tom Cairney and Kenny Tete, all of whom are set to follow the Brazilian and who have combined for 55 Premier League appearances this season, with their exits representing a potentially massive blow to Silva’s squad depth.

Ipswich Town 3 players

There are bigger concerns in East Anglia than free agents right now, with Kieran McKenna’s Ipswich Town fighting for their Premier League lives.

However, in the upheaval that will accompany any potential return to the Championship, three players are set to leave for free. That includes 2023 arrival Axel Tuanzebe, though the club hold an option to extend his contract for another year.

The same can be said for defender Cameron Burgess, but Massimo Luongo has no such clause and is set to leave barring a late turnaround, with the midfielder having managed just 170 minutes of Premier League action this season.

Ed Joyce is in the twilight of his career but is putting all his efforts into staying around to play Test cricket for Ireland

George Dobell03-May-20173:41

‘If I bowl to him, it’s another wicket’

Ed Joyce used to hide his cricket bat when he took the train into Dublin for nets.As a typically self-conscious teenager, he was painfully aware of what he calls “the stigma” surrounding a sport that was seen as “upper class” and, even worse, “English”.So it is, he says, “hugely significant” that England has, at last, welcomed the Ireland team to their home for a two-match ODI series and, equally, that much of Ireland will be gripped – and united – by their cricket team’s progress in England.These days, as you drive on the A5 from Dublin to Derry, you regularly see cricket clubs dotted along the side of the road. These days, cricket in Ireland claims 52,000 participants (as defined by ICC standards) – that’s up from 11,000 in 2007 and 25,000 in 2011 – and boasts crowds of up to 10,000 at home internationals (it seems they may well attract something close to full houses at Lord’s and Bristol). These days, Cricket Ireland’s statistics provide evidence that they are running the fourth-biggest sport in the land (based on a combination of commercial revenue, media coverage, attendance and participation figures) and the second biggest on social media. The ODIs against England will be broadcast live (on subscription TV) and the largest broadsheet newspaper carried a page of cricket last Sunday. These days, Joyce doesn’t hide his bat.But these games aren’t just a victory parade. While being welcomed to play a series in England is a watershed moment – arguably as much for the ECB who, under new management, have started to take their duties towards developing cricket nations seriously – Ireland have long stopped thinking of themselves as “plucky underdogs” who could surprise their big neighbours occasionally. They’re not here for selfies in the Long Room.Furthermore, the games come just as a judgement is made over their readiness for Test cricket. While it would be absurd to judge a team’s suitability for Test cricket on the snapshot offered by two ODIs, it would, their CEO Warren Deutrom admits, be “disingenuous to pretend that the results carry no influence”. Just as Bangladesh owed their elevation, in part at least, to that controversial victory over Pakistan in the 1999 World Cup, so Ireland could ease the wheels of their own promotion with a victory or two against a side rated by some bookies as favourites for the Champions Trophy. Equally, two drubbings might make the elevation – which is due to be ratified by the ICC in June – just a little more awkward.

The stumbling block is money. It’s going to cost us a lot of money if we’re to play Test cricket and we’re going to need the ICC’s helpEd Joyce on the challenge ahead

“We want the ICC to see our potential,” Deutrom, who is every bit as responsible for Ireland’s progress as any of the players, says. “We don’t have ten stadiums or a staff of 200.”But I think what the ICC are trying to do is take a broad, holistic view of Irish cricket. It’s not just the performance of the senior men or women’s team over the last six months they’re looking at: it’s the facilities; it’s the strength in depth; it’s the governance and coaching structure, and evidence that we can manage our budgets. It’s our potential.”We believe we offer a new commercial opportunity for the game. We’re not after a hand-out. But yes, of course these games could have an influence. This – the decision to grant us Test status – is a new process and nobody here is thinking it as a penalty kick. We are in no way complacent.”In some way, these ODIs come at a far from ideal time for Ireland. Their progress, as an international side at least, has slowed of late. While much is being achieved in the background – most notably, the introduction of a first-class competition, but also ever-improving facilities, a growing pool of players and, at last, some support from England and other ICC members – the fact is that teams are judged on their results on the pitch. And Ireland’s, of late, have been eclipsed by Afghanistan’s.One of the problems is that, the golden crop of players they had to pick from a few years ago has long since been harvested. Several (such as Trent Johnston) have retired, several (such as George Dockrell) have not yet kicked-on as hoped and, most worrying of all, several are claiming the extra half-hour at the end of their careers.Joyce is an obvious example in that last category. He is 39 in September and, as Leonard Cohen put it, aching in the places he used to play. He can, he says, still see the ball as well as ever – and this is a man who sees the ball well enough to have made an ODI century against a strong Australia attack in 2007 – but knee and hip problems are reducing his effectiveness and his sense of enjoyment in the field. Niall O’Brien and Tim Murtagh, who are both aged 35, can probably empathise. All of them are locked on to the target of Test cricket; all of them are hoping they have the range.”It’s getting to the point where I’m not sure I can put myself through a lot more rehab,” Joyce says. “And, yes, personal pride comes into it. Having Test cricket on the horizon may leave me with a difficult decision to make.”Ed Joyce knows his body may not allow him much longer in the game but he’s determined to help Ireland•SportsfileHe has, he admits, taken a “significant” pay-cut to leave county cricket. He would have had no problem winning a contract to play for another year or two, but he was keen “to put something back” into Irish cricket. He has, therefore, signed to play for Leinster in this season’s domestic competitions – incorporating the new first-class competition – and will supplement his playing role with the start of a transition into coaching.”I love county cricket,” he says. “And playing it was brilliant for me. But ultimately we want to create a system where our best young players don’t have to leave Ireland to progress their careers. We’re not there yet and I’d still like to see more of our guys go to England for a while. But the long-term goal is that it’s not necessary.”Joyce’s fear is that those hard-won gains of the past – all the work that led to memorable victories against England and Pakistan and West Indies, victories that forced the world to take them seriously – could be lost. And with Ireland so close to their long-term target – Test cricket – he felt it was time to commit to the fight. Nobody wants a repeat of Kenya’s rise and fall.”We’re not at the level we were,” Joyce admits. “We’ve been hit by four or five big retirements and that’s made life very difficult for us. And that’s happened just as people have started to expect more of us. We can’t be plucky underdogs any more. We have to prepare to win and we have to learn to live with a higher level of expectation. It’s not easy.”It’s vital we keep the level of performance up. The world seems a lot more receptive to our situation than it has been but the gains we have fought so hard for could be lost. We have to keep playing well. We can’t let things slip now just as it seems the door might be opening for us.”Ireland’s problem is not new. They need to play more games in order to improve, but until they improve other nations have been reluctant to grant them those games. It’s starting to change – Bangladesh and New Zealand visit shortly for a tri-series tournament – but they continue to be held back by those who claim their elevation to Test cricket will devalue the format. Hell, they might even lose five Tests out of seven in Asia or be whitewashed 5-0 in Australia. Ireland shouldn’t really have anything left to prove at this stage.”We just don’t play enough,” Joyce says. “We need to get into the limited-overs leagues the ICC are talking about to speed up the process. It’s a chicken-and-egg problem.

Whenever I doubt the progress we’ve made – and of course I have done at times – I look back on the team that qualified for the 2007 World Cup

“The stumbling block is money. It’s going to cost us a lot of money if we’re to play Test cricket and we’re going to need the ICC’s help. It has, in the past, been tough to get past the other national boards, but they have definitely changed. Tom Harrison at the ECB has been very helpful. It feels like there is much more acceptance of us.”But we deserve some of the credit for that. Ahead of the 2015 World Cup we decided that, if we won any games, we’d make a point of taking to social media or saying things in interviews that we might not have done in the past. We wanted to put the boards and the ICC under pressure. And we’ve done that by playing consistent cricket for the best part of ten years and taking every opportunity to point out the challenges we face.”He is adamant that the development of Afghanistan is positive for Ireland and world cricket. “It’s been good for us, I think,” he says. “They are helping make the same argument as us. They have players like Rashid Khan who demand to be seen on the biggest stage. It feels as if we’re pushing together in the same direction.”If elevation does come too late for Joyce, it will prove the second time he has laid foundations on which others could build. Joyce was part of the Ireland squad in 2005 that won World Cup qualification only to miss out on some of the most memorable moments in the team’s history as he made the understandable choice to switch to England in a bid to play Test cricket and earn a decent living; neither was achievable with Ireland at the time. But whether he misses out or not, he will take consolation from the progress made over a relatively short period of time.”Whenever I doubt the progress we’ve made – and of course I have done at times – I look back on the team that qualified for the 2007 World Cup,” he says. “The sport had almost no profile in Ireland and hardly anyone took it seriously. We had a good group of players back then – and yes, some good imports who brought an edge to the unit – and we shocked a few teams.”Yes, we’re in a transition right now. But Steffan Jones, the fast bowling coach, came over recently and said he reckoned we had as good a crop of young fast bowlers as he had ever seen. We just need to make sure these guys have the chance to fulfil their potential.”There’s always been talent in Ireland. But for a long time it wasn’t feasible to get any better. There weren’t any facilities; there wasn’t much coaching. These things are much better now. There’s far more awareness of the sport in Ireland than there was just a few years ago. We’ve made huge progress.”Ed Joyce was speaking at the launch of UK company Clear Treasury’s sponsorship of Cricket Ireland. Visit https://cleartreasury.co.uk/ for more information

كشف مصدر خاص داخل نادي الزمالك، تفاصيل جديدة بشأن صفقة ضم الفلسطيني حامد حمدان، نجم خط وسط بتروجيت، من أجل تدعيم صفوف الفريق الأول لكرة القدم.

وأبرم الزمالك رسميًا 8 صفقات حتى الآن في فترة الانتقالات الصيفية، شملت المهدي سليمان، شيكو بانزا، عمرو ناصر، أحمد شريف، آدم كايد، عبد الحميد معالي، أحمد ربيع ومحمد إسماعيل.

وقال المصدر في تصريحات لـ بطولات: “جلسة منتظرة خلال ساعات بين جون إدوارد المدير الرياضي وإدارة بتروجيت صباح اليوم الإثنين لحسم انتقال حامد حمدان للزمالك وتقديم العرض الأخير”.

طالع أيضاً.. خاص | صفقة الزمالك الجديدة تصل القاهرة تمهيدًا لإنهاء إجراءات ضمه رسميًا

وتابع: “هناك اتجاه في بتروجيت للموافقة على عرض الزمالك في ظل تمسك اللاعب بموقفه”.

ويسعى مجلس إدارة الزمالك، للحصول على خدمات حامد حمدان خلال فترة الانتقالات الصيفية الجارية، إلا أن إدارة بتروجيت رفضت الاستغناء عن اللاعب بأي شكل من الأشكال.

وعلم بطولات في وقتٍ سابق من مصادر خاصة أن اللاعب تقدم بطلب جديد لإدارة بتروجيت من أجل الرحيل عن النادي والانضمام إلى الزمالك في الميركاتو الصيفي الجاري.

Plays of the day from Kanpur’s first T20 clash, involving Gujarat Lions and Kolkata Knight Riders

Nikhil Kalro19-May-2016Fortune reversalIn Kolkata Knight Riders’ previous game, Gautam Gambhir dropped a straightforward catch at point to reprieve Virat Kohli. Three days later, Gambhir’s luck seemed to have turned for the better. Late on the pull, he could only miscue a Dhawal Kulkarni short ball to mid-on, where Praveen Kumar made a royal mess. Praveen backtracked after misjudging the catch, then stretched his arms over his head but could only get his fingertips on the ball as he tumbled over.In the next over, Gambhir wafted at a Praveen Kumar offcutter but could only steer to a wide slip. Dwayne Smith dived acrobatically to his left but could not hold on to a tough chance.Gambhir’s communication troubles. Again.Gambhir was run-out in the previous game, after a mix-up with Manish Pandey. On Thursday, miscommunication with Robin Uthappa resulted in another run-out. Uthappa flicked a half-volley stylishly towards midwicket where Shadab Jakati hurled himself to his left to stop the boundary. Uthappa slipped mid-pitch while Gambhir was stranded next to him. For a split second, both batsman were motionless before Gambhir carried on with the run towards the striker’s end. He clearly didn’t account for Jakati’s pyrotechnics.Jakati quickly sussed out the opportunity, picked up the ball and fired an accurate throw that knocked the stumps down at the striker’s end. Gambhir was typically miffed as he trudged off.A send-offDwayne Bravo v Jason Holder. Round one. Holder attempted a heave off a full delivery. A thick outside edge flew to the third man boundary for four. Round two. Bravo missed his length. The slower delivery was in Holder’s arc, and it was smeared into the stands over midwicket for six.Round three. Holder miscued a length ball towards mid-off, where Finch clutched the catch to his chest. Bravo spontaneously broke out into his jig in front of Holder. A few seconds later, Holder wore a wry smile on his face and shoved Bravo out of his way as he walked off. All in good humor though.The nasty collisionIn the 10th over of Lions’ chase, Suresh Raina clipped a Sunil Narine delivery to fine leg. Raina and Aaron Finch ran along parallel paths for the first two runs, before suddenly criss-crossing on the third run. Raina veered towards his right to avoid Finch’s bulky figure. Finch, too, saw Raina careening in his direction and swerved to his left. They collided into each other, with Finch surprisingly thrown back by the momentum. In between, Uthappa cleanly collected Ankit Rajpoot’s throw to whip the bails off and send Finch back.

Manchester United have placed a £29 million forward who Ruben Amorim knows well on their radar, but this time it’s not the heavily linked Viktor Gyokeres.

Man Utd transfer news

The Red Devils will continue their defence of the FA Cup this season after knocking out Arsenal on penalties in what was an impressive performance by Amorim’s side. The Portuguese will be pleased with his side’s toughness in recent performances, but his focus will now already turn to their next game on Thursday, and he may be hoping there is some transfer activity between now and then too.

Man Utd plot move for £45m "monster" who's better than Mbeumo & Kolo Muani

Ruben Amorim is looking for a new attacker to join his Manchester United side this month.

By
Ethan Lamb

Jan 13, 2025

If United do conduct business this month, it is likely to be limited due to them staying in line with PSR. A new left-back is very much on the agenda at Old Trafford, but signing a new striker is also high on the list for Amorim. The Premier League side are in direct talks over signing Paris Saint-Germain striker Randal Kolo Muani, as he is set to leave the French side this month in what looks to be a loan capacity.

Meanwhile, it has also been reported that United are going to be offered the chance to sign Jonathan David on a free transfer this summer. The Canada international looks set to leave Lille at the end of the campaign, and he is being offered to the Red Devils and other clubs.

Reports are also indicating that talks between United and Juventus over a swap deal for Dusan Vlahovic and Joshua Zirkzee are now at an advanced stage. Both sides are showing a willingness to complete the deal, with the Serbian viewed as an upgrade for the Red Devils in attack, and there is a feeling that a move could be finalised in the coming weeks.

Man Utd now prepared to sign £29m Sporting youngster

The search for a new striker doesn’t stop there for United, as according to reports from Spain, Man United are now interested in signing Conrad Harder from Sporting CP as a Gyokeres “Plan B”, and are willing to invest in such a promising youth talent.

The 19-year-old joined the Portuguese side in September from Nordsjaelland, with Amorim the one who led the pursuit for the player. Harder had spent all his career in Denmark before moving to Portugal, but his exploits in front of goal earned him his move to Lisbon.

Harder has made an impressive start to life in Portugal too, already among the goals and assists, even while not nailing down a regular starting spot as of yet due to the presence of his Swedish superstar teammate.

Conrad Harder’s Sporting Lisbon stats
Apps	30
Starts	6
Goals	9
Assists	6

Harder, who has been described as being “very similar” to Gyokeres by analyst Ben Mattinson, has gained the attention of teams around Europe for having the ability to be versatile in the forward positions. The Denmark under-21 international can play as a number nine but has shown at Lisbon that he can also play as a winger, making him a flexible asset.

If United are to make a move for the striker, Lisbon are going to do what they can to retain his services, with them demanding at least 35 million euros, which is roughly £29 million. That fee may be a problem for United, but signing Harder would be a player for the now and the future.

Transfer deadline day was a quiet time for Manchester United.

Ruben Amoirm’s side did not make any last-minute additions to their squad, although did miss out on signing Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich on loan. He ended up at Tottenham Hotspur, who have a £45m buy option. Rumour has it, that United did not want to spend the £5m loan fee Bayern wanted.

However, they did bring in a couple of defensive additions earlier in the window. One of those signings was Ayden Heaven from Arsenal. The Hale End academy graduate cost an undisclosed compensation fee, with his contract expiring in the summer.

The other defensive signing United made was to bring Patrick Dorgu to the club.

Why Man United signed Dorgu

Whilst, technically, this was a defensive signing, left wing-back Dorgu will add some much-needed attacking impetus at wing-back in Ruben Amorim’s back three system. It is an area they have struggled in this season, hence the £25m addition of the Dane from Serie A side Lecce.

If there is one thing Dorgu will bring to Old Trafford, it is that quality in the final third. His record this season for Lecce proves that, given he has three goals and one assist in 21 Serie A appearances this term.

Impressively, the 20-year-old Denmark international, who is a teammate of United stars Rasmus Hojlund and Christian Eriksen, scored on his debut for the national team. His strike, against Switzerland in September, was a well-drilled effort with his right foot to the near post.

The addition of Dorgu, for what is a fair price in the current transfer market, will add a new dynamic and attacking threat to the United side that they simply did not have at left wing-back previously.

However, looking back, there was a former United star who could have perhaps done a brilliant job as a left-wing back and saved them millions on their new January signing.

The star Man United should not have sold

The player in question here is former left-back, Alex Telles. He joined United on deadline day in October 2020, making a £15.4m move from Portuguese side FC Porto with boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who was United’s manager at the time of the signing, describing him as “a fighter and a winner” upon joining.

In total, Telles notched up 50 appearances in the famous red shirt of United. He managed seven assists in that time, which included four in the Premier League during his second season.

Games

24

26

Minutes

1761

2026

90s

19

22

G/A

3

5

The Brazilian also scored one goal during his time at Old Trafford, coming in the Champions League against Villarreal. It was a strike that perfectly demonstrated his technical quality, volleying a free-kick from Bruno Fernandes back across goal and into the back of the net.

Although he did not stay at United long, Telles put in some solid contributions, and for the money that was spent on the Brazilian, he proved his worth. However, he did not stay at Old Trafford long under Erik ten Hag.

The Brazilian was first loaned out to Sevilla in the 2022/23 campaign, the Dutchman’s first season in charge, before making a permanent move away the following summer. Telles went to Saudi Arabia to join up with former United teammate Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr.

Just one season later, the Brazilian was on the move again. Now 32 years of age, Telles finds himself playing back in his homeland, for Botafogo. He has made 18 appearances for the club so far and has one goal and one assist.

Looking back on it, perhaps Amorim might have kept Telles at Old Trafford, had he been given the choice. Whilst Ten Hag played with a flat back four, the former United number 27 might have excelled as a wing-back under the Portuguese manager.

He had 57 assists for Porto and could deliver a wicked cross with his left foot. Telles certainly might have had a role to play under the new boss, which might have had a domino effect and saved United some money on Dorgu, at least in the immediate future.

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ByRoss Kilvington Jan 24, 2025

Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium, with its short boundaries, is a spinner’s nightmare. But for Chahal, it’s a ground where he thrives

Alagappan Muthu27-Sep-20172:45

‘I never look at the name of the batsman while bowling’ – Chahal

Amit Mishra is bowling to MS Dhoni. It is an optional training session. With the series won, the No. 1 ranking secured, dominance established and a sprinkle of rain in the air, Wednesday afternoon is about having a bit of fun before India have to wrap things up. Balls go flying into the second tier of the stands. Even the car to be awarded to the Man of the Series, parked on a pedestal beyond the boundary, gets a proper tonking. This is the plight of spinners at the M Chinnaswamy stadium. Yet there is one spinner who has made his name here.Yuzvendra Chahal was bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2014 for INR 10 lakh (approx USD 16,000). At the time, he had 18 wickets from 22 T20s, with only one IPL match. Three years later, he is an indispensable part of the franchise, and is building a very strong case to be kept as a frontline option for India in international cricket.Chahal’s success so far has come from his ability to read a situation. He doesn’t really turn the ball too much, sometimes it seems like he doesn’t even want to. He is accurate, though, which could be a consequence of his action. His arm at the point of release is often at 90 degrees whereas most legspinners try to avoid the perpendicular to get the ball to rip past a right-hander’s outside edge. He has a googly which has served him quite well. But his greatest strength is his temperament, and proof of that has been his performance at his home ground.Well, he’s from Haryana, but Chahal has played much more cricket for Royal Challengers, in a stadium where his style of bowling is not meant to do well. The Chinnaswamy has racked up 870 sixes in the IPL, which is by far the record. Wankhede Stadium comes in second with a count of 657. So imagine how he must feel when he looks up from his run-up and sees boundaries that are just about 60 yards away.Yuzvendra Chahal celebrates the wicket of Suresh Raina•BCCIThen again, he was at least in the middle as a team’s first-choice spinner and that hasn’t happened very often for Chahal. His first-class career is stuck at 27 matches, despite a debut eight years ago, because he has had to compete for a spot with Amit Mishra, who, considering his stints as captain of Haryana, couldn’t be dropped and because of that the second-in-line was a fingerspinner like Jayant Yadav.Royal Challengers looked past that and gave him the responsibility. Chahal responded by taking 41 wickets from 28 innings at Chinnaswamy. He is the most successful T20 bowler at this ground and among the top 10 there is only one other spinner – Piyush Chawla with 12 strikes in 12 innings.”It’s always about giving my best for the team that I play,” Chahal said. “Also, whenever I bowl, I never look at the name of the batsman I am bowling to – even if I am playing club matches, inter-matches or the IPL, I bowl only to my strengths and that gives me a lot of confidence too. If you see, Bangalore is a small ground but I have got a lot of wickets here.”Doing well at franchise level doesn’t always mean a player is ready for the step up though. But Chahal, in the 10 ODIs since his debut in 2016, has only once gone wicketless. And in this series against Australia, he has been the captain’s preferred weapon against Glenn Maxwell. When he won the head-to-head a third time in a row, Chahal celebrated by gesturing how he had out-thought the batsman.”I don’t bowl at the stumps to him,” he said. “That is his strong area. So I always look to bowl outside off stump and vary my pace. I know that if I have bowled 2-3 dots, then he will look to step out to me but that delivery – where I pitch it and how it beats him – that has to be perfect.”Those are the kind of wickets that makes a bowler smile when sitting alone at an airport on travel day while his box-office friendly colleagues are hounded for selfies. But Chahal won’t mind. He’s got work to do. Finally, he’s got work to do.

Chris Wilder will be more clued up on how strong Sheffield United’s automatic promotion credentials are by the time February is over and done with, as some tough fixtures begin to greet his side.

Playoff hopefuls Middlesbrough are the Blades’ next opponents in the unpredictable Championship, with a tricky away trip to Luton Town then following this game, before a box-office clash with table-toppers Leeds United closes out the hectic month.

Wilder will just have to hope his side doesn’t fall victim to another Hull City-style collapse on their own patch against Michael Carrick’s Boro, with Ben Brereton Diaz potentially facing the chop from the XI for this test later today.

Why Brereton Diaz could be excluded from the side

This might well feel like a strange alteration for Wilder to make, considering the Chilean did pick up an assist last time out to help his loan employers overcome Portsmouth 2-1, but it was far from the most convincing showing from the 25-year-old overall.

Indeed, the Southampton flop would only manage to complete 11 accurate passes all game long, whilst also never threatening the Pompey goal with any meaningful efforts, having trudged off on the 72nd-minute mark with no shots attempted.

It wasn’t all Brereton Diaz’s fault, however, with his manager shoehorning him into an unfamiliar position down the right wing when the ex-Blackburn Rovers man is more suited to the left flank or a traditional centre-forward role.

He is unlikely to be moved out to this more favourable left wing position, however, with Gustavo Hamer starring once more from this spot versus John Mousinho’s visitors, with his opening strike setting the Blades on their way to a hard-fought victory.

Therefore, Brereton Diaz might have to make do with a spot on the substitutes bench against Boro – if Wilder doesn’t fancy throwing him in up top.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Brereton Diaz's "remarkable" replacement

The 57-year-old’s quick ability to change things up mid-game worked wonders against Pompey, with two of his second-half substitutes combining well to gift the Blades a golden late winner.

Both Rhian Brewster and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi linked up to devastating effect to gift their side their 20th win of the league season, with the Crystal Palace loanee now perhaps in contention to start on the right wing.

The “remarkable” winger – as he has been referred to in the past by ex-Palace boss Roy Hodgson – confidently tapped home the dramatic winner to send Bramall Lane into delirium, with this certainly not the only time Rak-Sakyi has made his presence known from the bench this campaign.

Averaging just 51 minutes of action this season when unleashed into games, that hasn’t stopped the promising Eagles loanee from notching up a reasonable tally of five goals and two assists from 24 overall contests, meaning Wilder could be prepared to start him against Boro to try and catch Carrick’s men off-guard.

Games played

24

Games started

16

Minuted averaged*

51 mins

Goals scored

5

Assists

2

Shots per game

1.2

Big chances missed

4

Big chances created

3

Wilder could look to be playing on the visitors’ frailties by launching Rak-Sakyi into the first-team spotlight, having seen the chaos Enzo Le Fee caused down the left channel versus Boro recently, alongside Patrick Roberts also causing Ryan Giles all sorts of bother down the alternate wing in the 3-2 Sunderland victory.

Known for being a tricky and slick winger on his day, adding in Rak-Sakyi as a fresh change might well be just what the Blades need to beat their next opponents in some style, rather than nervously getting over the line with Brereton Diaz in the XI.

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It has been hard enough for spectators to get to Pallekele for the Test match this week. Those who did were further insulted on day four by the home board’s decision to not use floodlights

Daniel Brettig in Pallekele29-Jul-2016During one of many rain delays to afflict this Test match, the martial beat of by the Cranberries was piped through the public address system at the Pallekele International Stadium.Something was unmistakably fitting about this choice of song, for a couple of reasons. First, there is something zombielike about the capacity of Test cricket to keep cheating a death pronounced by many; secondly, the way the game has been treated by its custodians is as mired in the 1990s as the Cranberries themselves.Arriving in Kandy last week, it was patently clear that few if any locals had any idea a Test match was about to be played in their midst. While Sri Lanka’s love for cricket is self-evident – just count the number of formal or impromptu matches you can spot on a walk or drive of any length – the lack of awareness about a looming match between the hosts and Australia was alarming. The Earl’s Regency Hotel, host to both the teams and the match officials, was decked out with a welcome banner and a mocked-up scoreboard in the foyer, but outside this cosseted space nary a sign existed.

No use of lights ‘disappointing but both countries have to agree’

Sri Lanka’s coach Graham Ford and the Australian batting coach Stuart Law appeared at odds when asked why lights had not been used during instances of bad light in Pallekele. Ford said the lights could not be used because other venues for the series do not have lights. “It doesn’t go across my desk,” Ford said. “We’ve got the instruction in the match referee’s meeting. I believe it’s because there aren’t floodlights at all the venues. That’s the reason for the decision.”
However Law said the tourists were happy to use the lights and that it had been up to the home board not to. “That’s always disappointing, both countries have to agree to it,” he said. “We were quite happy to proceed, that’s our policy in Australia, we’re playing day-night Test matches now, so even red-ball cricket if the lights are available we want to use them and play as much as we can. It’s disappointing but just the way it is.”

Little appeared to have been done by way of promotion, whether in terms of physical advertising or television spots. Cricketers are everywhere on billboards in Sri Lanka, but they tend to be for the recently retired duo of Kumar Sangakkara or Mahela Jayawardene. Five years ago on Australia’s previous Test match visit, it was the imposing figure of the late Tony Greig beaming from all directions. Even the broadcasters seemed to have their eyes elsewhere: bizarrely, there have been more advertisements for the Zimbabwe versus New Zealand series being aired on cable TV than this one.So it has been hard enough to know the Test match is actually taking place. That is before anyone considers the issue of how to find the time, money or transport to get there. Pallekele is about half an hour’s drive out of central Kandy, a single arterial road taking would-be attendees past a couple of military bases before arriving at a ground built largely for the 2011 World Cup. While tickets for the match itself are not overpriced, transport costs and time are major obstacles.Speaking of time, the timing of the match had more to do with fitting it into the international schedules of Australia and Sri Lanka than any consideration for spectators. A Tuesday start to a Test match might be acceptable in Australia if that day happens to be Boxing Day or January 3, but it would never occur otherwise. It is a fact of the current international climate that nations like Sri Lanka, West Indies, Bangladesh and Pakistan must scrap for tours from more prosperous nations, and squeeze the matches in wherever possible. The Tuesday start here means extra matches elsewhere, and a better television deal. It also means forfeiting the chances of a decent crowd.This is not to say that Sri Lanka Cricket is completely unaware or unwilling to deal with the issue of Test match attendances. Earlier this week a senior SLC figure stated that he did not see Pallekele as a Test ground, and there are plans to try to rejuvenate the old Asgiriya Stadium closer to the centre of town. Asked about what sort of attendance was expected for this match, he replied: “A few thousand.” That included the schoolchildren invited to day one and permitted to play matches on the outfield during lunch, a worthy exercise. But the onus is on SLC to give fans a chance to turn up, and then provide for as much cricket as possible when they do.That brings us to arguably the most maddening element of the past four days: Pallekele’s unused lights. Twice in the game, but most prominently on the fourth afternoon, play was called off for reasons of bad light, the sort of anachronism to cause non-cricket fans to wonder at the point of even playing the game. The circumstances leading to the loss of more than two hours on day four included the delicate position of the game, in which both sides seemed happy enough to retreat and regroup. It was also driven by the stipulation that the umpires must keep a consistent reading as their baseline for adequate light, via their meters. On day three the issue had been the introduction of pace, but on day four there seemed no question of Angelo Mathews using anything other than spin against the muddled feet of Steven Smiths’ side.But the most defining factor by far in the lack of cricket for spectators and television viewers was the inability of the umpires to call for Pallekele’s floodlights to be switched on and so augment the sun shrouded by tropical clouds. The relevant clause of the ICC’s Test match playing conditions allows for the umpires to “authorise the ground authorities to use the available artificial lighting so that the match can continue in acceptable conditions”. Contrary to a popular perception, there is no provision barring the use of lights if not every Test series venue is equipped with them.The more devilish detail arises from a “Note” beneath that clause. It states: “Home Boards may, prior to the commencement of the series, seek the approval of ICC to amend this playing condition to provide that artificial lights will not be used at specific venues.” Therefore, it was SLC who chose not to allow the use of lights at Pallekele, for reasons best known to the board and its president Thilanga Sumathipala. As a Cricket Australia spokesperson put it: “We were happy to use them but both teams have to be in agreement.” As outspoken advocates of day-night Tests, CA could hardly say otherwise.Entering this series, few gave Sri Lanka much of a chance, perhaps explaining the lack of promotion, the Tuesday start, and the scheduling of a match in a venue no-one seems to want to turn up to. How sad then for Sri Lanka’s cricketers, spectators and television viewers, that lights could not be used when a rare victory over Australia had become a real possibility. If this was a disappointment it could not be called a surprise: Test cricket and its supporters have been saddled with these obstacles more times than anyone would care to count. It is, as the Cranberries sang in Zombie, “the same old theme”.