Lionel Messi's side have sent their backup striker to New England for general allocation money
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Leo Campana traded to New EnglandMiami to acquire GAM, international roster spotIncreases offseason flexibility for Lionel Messi and co.Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Inter Miami have traded backup striker Leo Campana to the New England Revolution, the clubs announced Thursday, acquiring an MLS domestic trade fee record of $2.5 million in General Allocation Money.
The fee will be split between 2025 and 2026, with the club receiving $2 million in 2025 and $500,000 in 2026. Miami also acquires a 2025 international roster slot and a 2026 international roster slot. Inter Miami will retain a sell-on percentage of any future sale of the forward and could receive up to $750,000 in GAM should Campana meet certain performance-based incentives.
The move is set to increase roster flexibility as it looks to retool following a first round MLS Cup Playoff exit last season.
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The Ecuadorian striker has been at Miami since the start of the 2023 season. In three full campaigns, he scored 31 goals in 100 appearances in all competitions. He should be in the mix for a starting spot for the Revolution, who scored the fewest goals in MLS last season.
WHAT CURT ONALFO SAID
New England Revolution Sporting Director Curt Onalfo spoke about the signing in a statement: “Leo Campana is a proven goal scorer whose arrival strengthens a crucial position of need for our team as we work to improve our offensive production this season. Leo is a forward we have had our eyes on for quite some time, so we are thrilled to have him in our club. We are pleased to have another important piece of the puzzle in place before preseason begins.”
AFPWHAT NEXT FOR MIAMI?
The South Florida club now have increased financial flexibility to restructure their roster ahead of the 2025 season. Co-Owner Jorge Mas promised last month that the Herons would be aggressive in the market in order to make an MLS Cup run next season.
Paul Pogba picked up Basketball as he linked up with NBA and Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler in Florida.
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Pogba played basketball with Butler
Watched Heat play Mavericks
Juventus terminated his contract earlier this month
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Pogba was in attendance at the Kaseya Center for Miami Heat's clash against Dallas Mavericks. The French star cheered for his friend Butler who helped the Heat pick up a 123-118 victory over the Mavericks on Sunday. After the game, the ex-Juventus star picked up a basketball alongside Butler and later uploaded some clippings of him playing on his Instagram story.
IG:@paulpogba
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
The World Cup-winning French star has seen a suspension from all football-related activity reduced from four years to 18 months, but he must still wait until March 2025 before being cleared to resume his professional career. On November 15, Serie A giants Juventus terminated the player's contract mutually which now makes him a free agent.
DID YOU KNOW?
This is not the first time Pogba met Butler. Earlier this month he had flown to Florida with his wife Zulay where they watched his 'bro' in action for Miami Heat. Butler is known for his association with footballers and is a close friend of Brazil icon Neymar.
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WHAT NEXT FOR PAUL POGBA?
The 31-year-old has been linked with a move to several teams across the world including clubs in MLS and the Premier League, however, he is yet to make a final call on his future.
Tottenham have reportedly opened talks over two more signings amid their sealed agreement for Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke, as Spurs seemingly look to end the window on a high for manager Ange Postecoglou.
Spurs agree deal with Bournemouth to sign Solanke
After completing deals for Timo Werner and Archie Gray, it appears Solanke is next in line to join Postecoglou's side this summer.
Tottenham now offered club's £25 million Player of the Year with Solanke
The Lilywhites have been approached by intermediaries.
ByEmilio Galantini Aug 9, 2024
Spurs have reached a complete agreement to sign Solanke, coming after the Englishman bagged an impressive 21 goals in all competitions over some vital performances for the Cherries last season.
The 26-year-old was and is a key player for Andoni Iraola, who will be saddened to lose him when his move to Tottenham becomes official. It is believed that Solanke is "desperate" to play for Spurs next season, according to reliable journalist David Ornstein, which may have helped to speed the move along.
Player
Goals scored
Son Heung min
17
Richarlison
12
Dejan Kulusevski
8
Brennan Johnson
5
Cristian Romero
5
James Maddison
4
Solanke has agreed a six-year contract at Spurs, as per Ornstein again, and the club will pay Bournemouth the entirety of his £65 million release clause. This comes after Postecoglou admitted to the press that bringing in a new number nine was a major priority for Tottenham this summer.
"At Celtic, I had Kyogo, who was a sort of out and out number nine and in Japan, I've always had a striker," said Postecoglou on Spurs signing a new striker.
"It just depends, like last year we had to be a bit creative, it's fair to say. You know but if Harry would have stayed I definitely would have used him! So I think for us what's more important is the type of striker we get. You know we play a certain way. We demand certain things from a physical perspective from the technical aspects of it that it's going be a striker that fits that mould."
With Solanke compeleting a move to north London, focus now turns to who could follow the Englishman, with just weeks of the window remaining.
Tottenham open talks for two more signings after Dominic Solanke
Journalist Pete O'Rourke has shared a further update on Spurs' plans beyond bringing in a new number nine.
Writing for Football Insider, the reporter claims Tottenham have opened talks for two more signings before the deadline, as chairman Daniel Levy and co also look to reinforce their options for the wing and their left-back area.
Ange Postecoglou and Daniel Levy.
While targets haven't been named in the report, Fabrizio Romano has backed that Spurs could look to bring in a new winger, depending on opportunities, while Postecoglou may need left-back cover after the departure of Ryan Sessegnon on a free transfer.
Emerson Royal featured at left-back on occasion last term, but a move to AC Milan is still very much on the cards (Alasdair Gold), meaning Spurs could find themselves requiring an alternative to Destiny Udogie.
da bwin： Glasgow Rangers have made their eighth signing of the summer as winger Vaclav Cerny joins the Ibrox side on a season-long loan deal.
da casino： Arriving from Bundesliga side VFL Wolfsburg, it is clear the Czech international – who represented his nation at Euro 2024 – has the skills required to shine in Scotland.
Philippe Clement was full of praise for the player upon his arrival, saying: “I am delighted to welcome Václav to the squad, he is an exciting player, with valuable experience in European football.”
Hopefully, this is a signing which is the catalyst for more players to join the Light Blues ahead of their first league match against Hearts next week.
Clement will be aiming for a couple of more experienced bodies to join the club, but he is still keen on signing youngsters with extraordinarily high ceilings.
Could the South American market be looked at once again? It looks like the experienced manager has targeted a signing from the continent…
Rangers eye move for Colombian talent
According to reports, Rangers are keen on signing right-back Edier Ocampo in the next few weeks.
The 20-year-old could be close to leaving Colombian outfit Athletico Nacional after coach Pablo Repetto left him out of the previous match against Millonarios due to the interest expressed in the young defender.
Edier Ocampo
Indeed, Rangers, Hellas Verona and French side Toulouse have tabled offers for him, according to the report, while interest in the MLS comes from the Vancouver Whitecaps, indicating that Clement has some competition to fend off.
The Belgian is eyeing up signings from all over the pitch and, with the future of James Tavernier in doubt, could Ocampo be an ideal replacement for the captain should he make the move from South America to Scotland this summer?
Latest on James Tavernier’s Ibrox future
While there have been several new arrivals this summer, Clement is now at a stage where he needs to move a few first-team players on. Not only to create space in the squad, but to also raise vital funds for one or two marquee signings.
There is still plenty of time to go until the summer transfer window closes, yet the return of the new season is fast approaching, with players who clearly aren’t good enough looking like they could start the league opener against Hearts.
Tavernier is one member of the senior leadership team who could be about to end their stay at Ibrox, as several clubs are keen on signing him.
James Tavernier's Rangers statistics
Season
Games
Goals
Assists
2023/24
58
24
12
2022/23
55
18
10
2021/22
58
18
17
2020/21
46
19
16
2019/20
46
3
15
2018/19
57
17
20
2017/18
46
9
9
2016/17
44
2
7
2015/16
50
15
23
Via Transfermarkt
Former Gers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst – who is now in charge of Besiktas – wants to reunite with the Englishman. Fellow Turkish side Trabzonspor are also interested, having made an offer last week to secure his services.
His future still remains uncertain, yet this is surely the ideal chance for the club to cash in on the player, who has two years left on his current contract.
Since joining Rangers back in the summer of 2015, Tavernier has played 460 competitive games for the club, scoring a quite remarkable 125 goals. Add in a further 129 assists during his spell in Glasgow, and it becomes evident that the club may never have a right-back who can replicate these kinds of numbers again.
The last few seasons, despite the goal involvements, have seen the likes of Tavernier and Connor Goldson fail to inspire the team to more domestic honours, stumbling when it really matters.
Ocampo might not be the finished product, but Clement’s new strategy is clearly signing youngsters with significant potential in order to secure a major profit for them in the future.
Could the Colombian gem send the captain packing? Only time will tell.
Edier Ocampo’s career statistics
Despite not turning 21 until October, the starlet has already made 58 senior appearances for Athletico Nacional. Add to that another 21 games for the Colombia U20 side, and it is clear he is ready for a fresh challenge.
While primarily a right-back, Ocampo can also operate in a more advanced role as a right-winger, which means, regardless of where he plays, Clement can expect the player to get forward and contribute towards the attack.
In 21 club matches during 2024, the 20-year-old – who has "seriously high potential", as noted above – scored three goals and chipped in with an assist in the Colombian top flight, showcasing his attacking qualities.
During the opening Apertura section of the league, Ocampo ranked second among his teammates for goals and assists (four), while also ranking second for big chances created (two), third for key passes per game (1.4), first for successful dribbles per game (1.3) and fifth for shots on target per game (0.7), yet more evidence of his growing attacking qualities.
The more he plays, the better Ocampo will get. With a move to Europe looking like it could be the most likely option, Clement will need to act swiftly to bring this deal over the line.
If Tavernier does leave, it opens up space for the youngster to develop further at Rangers at right-back, while even pushing forward to a more attacking position should the opportunity arise.
This will depend on Clement managing to secure a deal to send the captain packing in the next week or so, however.
Their best ST since Morelos: Rangers lining up dream 31-goal star
Philippe Clement desperately needs a goal scorer ahead of next season
ByRoss Kilvington Jul 25, 2024
If Ocampo is available for a decent fee, then this is a move which the club should be doing everything they can to get over the line.
He is young, ready to play senior football and clearly has a limitless ceiling when it comes to future potential. With Cerny arriving through the doors at Ibrox, more should be ready to follow suit in the coming weeks, that’s for sure.
Birmingham City won't fondly look back on their 2023/24 campaign any time soon, with the crushing blow of relegation still raw to those at St. Andrew's.
The best way to get over such a blow would be to immediately bounce straight back to the Championship, not wanting to prolong their stay in League One for too long, before re-entering the second tier revitalised and ready to compete at that level again.
With Chris Davies now at the helm, a bright future could be on the horizon, with the former Tottenham Hotspur assistant manager no doubt assessing his squad ahead of the challenging third-tier season that awaits him.
So, who could star under the new manager? Well, he should be safe knowing that this Blues face could be a top performer when dropping down a division.
Lee Buchanan's transfer to Birmingham
Signed before a ball was kicked last season, Lee Buchanan could have been one of a number of players shown the exit door this summer, considering his side's disastrous showing in the Championship.
Yet, Buchanan – who was purchased for a sizeable £1.3m reportedly – will remain in Davies' starting XI for the drop-down, as the 23-year-old showed flashes of the quality that saw him win a bumper move to Werder Bremen in 2022, after initially coming through the Derby County youth ranks.
The ex-Rams defender would go on to make 32 league appearances in total, keeping a respectable nine clean sheets whenever he was fielded.
One performance, in particular, against Preston North End – where the Blues won 1-0 to keep their hopes of staying up alive at the start of April – will have caught Davies' eye when pondering his team for League One, with Buchanan showing that he can complete his defensive basics well with six clearances amassed and six duels won.
Buchanan's numbers vs Preston
Stat
Buchanan
Minutes played
90
Touches
100
Key passes
1
Clearances
6
Tackles
2
Duels won
6/7
Interceptions
2
Shots on goal
1
Stats by Sofascore
But, as can be seen when glancing at the table above, he was equally lively in trying to make things click going forward, accumulating a ridiculous 100 touches, with one shot at goal even clipping the crossbar.
As a result, the new Blues boss will be excited to see what he can do at League One level, considering Buchanan netted in the Bundesliga during the 2022/23 season for ex-club Bremen, showcasing his obvious pedigree.
The 23-year-old is even worth more than Krystian Bielik in the current Birmingham camp, according to Football Transfers, which could mean if this move doesn't work out down the line, they could cash in for some serious profit.
Buchanan's transfer value in 2024
According to the site, Buchanan's transfer value has already soared all the way up to £3.2m, with the left-back's reputation in the game not yet taking a bruising.
Bielik, who was once a record capture for his ex-employers in Derby at £10m, has found his value has shrunk all the way down to a lesser £2.8m, in contrast, as Davies now weighs up what importance his new 26-year-old player will have in his somewhat new-look team next season.
The Polish defensive midfielder, who can also be beneficial to his side as a centre-back, will also be one that could be pushed nearer to the exit door soon owing to his high wage demands, which comes in at a hefty £20k-per-week for the low level.
With Jordan James the only other player in the Birmingham ranks at the moment boasting a higher worth than Buchanan, as the 19-year-old has a £6.3m price-tag slapped above his head, the 5 foot 9 full-back will have a major role to play in the West Midlands side striving to win promotion.
It will be intriguing to see Davies in the main managerial hot seat as a relative unknown entity in this position, hoping players such as Buchanan can perform, so he doesn't up being another casualty in the dug-out at St. Andrew's if it all goes pear-shaped.
Twine signs & PL loanee in: Chris Davies' dream lineup at Birmingham
Birmingham City will look to make a whole host of new signings to attempt an immediate return to the Championship.
Tottenham Hotspur took a stride forward last season but Ange Postecoglou is searching for improvements across the board as he looks to take his team further, with patchy form pulling Spurs away from the Premier League's top-four, settling for the Europa League.
Is this a cloaked blessing? Postecoglou has been adamant that the Champions League will not define success as he continues to build, but Europe's elite club competition attracts the finest players, provides the firmest footing.
Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou
A defensive midfielder is coveted but, equally, Tottenham are hoping to sign a versatile wide forward to strengthen and dynamise the existing options. The Londoners might have found a big boost in that regard.
Spurs lining up talented forward
According to Tutto Juve, Tottenham are set to tussle with Manchester United and Newcastle United for the signing of Samuel Iling-Junior, who has been transfer-listed by Juventus for €15m (£13m).
The 20-year-old left winger broke into the Serie A side's first team this season but has been deemed expendable as the Old Lady seek to strengthen this summer.
For such a cheap price, it would almost be foolish not to at least lodge an offer and enter formal discussions; Iling-Junior is highly talented and might even have the perfect skill set to partner up with another summer target.
Dream Eberechi Eze partner
Speaking of Iling-Junior's qualities, former Chelsea and Tottenham academy coach Saul Isaksson-Hurst said in 2022: “Samuel brings the full package to the party, he has got everything. He is almost like a street footballer with his skill and balance. He brings almost everything to the table. He can play seven, eleven, a 10 or even in central midfield.”
Juventus forwardSamuel Iling-Junior.
Iling-Junior featured 27 times across all competitions, scored one goal and added two assists, with his "explosive" ability – as described by analyst Ben Mattinson – making him a tailor-made prospect for an ambitious Premier League outfit, and he could be the perfect partner for fellow Spurs target Eberechi Eze, someone who would no doubt be an exciting acquisition for the Londoners.
The Juve starlet is a maverick, ranking among the top 6% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 10% for progressive carries and the top 19% for tackles per 90, as per FBref. Pace, power, creativity, and combativeness all feature prominently in Iling-Junior's game.
The former Chelsea youth product, furthermore, has also been praised for his "high energy and work volume as well as dreamy ball skills" by journalist Antonio Mango, suggestingly that he is exactly what Postecoglou needs to add a layer to his left side.
And if Daniel Levy matches Postecoglou's ambition with incisive action and secures Eze's signature this summer, who, as per the Daily Mail, has a £60m release clause in his contract and is attracting interest from Tottenham, then a wonderful new partnership could be born.
Both players favour the left but Eze played regularly as a No. 10, attacking midfielder, last season, scoring the lion's share of his goals when central. Moreover, the Eagles phenomenon averaged 2.6 dribbles and five ball recoveries per top-flight match and thus would bring the energy needed to succeed at Spurs and bounce off the facets of Iling-Junior's game.
With Richarlison among those mooted for a departure this summer and Heung-min Son featuring prominently at centre-forward – which may maintain its regularity even if a new striker is signed – Iling-Junior could find himself earning ample opportunity to impress down the wing, with his playmaking skill leading him to be described as an "assist machine" by journalist Michele Neri.
Eberechi Eze: 23/4 Stats by Position
Position
Apps
Goals
Assists
Attacking midfield
17
8
5
Left winger
8
3
1
Right winger
1
0
0
Left midfield
1
0
0
Stats via Transfermarkt
This would prove especially beneficial in regard to his partnership with Eze, who brings a host of attributes to the table but notably thrives through his goalscoring, actually ranking among the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers for non-penalty goals scored and the top 5% for shots taken per 90.
To nail the point home, the aforementioned Mattinson has even predicted that Iling-Junior, England U21 international, could become a “[Bukayo] Saka rival” for England, offering the kind of snap and style in his athletic play to rival that of the Arsenal star, who scored 20 goals and supplied 14 assists in all competitions last term for Mikel Arteta's elite side.
Saka, while catching the eye with his clinical touch, solidifies his position as one of the Premier League's finest with remarkable underlying numbers, ranking among the top 9% of attacking midfielders and wingers for shot-creating actions and the top 10% for tackles per 90. It's for this reason that Spurs' transfer target could successfully imitate his countryman.
Arsenal right winger Bukayo Saka
Tottenham undoubtedly lack an element of pace down the left, and when athletic full-back Destiny Udogie found himself sidelined in the later stretch of the campaign, this was accentuated and then some, with Brennan Johnson pulled away from his favoured right side to try and inject some speed, proving to be less effective however.
With the requisite natural prowess and the ever-improving ability in important moments, Iling-Junior would be a credit to Postecoglou's project and would add the depth and skill needed to impress across multiple fronts next year.
Postecoglou will demand silverware of his players and without signing the likes of Iling-Junior, the Lilywhites simply won't have the firepower to maintain the charge across these different roads of the campaign.
What Spurs' starting lineup could look like after £201m spending spree
Spurs will want to give Postecoglou everything he needs to build a successful side this summer.
The state finished bottom of the Sheffield Shield and Marsh Cup and will look to revamp their squad this winter
ESPNcricinfo staff19-Apr-2021Jason Gillespie has begun the process of revamping South Australia’s squad after their winless season by cutting five players ahead of what is expected to be recruitment from other states during the winter.Tom Cooper, Will Bosisto, Brad Davis, Conor McInerney and Luke Robins have all been dropped from the Redbacks’ list which has also lost Callum Ferguson and Chadd Sayers after the pair previously announced their retirement.Cooper, who has played international cricket for Netherlands, is the most senior figure to be let go: he has made 6533 first-class runs at 34.93 (5389 in the Sheffield Shield) and 5505 in one-day cricket.Related
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South Australia finished bottom of the Sheffield Shield and Marsh Cup without a victory in either competition. It was only in the final Shield game, against Victoria, where they managed to bowl a side out once in a match although they were more competitive in that competition after the BBL.This season’s bottom place in the Shield made it four wooden spoons in a row. Last winter the club underwent a review led by Mike Hussey which recommended significant changes to how the game is run in the state.Among the recommendations was for South Australia to “target the best 10th – 15th players from other states” and this could see them try to encourage fringe players from elsewhere to head to Adelaide.”We felt that these difficult decisions had to be made with a focus on improved results going forward,” Gillespie, who only joined the team after the season had begun due to quarantine, said. “This announcement will afford us the capacity to take a renewed approach to recruiting this off-season, as we hunt positive results in the coming years.”We thank Tom, Will, Brad, Conor and Luke for their fine efforts on and off the pitch and wish them well for the future.”South Australia tried a number of young players during the season including handing debuts to left-arm wristspinner Joe Medew-Ewen and allrounder Sam Kerber in the closing stages of the Sheffield Shield while they promoted 20-year-old allrounder Liam Scott to No. 3 with an eye on the future.
With performance and participation, cricket in Nigeria hopes to shape people, their mindsets and value systems
Firdose Moonda17-Jan-2025Women’s cricket in Africa is strongest in the south of the continent, and there are pockets of growth and progress in the east. But now, for the first time, the west will have a presence at a global tournament after Nigeria qualified for this year’s Under-19 women’s T20 World Cup.The history nerds will know that is not because it taken this long for Nigeria, a British colony from 1851 to 1954, to embrace the sport of empire. Cricket has been played there since the early 1900s, but it simply has taken Nigeria this amount of time to excel. Despite having an established cricket federation since 1957 and being an ICC Associate Member since 2002, it was only in the last decade that Nigeria got serious about developing its cricket – as both a men’s and a women’s game.”Over the last five to seven years, there have been some great plans towards the development of cricket – around building infrastructure, building partnerships, [and] collaborations, and specifically, also developing female cricket tournaments and organisations,” Femi John, the women’s U-19 team manager told ESPNcricinfo from Malaysia, where the age-group World Cup gets underway on Saturday.”In particular, for the females and the males that are in the age-group categories, we actually have a tournament which includes all our six zones. It has been a deliberate process for the Nigerian Cricket Federation. We’ve set a target of introducing cricket to about 250,000 new intakes on an annual basis for the next five years.”The tournament is sponsored by PWC, known to most as one of the world’s big four accounting firms, and John estimates that 90% of the current women’s U-19 World Cup team has come through that tournament. In many ways, Nigeria’s focus on developing the women’s game mirrors an example on the opposite side of the continent, where Rwanda, who played in the inaugural Women’s U-19 World Cup in 2023, are doing the same. Back then, Rwanda told their story of how they had identified cricket as a key growth area in women’s sport, and even used it as part of the country’s post-genocide education and social-justice projects.Rwanda run an annual T20 tournament that features both men and women’s teams, mostly from across Africa, and in which Nigeria have participated as they progressed. It was there, in 2022, that Nigeria found the person they believed was best equipped to coach their women’s sides. Kenyan allrounder Sarah Wetoto was on her last tour, and in a match against Nigeria, was given an assignment by her coach to go and hit every ball because they needed runs, she said. She scored 27 from 12 balls, including two fours and two sixes, to take Kenya to a match-winning score of 119 for 5.The Nigeria players at a net session at the U-19 World Cup, 2025•ICC via Getty Images”I was so aggressive, and it just happened that the president of the Nigerian Cricket Federation was watching the game. And he was like, ‘This character, there’s something that I would like transferred to the girls,” Wetoto said. “So after the game, he came and talked to me and told me that he wanted me to mentor these girls so that they can actually bat like that.”The next year, in 2023, after my retirement, I joined the federation. I joined on a consultancy basis, but last year, started a three-year contract with them, and I took up the U-19 role.”Wetoto was immediately impressed by what she saw. “Nigeria Cricket is well structured, and the development plans are really good. They have a lot of development activities that are feeding into the national team,” she said. “In Nigeria, you’re getting a pool of quality players who are very competitive. Even selecting this team and just to pour out what you have to them – and seeing how it is implemented by the girls – is actually amazing.”Apart from the schools programme, Nigeria have also invested in facilities, and have ten turf pitches around the country, including at the iconic Tafawa Balewa Square Cricket Oval, which John said was near the “British seat of power”. It played host to its first internationals when a women’s T20I tournament was played there in 2022, where Nigeria lost to Rwanda in the final.Nigeria also have a two-tier domestic league, which John calls “one of the fastest growing leagues in Africa”. It consists of 22 teams in division one, and 16 in division two – although all are male. However, some clubs are starting to include some women’s players in their teams, and there is a desire to start a women’s league too.
“These [kids] started this journey some years ago, and this is where they are now. This is the potential”Femi John’s message about cricketers to Nigeria’s parents
“The federation is very passionate about women’s cricket,” John said. “Prior to now, we had certain plans on how female cricket would progress, but the World Cup qualification has sped us up. We have the Ps: performance, participation, [and] people. And I don’t want to bore you with all the acronyms, but really we want to participate, we want to build our people, and we want to perform.”That’s the kind of attitude Wetoto picked up on as soon as she joined the coaching staff, and she continues to praise an attitude that she believes will make them successful.”Their approach to the game, aggression, and the hunger to actually get the job done stands out,” Wetoto said. “You can be technically sound, but if you’re nervous, nothing works. As a player, whenever I was nervous, I could not score runs. But if I calmed my nerves, then I got runs. I feel their self-belief is a strength, but also eye-hand coordination for them when it comes to batting. They really watch the ball well, and I feel like they’re technically sound.”We’ll be able to see that ourselves over the course of the U-19 World Cup. Nigeria will kick off their campaign against Samoa before taking on the bigger names.”We know we have big teams like South Africa and New Zealand [in our group], but I believe in our capability,” Wetoto said. “Last year we went to Ghana for the All African Games and the South African Emerging team came to that tournament, and we really gave them a run for their money.”Nigeria’s Peculiar Agboya was the joint fourth-highest wicket-taker at the African Games 2023-24•ICC via Getty ImagesIn that match, Nigeria were bowled out for 74 as South Africa’s legspinner Seshnie Naidu, who is now part of their current U-19 World Cup squad, took 4 for 13. Nigeria had South Africa at 66 for 6 at one stage, and made them work until the 15th over for the win. Lillian Udeh took 5 for 18, and finished as the highest wicket-taker in the competition. She is expected to lead Nigeria’s attack at the U-19 World Cup. Also in their side is Peculiar Abgoya, who was the joint fourth-highest wicket-taker at the African Games, which Nigeria finished as bronze medalists, with victories over Namibia and Uganda.Those results gave Nigeria the confidence that they could qualify for the U-19 World Cup when they went to Rwanda in September. They finished on top of a group that included Zimbabwe, which proved crucial to their hopes. After they beat Rwanda in the semi-final, the final was washed out, and Nigeria’s pool match performance against Zimbabwe saw them through their first ICC event, which is an honour they will cherish.Big-tournament participation is a particular source of pride for Nigeria because they do it so often in their main sport. Football is Nigeria’s most popular sport across both genders, and the one they are most successful at. Their women’s national team has won the African Cup of Nations 11 times, and has been to every World Cup since 1991, sometimes as the continent’s only representative. The World Cup bug has now bitten in cricket too, and John hopes their advancement to the U-19 women’s World Cup will fuel further interest in the game – at fan and funding levels.”Football is a major sport in Nigeria, and which also attracts a lot of funding from corporates. But if cricket got just 10% of that, you would see a major impact,” she said. “We compete by showcasing what cricket can do in the life of an individual. Back home in Nigeria, we say cricket is life: it helps you, it shapes your mindset, [and] it shapes your value system.”So one of the things we try to do is to position it to the parents of the younger kids: that this is what cricket can do. And coming to the World Cup, we are able to now showcase this to people back home, and say, ‘These people started this journey some years ago, and this is where they are now. This is the potential.’ This also gives an opportunity to market and sell cricket more.”
da pinnacle： Pep Guardiola remains coy, but the plain truth is that Manchester City have closed ground on Premier League table-toppers Arsenal ahead of the Christmas period, and Sky Blue supporters know they would be wise to buckle in.
da leao： But then, another truth would be that this is simply not Pep’s strongest City squad. That said, there is enough quality within the Etihad Stadium to challenge for and potentially win the league title, especially with Erling Haaland in such impudent goalscoring form.
However, Haaland can’t do it alone all year long, with the list of the club’s top scorers underscoring the need for more firepower.
Man City – Top Scorers 25/26 (all comps)
Player
Apps
Goals
Erling Haaland
20
20
Phil Foden
19
9
Jeremy Doku
21
3
Rayan Cherki
14
3
Josko Gvardiol
16
2
Ruben Dias
20
2
Tijjani Reijnders
21
2
Phil Foden is going from strength to strength, and that could be a defining factor in City’s revival, but it’s understandable that Guardiola and the board are hoping to sign a new wide forward.
City's winter transfer plans
Haaland continues to defy expectations. Even his soaring expectations. But there’s no question that Guardiola’s side could pack a few more angles into their punches, and that’s something that may need to be fixed in January if the Premier League title is to return to the blue side of Manchester.
Given that the Norwegian goal machine is fixed into his starting berth at number nine, perhaps a goalscoring wideman could be what Pep needs.
According to TEAMtalk, Man City still have a strong interest in signing Antoine Semenyo despite Liverpool’s ostensible lead in the race. All the pointers suggest the 26-year-old is inching toward an exit from Bournemouth in 2026.
Semenyo has been one of the standout players in the Premier League this season, and with his £65m release clause switching on in January, City will need to pounce quickly to beat off the thick competition for his signature.
Why Pep wants to sign Semenyo
Most of the noise surrounding Semenyo and his future centres around struggling Premier League champions Liverpool, but City know they have it in their power to convince him to join their project.
A big-game player and with six goals and three assists to his name in the English top flight this term, Semenyo is riding the crest of a wave, with a skillset that looks perfect for a team fighting at the top.
His potency and pace could lead him to rival Jeremy Doku as City’s new version of Leroy Sane, who is fondly remembered to this day for his exploits in Manchester.
But, more accurately, Semenyo could actually emerge as Pep’s own version of Sadio Mane, the former Liverpool attacker.
Liverpool analyst Josh Williams has actually suggested that the Ghana international is “the closest you’ll find to peak Mane right now” , and given the terrorising of Premier League defences – including City’s – that the Senegalese winger used to inflict, Pep could do a lot worse than add a new version to his ranks.
Looking at the former Liverpool man during the 2021/22 campaign, leading to a second-place finish at the Ballon d’Or ceremony, in comparison to Semenyo this season, you can perhaps see why such a claim was made, with the Cherries star boasting a completeness that few can claim they have within their locker.
Premier League – Sadio Mane vs Antoine Semenyo
Stats (* per game)
Mane (21/22)
Semenyo (25/26)
Matches (starts)
34 (32)
14 (14)
Goals
16
6
Assists
2
3
Shots (on target)*
2.9 (1.1)
2.4 (1.4)
Big chances missed
13
5
Accurate passes
23.6 (77%)
19.8 (78%)
Chances created*
1.3
1.3
Succ. dribbles*
1.4
1.6
Tackles*
1.0
1.7
Duels won*
4.7
6.5
Data via Sofascore
Both players are combative and dynamic and deadly in the final third, and while Semenyo has the pace and athleticism to rekindle memories of a star like Sane, it is the one-time Liverpool icon, who he bears a more striking tactical likeness.
Two-footed and able to play across both wings, Semenyo is the real deal, and though Bournemouth are struggling for form at this moment in time, he remains a beaming beacon for Andoni Iraola in the final third, having been named the “best winger in the country” by Chris Waddle for his efforts this season.
How City could do with a fleet-footed winger in their mix like Sane right now, someone to contrast with the electric Jeremy Doku.
Semenyo, with all his hustle and bustle, could be the perfect man for the title-chasing task at hand.
Worse than Nunes: Pep must drop Man City star who "doesn't have the legs"
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola should drop this star who was worse than Matheus Nunes against Fulham.
كشفت تقارير صحفية إيطالية، أن نادي آرسنال الإنجليزي حدد هدفه لتدعيم هجوم الفريق الأول لكرة القدم، بالتعاقد مع مهاجم من الدوري الإيطالي.
آرسنال يعاني هذا الموسم بسبب إصابات جيسوس المتكررة، وتذبذب مستوى كاي هافيرتز، وبالتالي يريد ميكيل أرتيتا تدعيم الهجوم.
انتهى ميركاتو الشتاء، ولكن في سوق الانتقالات الصيف القادم، يحدد أرتيتا مهاجم فيورنتينا الإيطالي مويس كين، حسب ما أفادت صحيفة “توتوسبورت” الإيطالية.
طالع أيضًا.. كاراجر يكشف عن الفريقين المرشحين للمنافسة بقوة على لقب الدوري الإنجليزي
وشددت الصحيفة على أن آرسنال بدأ التواصل مع وكلاء مويس كين، الذي انفجر هذا الموسم تحت قيادة رافائيل بالادينو في فيورنتينا بعد الرحيل عن يوفنتوس.
19 هدفًا في 29 مباراة حتى الآن، حصيلة مويس كين الذي لم يتمكن للوصول إلى هذا الرقم في مسيرته بموسم واحد، سواء مع يوفنتوس أو باريس سان جيرمان وكذلك إيفرتون.
المهاجم الإيطالي أصبح ضمن مخططات سباليتي لتدعيم منتخب بلاده في دوري الأمم الأوروبية مارس المقبل، كما هو ضمن اهتمامات آرسنال لضمه في الصيف.
اللاعب الإيطالي انضم إلى فيورنتينا من يوفنتوس الصيف الماضي مقابل 13 مليون يورو، بالإضافة إلى 5 ملايين إضافات، ولكن قيمته السوقية وصلت إلى 30 مليون خلال الأشهر القليلة الماضية.