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Arsenal could outbid a major European club in the race for a highly-rated £42 million defender, who may well replace the potentially exit-bound Jakub Kiwior.

Edu looking at signing new centre-back for Arteta

According to various reports in the last few weeks, sporting director Edu and manager Mikel Arteta have been tipped to bring in a new central defensive option ahead of a likely Premier League title challenge with Man City next season.

24-year-old now reaches agreement to leave Arsenal for La Liga giants

The Spaniards are now looking to shake hands on a deal with Edu.

ByEmilio Galantini Jun 28, 2024

Arteta is looking to make it third-time-lucky in his pursuit of the title, having lost out to City in each of their two previous challenges since 2022. The Gunners pushed Pep Guardiola's side to the final day, accumulating 89 points and scoring 91 goals, but their rivals have set an incredibly high standard to beat in recent years.

To take the squad that bit further, Edu has been targeting a new striker for Arsenal, as well as a potential new midfielder to replace the exit-bound Thomas Partey. Arsenal are believed to hold an interest in Amadou Onana, among others, with Partey attracting serious interest from the Middle East and Turkey.

However, it has also been reported that Arteta wishes to acquire an alternative to star central defensive duo Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba. Arsenal conceded the fewest Premier League goals of any top-flight side last season, with Gabriel and Saliba being a factor in this.

Arsenal

29

Man City

34

Liverpool

41

Everton

51

Man United/Crystal Palace

58

You could make a case that there are few options to come in if either of the pair were to be absent, though, which has led to interest in a variety of central defensive options. Arsenal have been considering a bid for Marc Guehi, with the Crystal Palace ace currently impressing for England at Euro 2024.

Elsewhere, Nottingham Forest star Murillo and Barcelona star Jules Kounde are other reported targets for Edu. A highly rated defender in Serie A who has also turned heads with some excellent displays for Italy at the Euros is Bologna star Riccardo Calafiori.

The 22-year-old was even hailed by World Cup winner Gianluca Zambrotta for his "extraordinary" performance against Albania in their opening group game.

“He played an extraordinary game, like the whole team in the first 60 minutes,” said Zambrotta.

"He played with personality, without fear, perhaps the only flaw was on the long ball where we took a risk with Donnarumma’s exit. But he showed some beautiful things.”

His performances on the biggest stage will only increase his price tag, which is already rumoured to be somewhere around the £42 million mark.

Arsenal could outbid Juventus to replace Kiwior with Calafiori

According to Tutto Juve, the Gunners present a very real danger to Juventus in the race to sign Calafiori this summer.

It is believed Arsenal see Calafiori as an ideal option to replace Kiwior, who Tutto Juve states could well leave. It is also thought that they can offer more money than Juventus and potentially outbid the Old Lady, who are counting on Calafiori's preference to remain in Italy.

The centre-back was a star under Thiago Motta at Bologna last term, with the tactician now looking to prise him away to Juventus after choosing to replace Massimiliano Allegri.

Calafiori made 30 Serie A appearances for Bologna over 2023/24, managing two goals and five assists in that time.

انتهت منافسات ملحق دور الـ16 من بطولة الدوري الأوروبي، في نظامها الجديد، لموسم 2024/25، حيث اًسدل الستار على مرحلة الإياب مساء يوم الخميس.

وانتهت مرحلة الدوري من الدوري الأوروبي، في شهر يناير الماضي، حيث تأهلت 8 فرق مباشرة إلى دور الـ16.

في حين تتنافس الفرق أصحاب المراكز بين التاسع و24 في مرحلة الملحق، على هيئة مباراتين ذهابًا وإيابًا، من أجل تحديد الفرق الثمانية الأخرى التي ستتأهل إلى الدور المقبل من البطولة.

وسيجري الاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم، يويفا، اليوم الجمعة مراسم قرعة دور الـ16 من الدوري الأوروبي، إلى جانب مرحلتي ربع ونصف نهائي. نتائج مباريات ملحق دور الـ16 من الدوري الأوروبي

بودو جليمت وتفينتي:

الذهاب: فوز تفينتي 2/1.

الإياب: فوز بودو جليمت 5/2.

ستيوا بوخارست وباوك:

الذهاب: فوز ستيوا بوخارست 2/1.

الإياب: فوز ستيوا بوخارست 2/0.

ألكمار وجالطة سراي:

الذهاب: فوز ألكمار 4/1.

الإياب: تعادل 2/2.

روما وبورتو:

الذهاب: تعادل 1/1.

الإياب: فوز روما 3/2.

سانت جيلواز وأياكس:

الذهاب: فوز أياكس 2/0.

الإياب: فوز سانت جيلواز 2/1.

فناربخشة وأندرلخت:

الذهاب: فوز فناربخشة 3/0.

الإياب: تعادل 2/2.

ريال سوسيداد وميتيلاند:

الذهاب: فوز ريال سوسيداد 2/1.

الإياب: فوز ريال سوسيداد 5/2.

فيرينكفاروس وفيكتوريا بلزن:

الذهاب: فوز فيرنكفاروس 1/0.

الإياب: فوز فيكتوريا بلزن 3/0. الفرق المتأهلة مباشرة لدور الـ16 من الدوري الأوروبي

لاتسيو، أتلتيك بلباو، مانشستر يونايتد، توتنهام هوتسبير، آينتراخت فرانكفورت، ليون، أولمبياكوس، جلاسكو رينجرز. الفرق المتأهلة من ملحق دور الـ16 في الدوري الأوروبي

بودو جليمت.

ستيوا بوخارست.

ألكمار.

روما.

أياكس أمستردام.

ريال سوسيداد.

فيكتوريا بلزن.

فناربخشة.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl has confirmed that winger Oliver Antman is expected to be out of action for around eight weeks after he suffered a muscle injury in recent days.

The Finland international, signed from Go Ahead Eagles in the summer, started on the right wing against Falkirk on Sunday, and is now set to be out until 2026.

Antman is not the only Rangers player who will be unavailable during the festive period, though, as a couple of players are set to go to the African Cup of Nations with their respective countries.

Rohl is expecting Nasser Djiga and Mohamed Diomande to be unavailable whilst they play in the tournament, which means that there will be several positions that will need to be filled in the coming games.

With these absences, on top of the likes of Mikey Moore, Derek Cornelius, and John Souttar being out with injuries, some of the lesser-seen members of the squad may need to step up.

As unpopular as it may be, Kieran Dowell is one of the players who could step up and benefit from the lack of options available to the manager before the January window opens.

Why Danny Rohl should give Kieran Dowell a chance

After being subbed on in a 1-1 draw with Dundee under Russell Martin, a section of the Gers support, but not all of them, booed the English attacking midfielder’s introduction to the game.

Commenting on the incident, Martin said: “That surprised me. I’m not on any social media or anything like that, so I don’t really know what the narrative is around Kieran. I don’t think it helps him, I don’t think it helps the rest of the guys. That’s how I feel about it really.”

Dowell has not played a league match since that draw with Dundee in August, due to injury, but he recently played for the club’s U19s alongside Dujon Sterling and Clinton Nsiala as he looks to return to full fitness.

Given the reaction to his last league outing for Rangers, playing the left-footed midfielder may not go down as a popular decision with some fans, but the Gers look set to be in a position where it could be needs-must with the players due to be unavailable.

Appearances

19

Goals

5

Big chances created

9

Key passes per game

1.5

Assists

4

It is also worth remembering that Dowell, as shown in the table above, shone out on loan at Birmingham City in League One in the second half of the 2024/25 campaign, which shows that he is capable of being productive in the right environment.

Unfortunately, as evidenced by a return of two goals and three assists in 38 appearances for the club, the Englishman has not found that environment at Ibrox yet.

Since joining on a free transfer from Norwich City in 2023, the 28-year-old flop has not established himself as a key player for the Light Blues, but the injury and international call-up situation could provide him with an opportunity to finally do so under Rohl.

Chalkboard

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

One of the other reasons why Dowell could end up with a chance to revive his Gers career is that Thelo Aasgaard currently looks like an even worse signing for the Scottish giants.

Why Aasgaard makes Dowell look good for Rangers

The Gers did not have to pay a transfer fee to bring the former Everton and Norwich star to Ibrox in 2023, as his contract at Carrow Road expired, but that was not the case with Aasgaard.

Rangers reportedly splashed out a fee of £3.5m to sign the Norway international from Luton Town in the recent summer transfer window, which shows that the club had to spend significantly more money to bring him in than they did with Dowell.

Unfortunately, the Liverpool-born playmaker has not shown enough on the pitch to suggest that he was worth paying £3.5m for, as he has made Dowell look like a good player by comparison.

Aasgaard has as many red cards (one) as goals (one) for Rangers in all competitions so far this season, per Transfermarkt, with one goal and one assist in 21 appearances for Rangers.

Heart & Hand content creator David Edgar recently posted that he “would gladly never see him again”, referring to Aasgaard, and described him as a “passenger” at the end of November.

It is, unfortunately, hard to argue with the harsh criticism of the Norwegian attacking midfielder, because his performances at Scottish Premiership level make him look even less effective than Dowell.

Appearances

26

11

Starts

8

8

Goals

2

1

Key passes

20

9

Big chances created

4

0

Assists

2

1

As you can see in the table above, Aasgaard has already started as many games in the Premiership as the former Norwich man, yet has created 11 fewer chances and has yet to create a single ‘big chance’.

Dowell’s Rangers career has not been good enough to this point, as evidenced by his aforementioned goal contributions, but he also arrived on a free transfer and his creative output looks good in comparison to the club’s £3.5m signing.

That is not to say that the left-footed star should be considered a good signing or that he is the answer to Rohl’s current problems at the top end of the pitch, but it does suggest that those who jeered his introduction against Dundee earlier this season were too harsh on him.

As well as highlighting that maybe Dowell was not as bad a signing as has been made out, this also highlights how underwhelming Aasgaard has been for a player who was signed for £3.5m.

Rohl can unearth his own Igamane by unleashing Rangers star in new position

Danny Rohl could unearth his own Hamza Igamane by playing this Rangers star in a new role this season.

ByDan Emery Dec 2, 2025

The caveat, of course, is that the Norway international only joined in the summer and still has plenty of time left ahead of him to turn things around and prove people wrong, but the signs so far have not been encouraging.

MatériaMais Notícias

da prosport bet： O Sport foi rebaixado para a Série B do futebol brasileiro e agora começa a planejar o seu elenco para a temporada 2022.

+ Veja no aplicativo do LANCE! o resultado dos jogos da rodada

Se nos bastidores o Leão trabalha para segurar Hernanes, por outro lado nomes como, por exemplo, Marcão e Sander podem sair.

O principal motivo é a questão financeira. O volante e lateral-esquerdo possuem altos salários e precisariam reduzir seus ganhos.

No caso de Marcão, o meio-campista tem contrato até 31 de dezembro. Se renovar, ele vai precisar diminuir o salário.

Enquanto isso, Sander, que tem acordo até o fim de 2022, precisa entrar em acordo com a diretoria para firmar um novo salário.

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MatériaMais Notícias

da pinnacle： A Seleção Feminina encerrou a temporada de 2021 com um título nas mãos. Com gols de Kerolin e Giovana, as comandadas de Pia Sundhage derrotaram o Chile por 2 a 0 nesta quarta-feira (1) na Arena da Amazônia, venceram o Torneio Internacional de Futebol Feminino e deixam uma boa perspectiva na preparação para a Copa América de 2022. Em jogo acirrado, marcado por observações e pelo desentrosamento natural causado devido ao “rodízio” de elenco, a equipe garantiu o 100% de aproveitamento na competição.

RelacionadasBotafogoPágina especializada em promessas compara Rafael Navarro, do Botafogo, a Gonzalo HiguaínBotafogo01/12/2021VaivémAgente de Jorge Jesus se reunirá com o Flamengo, atacante do Palmeiras entra no radar do Santos, Ferrán Torres se aproxima do Barça… O Dia do Mercado!Vaivém01/12/2021VídeoLANCE Rápido: Giuliano pode voltar no Corinthians, evento de skate agita o Rio e mais…Vídeo01/12/2021

da doce： A Seleção Feminina volta a campo em fevereiro para disputar o Torneio Internacional da França. Dos dias 14 a 23, as brasileiras encararão França, Holanda e Finlândia.

CHILENAS RONDAM A ÁREA
​
A técnica Pia Sundhage promoveu seis mudanças em relação à Seleção Brasileira que iniciou a goleada por 4 a 1 sobre a Venezuela (a mais significativa foi entrada de Marta como titular ao lado de Debinha). Diante do Chile, um adversário mais impetuoso, as Guerreiras lidaram nos primeiros minutos com dificuldades defensivas diante dos avanços de Rojas e Urrutia.

Urrutia levou a melhor sobre Tamires e arriscou, mas o chute foi fraco e parou nas mãos de Letícia. A atacante ainda deu trabalho para Daiane e Tainara. Logo depois, Rojas puxou contra-ataque e Lara encheu o pé, só que a bola subiu.

BRASIL BATALHA, MAS O GOL…

Após 15 minutos de pressão chilena, o Brasil foi se soltando em campo aos trancos e barrancos. Kerolin cruzou para Ary Borges, que tentou por cobertura e mandou para fora. Em seguida, Duda e Marta também se atrapalharam ao concluir.Debinha fez o cruzamento e Kerolin surgiu livre, mas cabeceou em cima de Endler.

Embora tenha melhorado o toque de bola na reta final, a Seleção continuou a penar para criar jogadas com qualidade. Marta aproveitou uma rara brecha na direita, se desvencilhou da adversária e cruzou, só que Debinha chegou atrasada. Já Antônia passou como quis pela marcação e arriscou, fazendo a bola tirar tinta da trave.

PARA EMBALAR!

Bastaram cinco minutos para a Seleção achar uma brecha para seu poderio ofensivo. Antônia abriu caminho para descida de Ary Borges. Com velocidade, a camisa 17 aproveitou um espaço deixado pela esquerda e cruzou para a área. Kerolin surgiu livre na área chilena e desviou na saída de Endler para delírio da torcida na Arena da Amazônia.

As chilenas ainda ensaiaram uma reação com Aedo. No entanto, as Guerreiras se lançaram novamente à frente. Kerolin cruzou e Debinha acabou se enrolando. Antônia ainda arriscou finalização de longe, mas a bola foi por cima da meta de Endler. As comandadas de Pia Sundhage continuaram a se impor, mas esbarravam em erros de passes.

SEM SUSTO…

Quando o ritmo da partida caiu, a técnica Pia Sundhage promoveu as entradas de Adriana e Giovana. Em seguida, o Chile voltou a assustar em uma cobrança de escanteio de Araya na qual Letícia espalmou para evitar qualquer susto. Em seguida, Tamires arriscou de longe e Endler encaixou.

GIOVANA RATIFICA O TROFÉU

O título foi sacramentado aos 36 minutos graças à perspicácia digna das Guerreiras. Giovana aproveitou a hesitação de uma defensora chilena e deu o bote. A camisa 14 chutou com calma e superou Endler aos 38.

Na reta final, Ivana Fuso tentou arrancada e Geyse chutou pelo lado de fora da rede. Mas a vitória e o título estavam confirmados, indicando uma evolução brasileira sob o comando de Pia Sundhage.

A heroic rearguard effort from Greaves, Roach, and Hope ensured West Indies salvaged a thrilling draw after slipping to 72 for 4

Shashank Kishore06-Dec-20251:01

Chase: Roach is a modern-day legend

An epic stonewall from Justin Greaves had him face more than half the deliveries of his 12-Test career in this one innings alone, as West Indies pocketed their first points in their sixth Test of the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle in Christchurch. The 163.3 overs they eventually faced is the longest fourth-innings in Tests for West Indies in 95 years.Having played the supporting role to Shai Hope through their 196-run stand that rescued West Indies from 92 for 4 on Day 3, Greaves became the heartbeat of the innings once Hope (140) and Tevin Imlach fell in quick succession.He brought up a stunning maiden Test double ton in the penultimate over when he sliced Jacob Duffy over backward point to pocket what was to be only his second boundary in all of the final session as his colleagues stood up to give him a standing ovation.Related

Justin Greaves: 'Test cricket a massive step up from first-class cricket in Caribbean'

Stats – Greaves' fourth-innings double and West Indies' marathon

Greaves: 'Special, special day for me; special day for the team'

He finished 202 not out, having faced 388 deliveries, turning an innings that began with the typical artistic flair and flamboyance into a steely knock full of purpose and grit. Greaves wore more blows on the body than he could count, batted more deliveries than he had in his career, and reined in his natural instincts with single-minded purpose and determination.His effort led to an astonishing turnaround from the first hour of the day, when West Indies stumbled to 277 for 6 in a mammoth chase of 531. A depleted New Zealand attack down to two weary frontline pacers in Zak Foulkes and Jacob Duffy, fancied their chances. But Greaves found an able ally in Kemar Roach, the 37-year-old veteran, who batted like his life depended on it in his comeback Test.Roach made 58 not out – his highest first-class score – while facing 233 deliveries himself. Astonishingly, he made just 5 off the last 104 deliveries he faced during a dramatic final two hours of play even as the sun baked down hard on an increasingly docile Hagley Oval surface. Yet that should not take away from the epic rearguard from Hope, Greaves, and Roach.The frustration of not being able to separate Greaves and Roach during the second and third sessions was evident, as New Zealand’s bowlers were ground into the dust. They would also have felt robbed when Roach appeared to have nicked Michael Bracewell to Tom Latham behind the stumps – though perhaps only having themselves to blame for burning all their reviews.Even so, it was the thinnest of spikes that made it all the more challenging for Alex Wharf, the on-field umpire, who only a few minutes earlier made a cracking decision by turning down what everyone believed was an obvious inside-edge onto the pad to the slips, again off Bracewell. Replays showed Wharf had made a terrific call.1:57

Latham: Can’t fault the effort when we were a couple of bowlers down

As admirably as Roach played, he also maximised his opportunities. On 30, he was put down by Foulkes at backward square leg when he attempted an expansive sweep off Bracewell. On 35, Blair Tickner, subbing for Matt Henry, missed a direct hit at the bowler’s end from a few yards away at short mid-on as Roach was misjudging a run.Then on 47 came the most obvious chance, when Roach attempted to loft Bracewell had him nearly hole out to mid-on. Except, Glenn Phillips, the other sub, saw Tickner looking to intercept the ball from mid-off and palm it away.With those three chances firmly behind him, Roach buckled down and offered a dead bat to anything that came his way against Bracewell. Foulkes and Duffy tried to ruffle him with the short ball from around the wicket, only for him to duck and weave.Going into the final session, it became increasingly evident West Indies weren’t going to be enticed by the prospect of chasing down the 132 runs they needed in 31 possible overs. This clarity allowed them to approach the session with dead defence being the sole primary aim, even as Greaves began to tire and suffer cramps that needed medical attention at different times.Not even the possibility of an impending double century enticed Greaves into attempting anything loose, even if Tom Latham gave him the open invitation to drive Bracewell against the turn through the covers. This wasn’t perhaps a risk not worth taking given how easily West Indies’ lower order collapsed in the first innings.But long before a draw became the only possibility, even as New Zealand tried to attack with six fielders around the bat in the final session, Hope and Greaves pocketed runs at every available opportunity as the hosts rushed through their first six overs with part-time spin in a bid to take the second new ball quickly.But even after they took it, there was hardly any assistance for the bowlers. Hope defended comfortably off a length with neither Foulkes nor Duffy consistently able to challenge the outside edge consistently. The occasional misfields, like – Rachin Ravindra letting one through his legs for four, or Will Young overrunning a throw while backing up – added to the sense of raggedness New Zealand had begun to feel.A breakthrough lifted them shortly after drinks when Duffy dug in a short ball down leg, which Hope gloved behind, only for Latham to throw himself to his left and pluck a stunner from his webbing to end a marathon. Then came a second when Imlach was trapped by a nip-backer.They may have thought then it was just a matter of time. It could’ve been had they not reprieved Roach, but those reprieves proved even more costly given they only had two fast bowlers and two part-timers available – all of them going full throttle to the limit – despite not getting much out of the surface.In the end, the manner in which West Indies earned the draw may prove far more valuable. Above all, it was a day that reminded everyone of the slow-burn magic only Test cricket could deliver.

After a stop-start opening to the season, Newcastle United finally appear to be finding rhythm.

Going into their recent home fixture, Eddie Howe’s side had one of the lowest expected goals tallies in the Premier League – a concerning figure for a team competing in the Champions League and aiming for another top-four push.

But after back-to-back victories, 4-0 against Belgian champions Union Saint-Gilloise and 2-0 at home to Nottingham Forest, the Magpies look revitalised.

The improvement has been clear. Six goals in two games without conceding is a sign that Newcastle are balancing both ends of the pitch.

The performances weren’t so emphatic as to raise expectations sky-high, but they were precisely the kind of controlled, confident displays Howe would have wanted.

And perhaps most impressively, they’ve come despite a growing injury list.

Both starting full-backs, Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall, face extended spells on the sidelines.

Fabian Schär, meanwhile, has only just returned from concussion, but his place in the starting XI is suddenly far from guaranteed.

That’s because his replacement, a £30m summer signing from AC Milan, has made a seamless transition into the side.

While the spotlight currently belongs to the man spearheading Newcastle’s attack, it may be their new defender who turns out to be “one of the signings of the summer.”

Why Woltemade is the man of the moment

Nick Woltemade’s arrival at St James’ Park was met with curiosity.

The 23-year-old German forward joined from Werder Bremen after scoring 12 goals in 28 Bundesliga appearances.

He caught the eye of Bayern Munich, who saw three bids rejected.

Instead, it was Howe who convinced the towering 1.98m striker that Newcastle was the right place to continue his development.

Since then, the attacker has been nothing short of transformative.

He opened his account on his home debut against Wolves, before adding further goals against Arsenal, Union Saint-Gilloise, and Nottingham Forest – where he rifled a superb penalty into the top corner to round off the win.

His blend of physical presence, link-up play, and calm finishing has quickly made him a fan favourite on Tyneside.

In Sunday’s match against Forest, he was unlucky not to score more than once, denied by the post and an inspired Matz Sels performance.

When he left the field, the Gallowgate End rose to its feet, chanting his name in unison.

Unfortunately, illness has ruled him out of the current international break – though Howe will secretly be pleased to keep his new talisman fresh and close to home.

With Yoane Wissa yet to feature for Newcastle, Woltemade’s form and fitness are paramount.

His early-season output has quelled doubts about Newcastle’s attacking fluency and offered a glimpse into Howe’s evolving system – one that relies less on chaos and more on control.

Yet while the German striker’s goals are making headlines, another of the club’s summer signings is quietly redefining their defensive stability.

Newcastle's real signing of the summer

Woltemade’s impact on this Newcastle side has been eye-catching. On the contrary, Malick Thiaw’s introduction to English football has been understated but immaculate.

The 24-year-old centre-back arrived from AC Milan for £30m after two standout seasons in Serie A, where he made 85 appearances.

His profile – composed, progressive, and powerful – fits seamlessly into Howe’s tactical blueprint.

Statistically, Thiaw’s impact has been immense. Compared to positional peers in the Premier League, he ranks in the 95th percentile among his positional peers for pass completion (93.2%) and in the 85th percentile for progressive passes per 90 (4.86).

That ability to initiate play from deep has added an extra layer of composure to Newcastle’s build-up.

Malick Thiaw Vs. Arsenal
Ground Duels Won	1
Aerial Duels Won	4
Clearances	8
Interceptions	1
Dribbled Past	0
Source: Sofascore

What stands out most is his calmness under pressure – his close control, his knack for turning out of tight spaces, and his confidence stepping into midfield to progress the ball.

For a defender still adjusting to the physicality of the Premier League, his transition has been remarkably smooth.

Thiaw’s partnership with Sven Botman has all the makings of a long-term defensive axis for Newcastle.

Both are young, technically gifted, and dominant in the air. Together, they could form one of the most balanced and forward-thinking centre-back pairings in the division.

For Howe, who knows the importance of rotation with European fixtures piling up, Thiaw’s arrival is more than just depth.

The German brings a level of assurance that allows Newcastle to play higher, press smarter, and retain control in matches that once felt frantic.

While Woltemade’s early-season exploits deserve every bit of praise they’ve received, the real signing of the summer might just be standing behind him.

90-touch Newcastle ace is now as undroppable as Bruno Guimaraes & Woltemade

Newcastle United secured a vital 2-0 win against Nottingham Forest this afternoon.

By
Ethan Lamb

Oct 5, 2025

Celtic are no strangers to talented players, and plenty of exciting stars have played their part in helping the club establish itself as Scotland’s dominant force over the years.

In the 21st century, the Bhoys have won 19 Scottish Premiership titles, 12 Scottish Cups, and 12 Scottish League Cups, otherwise known as the Premier Sports Cup for commercial purposes.

Brendan Rodgers is the man responsible for the Hoops’ recent triumphs. However, the likes of Martin O’Neill, Gordon Strachan, Neil Lennon and Ange Postecoglou all take their place in the club’s trophy-laden history, with plenty of special players spearheading the hunt for silverware in Glasgow’s east end.

However, some stars don’t get the credit they deserve, pitted against others, even if their unique ability has drawn comparisons to some of the world’s best.

Paddy McCourt's Celtic ability led to claims he was better than Cristiano Ronaldo

Anyone connected with Celtic will attest to the fact that Paddy McCourt, who spent five seasons at the club before leaving at the end of his contract in 2013, is someone who possessed a unique ability to evade his marker at will.

Nicknamed the ‘Derry Pele’ due to his mesmeric dribbling ability, the winger made 88 appearances during his time at the club, registering ten goals and nine assists.

Despite McCourt attracting interest from Liverpool during the early portion of his Celtic career, it may come as a surprise to hear that the two-time Scottish Premiership winner only made 20 starts over five years at the Parkhead club.

One man who knew all too well about his talents was former Northern Ireland defender Lee McEvilly, who was a teammate of the former Hoops man while at Rochdale.

Speaking to the Football Historian podcast, he admitted his father claimed McCourt had more ability than Cristiano Ronaldo while the Portuguese star was in his pomp at Manchester United.

Paddy McCourt's honest admission regarding his career

McCourt’s time at Celtic was definitely the height of his career, though some may wonder why a player with such natural flair didn’t end up in one of the world’s elite leagues.

Answering that question, the former Northern Ireland international admitted in an interview back in 2022 with Planet Football that the modern game and its growing demand for high-intensity running and raised fitness levels ultimately worked to his detriment.

He explained: “Certainly in the later years, football became a lot more structured, a lot more tactical and a lot more physical in terms of distances covered and high-intensity running. That type of stuff was never my strong point. I was never blessed physically in that sense.”

McCourt, who left Celtic for free in 2013, could glide past defenders like they weren’t there and became a cult hero at Celtic, earning adulation from supporters due to his entertaining style of play.

With the modern game headed in a structural direction where individuality is contained at times, the ‘Derry Pele’ is a shining example to young wingers who are looking to harness their dribbling skills.

Rishabh Pant has received a “return to play” clearance from the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence following two stages of rehab for a fractured foot and if fit and in form, could make the squad for the two-Test series against South Africa

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Oct-2025

Rishabh Pant has been out of action since July•Getty Images

Rishabh Pant’s return to competitive cricket following a foot injury will begin with him captaining India A in the two four-day fixtures against South Africa A in Bengaluru starting October 30.Pant has received a ‘return to play’ clearance from the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence following two stages of rehab for the fractured foot that he suffered during the fourth England vs India Test in Manchester in July. Pant’s India A selection means he will not be playing for Delhi in the second round of the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy from October 25 as earlier envisaged.India A vs South Africa A fixtures

1st four-dayer – Oct 30 to Nov 2
2nd four-dayer – Nov 6 to Nov 9

Pant and vice-captain B Sai Sudharsan are set to feature in both the matches, while the likes of KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel, Prasidh Krishna ad Mohammed Siraj will feature in only the second four-day fixture, to be played from November 6. It’s likely that all of them will make the cut for India’s Test squad for the South Africa series, which starts on November 14 in Kolkata.The Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel has had to balance out the squads to ensure there’s also a bit of continuity with those featuring for their respective state teams in the ongoing Ranji Trophy season.This is possibly why Rajat Patidar (captaining Madhya Pradesh), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Abhimanyu Easwaran (captaining Bengal) and Akash Deep, among others, are part of the squad for just one of the two matches. Meanwhile, the likes of N Jagadeesan, Manav Suthar, Saransh Jain and Harsh Dubey have been rewarded for their domestic form.KL Rahul is among a host of internationals who will come in for the second game•AFP/Getty Images

If the selectors are convinced with his form and fitness, Pant is likely to make his Test comeback at the first India vs South Africa Test.India squad for first four-day matchRishabh Pant (capt, wk), Ayush Mhatre, N Jagadeesan (wk), Sai Sudharsan (vice-capt), Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian, Manav Suthar, Anshul Kamboj, Yash Thakur, Ayush Badoni, Saransh Jain, Gurnoor Brar, Khaleel Ahmed.India squad for second four-day matchRishabh Pant (capt, wk), KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Sai Sudharsan (vice-capt), Devdutt Padikkal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian, Manav Suthar, Khaleel Ahmed, Gurnoor Brar, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep.

Heat prevailed and meet Renegades in a knockout final at Marvel Stadium on Sunday

Tristan Lavalette27-Jan-2023Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne emerged from T20 droughts with spectacular half-centuries before rain thwarted Sydney Thunder’s hopes of chasing down Brisbane Heat’s massive total in the BBL elimination final.Kicking off the finals series, Khawaja and Labuschagne combined for a 128-run partnership to power Heat to the highest ever total at the Sydney Showgrounds.Chasing 204, David Warner was in a belligerent mood with 36 off 20 balls to provide hope for Thunder before Sydney’s temperamental weather reared in the seventh over with the home side eight runs short under Duckworth-Lewis Stern calculations.Play was set to restart with Thunder facing a revised target of 90 runs off nine overs – they were already 52 for 1 after 6.5 – but the match was ultimately called off due to persistent rain.Heat prevailed and meet Melbourne Renegades in a knockout final at Marvel Stadium on Sunday, while Thunder’s see-saw of a season ended in disappointment.

Khawaja and Labuschagne smash Thunder

Khawaja’s impact for Heat since returning from Australia duty has mostly been through his captaincy, like when he helped guide inexperienced quick Spencer Johnson in high-pressure moments.He had only averaged 16 in six innings in a disappointing start for his new BBL franchise. But against his old team, who he powered to the title in 2016, Khawaja showed his liking for the big stage and put the foot down after the drinks break with an assault on spinners Chris Green and Usman Qadir. He was unstoppable with a slew of innovative strokes, including reverse sweeps, to devastating effect, but his best shot was a gorgeous straight six off Qadir.Khawaja fell short of a deserved century but his fluency seemed to rub off on Labuschagne, who had struggled with his timing as he played anchor before unleashing some inventive strokes of his own to notch his first BBL half-century in his 23rd innings.Labuschagne, who had averaged just 16 runs with a strike-rate of 104, hit his first six of the season when he clubbed seamer Daniel Sams over long-on in the final over. He repeated the dose three balls later to lift Heat past 200 before his 48-ball 73 ended on the penultimate delivery of the innings. Labuschagne proved a point to critics that his formidable longer format batting can translate into T20 cricket.

Pawson’s horror debut

Thunder were shorthanded without frontliner seamer Gurinder Sandhu, who injured his calf in his last game against Melbourne Stars. The 28-year-old Ross Pawson was thrown into the deep end with a debut in the elimination final.Nathan McAndrew’s struggles in the powerplay led to Pawson coming into the attack in the third over and he was immediately lined up. His first ball was carved through point for a boundary by Khawaja, who then smashed two short deliveries to the rope. A rattled Pawson then dished up a waist-high full toss to cap a 15-run first over in the BBL. He hoped his fortune might change when he returned in the 11th over but it only stirred the ruthlessness in Khawaja, who hit two sixes.Pawson, who had earned his call-up through solid form in local Sydney ranks, did show glimpses of rapid pace but just couldn’t get his length right and finished a tough initiation with 0 for 32 off two overs.

Warner starts fast before rain spoils the party

Unlike his mate Steven Smith, Warner had struggled in his long-awaited BBL return and averaged just 12.6 in five innings. But here, he started aggressively and took a liking to left-armer Johnson by smashing three boundaries in the fourth over. It was the best Warner had looked during this BBL season and he threatened to play a heroic knock before rain intervened to end Thunder’s season.