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Há um mês se recuperando da cirurgia no joelho, Dudu demonstrou seu apoio para o Palmeiras antes da decisão contra o Boca Júniors, pela Copa Libertadores. O meia-atacante passou recentemente por um procedimento para a reconstrução do ligamento cruzado anterior e também correção do menisco, lesionados na partida contra o Vasco, pela 21ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro.

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A partida dessa quinta-feira (5) será válida pela semifinal da Copa Libertadores. O time vem de um empate sem gols, do jogo de ida, e terá que decidir seu futuro na competição no Allianz Parque. Dudu declarou que queria estar presente, mas destacou a confiança no elenco e em seus companheiros de equipe. Afirmando estar na torcida, disse que o Palmeiras mostrou várias vezes que ‘foi capaz’.

– Obviamente, queria estar dentro de campo, lutando ao lado de meus companheiros, mas, infelizmente, não posso. Só que eu confio, demais, nesse grupo. Nosso elenco é muito forte e, por diversas vezes, já provou do que é capaz. Hoje, será uma noite especial e tenho certeza de que o Allianz Parque estará lotado e a nossa torcida nos empurrará do primeiro ao último minuto. Juntos, conseguiremos fazer um bom jogo. Ainda não sei, mas farei um esforço tremendo para ir ao jogo e me juntar à torcida para empurrar o nosso Verdão – disse.

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+ Veja tabela da Libertadores-2023 clicando aqui

+ Palmeiras x Boca Juniors: onde assistir ao vivo, escalações e horário do jogo pela Libertadores

Neste período de recuperação, Dudu tem apresentado uma boa evolução. Com o corpo respondendo de forma positiva, a tendência é que volte – em breve -, a apoiar os pés no chãos. O atleta afirmou que a palavra-chave é ‘paciência’, mas que ‘sente que está cada vez melhor’.

– Sei que essa é uma recuperação lenta e tenho que ter muita paciência, mas tudo vem dando certo. No começo, é difícil, doloroso e o fato de não poder colocar o pé no chão complica um pouco a rotina. Mesmo assim, sigo direitinho todas as orientações que os médicos do clube têm me passado. Cada dia que passa, sinto que estou melhor e que o meu corpo está respondendo super bem – explicou.

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Um dos maiores ídolos da história do Palmeiras, Dudu soma 443 jogos e 11 títulos pelo clube: Campeonato Brasileiro (2016, 2018 e 2022); Campeonato Paulista (2020, 2022 e 2023); Conmebol Libertadores (2020 e 2021); Copa do Brasil (2015); Recopa Sul-Americana (2022) e Supercopa do Brasil (2023). Com 88 gols marcados e 102 assistências, é o maior artilheiro do Século XXI e principal garçom do atual elenco.

Chelsea are reportedly in talks with Malo Gusto over a lucrative new contract that would see the divisive defender extend his stay at Stamford Bridge. Since he arrived from Lyon in 2023, Gusto has split opinion among supporters with his performances for the Blues. There has been speculation he could leave the club, but Chelsea are now expected to offer a new deal.

• Blues ready to reward Gusto’s rise with big new contract

  According to , the Chelsea hierarchy are moving quickly to secure Gusto's long-term future, with talks already progressing over a contract extension and salary upgrade that will reflect his growing influence in Enzo Maresca's plans. He spent much of his debut season in James’ shadow, often drafted in only when the England international was consigned to the treatment room. With time, he has blossomed to become a dependable presence in defence and in his second full campaign, he is enjoying plenty of game time. The young Frenchman has already made 10 appearances in all competitions this season, which highlights his continued importance to Maresca. Within the squad, Gusto has also found comfort in the club’s French-speaking contingent, including Benoît Badiashile and Wesley Fofana, helping him settle quickly into life in London.

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  Chelsea move swiftly to lock in their man

  The Blues’ ownership has made it a pattern to extend young stars well before their contracts near expiry. It is a strategy designed to secure the club’s long-term core and ward off external interest. Gusto’s current deal already runs until 2030, but the new agreement could push that even further, possibly by one or two additional years. It mirrors Chelsea’s recent moves with Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson, both of whom were handed improved deals last year despite having long-term contracts in place. Similarly, Moises Caicedo is also said to be in line for a wage boost. 

  While James remains club captain and an icon at Stamford Bridge, Gusto’s emergence has eased the pressure on the Englishman, allowing Chelsea to rotate effectively without losing quality. The Frenchman’s maturity beyond his years has also impressed Maresca, who is said to be particularly fond of Gusto’s professionalism. However, Gusto is not intimidated by the presence of James and instead shares a healthy relationship with his senior colleague. 

  "Yeah, it’s important to learn from the top players," he told Stadium Astro. "We try to help the team as much as possible. When I’m on the pitch, when he’s on the pitch, when sometimes we’re both on the pitch, we try to help the team, and he’s a top guy. We talk a lot, between each other to give some advice and stuff sometimes. But yeah, I think we are both top players and I think top players have to play and show their best and that’s what we try to do."

• Juventus are lurking, but Chelsea won’t budge

  News of Chelsea’s contract talks couldn’t have come at a better time. Juventus have reportedly been preparing a €50 million (£44m) offer for Gusto, identifying him as a prime transfer target for the summer of 2026. The Serie A giants are actively reshaping their backline and view Gusto as a ready-made solution at right-back. But Chelsea’s latest move looks set to slam the door on any potential pursuit. Sources close to Stamford Bridge suggest the club have no intention of entertaining offers for the France international, who has now become central to Maresca’s plans. Gusto himself is believed to be happy in London and eager to continue his development under the Italian coach.

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  Chelsea’s new identity involves building a young, fearless core

  Gusto’s renewal would be another piece of Chelsea’s long-term vision. They want to construct a young, hungry, and loyal squad capable of dominating the Premier League for years to come. Alongside Palmer, Caicedo, and Enzo Fernandez, Gusto represents the club’s commitment to nurturing players whose full potential is yet to be harnessed. The Blues may have had their share of misfires in the transfer market, but they seem happy with Gusto's trajectory and see him as part of their future. They edged out Wolves in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening and will return to action on Saturday in a blockbuster fixture against Tottenham in the Premier League.

Manchester United are now on red alert over a deal for a “sensational” England midfielder, who is starting to grow frustrated at his current club.

Man Utd looking to bolster midfield options

Football FanCast recently took a look at five ways Ruben Amorim could save his job, after a disastrous start to the season, and starting Kobbie Mainoo ahead of Manuel Ugarte in central midfield made its way onto the list.

Amorim has been reluctant to give Mainoo much game time up to this point, with the 20-year-old failing to start a Premier League match this season, and Nicky Butt has suggested the youngster hasn’t been “respected” by his manager.

It remains to be seen whether the 40-year-old is willing to reintroduce the England international to the starting XI, but it is clear the manager wants to bolster his midfield options regardless, with a number of targets being identified in recent weeks.

Al-Hilal’s Ruben Neves, Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton have all made their way onto the shortlist, but it has now been revealed the Red Devils are also in the race for a different English midfielder.

According to a report from The Boot Room, Man United are now on red alert over a potential deal for Atletico Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher, who is starting to become frustrated with his situation at the Spanish club.

Gallagher, an England international, has fallen behind the likes of Koke and Pablo Barrios in the pecking order at Atletico, which could negatively impact his chances of being part of the Three Lions’ 2026 World Cup squad.

Man Utd can hire Amorim upgrade who Fergie dubbed the PL's "best manager"

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Sep 17, 2025

The midfielder is aware that a number of clubs could be in for him this winter, including Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United, with journalist Graeme Bailey suggesting a January move could be possible.

Bailey said: “I am told the player would dearly like to make it back into the Atletico Madrid side and that is his priority, but clubs are paying real interest to him and he is very much one to keep an eye on for January.”

Gallagher could be "sensational" signing for Man Utd

A deal for the England international may be relatively expensive, with a £45m asking price previously being touted, but he clearly has what it takes to be a success at Old Trafford.

Unlike Ugarte, the former Crystal Palace man is already proven in the Premier League, making 136 appearances in the competition, during which time he amassed 18 goals and 13 assists.

As such, the 25-year-old, who has been dubbed “sensational” by journalist John Cross, is clearly capable of making an impact on the front foot, but he is also a well-rounded player, as underlined by his performance across several key metrics over the past year.

Gallagher arguably wouldn’t be the flashiest of signings, but he is a proven Premier League midfielder, who clearly gives it his all, having been lauded for his “insane” work rate by Nathan Dyer.

Rajasthan Royals have a bowling attack that looks vastly different from the one they had last year, but Samson has backed his young players to “prove what they’re made of”

Shashank Kishore22-Mar-2025Heading into IPL 2025, Rajasthan Royals (RR) have a bowling attack that looks vastly different from the one they had last year, with several stalwarts having moved to other franchises. Full-time captain Sanju Samson knows this will be a challenge, but has backed his young players to “prove what they’re made of”.Royals still have Sandeep Sharma, but have lost the likes of R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal and Trent Boult. On the batting front, too, there is a big hole, with Jos Buttler having moved to Gujarat Titans after he wasn’t retained – a decision Samson recently admitted was tough to make and, now, deal with.Talking about the new look of the squad ahead of his team’s season-opener, Samson said, “To be honest, that’s the challenge IPL has thrown at me. Last three years, I was surrounded by some of the best cricketers the world has ever seen. Now I’m surrounded by [some of the] younger players in IPL. [We are] looking at it in a positive manner. The youngsters have a lot of fire in them, they want to prove to the world what they’re made of.”Related

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Minz, Suryavanshi, Rickelton among IPL's rookies to watch out for

Samson underlined the need to move on quickly and identify the strengths and weaknesses of the squad’s new players. This time, their bowling line-up includes Jofra Archer (set to turn out for RR again after 2020-21) and Maheesh Theekshana, alongside a host of Indian talents like Akash Madhwal, Tushar Deshpande and Kumar Kartikeya.”We have to let go of the past, forget what happened, forget the quality of players we had,” Samson said. “They’re different players, different line-ups. We’ve got to go with a fresh pair of eyes and thinking. You can’t say ‘last year we had them, did this or did that’.”I’m a type of captain who trusts the bowlers. They need to tell me their strength and what they want to bowl. It’s a mixture of my experience and their thinking coming together and them finding the right way to go ahead. After playing a few games, we will understand their strengths and weaknesses.”Samson believes conditions will be unforgiving for the bowlers even though some steps – like allowing one ball change on demand after ten overs of the chase in evening games, to help counter dew – have been taken to help the bowlers.”In the powerplay, bowlers have been targeted like anything, that’s where challenge is,” Samson said. “Bowlers have been coming in with new tricks – change of pace, slower balls, slower bouncers. Now IPL has introduced a rule of players being allowed to apply saliva, that can help bowlers, or the new ball rule because of dew. We’re trying to balance it out, but it still looks like [it will be] a heavy scoring season.”Vaibhav Suryavanshi in action at the Under-19s Asia Cup in the UAE•Associated Press

Vaibhav Suryavanshi a special talent, says SamsonSamson was effusive in his praise for 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the youngest player to earn an IPL deal after RR bought him for INR 1.1 crore ahead of this season.”He looks something special,” Samson said. “That’s what our team recognised when he came to the trials. Our scouts following him in the Under-19 matches he was playing, [were impressed with] the amount of shots he was playing. It shows he’s really made for the best level.”To be honest, he’s very lucky, for a 13-year-old or any youngster, to come here to Rajasthan Royals and be [around] Rahul Dravid [head coach] and all the mentors here. They’re really good at taking care of young Indian talent who have come here.”It’s a great responsibility not only for him, but for us to take care of him and guide him, not just these two months but for the ten months he’s away from IPL. He’s in great hands, there’s something special for Indian cricket in the coming years from him.”

أعلن ييس توروب، المدير الفني لفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي، عن التشكيل الرسمي الذي سيخوض به مواجهة الاتحاد السكندري، المقرر إقامتها مساء اليوم الأربعاء، ضمن منافسات الجولة الحادية عشرة من بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز لموسم 2025-2026.

ويستضيف استاد القاهرة الدولي اللقاء المرتقب بين الفريقين في تمام الساعة الخامسة مساءً، في مواجهة يسعى خلالها المارد الأحمر إلى تحقيق الفوز ومواصلة ملاحقة فرق الصدارة.

ويدخل الأهلي المباراة وهو في المركز الرابع بجدول ترتيب الدوري المصري برصيد 18 نقطة، جمعها من 9 مباريات، بعد أن حقق 5 انتصارات وتعادل في 3 لقاءات وتلقى خسارة وحيدة.

في المقابل، يسعى الاتحاد السكندري بقيادة مدربه إلى تحسين موقفه في جدول الترتيب، إذ يحتل المركز السابع عشر برصيد 8 نقاط فقط، ويأمل في الخروج بنتيجة إيجابية أمام حامل اللقب لتصحيح مساره في البطولة.

طالع أيضًا | بدلاء الأهلي أمام الاتحاد السكندري في الدوري.. عبدالقادر يجاور ديانج تشكيل الأهلي اليوم أمام الاتحاد السكندري في الدوري

في حراسة المرمى: محمد الشناوي.

خط الدفاع: محمد هاني، ياسر إبراهيم، ياسين مرعي، أحمد نبيل كوكا.

خط الوسط، مروان عطية، محمد علي بن رمضان، أحمد سيد زيزو.

في الهجوم: تريزيجيه، جراديشار، أشرف بن شرقي.

اقترب منتخب بلجيكا من الحصول على بطاقة التأهل إلى نهائيات بطولة كأس العالم نسخة 2026، بعدما حقق فوزًا مثيرًا على خصمه منتخب ويلز، مساء يوم الإثنين.

وتلاقى المنتخبان في خضم تصفيات قارة أوروبا المؤهلة إلى كأس العالم، الصيف المقبل، حيث فازت بلجيكا بأربعة أهداف مقابل هدفين.

تقدمت ويلز بهدف جو رودون في الدقيقة الثامنة من عمر الشوط الأول، قبل أن تتحصل بلجيكا على ضربة جزاء في الدقيقة 18، حيث نفذها كيفين دي بروين بنجاح وحولها إلى هدف تعادل.

اقرأ أيضًا | حلم التأهل يتلاشى.. إيزاك يشارك في هزيمة مؤسفة لـ السويد أمام كوسوفو في تصفيات كأس العالم

وتقدمت بلجيكا بهدف سجله توماس مونييه في الدقيقة 24 من عمر الشوط نفسه، في حين أن دي بروين سجل الهدف الثاني له والثالث للضيوف، في الدقيقة 76 من ضربة جزاء أخرى.

وفي الدقيقة 89 سجلت ويلز الهدف الثاني عن طريق اللاعب ناثان برودهيد، لتشتعل المباراة، ولكن لم يدم ذلك سوى لحظات حيث سجل لياندرو تروسارد الهدف الرابع لـ بلجيكا في الدقيقة 90، ليقضي على آمال العودة لأصحاب الأرض.

بتلك النتيجة، ارتفع رصيد بلجيكا إلى 14 نقطة في صدارة المجموعة العاشرة، بينما تجمد رصيد ويلز عند 10 نقاط في المركز الثالث.

وتتبقى مباراتين أمام بلجيكا في تصفيات كأس العالم، حيث تلتقي مع كازاخستان وليختنشتاين، وتحتاج إلى 3 نقاط من أصل 6 للتأهل إلى كأس العالم 2026.

Pep Guardiola has been warned that his Manchester City have lost their "fear factor" after an underwhelming start to their 2025-26 Premier League campaign. After finishing 13 points behind champions Liverpool in third position last season, City have gotten off to a poor start, losing back-to-back league games against Tottenham and Brighton before the international break.

• Guardiola warned about Man City's form

  Premier League legend Alan Shearer claimed that Guardiola's City are no longer invincible as their opponents now believe that they can beat the former champions. The downfall started last season, following Rodri's ACL injury that kept him out of action for the majority of the 2024-25 campaign. The midfielder's absence deeply hurt the Cityzens as they lost nine league games, the most in the Guardiola era, and finished 13 points behind champions Liverpool. 

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  City's poor form continues in new season

  After making major changes to the squad in January and the summer transfer window, City hoped that they would kick off the new season with renewed enthusiasm. They started the campaign with a thumping 4-0 win over Wolves in their season opener, but faltered against Spurs and Brighton.

• What did Shearer say about Man City?

  Speaking to , the Newcastle icon said: "I wouldn't say Pep has lost his touch, but I'd say his team have lost that rhythm of winning. There's no doubt that last season has hurt and damaged them and they're easier to get through than they were two seasons ago. We saw what the injury to Rodri did to them last year and there's no doubt their confidence took a hit. I also think that the fear factor may have gone because of what happened last year. Teams have realised that they're not unbeatable, they can win if they attack Man City, you can score goals if you have the belief that you can take them on. Maybe 18 months ago, teams were scared of City, reluctant to go at them and prepared to sit deep and soak up pressure. Now, teams believe that they can go up against Man City and beat them."

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  When are Man City playing next?

  The Cityzens will be back in action in the Premier League on Sunday as they host rivals Manchester United in a derby clash at Etihad Stadium. It could be an early-must win match for Guardiola and Co.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Russell Martin still has plenty to think about before the summer transfer window officially slams shut at the start of next month.

RangersReview recently reported that Jefte is closing in on a move to Brazilian side Palmeiras for a fee of £6m, just 12 months on from his £800k transfer from Fluminense.

This means that the Light Blues are poised to make a significant profit on the 21-year-old left-back, who started 30 of the club’s 38 matches in the Scottish Premiership during the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore.

It also means, though, that Rangers will be light in the left-back department, as Ridvan Yilmaz has not featured in any of the club’s matchday squads this season.

Rangers hopeful of signing new left-back

This means that Max Aarons, a right-footed left-back, will be the only senior left-back option available, given Yilmaz’s exclusion from the team, once Jefte’s move is completed.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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Rangers have been linked with a loan interest in Brentford left-back Jayden Meghoma, and Russell Martin is hopeful that a deal can be done for the defender.

The Gers head coach said: “So Jay (Meghoma) is a player we know from Southampton, spent a year with us as a young boy, training every day, understands the work, top talent, plays for England at all the youth levels.”

“Brentford signed him for a lot of money for a teenager, and he went on loan last year and to the Championship did really well, so he’s a player we know and like. Hopefully, at some point, he’ll be a Rangers player and you’ll know that when he is.”

What Jayden Meghoma can bring to Rangers

The 19-year-old defender, who was signed for £10m by the Bees last year, could be a dream for Djeidi Gassama down the left flank with the way that he likes to bomb forward.

Since signing from Sheffield Wednesday, Gassama has been a hit with the Gers supporters. The 21-year-old forward has scored four goals in six matches in all competitions, per Sofascore, to prove himself to be a big threat at the top end of the pitch.

Instead of having a right-footed player in Aarons failing to provide much support on the overlap, the Frenchman will surely love to have a naturally left-footed, attack-minded, full-back in Meghoma to support him.

24/25 Championship

Jayden Meghoma per 90

Percentile rank vs full-backs

xAG

0.09

Top 27%

Assists

0.12

Top 21%

Shot-creating actions (defensive action)

0.12

Top 5%

Goal-creating actions

0.35

Top 6%

Percentage of dribblers tackled

76.9%

Top 8%

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, Meghoma showed signs of promise as an attacking force on loan at Preston North End in the Championship last term, ranking highly in creating chances for his teammates.

Interestingly, he ranked highly for tackling dribblers and creating shots for his team through defensive actions. This suggests that he excels at winning the ball back on the flank and then playing the ball forward to start moves that end up with shots at goal.

Gassama could, therefore, benefit from having the aggressive full-back behind him because his pace on the counter-attack could make the most of the attacks that the teenage defender has the potential to create.

Meghoma, who was described as “fast” and “tricky” by Paul Heckingbottom, could also be a shrewd addition to the team because he worked with Martin during their time together at Southampton, which means that he already knows how the manager works and wants to play.

Related Lionel Messi names the top fans between Celtic and Rangers, calls them "the best"

The Argentine icon has played at both Parkhead and Ibrox.

Posts ByCharlie Smith Aug 15, 2025

The England U19 international could use that experience to hit the ground running as a replacement for Jefte at Ibrox, whilst also having the potential to be a dream for Gassama down the left flank.

Former Barcelona midfielder Unai Hernandez is set to leave Al-Ittihad to join Al-Shabab on loan, just seven months after his Saudi Pro League arrival.

• Ex-Barca star to leave Al-Ittihad
• Loan move to Al-Shabab confirmed
• No purchase option in deal

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to , former Barcelona Atletic captain Unai Hernandez is leaving Al-Ittihad just seven months after joining the Saudi champions. The 20-year-old midfielder, who arrived in January in a €5 million deal, had been eager to establish himself in the Middle East but found playing time limited under Laurent Blanc. Despite scoring his first goal last season and helping Al-Ittihad secure a league and cup double, Hernandez has now agreed to join Al-Shabab on loan.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  While the Tigers were reluctant to lose Hernandez permanently, Al-Shabab were quick to pounce after new boss Imanol Alguacil personally requested him. The midfielder is expected to play a creative role as a No. 10, giving him the platform for more minutes and a bigger role than he enjoyed in Jeddah. Hernandez featured nine times in the Saudi Pro League last season, starting seven of those matches, but was left out of the squad for the opening match of the new season.

• TELL ME MORE…

  Al-Shabab initially wanted to include a purchase option in the deal, but Al-Ittihad refused. The Jeddah side even pushed for a January return clause before ultimately settling on a straightforward season-long loan without buy-out options.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Hernandez will spend the new season at Al-Shabab, where he is expected to feature heavily under Alguacil. For Al-Ittihad, the loan ensures their young talent gains experience without closing the door on his long-term future in Jeddah. The Spanish midfielder’s performances in Riyadh will ultimately decide whether he returns to fight for a place or paves the way for a permanent switch down the line.

WA quick will play in Australia’s 50-over domestic competition to start the summer but is waiting to be cleared to play red-ball cricket after a slow recovery from a back injury

Tristan Lavalette10-Sep-2024Emerging quick Lance Morris admits it’s been “frustrating” working his way through another rehab from a back injury, but hopes a cautious approach will prove beneficial as he earmarks playing in the Sheffield Shield ahead of Australia’s Test series against India this summer.The 26-year-old has not played since the ODI series against West Indies in February. After making his international debut in the series opener, Morris claimed two early wickets in the third match in Canberra before suffering a side strain which ended his season.Morris had been due to line-up for Seattle Orcas in Major League Cricket before post-season scans showed a hot spot in his back and he wasn’t considered for Australia’s current tour of Scotland and England. It was a recurrence of the injury that ruled the West Australian paceman out of the Ashes tour in 2023.Related

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Sheffield Shield preview: Western Australia chase history, Test stars to play early rounds

Lance Morris and Jhye Richardson set for domestic returns with WA

“It’s been a bit frustrating,” Morris told ESPNcricinfo. “I guess you call it a stress fracture, but when we scan it, it doesn’t have the natural characteristics of a usual stress fracture. So there was some confusion at first around exactly what it was.”The tricky one for me was I didn’t actually have any back pain when I was bowling. I get monthly check-ins with an MRI on my back to make sure things are heading in the right direction. And it’s been clearing up… healing, so that’s a positive.”While he maintained his fitness levels through running and regular gym, Morris was unable to do any skills work for around eight weeks.”Frustrating to have to stop for a couple of months. I’m at that stage in my career with a Cricket Australia contract….it’s a transition into a 12-month cricketer,” he said.”I was continually preparing to go [to MLC], but never managed to get over there.”But the silver lining is I’ve stayed fit and I feel stronger than ever. Whereas if I ignored it and cracked on with things, there’s every likelihood that I would spend 12 months on the sidelines.”Lance Morris suffered a left side strain in his second ODI in February•Getty ImagesDubbed ‘The Wild Thing’ – in a nod to former tearaway Shaun Tait – Morris garnered considerable attention for his ability to bowl over 150kph. Regarded as arguably the fastest bowler in Australia, he became an enforcer for Western Australia on bouncy WACA decks and rose to the fringes of Australia’s Test team over the past couple of seasons.Having slowly built up his bowling loads, Morris had been left wondering whether he could reach maximum speed again until going “full tilt” in recent weeks restored his confidence.”The tricky thing with loading up really slowly is that you have restrictions on the pace you can bowl at different intervals,” he said. “You sort of wonder how you’re going to get back up to top speed.”But over the last couple of weeks, it’s been basically shackles off. It’s been nice to let the ball go.”Morris is set to make his return through Australia’s domestic 50-over competition starting later this month before eyeing a red-ball comeback in the Sheffield Shield. Three-time defending champions Western Australia start their Shield season against Queensland at the WACA on October 8.”Conversations so far… basically it’s ok to start playing one-day cricket, so [I might play] one of the first two white-ball games,” Morris said with WA opening the One-Day competition against New South Wales on September 22 before playing South Australia two days later.”There will be a little bit of a process in building up and getting ready for Shield cricket. But I think all going well, I should be available for round one or round two. I’m not too sure exactly yet, but we’re not far off.”There are four rounds of the Shield before the first Test in Perth. A solid base of competitive cricket might propel Morris into the mix with concerns over Australia’s depth behind incumbent pace trio Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.”I have no expectations at all. But if the opportunity does arise, hopefully I can jump on it with both hands,” Morris said of his Test prospects. “Fingers crossed I can stay on the park this season because I think there could be a few opportunities that arise.”Liam Haskett will miss the first half of WA’s season with a back injury•Getty ImagesMeanwhile, WA left-arm quick Liam Haskett is set to miss the first half of the Sheffield Shield season as he recovers from a stress fracture in his back.Post-season scans confirmed a recurrence of an injury Haskett suffered a few years ago. The towering six-foot seven-inch paceman emerged during a breakout debut season when he claimed 20 wickets at 24.75 from six Shield matches. Haskett, 23, starred in the final round with six wickets against Victoria at the Junction Oval, but missed the Shield final against Tasmania due to a heel injury.”A rough timeline would be getting back towards the end of November-early December, but that could change with a scan result,” Haskett told ESPNcricinfo. “It’s frustrating coming off the season I had, but we’ll keep working towards getting back on the field around the middle part of the season.”