Chelsea want to wrap up even more summer deals in time for their Club World Cup campaign, but BlueCo have just five more days to do so.
Chelsea sign Liam Delap for £30 million with more signings anticipated
On Wednesday, the Blues officially announced their signing of Liam Delap from Ipswich Town, who joins in a £30 million deal after Chelsea triggered his release clause.
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Delap will wear the number 9 shirt at Stamford Bridge and is also eligible to take part in the CWC later this month, giving Enzo Maresca a boost as Chelsea take FIFA’s competition pretty seriously.
Ipswich Town 2-0 Chelsea
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Bournemouth 1-2 Ipswich Town
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Ipswich Town 2-2 Aston Villa
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Ipswich Town 1-2 Southampton
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Fulham 2-2 Ipswich Town
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via WhoScored
£97 million worth of prize money is up for grabs if Chelsea go on to win the tournament, so it is believed that the west Londoners want to add one or two more signings to the squad after Delap as they look to take advantage of this mini-window, which is open until June 10.
Chelsea recently opened talks with AC Milan over a deal for goalkeeper Mike Maignan as well, but as things stand, there is a massive gap in valuation between the two clubs, even if the Frenchman has reportedly approved a switch to the Premier League, as per Football Italia.
After missing out on defender Dean Huijsen to Real Madrid, Chelsea remain in the market for alternatives, with versatile Ajax sensation Jorrel Hato said to be high on their agenda.
Jorrel Hato keen to join Chelsea with talks ongoing
The Netherlands international was predominantly a left-back under Francesco Farioli, impressing in that position, but the natural centre-half could also fill in at the heart of Maresca’s backline.
Ajax Amsterdam'sJorrelHatoin action with Real Sociedad's Aihen Munoz
Signing an alternative to Marc Cucurella and an extra body in the middle, all in one go, will undoubtedly appeal to the west Londoners, amid reports that Hato could leave Ajax for just £40 million.
Journalist Simon Phillips, sharing an update on their links to the Dutchman, says that Chelsea are pushing in talks to sign Hato, ideally before the Club World Cup, and the 19-year-old is equally keen on joining.
“Chelsea are in talks to sign Jorrel Hato from Ajax and are working on the fee at the moment,” said Phillips.
“Personal terms not an issue and Hato is interested in the move. New talks were held early this week.
“I don’t have any further details yet on this one but it’s going on behind the scenes and Chelsea are pushing to get him to the Club World Cup if they can.”
No Ajax player featured over more Eredivisie minutes than Hato last season, with ex-Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson previously suggesting the sky is the limit for his career.
“It’s crazy how young he is, but obviously how mature he looks when he’s on the pitch and also off the pitch,” said Henderson about Hato in 2024.
“He’s a very mature person, works hard, fantastic player, and yeah, he has a bright future ahead of him, I’m sure. I think he just needs to continue to do what he’s he’s been doing.”
Leeds United aren’t gripped with dread this summer that a whole host of their star players could be exiting Elland Road.
That was the overwhelming emotion last summer, however, after Daniel Farke’s Whites heartbreakingly lost the Championship playoff final to Southampton. Now, with a title success under their belt, the West Yorkshire giants don’t have that same level of worry to contend with.
Old wounds could soon be reopened by their emergence into the Premier League, though, as the likes of Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville potentially line up against their former employers next season for Brighton and Hove Albion and West Ham United respectively.
Crysencio Summerville for Leeds
Alongside that magic duo, ex-Thorp Arch product Archie Gray could also clash with Leeds, having also shone in glimpses for new side Tottenham Hotspur.
Gray's sad Leeds exit
Amazingly, the versatile 19-year-old has already collected silverware since donning Spurs white, memorably lifting the Europa League recently, which is some feat just one season into his North London adventure.
This would have been one key factor as to why he left his boyhood employers behind after just one mere season in the senior ranks, knowing he could cut it at an elite level already.
There was clearly a hunger to succeed up a level, whilst Farke and Co. were left to battle away again to try and finally get out of the unforgiving Championship.
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Still, there is a lack of visible bad blood on Leeds’ end as Gray gave everything across the 2023/24 season for the cause, with the teenage sensation lining up wherever needed and impressing under Farke’s stewardship.
The Whites would have at least been glad to get £30m out of Ange Postecoglou’s men, but there will be a worry that Gray left prematurely, and he will soon become even more of a classy talent for the Lilywhites, away from Elland Road.
History could unfortunately repeat itself too if Leeds were to sell an equally exciting youngster who has shown flashes of his obvious quality during their promotion-winning heroics.
£10m attacker may never play for Leeds again
Whilst Farke was the boss to gift Gray his first tastes of senior action in West Yorkshire, the German might not be prepared to be as charitable up a division when handing equally promising starlets more chances.
That might be why Mateo Joseph is eyeing up the exit door this summer, with a new report from French outlet L’Equipe stating that Liam Rosenior’s RC Strasbourg are keen on adding the raw Spaniard to their camp if he does fancy an exit route out of England.
Journalist Graeme Bailey has also weighed in on the speculation surrounding Joseph by exclusively revealing he is considering his options and is now ready to bid farewell to the Whites, despite looking at home in a Leeds starting lineup on occasion, especially when he bagged this quickfire brace against Chelsea last year.
He also showed off his clinical edge in the Leeds first team last season when sparingly handed minutes by Farke, with a standout tally of three goals and three assists coming his way in league action, despite only being gifted 11 starts.
Much like Gray, this is undoubtedly an impressive season for an academy product who had only experienced youth football before this big leap under the ex-Norwich City boss.
But, with £10m bids reportedly coming Leeds’ way for Joseph’s services from the likes of La Liga outfit Real Betis, Leeds could soon cash in on another of their top youth players before they have fully blossomed.
These added funds might well boost Leeds if they are keen on adding in some star quality for the Premier League, yet in the long term, Joseph could go on to establish himself as a top attacker elsewhere in another regrettable Gray-style repeat.
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Could Steven Gerrard be poised to return as Rangers manager?
Well, according to widespread reports, including from Martin McMillan of the Glasgow Times, the Liverpool legend is amongst the front-runners to be re-appointed this summer.
Gerrard has been out of work since being sacked by Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq in January, with Jamie Braidwood of the Independent noting that he was regularly ‘met with boos and jeers’ by the club’s supporters for many months before his dismissal.
Nevertheless, the Englishman is significantly more popular in Govan, having been in charge for 192 matches between July 2018 and November 2021, winning 124 of them, leading the Gers to their only Premiership title since 2011.
With 49ers Enterprises, led by Leeds United chairman Paraag Marathe, set to complete their 51% takeover of Rangers this summer, this is certainly an attractive job for someone to take on, and the investors, who plan to ‘inject additional capital’ into the club, could tempt Gerrard to return.
Next season will start early for Rangers, considering they will commence Champions League qualifying on 22/23 July, hence why they’ll be determined to get their managerial appointment and summer signings done early, so here is a potential dream lineup, should Gerrard choose to return.
1
GK – Liam Kelly
Up until very recently, Jack Butland had been Rangers’ undisputed number one goalkeeper, starting 88 of 94 Premiership or European matches between August 2024 and last month.
However, after a string of high-profile errors, Butland has been dropped to the bench by Barry Ferguson, with Liam Kelly getting the nod for the last four matches, including both legs of the Europa League tie against Athletic Club, notably brilliantly saving Álex Berenguer’s penalty at Ibrox.
At previous club Motherwell, for whom he made 154 appearances, Kelly proved he is a top-class goalkeeper, stating back in December that he fulfilled a lifetime’s ambition by making his Rangers debut, and the 29-year-old has done nothing so far to suggest he is not capable of donning the gloves long-term.
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RB – James Tavernier
James Tavernier is unquestionably a Rangers legend, having now made 509 appearances for the Light Blues, only ten men have ever appeared more for the club, scoring 130 goals and providing 141 assists, remarkable statistics considering he is a full-back.
The captain has come in for widespread criticism this season, with Rangers legend Kris Boyd noting that “everybody goes on about the captain”, before refusing to blame Tavernier for the club’s miserable season.
So, potentially set to be reunited with Gerrard, for whom he starred, we believe now is not the time to move on Tavernier.
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CB – John Souttar
John Souttar
Few players have been as unlucky when it comes to injuries as John Souttar, but this has certainly been his best campaign in a Rangers jersey, both in terms of availability and performance, notably missing only two of 14 UEFA competition fixtures.
The Scotland international is out of contract in the summer, with talks ‘on hold’ due to the club’simpending ownership change, but Souttar himself says that he hopes this is resolved soon, and his displays certainly merit an extension.
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CB – Hjalmar Ekdal: new signing
Alongside, given that Leon Balogun is 36-years-old, Robin Pröpper has been very underwhelming and neither Clinton Nsiala nor Rafael Fernandes have offered very much, Rangers require a new signing at centre-back.
Well, according to a report by Anel Avdić of SportExpressen, this could be Burnley’s Hjalmar Ekdal. After not seeing a single minute of EFL Championship action for the Clarets, unable to displace either CJ Egan-Riley or Maxime Estève, the 26-year-old joined Groningen on loan in January, for whom he has impressed, starting their last ten Eredivisie matches.
Considering he’ll want to get back into Sweden’s squad ahead of next summer’s World Cup, Ekdal will likely be seeking a permanent move away from Burnley, so a switch to Glasgow, potentially linking up with Gerrard, would surely be appealing.
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LB – Rıdvan Yılmaz
Ridvan Yilmaz
Summer signings Rıdvan Yılmaz and Jefté have seemingly been under a timeshare agreement for Rangers’ left-back spot this season but, of the two, it’s certainly the Turkish international who has impressed the most.
Before being appointed interim manager, Ferguson stated that the “little man has made a huge impression”, particularly impressed by Yılmaz’s output in the final third.
During Gerrard’s first spell, much of his success revolved around the attacking quality of full-backs Tavernier and the now departed Borna Barišić, meaning Yılmaz certainly fits the profile of what Gerrard would be searching for.
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CM – Nicolas Raskin
Raskin
Nicolas Raskin has been named both Rangers’ Player of the Year as well as the Players’ Player of the Year, stating that these individual accolades “mean the world” to him, fully deserving of this recognition, having been the club’s standout performer.
The 24-year-old has been a stalwart for the Light Blues this season, making 44 appearances, scoring during the win at Parkhead in March, and then becoming a full Belgian international a week later, debuting against Ukraine.
In an otherwise bleak campaign, Raskin has been one of Rangers’ best players, so they should certainly build around him.
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CM – Mohamed Diomandé
Mohamed Diomande
Mohamed Diomandé and Raskin have formed quite a formidable partnership, with the Côte d’Ivoire international making 50 appearances across all competitions, scoring six goals and registering eight assists.
Ivory Coast manager Emerse Faé praised the 23-year-old’s “great season” in Glasgow, hence why he featured in both of les Éléphants’World Cup qualifiers last month, so this midfield duo should certainly remain at the heart of Rangers’ rebuild.
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RW – Václav Černý
Vaclav Cerny
Rangers’ most-productive attacker this season has been summer signing Václav Černý, scoring 17 goals and registering seven assists, netting six times in the Europa League, a tally only bettered by Kasper Høgh of Bodø/Glimt and Olympiacos’ Ayoub El-Kaabi.
The only problem for Rangers is the fact that Černý is only on loan from Wolfsburg, so they may have to spend big just to keep the Czech international in Govan.
Well, according to a report by Mark Walker of the National, the Bundesliga side would be willing to sell for £6.75m, which is obviously a lot of money for Rangers, but the 27-year-old has proved he is more than worth it.
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CAM – Gio Reyna: new signing
During his two-year spell at Rangers, USA international Claudio Reyna played alongside future Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst, and would actually go on to name his son after the Dutch full-back.
Well, fast-forward 22 years and that son Gio Reyna is also a U.S. international, but one searching for a new club, having seen a miserly 603 minutes of action for Borussia Dortmund this season, out of contract with die Schwarzgelben in 12 months or so.
Well, according to recent reports, Gio – who is valued at £12m by Football Transfers – could follow in his father’s footsteps by moving to Ibrox, available for a cut-price deal, as Dortmund seek to move on the injury-prone forward.
Reyna’s creativity and attacking output could be exactly what Gerrard is looking for from a player in this position, while the American needs to join a club where he’ll be the main man, so this move could work for all parties.
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LW – Ianis Hagi
Another injury-prone, mercurial attacker with a famous father, already at Rangers is Ianis Hagi, scoring five goals and providing seven assists since being reintegrated into the first team following a long-term injury in November.
Hagi, like Souttar, is out of contract in June, but he unquestionably played his best football in a Rangers jersey under Gerrard, so could his return convince both the club and the Romanian international himself to stay?
While the hosts look their most settled heading into the tournament, England, South Africa and Bangladesh will be in pursuit
ESPNcricinfo staff25-Sep-20253:00
Is this India’s best chance to win a World Cup?
IndiaThis is the most settled Indian team to head into an ODI Women’s World Cup. That was only highlighted when they ran Australia, the reigning world champions, close in the ODI series decider in Delhi on Saturday.Pratika Rawal has added stability to the opening partnership, even if her scoring rate is under the spotlight. Harleen Deol has been given a long-enough run at No. 3 with Jemimah Rodrigues settling in a now-familiar spot at No. 5.Their talisman and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana is among the runs and captain Harmanpreet Kaur is in good form, too. The bowling group of Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Radha Yadav, N Shree Charani, Arundhati Reddy and Kranti Goud have got games together under their belt.One of their concerns, apart from blowing hot and cold with their fielding and catching, would be how Amanjot Kaur returns from injury. She was sidelined during India’s successful tour to England in July and missed the three-ODI series against Australia at home. Her seam-bowling ability, combined with her batting, fit just right for India, especially in situations like the third match against Australia.Renuka Singh Thakur’s showing through the series after returning from a stress injury will help India breathe easy. She highlighted her importance to the bowling attack, especially with the new ball.Whisper it, but this could be India’s best chance of winning their first senior women’s World Cup.SquadHarmanpreet Kaur (capt), Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Renuka Singh, Arundhati Reddy, Richa Ghosh, Kranti Goud, Amanjot Kaur, Radha Yadav, N Shree Charani, Sneh Rana, Uma ChetryKey playerSmriti Mandhana has been in fine form•Getty ImagesNumbers alone can make a case for Smriti Mandhana being one of the key players for India at the World Cup: 2100 runs with eight centuries at an average of 58.33 and a strike rate of 99.15 since the 2022 edition. No other batter has more than 1800 in this period. Statistics aside, Mandhana has effortlessly slid into the role of the aggressor in her opening pairing with Rawal, with Shafali Verma not part of the ODI setup. The clarity in her shot selection has helped in this regard and twin hundreds in the last series before the World Cup only show her hunger.Predicted finishAt least runners-up. England1:07
‘England have incredible talent in the squad’
New coach, new captain, this tournament poses the first big-stage test of England since the dire T20 World Cup and Ashes campaigns that prompted these changes. That said, there have only been a couple of tweaks to the make-up of the squad, making it incumbent on head coach Charlotte Edwards and skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt to extract the best from the enviable talent at their disposal and succeed where no one has since their 2017 triumph.Eight of the XI who finished runners-up to Australia in 2022 remain, while continued investment and growth in the women’s game in England has increased their depth since. But it’s early days yet – the new regime only began in April – and a clean sweep of both home white-ball series with West Indies, who failed to qualify for this World Cup, was tempered by series defeats to India in both formats.The success of a reprised opening partnership between Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones against West Indies was more measured against India and England have recalled the vastly experienced Danni Wyatt-Hodge to bolster the middle order. After those series, Edwards said “getting to the final would be a real success for us” and, at this stage, that rings true.Seamer Lauren Bell was the leading wicket-taker in the women’s Hundred and spearheads a seam attack without the retired Katherine Sciver-Brunt and Anya Shrubsole and the overlooked Kate Cross. England will rely on a four-pronged spin department of Sophie Ecclestone, Charlie Dean, Linsey Smith and Sarah Glenn.SquadNat Sciver-Brunt (capt), Em Arlott, Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones (wk), Heather Knight, Emma Lamb, Linsey Smith, Danni Wyatt-HodgeKey playerNat Sciver-Brunt has been England’s spiritual leader at the World Cup, scoring two centuries in 2017 followed by a fifty in the final and twin unbeaten hundreds in losing causes against Australia, including the title decider, in 2022. Now she is their official leader too, captaining the side for the first time at a global tournament. Against India, during their recent ODI series, she was the leading run-scorer with 160, averaging 53.33. She bowled for the first time in six months during a warm-up with New Zealand just ten days out from the start of the event, putting her return as an allrounder on track, albeit on a tight schedule.Predicted finishSemi-final. Having had just 14 matches – only six of them ODIs – under the new leadership, reaching the knockouts would be a big achievement at this stage. South Africa4:28
‘South Africa have depth, but could feel Ismail’s absence’
The curse has been broken. South Africa earned a world title when their men’s team lifted the World Test Championship (WTC) mace in June and so, finally, they will enter a tournament without the pressure of ending a drought. Now, they can just play.South Africa go into the tournament after a period of inconsistent form over the last year, in which time they have also been under a new coach, but are quietly confident of what they’ve built. This will be Mandla Mashimbyi’s first major event as he hopes to make his mark at the highest level. The bulk of his squad are experienced at global competitions and were at the core of South Africa’s success in reaching the final of the last two T20 World Cups.In Laura Wolvaardt, South Africa have a captain who leads by example and holds the batting line-up together. They are stacked with allrounders in Marizanne Kapp, Annerie Dercksen, Sune Luus, Nadine de Klerk and have several spin options led by left-armer Nonkululekho Mlaba. What’s missing is a pace bowler in the mould of Shabim Ismail, who was at the last ODI World Cup. In her absence, South Africa will rely on the swing of Kapp and the accuracy of Ayabonga Khaka and Masabata Klaas. Even though Tumi Sekhukhune offers some pace, they may find themselves lacking a genuine strike bowler. Squad Laura Wolvaardt, Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Suné Luus, Karabo Meso, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Tumi Sekhukhune, Nondumiso Shangase, Chloé Tryon Key player As big scores and power-hitting become commonplace in the women’s game, Tazmin Brits could take centre stage with her brand of aggressive batting. Brits is in the form of her life and has scored four of her six ODI hundreds in 2025, including a career-best 171*. She’s also done all that quickly and has maintained a strike rate of 94.14 this year. While she has always been strong on the drive, she has also developed strong sweeps and slog-sweeps and can prove difficult to stop in the powerplay. Her style perfectly complements her opening partner and captain Wolvaardt and the value she adds in the field means if she has a good World Cup, South Africa could too. Predicted finishSemi-final. BangladeshNigar Sultana’s triple role of batter, wicketkeeper and captain does seem too much at times•ICC/Getty ImagesBangladesh have plans to win at least two matches in the World Cup. But to do that, they have to rely on a number of training camps at home, rather than any international cricket for the five months leading up to the tournament. It is being recognised as a massive factor before Bangladesh embark on their second 50-over World Cup campaign.Instead, Bangladesh played several matches against Bangladesh’s Under-15s, though they didn’t have a great time, winning just one game against the boys’ side.Bangladesh could take inspiration from their qualification tournament, where they made it through by 0.003, the squeakiest of margins. Sharmin Akhter and captain Nigar Sultana were the second and third-highest run-scorers in the qualifiers, while legspinner Rabeya Khan took eight wickets. They will, however, be without Jannatul Ferdus, the offspinner who was their highest wicket-taker in qualifying.SquadNigar Sultana (capt), Nahida Akter, Fargana Hoque, Rubya Haider, Sharmin Akhter, Sobhana Mostary, Ritu Moni, Shorna Akter, Fahima Khatun, Rabeya Khan, Marufa Akter, Fariha Trisna, Sanjida Akter, Nishita Akter, Sumaiya AkterKey playerNigar Sultana’s triple role of batter, wicketkeeper and captain does seem too much at times but she has performed admirably in all three capacities. Nigar will have to put on all three caps at the World Cup too, as she looks to bring out the best in a squad that hasn’t seen top-class action in months. Articulate on and off the field, Nigar is an inspirational figure in Bangladesh and is regarded as one of the best captains in the country’s history.Predicted finishEighth.
Pitches like the one in Dhaka maximise Bangladesh’s strengths and enable them to push for WTC points, but what does it do to their fast bowlers?
Mohammad Isam06-Dec-2023After the first day’s play in Dhaka, where spinners took 13 of the 15 wickets that fell, a familiar question hangs in the air: how much home advantage is too much home advantage?The Shere Bangla National Stadium is the home of Bangladesh cricket for a reason. It houses the cricket board, and it is also the venue the senior team banks on for big wins. It is at this stadium that Bangladesh built their reputation of being a highly competitive team, but it is also, perhaps, one reason for Bangladesh not being quite as good when they play on flatter surfaces anywhere else in the world.Related
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Mehidy and Taijul put New Zealand under pressure after Bangladesh fold for 172
The debate rages on: are Bangladesh just maximizing their strengths? The question, though, could be worded differently: do Bangladesh feel that their spinners are their only strength? They may have reason to feel this at present, given that their two best fast bowlers are out with long-term injuries, and also because their batters have endured a difficult year, particularly at the World Cup.At that very World Cup, though, a number of Bangladesh’s players spoke about the need for preparing truer pitches for home games. Some of the difficulties Bangladesh faced in India stemmed from their inability to adjust to good batting pitches. A team that usually play ODIs that produce totals in the 240-260 range can’t really be expected to thrive on pitches where 300-plus totals are par.What Bangladesh did in Dhaka was something of a reversion. Having beaten New Zealand comprehensively on a decent though slow batting surface in Sylhet, they went back to the Dhaka norm: a square turner. Head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe had been dropping hints that this could happen even during the build-up to the series, stressing on Bangladesh’s need for home wins in this World Test Championship cycle. It was a strong direction of the direction they want to take in Test cricket.Bangladesh and Hathurusinghe aren’t alone in this. India coach Rahul Dravid has similarly reasoned that the pressure of needing to maximise WTC points has led teams to prepare more result-oriented pitches.Day one in Dhaka was reminiscent of Hathurusinghe’s 2016 blueprint of raging turners at home. Bangladesh pulled off Test wins against England and Australia in Dhaka that season, but after the team lost to Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and West Indies between 2018 and 2021, the template came under criticism for being too one-dimensional. Russell Domingo, who coached Bangladesh from 2019 to 2022, oversaw a change to more sporting pitches in some series.Hathurusinghe, interestingly, was in charge when Bangladesh beat Afghanistan by 546 runs in June, on a rare fast bowlers’ pitch at the Shere Bangla National Stadium. That pitch, though, was prepared keeping in mind Afghanistan’s perceived weakness against short bowling. It was also a non-WTC game, so they could take that chance.Spinners took 13 of the 15 wickets that fell on day one of the Dhaka Test•AFP via Getty ImagesAfter Wednesday’s play against New Zealand, spin-bowling allrounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz said Bangladesh would have to maximise home advantage especially when WTC points are involved. This pitch, he suggested, wasn’t impossible to bat on, particularly once the ball was more than 30 overs old.”Sylhet had a slow pitch with some help for batters at first, and then for spinners,” Mehidy said. “We are habituated with the Mirpur wicket. Whenever we play abroad, those teams take home advantage. We try to take it in Test cricket. If we can get these points in the WTC, we will be in a better position in the points table.”It is slightly challenging for batters, but if they are committed to their shots, they can play. Batters have to take these responsibilities. The first 30 overs are challenging, but when the ball gets old, it gives the batters an opportunity. The ball doesn’t do much when it gets old on this surface.”Mehidy, who took three wickets to help reduce New Zealand to 55 for 5 after Bangladesh were bowled out for 172, said he had tried to keep things simple. While speaking about the wicket of Kane Williamson, who was caught at short leg off a ball that turned and bounced sharply, Mehidy stressed on the importance of planting doubt in the batter’s mind.”It is important to keep things simple for bowlers,” he said. “I tried to turn the ball in the first few overs. I tried to keep my spot knowing that the pitch will play its part.”I didn’t try anything big, but I just tried to confuse him [Williamson]. A confused batter is bound to make mistakes on this pitch. I wanted him to think which way to play against me. I tried to keep him under pressure. This dilemma often produces a wicket.”Mehidy made a distinction between red- and white-ball cricket when asked whether Bangladesh need to play on better batting surfaces at home.”Players try to adjust to the conditions whether it’s a good wicket or not,” he said. “I think we can take these advantages in Tests, but we probably should play on better wickets in white-ball cricket.”But look, if we can’t bowl them out, it is hard for us to win. We usually bowl sides out after conceding a lot of runs in overseas Tests. I think it will take time for things to change.”Shoriful Islam has been Bangladesh’s lone seamer in both Sylhet and Dhaka•AFP/Getty ImagesWhat this template does to fast bowlers could be a big question going forward. Tim Southee and Kyle Jamieson bowled only 9.2 overs between them in Bangladesh’s first innings, but they know it’s a one-off for them. They will mostly play in conditions that aid fast bowling in some form. But for it’s a cause for concern for Shoriful Islam, or Bangladesh’s wider fast-bowling group.Shoriful was Bangladesh’s lone seamer in both Sylhet and Dhaka. He will go to New Zealand from here, where he has to bank on the memory of bowling on helpful conditions. Others like Hasan Mahmud, Mustafizur Rahman and Tanzim Hasan will go underprepared, without having built up a Test-match workload in the home season. In the past, the adjustment between minimal bowling in home Tests and shouldering a major burden overseas has cost Bangladesh’s fast bowlers.New Zealand hasn’t said anything negative about the nature of the pitch, but that may be because their one press conference in this Test match so far involved a spinner, Mitchell Santner, who was playing his first Test in two-and-a-half years. Santner took 3 for 65 as the New Zealand spinners picked up eight of the ten Bangladesh wickets.”That’s the challenge when we come over to this part of the world,” he said. “It does spin, and that’s cool. It’s good for us to come in and challenge ourselves on these kind of wickets, because when we go back home, we make green ones that can nip around.”We know how good Bangladesh are at home, and they’re very tough to beat in these conditions, and they showed in the first Test the blueprint of how to go about their work on these kind of surfaces.”If the unseasonal rain stays away from Dhaka, the second day could be decisive, and the match could be over on the third day. Either way, the Dhaka Test is unlikely to see a turnaround for batters, with the pitch only expected to get harder to bat on. It could put the venue under the match officials’ radar too. The Shere Bangla National Stadium has incurred demerit points in the past.Ultimately, the merits and demerits of a one-sided pitch are felt by the home side’s decision-makers. If there is an advantage to be had, they will take it. Bangladesh aren’t going to complain about Dhaka pitch – at least not until they see a flat one or a green one somewhere else in the world.
Former county colleagues believe England’s new MD has had the perfect preparation
Cameron Ponsonby27-Apr-2022You’d have to try hard to hear a bad word said about Rob Key in his home county of Kent and his legend around the area exists for good reason. A player for almost 20 years, and captain for almost a decade, he was the focal point of the county and steered the club through difficult times both on the pitch and off.”For however many years it was, he was absolutely the cricket leader at Kent,” Paul Downton, Kent’s director of Cricket, says, “in a time when captains probably had more power than possibly they do now with the amount of support staff you now have.”He would have run Kent in so many ways, so you could say he was managing director of Kent in that sense.”Downton knows better than most what lies in store for Key as he prepares to be unveiled in his new role as England men’s managing director, having held a version of the job himself for a turbulent 14-month period between 2014 and 2015, until his sacking in the wake of that year’s disastrous World Cup.”I loved every moment of being in that role,” Downton adds. “It came to me at a time that was right for me and there were lots of challenges all the time. Obviously it didn’t last as long as I’d have liked it to and there are lots of reasons for that and it’s never that simple.”[Key] will bring his skillset which is, he’s obviously a deep thinker on cricket and been around the game so he’s very up to date. From a commentary point of view you’re in touch with modern players and watching the sport all around the world, and I’m sure his contact book is extremely thick. So he’ll be really well positioned from that point of view.”Geraint Jones, Key’s former Kent and England team-mate, shares the belief that his years in charge at the club will have set him up well for the challenges ahead.”Oh, yeah, absolutely,” Jones says. “We went through a tough financial period and Keysey then took on a role of being the general director who was heavily involved in overseas recruitment, the squad, the strength of that and the direction [of the club].”Daniel Bell-Drummond, Kent’s current vice-captain, played alongside Key for five seasons in his formative years at the club, and recalls how his team-mate “took on about four roles” as the county struggled with its debts.”It was a very tough period and the way he held it together… we didn’t win trophies but the fact that we were able to weather that storm [and that] we were able to get through that was a testament to him.”It is a ringing endorsement of a man who, for most of the nation, is known as the joker from the telly, rather than someone who is able to set a culture and navigate a crisis, abilities that could hardly be more in demand from an England MD than right now.For that reason, their initial element of surprise quickly faded after Key accepted the role, as their memories of his leadership credentials returned to the fore.Rob Key takes a catch during the Edgbaston Test in 2004 as his Kent team-mate Geraint Jones celebrates•Getty Images”I never thought he’d go for this job in a way,” Bell-Drummond explains, “But actually, the more I think about it, and the sort of knowledge he has… he has so much going for him that the country can benefit from.”Key’s biggest strength, Bell-Drummond believes, is his ability to relate to any and all – there wouldn’t have been a single person at Kent, he says, who “didn’t think they had a relationship with him”.”Playing under him at Kent, he was a brilliant leader [and] a very strong leader as well in the sense that the opposition would know that that’s Rob Key’s team,” Bell-Drummond adds. “And he definitely has a side where you can’t overstep the mark.”
“He wanted the player to have ownership and the coach to be there to help. Not for the coach to come in and drastically change the player and make them play the way the coach wanted.”Geraint Jones on Key’s attitude towards coaching
Part of that came from Key having a very clear identity on the style of player he liked and the type of cricket he wished to play, which in turn bred a culture of player ownership and prioritisation of talent.”Keysey loves talent,” Jones explains. “And he’ll 100% know what sort of leader he wants. He’ll want a strong leader and I can see why [Ben] Stokes has been the one everyone has said he’ll go to [as England’s Test captain], because Stokesy is Keysey’s sort of player. He’s up for it, he’s in your face, but he’s also incredibly, hugely talented. And that’s the sort of team I can see him wanting to get, is these hugely talented players that can turn matches at the drop of the hat and win Test matches.”It is an assessment that correlates with Key’s steadfast belief in Zak Crawley as a Test cricketer, a player whose ceiling is widely considered to be higher than most of his contemporaries, despite his current struggles to find consistency in the England set-up. In his own playing days too, Key was famously close (too close, in the opinion of England’s then-coach Duncan Fletcher) to both Andrew Flintoff and Steve Harmison – two of the most talented players of their generation.”Having Stokesy at the top, you know Key was a big mate of Freddie Flintoff who was an inspirational character and he loved Warnie for his skill but also how he approached it,” Jones adds. “So that sort of influence we’ll definitely see for sure.”Downton, meanwhile, is keen to emphasise that Key deserves credit for having the ambition to walk away from the Sky commentary box – a role he had previously described as “the best job going” – and get involved in “something that really can make a difference”.Paul Downton (right) had a shortlived stint as the ECB’s managing director•Getty ImagesBut equally, Key is no stranger to making personal sacrifices in order to take on positions of leadership, having spent his playing career doing just that. In a 2020 interview with The Cricketer, he described his nine years as Kent captain as taking “15 years off my life, 10 runs off my average and 5,000 runs off my total first-class runs. I couldn’t give it away in the end…. I ended up captaining for everyone but myself.”He couldn’t give the Kent captaincy away, and now, in light of reports that there were few applicants for one of the top jobs in cricket, he’s taken on one that it seems no-one else wanted.Such is the state of English cricket that the scope, role and power that Key will have over the game, both internationally and domestically, is really yet to be known.As the ECB have now made clear, his first job will be to appoint two new head coaches. After that he needs to appoint a new Test captain to replace Joe Root, then sort out the ECB’s central contracts, which no longer appear to be fit for purpose, and also manage the budget – all of this while playing a major role in England’s game-wide high-performance review. You could hardly get much more of a blank page than if you opened your laptop and started a new game of Cricket Captain 2022.A boy of one era, but a man of another, much of the intrigue surrounding Key’s appointment lies in the fact that, as a person, he has a rare skill of being able to “tell it like it is” while making people smile in the process rather than wince. He is the people’s cynic.Whether that comes through describing fielding as the closest a human gets to being a dog, bemoaning being shown a picture of a lion from someone’s safari holiday since he could have “googled one myself”, or describing coaches as something “you get to the ground in”, Key has never been short of an opinion or an idea. Only now he has the power to go with it.”That’s a typical Keysey sort of comment,” Jones laughs of Key’s quip about coaches. “That’s a bit of a throwback to the eras that he’s been involved with. You know I can remember first joining Kent and it was still that time when fitness wasn’t hugely important, you know – ‘well why do I need to be fit to hit my cover drive?’ It was that type of tongue-in-cheek comment.”But Keysey’s mindset and what he was big on was player ownership. So you get your game right. You perform your skills to the best you can and that will influence the team. And how do you use the coach for that? Well, you facilitate that: the coach works with you.Related
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“So, trying to read between the lines – and I could be horribly wrong – he wanted the player to have ownership and the coach to be there to help. Not for the coach to come in and drastically change the player and make them play the way the coach wanted.”We went from a period of mass practice to more individual practice and more individual time with coaches, so that shift changed and was something that he recognised and put in place.”And in that role now, he will not be shy of making changes. This summer is set in stone in terms of fixtures, but going forward, however the set-up is shaped, he has a massive part to play.”Talent, player ownership and far more experienced for the role than those of us who have only seen him on TV would have been led to believe, Key’s time at Kent means he could be well prepared for his new role at the ECB.”Of course, the county will take a huge amount of pride in that,” Downton says. “We see Rob quite a bit. He’s obviously been a mentor to Zak Crawley, he lives a few miles from the ground and he drops in from time to time. From the club’s point of view, we’re absolutely delighted.”
São Paulo e Palmeiras estão com a relação estremecida após o empate em 1 a 1 no domingo (3). Em 2023, os rivais se aproximaram e, inclusive, trocaram os estádios em jogos como mandantes.
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Antes da relação entre as partes “desmoronar”, com as trocas de comunicados oficiais e acusações recentes, o convívio já não era o mesmo de quando houve o acordo de reciprocidade nos estádios. Tricolor e Verdão se desgastaram muito em razão da situação de Caio Paulista, que “pulou o muro” dos centros de treinamentos da Barra Funda, na capital paulista (SP).
➡️ Tudo sobre o Tricolor agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! São Paulo
➡️ Tudo sobre o Verdão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Palmeiras
O São Paulo tinha um acordo verbal para concluir a contratação em definitivo do lateral-esquerdo, que estava emprestado pelo Fluminense. Contudo, clube e jogador passaram a não se entender em relação a termos do contrato, e o período determinado para completar a operação expirou.
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Com isso, o Palmeiras entrou na disputa para fechar com Caio Paulista, jogador pedido por Abel Ferreira. Quando as negociações vieram à tona, o Tricolor não ficou satisfeito.
O São Paulo entendeu que Caio Paulista quebrou a confiança do clube ao abrir tratativas com o Palmeiras e dava como certa a permanência. O Verdão, por outro lado, interpretou a situação com naturalidade e avaliou que agiu com clareza.
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O acordo entre as partes para a utilização dos estádios não foi mais colocado em prática, algo que já não acontecia na reta final do ano passado. Antes do motivo principal (“caso Caio Paulista”), os rivais trocaram provocações intensas nas redes sociais em situações pontuais, como quando o Tricolor eliminou o rival nas quartas da Copa do Brasil, e na goleada de 5 a 0 foi imposta pelo Palmeiras.
Manchester United have now expressed in signing an “outrageous” striker, who’s been “on fire” this season, scoring a brace against Paris Saint-Germain.
Man Utd keen on new striker amid doubts over Zirkzee
Joshua Zirkzee may have scored his first Premier League goal of the season in the 2-1 victory at Crystal Palace at the end of November, but the striker’s goalscoring record since arriving at Old Trafford leaves a lot to be desired.
Season
Appearances (all competitions)
Goals
2024-25
49
7
2025-26
9
1
Despite the Dutchman’s struggles in front of goal, Ruben Amorim wants to keep hold of him, as he values the forward’s versatility, but the manager is at odds with the club, who are open to sanctioning a January departure for a fee of around £35m.
Aston Villa are named as potential suitors for Zirkzee, alongside a whole host of other clubs from England and Italy, meaning United will have a decision to make in the January transfer window.
Should the Netherlands international move on, Amorim may want to bring in a replacement, considering Benjamin Sesko wasn’t exactly tearing up the Premier League prior to his recent injury, scoring two goals in 11 games.
According to a report from Caught Offside, Man United have now expressed an interest in a striker who has been much more prolific in front of goal this season, namely RC Strasbourg star Joaquin Panichelli.
The race for Panichelli’s signature is heating up, with Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Aston Villa also being credited with an interest, but Chelsea are currently in pole position, given that Strasbourg are a part of BlueCo.
That relationship gives the Blues an advantage in the race for the centre-forward, who has put in some top-quality performances since his arrival at Strasbourg in the summer…
"Outrageous" Panichelli "on fire" in Ligue 1
Scout Jacek Kulig has hailed the Argentinian for the impact he’s made in France, having only arrived from Spanish side CD Mirandes during the summer.
The South American is now on ten goals in 19 matches in all competitions, with perhaps his best performance coming in Strasbourg’s 3-3 draw against PSG back in October, during which he bagged a brace.
Amorim's priority target: Man Utd step up interest in "special" Madrid star
Man United are now in the race for a “special” player
ByDominic Lund 6 days ago
Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior may be reluctant to part ways with the 23-year-old, given just how highly he spoke about his talisman earlier this season, saying: “He is a top player, we’ve done quite a bit of work with him during the pre-season to try to make him run less.”
The French club are under no immediate pressure to cash-in, with Panichelli contracted until 2030, but it could be worth Man United testing the waters with an offer, considering Zirkzee’s struggles.
Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees returned to Los Angeles to play the Dodgers for the first time since the 2024 World Series this weekend. The Dodgers won the first two games if the Fall Classic in LA on their way to a 4-1 series win. Judge went 4-for-18 in the series with a single home run.
Judge went 2-for-5 and homered at Dodger Stadium on Friday, but the Yankees still lost 8-5. Before the second game of the series on Saturday, Judge spoke with the MLB on Fox crew and was asked by Derek Jeter about how he felt returning to a stadium where he lost a World Series.
"Excited for a new chapter," said Judge. "You know I think that's what it really comes down to. Obviously I feel like any stadium I go to I'm sick about what happened last year. Just excited for the new chapter. We've got a great new team. You know, a lot of new faces. Some veteran guys who have been around the game. Just excited to have them in our clubhouse and wearing the pinstripes."
Interestingly, Judge also referenced a "new chapter" when asked about Juan Soto leaving the Yankees for the Mets in the offseason.
It feels like Judge might not totally enjoy how the old chapters ended.
The Cincinnati Reds on Thursday agreed to terms on a three-year contract extension with catcher Jose Trevino, according to Jon Heyman of . The extension is worth nearly $15 million and includes a club option for the 2028 season.
The Reds acquired Trevino from the New York Yankees in exchange for relief pitcher Fernando Cruz and catcher Alex Jackson in December of 2024. Trevino was ticketed to become a free agent in 2026 on his old deal but will now be under contract with Cincinnati through '27, with the potential for one more season should the club pick up his option.
Trevino spent the first four seasons of his career with the Texas Rangers before he was traded to the Yankees in '22. He blossomed into an All-Star in his first season in New York, winning a Gold and Platinum Glove as he developed into one of the best defensive catchers in the game.
Lauded for his adept pitch-framing and collaboration with pitchers, Trevino will be an important figure for a young Reds pitching staff. He also figures to see plenty of playing time in '25 with fellow backstop Tyler Stephenson set to begin the season on the Injured List with an oblique strain.
Cincinnati opens the '25 regular season on March 27 against the San Francisco Giants.