All posts by h716a5.icu

Malik was allegedly seen agreeing to potentially carry out corrupt acts on the field

Umar Farooq08-Jun-2020Saleem Malik has formally responded to a pending inquiry stemming from a newspaper sting operation carried out 20 years ago. The responses, filed to the PCB, ESPNcricinfo understands, are to questions surrounding an investigation by the now-defunct – the same newspaper and reporter that carried out the Lord’s 2010 sting – in which Malik was allegedly caught on video offering to potentially corrupt players and games.The revelations and allegations from the sting were not part of the Justice Qayyum inquiry which banned Malik for life in 2000 – that inquiry and sentencing had taken place just before the tabloid sting.The board has confirmed the receipt of Malik’s response and says it is under review. Although Malik had volunteered to clear his name when the PCB set up an integrity commission in the wake of the 2010 spot-fixing saga, he hadn’t, before Monday, responded to the PCB summons relating to the sting operation.Last month, Malik re-emerged after a movement appeared to have begun urging the PCB to reintegrate him. The Qayyum report found him guilty of attempting to fix a Test match, before a Lahore sessions court lifted the ban in 2008. Shortly after that verdict, the PCB denied that it had offered him the post of head coach at the National Cricket Academy, a day after he said he had accepted an offer for the same. Since then, he had been largely off the grid.”I have never been quiet, I wasn’t given ample coverage,” Malik said outside the Gaddafi Stadium after submitting his response to the PCB’s Security and Anti-corruption head. “I have been disheartened when my previous press conferences were under-reported, but now we have social media [which is] a good medium to be heard. Even if you guys [the media] are not coming to cover me, I can still record and make it viral on social media. I have become a grandfather now and I don’t like to be maligned every now and then on TV.”I have submitted a detailed reply and the transcript they gave me was totally [in bad faith]. I’ve been fighting my case in courts for eight years and they [the PCB] never offered any such transcript [against him in court] ever. The Justice Qayyum report doesn’t carry any value and it was biased. So this is all lies against me and I have been suffering with injustice for long. I never criticise anyone in my statements […] they’re all great players who served the country with distinction. But at the same time, I also served Pakistan and won a lot games for the country and I deserve to be treated equally. I know there have been a lot changes at the helm in the last ten years but for now I hope for the best.”Malik is one of only five Pakistan players to play over 100 Tests. He played 103 Tests and 263 ODIs for Pakistan from 1981 to 1999, but his career was ultimately overshadowed by the match-fixing scandal. In a judicial inquiry that began in 1998 and continued for 13 months, he was found guilty of attempting to bribe the Australia cricketer Mark Waugh to fix the 1994-95 Karachi Test.

Aston Villa’s 0-0 draw against Ajax in midweek gives them a great chance to secure progression to the Europa Conference League quarter-finals with a win at Villa Park next Thursday.

All thoughts will turn towards the clash against Tottenham Hotspur this afternoon, however, especially with the importance of the tie.

Villa are currently five points clear of the north Londoners in the Premier League table and could extend this lead to eight points with a win.

Unai Emery could well make a few changes to his starting XI ahead of the blockbuster clash against Ange Postecoglou’s men, however, as they strive to achieve qualification for the Champions League next season.

Several players dropped to the bench in midweek, with captain John McGinn one who did not start the match.

John McGinn came off the bench against Ajax

Prior to the match, McGinn had failed to start only one game throughout the whole season and that was way back in August against his old club Hibs in the Conference League qualifiers.

With the huge clash against Spurs on the horizon, it appeared as though Emery had one eye on this weekend, hence the decision to drop the Scot.

He did make a cameo appearance in midweek, but failed to get into the game, completing just two passes and taking eight touches in 27 minutes, yet the Midlands side secured a draw.

His statistics across the season have been impressive, though, and he will almost certainly return to the starting XI ahead of the Spurs tie this afternoon.

John McGinn’s season in numbers

Either deployed in the heart of the midfield or out wide on the left, McGinn has contributed with eight goals and five assists this season, a solid return for the midfielder.

Across the squad in the Premier League, the former Hibs starlet currently ranks fourth for goals and assists (nine), along with ranking third for big chances created (nine), fourth for key passes per game (1.4) and second for successful dribbles per game (1.6), showcasing his excellent attacking talents and giving Emery another reliable option for goals in his midfield.

Metric

Europa Conference League

Premier League

Goals

2

6

Assists

2

3

Key passes per game

0.6

1.4

Big chances created

2

9

Successful dribbles per game

0.4

1.6

Via Sofascore

The £120k-per-week maestro was dubbed a “relentless creature” by journalist Mat Kendrick back in 2019 during his first season at Villa Park, and his enthusiasm and determined approach have made him a crowd favourite at the club.

When compared to positional peers in the top five European leagues, McGinn ranks in the top 11% for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.18) and in the top 2% for successful take-ons per 90 (1.84) over the previous 365 days, which is further evidence of his attacking abilities.

The tie against Spurs could perhaps be their most important of the season so far, especially as they have the chance to cement their place in the top four with a victory.

In November, Villa secured a 2-1 win against the north London outfit, and Emery will be desperate for another result along those lines.

McGinn could start alongside Douglas Luiz in the heart of the midfield and between them, the duo can terrorise the Spurs backline throughout the game.

Former Manchester City star Riyad Mahrez has enjoyed a third wedding ceremony with his model wife Taylor Ward – with the latest taking place in Italy.

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Couple got engaged in 2021Muslim ceremony took place a year laterSaid their vows again in 2023WHAT HAPPENED?

The 33-year-old winger is now plying his club trade in the Saudi Pro League for Al-Ahli. His partner has previously spoken of the difficulties that she faced in leaving England and uprooting to the Middle East – but the couple are now settled and enjoying a new way of life.

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Mahrez and Ward got engaged back in 2021, with the Algeria international proposing with a £400,000 ring during a trip to the Greek island of Mykonos. They then married in a Muslim ceremony that took place in January 2022, before tying the knot again at a London-based event in September 2023.

THE GOSSIP

The party keeps on going for Mahrez and Ward, with another celebration of their love taking place at Villa Balbiani near Lake Como. That luxurious property boasts a swimming pool, private pier and boathouse, with there plenty of space for friends and family to enjoy what was an outdoor ceremony.

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X Factor winner Leona Lewis performed after the wedding, as guests danced the night away, with Ward having been walked down the aisle by her father Ashley to the Callum Scott sing ‘You Are The Reason’ – with hundreds of white roses decorating the venue.

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In recent times, Manchester United have had more than their fair share of dodgy transfer dealings. For example, last summer, the Red Devils acquired Antony from Ajax for a fee in the region of £85m.

Although a deal worth this much isn't too far-fetched in today's footballing world, for a player who possesses the quality of Antony, it feels as if Erik ten Hag was somewhat ripped off.

Granted, he did have a solid season in the top flight of the Netherlands as he contributed to a total of 22 goals in just 33 games, but, Cody Gakpo, who joined Liverpool in the following January window only cost the Reds an initial £37m.

In the former PSV man's final full season in the Eredivisie, he managed to involve himself with a total of 36 goals in 47 appearances.

This not only shows how much United were rinsed in the purchase of Antony, but, it also shows how much stats mean from the Eredivisie concerning the Premier League.

Gakpo has since hit the ground running at Anfield, however, during the 2023/24 term, the Brazil international has only contributed to two goals.

That said, Antony isn't the only one of the Red Devils' additions which hasn't worked out.

Why Jadon Sancho has struggled at United

Jadon Sancho was signed by United in the summer of 2021 for £73m. Upon arriving at Old Trafford, the winger had a fairly slow first season. He played 38 times but only managed a total of eight goal contributions.

During the 2022/23 season, his form picked up somewhat as he managed to make it into double figures with his contributions and finished the season with finished the term with ten altogether.

Despite this slight upturn in form, journalist Tom McDermott described the attacker as the "weak link" within the squad.

These are not the sort of words you want people to describe when talking about your marquee signing from the previous season.

His upturn in form wasn't enough for Ten Hag to include him within his squad for 2023/24 as the former Manchester City youngster was isolated from not only first-team football but from training as well.

This is all whilst the attacker is earning £195k-per-week, which makes Sancho the Red Devils' eighth-highest-paid player.

1) Casemiro

£350k

2) Raphael Varane

£340k

3) Marcus Rashford

£300k

4) Anthony Martial

£250k

5) Mason Mount

£250k

6) Bruno Fernandes

£240k

7) Antony

£200k

8) Jadon Sancho

£195k

Following his isolation from the first team, Ten Hag chose to send Sancho out on loan to his former club, Borussia Dortmund where he has played a total of eight games and has assisted his teammates twice.

How much Rasmus Hojlund earns compared to Sancho

You may notice Manchester United's £72m summer signing is absent from this list. That is despite the attacker outperforming Sancho on all fronts.

Rasmus Hojlund has played a total of 30 games in all competitions for United and has managed to score 13 times during that time. The Norwegian has even managed to assist his teammates on two occasions.

However, despite outperforming both Antony and Sancho this season, as per Capology, the attacker only earns £85k-per-week.

Wage Burners

Football FanCast's Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.

Although this is still an obscene amount of money for any footballer, when compared to his teammates, it feels minimal compared to the work he has put in.

If Ten Hag doesn't manage to let Sancho go in the summer, he will rinse the club for another £10.14m in wages throughout the next season.

This is a large pitfall for a player who is clearly no longer in the Netherlands managers' plans. He must be given his marching orders by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Co in the summer.

Just two days on from hi 143 amid swirling stands, he smashed 134 in the final – on his 25th birthday

RetroReport by Karthik Krishnaswamy24-Apr-2020 #RetroLive Is sport at its best when it throws up the unpredictable? Or does it reach its heights when a genius shows up and makes the improbable look utterly predictable? It would be the cheesiest of movie scripts: our hero bats out of his skin against the world’s best team to drag his struggling side into the final of a tournament where they meet the same opponents, and beat them thanks to another masterful effort from our hero, who, hang on, happens to be celebrating his 25th birthday.When it happens in real life, it’s breathtaking.Two days on from his 143 amid swirling sands, Sachin Tendulkar scored another majestic hundred in a tall chase, to almost singlehandedly put the Sharjah tri-nations cup in India’s hands. More than that, the quality of his batting ensured that this tournament – a cola-flavoured tri-series in an ocean of cola-flavoured tri-series – will transcend its immediate context and live in the memory well beyond the careers of those involved in it.Decades from now, highlights of this tournament will fill our TV screens whenever April 24 comes along, bringing us the gleeful faces, fated never to age, of the fans who – as Tony Greig put it two days ago – danced in the aisles. We’ll still be talking about Shane Warne going round the wicket, and Tendulkar greeting the move by jumping out of his crease, exposing all three stumps, and launching the ball out of the footmarks and over long-on for six. The cover drives, the back-foot punches, the paddle-sweeps, the straight drives off Damien Fleming and Warne, respectively, that left Sourav Ganguly and Steve Bucknor, respectively, on their backsides; these will remain seared in our memories.But for all that, Tendulkar has scored – and will score – hundreds far more challenging than this 25th birthday bash. Australia’s attack contained only three frontline bowlers, leaving batting allrounders Tom Moody, Mark Waugh and Steve Waugh to fill at least two-fifths of their bowling quota. During certain stretches of Tendulkar’s innings, all he had to do was milk these lesser bowlers for singles to the deep fielders, singles that Australia were happy to give away in the low-intensity waiting game that the middle overs of ODI innings often are.Australia’s lack of genuine wicket-takers, apart from Warne and Fleming – who, incidentally, was celebrating his 28th birthday – forced them to play this waiting game and hope for India to crumble under scoreboard pressure. This could have happened had India lost a couple of early wickets, or – as they did in the last round-robin game two days ago – a couple of quick wickets midway through their chase, but they didn’t, as Ganguly, Nayan Mongia – once again promoted to No. 3 – and Mohammad Azharuddin all played useful hands around Tendulkar. Without those wickets, the target Australia set – 273 – was challenging but not nearly enough given their bowling resources, and given Tendulkar’s astonishing form.Australia could have set a bigger target had not lost clumps of wickets at inopportune moments. There were three within the first six overs of their innings, when the naggingly accurate Venkatesh Prasad and the nippy but far more erratic Ajit Agarkar got the ball to nibble around off a surface with a bit of moisture in it. There were two more following a 59-run fourth-wicket partnership between Adam Gilchrist and Michael Bevan, both against the run of play. Gilchrist top-edged a loose cut off the part-time offspinner Hrishikesh Kanitkar, Bevan was run-out after a mix-up that left him and Steve Waugh at the same end.Shane Warne greets Sachin Tendulkar•AFPBeing five down with 23 overs remaining didn’t hurt Australia immediately, as Steve Waugh and the brilliantly inventive Darren Lehmann put on 103 off just 96 balls, clinically milking the part-timers and taking toll whenever Agarkar – who still showed signs of the groin strain that kept him out of India’s previous game – erred in line or length. But even the exaggerated depth of Australia’s batting – the flip side of playing only three frontline bowlers – was tested when Waugh holed out in the 43rd over. Lehmann pressed on – the highlight of his innings a pair of back-to-back boundaries off Anil Kumble, a muscular leg-side six that he followed up by making room to carve a middle-stump ball through point – but his dismissal for a 59-ball 70, followed by the needless run-out of Damien Martyn, ended the chances of an explosive Australian finish. Only 67 came off their last ten overs.India have always been nervy chasers, though. Before this game, they had only won five of the 27 ODIs in which they had been set a target of 270 or more. Their nerves must have eased when Ganguly hit the first two balls of India’s innings to the boundary, even though Australia kept him in check thereafter, and kept him on strike. By the time he fell to a mis-controlled pull for 23 off 42 balls, Tendulkar had only faced 11 balls.But those 11 balls had already whetted the appetite of the packed crowd, containing drives of pristine timing as well as a moment of the sort of early luck – an inside-edged attempt at shouldering arms, off Fleming, that missed off stump by half an inch – that tells everyone this could be the batsman’s day.And it was. Tendulkar put Moody under pressure as soon as he came on, pulling a good-length ball for a boundary over midwicket, and a thumping straight four from Mongia at the end of the over – the 14th – forced Steve Waugh to take the allrounder off. Moody’s replacement, Mark Waugh, then got the Tendulkar treatment, with three fours in his second and third overs – an inside-out loft over extra-cover, a leg glance and a paddle-sweep – forcing another change.At the other end, Warne was getting through his overs without causing either Tendulkar or Mongia to worry unduly, and a switch to round the wicket in his sixth over further reduced his threat. The return of Fleming brought the immediate wicket of Mongia, but he gave way after only two overs – which Tendulkar saw off with almost exaggerated care – following which Tendulkar and the new man Azharuddin milked the twin medium-pace attack of Moody and Steve Waugh for six straight overs. The required rate crept up above six an over in this time, but it meant little without wickets falling.Then came the acceleration: there was a boundary in each over from the 35th to the 38th, and then the flicked single that brought Tendulkar his hundred – his 15th in ODIs. Then came a brace of fours from Tendulkar in Warne’s final over, the 42nd – unstoppable drives down the ground and through cover – a fitting finish to an extended contest that Tendulkar has thoroughly dominated over these last two months, beginning at the Brabourne in the last week of February.Tendulkar’s increased aggression in this phase also caused him to play and miss at four slower balls from Moody, but this was his day and no one could do anything about it. As if to stress that point, he walloped Moody for a straight six that brought the equation down to 39 from 43 balls. This match was done and dusted.When Tendulkar finally departed, it was to a shocker of an lbw decision from Javed Akhtar – the ball, delivered from round the wicket by Michael Kasprowicz, pitched outside leg stump and would have missed off stump. Tendulkar’s 143 two days ago also ended with a questionable umpiring decision. It was fitting, in a way; Australia could get his wicket, occasionally, but to borrow lines written years ago in praise of another Mumbai batsman, they couldn’t out him at all. RetroLive

The January transfer window slammed shut at the start of this month and Leeds United have already been linked with a new signing ahead of the summer.

Latest Leeds transfer news

According to the Daily Record, the Whites are one of a number of clubs eyeing up a swoop to sign Kilmarnock centre-forward Bobby Wales at the end of the season.

The report claims that Leeds, Ipswich Town, and Stoke City are just three of the many teams showing an interest in the 18-year-old number nine.

It states that they have been keeping tabs on his performances having been impressed by his exceptional form on loan with Alloa in League One in Scotland.

Daniel Farke could unearth his dream heir to Patrick Bamford by winning the race to sign the prolific young marksman as a long-term addition to his squad.

Patrick Bamford's form this season

The former England international has had mixed success on the pitch this season as he endured a difficult first half of the campaign and has excelled in 2024.

Bamford failed to provide a single goal or assist for his side in his first 16 appearances in the Championship this term, as the likes of Georginio Rutter and Joel Piroe kept their places in the team ahead of him.

However, the 30-year-old striker has played nine matches in 2024 and contributed with five goals and two assists in all competitions for the Whites.

This shows that his form has drastically improved in comparison to the first half of the season, as the experienced forward has provided a regular threat in front of goal this year.

The former Chelsea prospect, who has scored 56 goals in 176 appearances for Leeds, turns 31 this year and the Whites head coach may already have one eye on what life may look like after the forward moves on from Elland Road.

Why Wales could be Bamford's long-term heir

Farke could unearth his heir to Bamford's position in the squad by signing Wales, as young gem will be 21 by the time the current Leeds striker's contract expires in the summer of 2026.

The 18-year-old, who turns 19 in the summer, is a promising talent who could develop further and gain more experience over the next couple of seasons before emerging as a first-team option for the club, if they win the race for his signature in the next transfer window.

Appearances

16

Goals

Seven

Assists

One

Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, the teenage marksman has already showcased his quality in a senior environment with seven goals in the third tier of Scottish football on loan with Alloa.

Wales has scored nine goals in 18 appearances in all competitions this season, having scored two goals in two Challenge Cup games for Kilmarnock B at the start of the campaign, which is a return of one every other match on average.

Interestingly, all seven of those League One goals have come in his last eight outings for Alloa, which suggests that he has had a similar season to Bamford with his contrasting form.

The Scotland U19 international, who played ten Premiership matches last term, has showcased his impressive goalscoring potential at first-team level at such a young age, which is why he could be a dream heir to Leeds' number nine given his age, potential, and goalscoring quality.

Wales could arrive in the summer and either go out on loan to develop further or stay and learn from the likes of Piroe and Bamford before, hopefully, taking over from the latter in the years to come.

Coach believes new captain can rise to the workload of opening and keeping wicket as well

Firdose Moonda09-Feb-2020Mark Boucher has given Quinton de Kock’s captaincy a thumbs-up after his first series as the permanent ODI skipper, and expects former 50-over and current T20 captain Faf du Plessis to be back for the next series against Australia.De Kock will lead South Africa in three T20s against England next week before Australia visit for three ODIs and three T20s that will end on March 7. Du Plessis and Kagiso Rabada have been given extended rest for the England matches but Boucher expects both to return as South Africa continue to plan for the T20 World Cup and beyond.”Faf is still one of our best T20 players,” Boucher said. “We feel at this point in time he needs a bit of a break away from the game. It’s always good to have a bit of a rest. There is going to be a lot of cricket for them leading up to a World Cup so any opportunity we get to give guys a bit of rest and give other guys opportunities to see what they’re all about. I would like to think against Australia, the rest will be enough and they can come back and play.”De Kock, however, is having entirely the opposite experience and has played in all South Africa’s matches of the summer so far. Since being promoted to ODI captain he also now plays a treble role in leading the side, opening the batting and keeping wicket, something de Kock embraced pre-series and then excelled in, giving Boucher good reason to say he thinks “it is sustainable” for de Kock to have so much to do.”A lot of people questioned [MS] Dhoni when he was captaining India and he had a great captaincy record,” Boucher said. “Quinny enjoys being in the game. Sometimes he sits in the dressing room during Test-match cricket and he gets really irritated because he wants to be doing something all the time. I think he really enjoys it. The off-the-field stuff is the stuff that might get to him a bit. We’re going to have to help him in that regard. But certainly, on the field, he leads well.”De Kock also finished as the leading run-scorer in the series, with a match-winning century in Cape Town and a fifty at the Wanderers and was named player of the series. He was also innovative as captain, most notably when Tabraiz Shamsi was bowling. De Kock kept a slip in place in Cape Town, which resulted in the dismissal of Eoin Morgan and a legslip at Johannesburg, who aided in getting rid of Joe Root, and Boucher was impressed with de Kock’s ability to read the match situation and respond accordingly.ALSO READ: Archer not ‘overbowled’ by England, says Root”We always knew that Quinny has got a very smart cricketing brain. He had a couple of different field placings which I thought were good and he was thinking out of the box,” Boucher said. “Quinny is unique and I think the uniqueness of him can work wonders in a dressing room like this because we’ve got a unique set-up as well.”In a brief post-match television interview, de Kock revealed that not much had changed about his approach or his game plan and that he benefitted from having a group of players who he could consult on the field. That included Rassie van der Dussen, now considered a senior member of the team after just a year in the international game, and Temba Bavuma and Jon-Jon Smuts, both franchise captains on the domestic scene. The collective core of experience and the freshness of young players created a team atmosphere that de Kock enjoyed being part of. “The energy really stood out for me,” de Kock said.Although South Africa were disappointed with their batting performance in Johannesburg and Boucher thought they were “30-40 runs short”, they were satisfied with what the series showed them about their depth. Boucher singled out the performances of 21-year-old quick Lutho Sipamla, who took 1 for 42 in 9.2 overs at the Wanderers, and Bavuma, who was South Africa’s second-highest-scorer, as showing good signs for the future.”I thought Lutho bowled really well today,” Boucher said. “And Temba had a good knock in Cape Town, which was probably deserving of a hundred although you’re going to say he was two [too?] short. [Cue awkward pun laughter] But the way he came in, he dominated from the first ball he faced, which was great to see. He looks the part in that No.3 position. Today he got out lbw, but that happens. He is one of the pluses that I’ve seen in this series.”At the same time, Boucher acknowledged that South Africa still have a lot of work to do before they are ready for the T20 World Cup and will use the Australia series to experiment further.”All the white-ball cricket from now up until the World Cup is giving guys opportunities and seeing what they can do in pressure situations,” he said. “We are trying to look ahead to a World Cup in Australia and we are looking at different options that we’ve got. We will use the next three games against Australia to find some answers and ask some questions.”

Arsenal have announced the signing of Spain's World Cup-winning forward Mariona Caldentey on a free transfer, following her departure from Barcelona.

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Arsenal sign Caldentey on free transferEuropean and world champion with Barca and SpainBolsters Gunners' attack after Miedema exitWHAT HAPPENED?

Caldentey arrives with plenty of pedigree after opting to take on a new challenge after 10 trophy-laden years in Catalunya. The 28-year-old won 25 titles during that decade, including three Champions League crowns, and became the club's fifth all-time top goal-scorer by netting 114 times in her 302 appearances.

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Caldentey's signing is a big boost for an Arsenal frontline that lost Vivianne Miedema last month. The forward, who has scored more Women's Super League goals than any player in history, left on a free at the expiration of her contract and looks set to set for title rivals Manchester City. However, despite criticism for the decision not to renew Miedema's deal, the Gunners have at least recruited a top class replacement who can play as a striker, out wide or in a deeper role.

WHAT CALDENTEY SAID

Speaking upon the announcement of the deal, Caldentey said: "I’m so happy to be here. This is the right time for a new challenge for me and Arsenal is the perfect place. I think what Arsenal are doing as a club is amazing – on and off the pitch. I love the way we want to play as a team and I think there’s a strong mentality building here. It’s been incredible to see what the club has done away from the pitch, with supporters following the team everywhere and lots of records being broken. I can’t wait to get started and help the team win trophies and entertain our supporters."

Head coach Jonas Eidevall added: "Mariona is a world-class forward and we are delighted to bring her to Arsenal. She’s a winner with proven experience of excelling on the biggest stage, which is exactly where we aim to be at this club. We believe Mariona will be a superb addition to our squad here at Arsenal, as we prepare for an exciting new season together."

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DID YOU KNOW?

As well as being a star at club level, Caldentey has also thrived on the international stage. She was the star of the show as Spain won the Nations League in February, having been a key player in last summer's World Cup triumph, and will be crucial to La Roja's chances of a gold medal at the Olympic Games, which begin later this month.

Manchester United have reportedly tabled a contract offer for Bayern Munich defender Matthijs de Ligt as they target a summer move for the Dutchman.

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Man Utd want Matthijs de LigtPut up contract offer for defenderYet to agree terms with Bayern Munich(C)GettyImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Erik ten Hag's second season at Manchester United did not go nearly as well as was hoped as the team struggled with multiple injuries throughout the campaign, especially in their already leaky defence. Following the departure of French World Cup winner Raphael Varane, the Red Devils have been on the hunt for a new centre-back and Ten Hag reportedly wants a reunion with yet another one of his former Ajax players in the form of De Ligt.

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As per Dutch publication De Telegraaf, Manchester United's top brass are on the same boat as Ten Hag and have tabled an opening contract proposal for De Ligt in view of a summer move for the Dutchman. As per the report, De Ligt will be offered a five-year deal upon signing with the Red Devils with other details yet to be known. However, Sir Jim Ratcliffe's side will first have to deal with Bayern Munich over a transfer fee for the 24-year-old who has a valid contract with Der Rekordmeister until 2027.

GettyDID YOU KNOW?

De Ligt moved to Juventus in the summer of 2019 from Ajax for a reported fee of €85.5 million (£72.5m/$92m) following an extremely successful season captaining Ten Hag's De Godenzonen as they made a spectacular run into the Champions League semi-final and won the domestic double. He then made the move to Bayern Munich in the summer of 2022. However, life hasn't been as kind to the 24-year-old since his exit from the Johan Cruijff ArenA as he has struggled for form and fitness.

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WHAT NEXT FOR DE LIGT?

The centre-back is currently plying his trade with Ronald Koeman's Netherlands side and will be in action in their last-16 clash against Romania on Tuesday, July 2.

Quashes previous reports that said he had quit because of health concerns

Shashank Kishore13-Feb-2020J Arunkumar, the former Karnataka captain, has hit out at “baseless allegations” of ill-health being touted as the reason for him stepping down as Puducherry coach midway through the 2019-20 Ranji Trophy league phase.An official from Cricket Association of Pondicherry (CAP) told on Wednesday that Arunkumar “hadn’t been keeping well and make frequent visits to hospital during the course of the season”. At the time of writing, ESPNcricinfo was still waiting for a comment from officials at Puducherry.Arunkumar said the allegations of ill-health were simply rumours, and that it was the “constant interference” from an official which created a “toxic team environment” which led to him resigning.

Thank u people for the concern & wishes. I’m hale & hearty & contrary to reports, I HAVEN'T resigned as head coach of the Pondicherry team due to my health. I quit due to constant interference from an official, which made the dressing room environment toxic to say the least.

— J Arun Kumar (@arunonline1975) February 13, 2020

It was suffocating to work in a system with constant interference in all matters related to the team. That said, I wish the boys the very best. They are a wonderful bunch.

— J Arun Kumar (@arunonline1975) February 13, 2020

Puducherry won five out of their seven matches under Arunkumar this Ranji Trophy, in addition to having previously topped the Plate Group in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and qualifying for the quarter-finals. This had also earned them a promotion to Group C next year.”There has to be a solid reason for someone to resign in these circumstances even though the team is on a winning spree,” Arunkumar told ESPNcricinfo. “Ill-health is just an excuse. I’m perfectly fine. I couldn’t work in an environment where I wasn’t given the space, team or an environment that allowed me to bring the best out of their players.”ESPNcricinfo understands the decision to make five changes to the Puducherry squad soon after their drawn fixture against Chandigarh on January 30 didn’t go down to well with Arunkumar, who quit after that game. He said, “I was neither given the team I wanted or allowed to instill confidence in a young group that was always afraid of failure.”Arunkumar, a former Karnataka batsman who scored 7208 first-class runs, had previously coached the state to a back-to-back double-treble, winning the Ranji Trophy, the Irani Cup and the Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2013-14 and 2014-15.Apart from Karnataka, the side with which he won the Ranji Trophy as a player in 1995-96, Arunkumar has also had coaching stints with Hyderabad, the 2018 TNPL champions Siechem Madurai Panthers and IPL side Kings XI Punjab.CS Suresh Kumar, the former Tamil Nadu batsman, stepped in to coach Puducherry in an interim capacity in the wake of Arunkumar’s resignation, and was in charge during their previous league stage match, against Manipur. Suresh Kumar had been in charge of Puducherry’s Under-23 side until this development.