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The 2023/24 season has not been an easy time for Manchester United. Erik ten Hag’s side currently reside in sixth in the Premier League table, although are now mathematically out of the running for a Champions League qualification spot.

In this season's edition of the famous competition, the Red Devils crashed out at the group stages, managing a total of just four points, winning once, drawing once and losing four out of the six games, including home and away to Bayern Munich.

Domestically, United’s defence of their Carabao Cup title did not go to plan. They were eliminated from the competition in the fourth round against Newcastle United. However, they are in the FA Cup final, following two dramatic wins against Liverpool in extra time and Coventry on penalties, to set up an all-Manchester final for the second year running.

This season has been a tough campaign for many of United’s players too. The Red Devils’ squad has been hit with over 60 cases of injury or illness, and key men like Casemiro and Marcus Rashford have struggled for form.

But that is not all. There was a scandal at the beginning of the season, in which Jadon Sancho fell out with manager Ten Hag, meaning he was banished from the squad. The 24-year-old has since gone out on loan to former club Borussia Dortmund, where he has shone.

Jadon Sancho's stats vs PSG

Since returning to Dortmund in January, Sancho has scored three goals and assisted two in 17 games. He has put in some vintage performances and has looked much more like his former self. One performance, in particular, in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final has got the footballing world buzzing about the talented winger once more.

It was a simply dazzling performance from Sancho on Wednesday evening. According to Squawka, the 24-year-old completed the most dribbles ever in a Champions League game by an Englishman, with 12, which is also the most completed in a single Champions League game this season.

He has the most completed take-ons in the knockout stages of this year’s competition, with 21 as per Sqauwka, and the last time a player completed more dribbles in a Champions League semi-final was Lionel Messi 16 years ago, against Sancho’s parent club, United.

According to Sofascore, Sancho had 100 touches, which included his 12 successful dribbles, and completed 51/58 passes at a success rate of 88%. He also created three chances and one big chance. He was desperately unlucky to not leave with at least one assist. Off the ball, he was magnificent, winning 14/20 of his ground duels, and his only tackle.

He gave PSG left-back Nuno Mendes nightmares all game; the Portugal international was dribbled past six times in total. It was a vintage performance from the winger, who looked so confident, gliding with the ball at his feet and slaloming past opponents with such ease, and combining with the full-back and midfielder on Dortmund’s right-hand side.

He created two excellent second-half chances, the first a superb piece of play, where he beat Mendes and carried the ball to the byline, before driving into the penalty box and cutting the ball back for Niclas Fullkrug, who fired over from close range. The second was a wonderful pass between the defender's legs, which fell perfectly to Julian Brandt, but his shot was blocked well.

It was a mesmerising performance by the winger, who looked like his old self, and showed exactly why United spent so much money on him in the first place. Performances like this, plus question marks over Ten Hag’s future, could well open the door for a return to the fold at United next season.

However, if this does not materialise, there is an up-and-coming winger in United’s academy who could break into the first team soon and bring the same flair as Sancho to the Old Trafford pitch.

Man Utd’s next best prospect

The player in question here is 17-year-old Shea Lacey, who recently celebrated his birthday by signing a first professional contract. He is very highly rated by Manchester United supporters and was described by BBC Sport’s Alex Turk as a “very, very special player”.

Lacey is a left-footed winger, who tends to play on the right wing. Whilst he brings lots of Sancho’s flair to the pitch, he is stylistically most similar to Phil Foden, almost a carbon copy of the Manchester City number 47, in fact.

The way he moves with the ball at his feet is very reminiscent of Foden. Like the England international, he has a low centre of gravity and can ride tackles with surprising ease. His close control is superb, he rarely loses control of the ball, and he is a very good creative outlet in the final third of the pitch.

The above goal is a perfect example of what Lacey can do. He is swamped by several opposition defenders, but the quick change of direction, the way he shifts the ball between both feet and the Cruyff turn, all aided by his low centre of gravity, means he can dance between the defenders, find space to accelerate into and finish emphatically. Foden-esque, indeed.

Sadly, Lacey's season has been ruined by an injury, which also led to him missing the U17 World Cup in Indonesia last year. He already has three goals for England’s U17s, in just five caps so far.

Despite his injuries, Lacey has played well when he has not been sidelined. The 17-year-old has played just seven U18 Premier League games this season, yet has still contributed to five goals, scoring three and assisting two. He also grabbed an assist in the UEFA Youth League.

There is little doubt that Manchester United have an elite talent on their hands in Lacey. He has already trained with the first team on several occasions. His progress this season has stalled slightly because of his injury issues, yet Lacey’s talent, and similarity to Foden, are indisputable.

Sadly, he will miss the remainder of the season due to injury, so a potential first-team debut will have to wait until next season. With that being said, it does not seem long until United can unleash such an exciting prospect, and give him the first of many first-team opportunities.

What the Man Utd team could look like once Shea Lacey becomes a regular

A look at how the Red Devils could line up once teen sensation Shea Lacey breaks into the side…

By
Robbie Walls

Apr 16, 2024

Courtney Walsh is giving back to cricket by mentoring West Indies’ Under-19 players. He tells them to keep things simple and to enjoy life on tour

Peter Della Penna30-Jul-2011It’s a hot Saturday afternoon in south Florida and West Indies Under-19 have just thrashed USA Under-19 in the first of four matches. While the players cool down, the team management warms up for a series of races around the boundary. One man towers over the rest of the group, but on this tour he wants to blend in and help the teenagers get the most out of their experience.”It’s something I’m very keen to do because of the love I have for the game,” says Courtney Walsh, the former fast bowler who is the West Indies U-19 team manager for this tour. “I’ve had that love since I’ve been at school. So anything to do with cricket just gives me a buzz and it’s something that I want to do.”When Walsh retired from international cricket at the age of 38, he thought he would spend his days relaxing on the beach. But he couldn’t stay away from the game for long. So after dabbling in TV commentary, he’s now trying to be a helpful presence for the next generation of West Indies players, and to aid the U-19 head coach Roddy Estwick in any way he can.”I think it’s a way of putting something back into the cricket, or pass down your experience to the younger players, and that’s why I specifically wanted to try to do some work with the younger players,” Walsh says.”It’s an area where, if you can organise them from now – the workload should be lesser when they get to the higher level – to try to maintain standards, focus on the discipline and just help them to think about the game and learn more about it because the more you learn now, the better it’s going to be for you at a later stage.”Seeing the kids full of energy and excitement on this tour, Walsh can’t help but think back to his early playing days. “The fun you can have from touring, obviously when you look at these kids it brings back memories, and you remember your days as a youngster and what you used to do,” Walsh says. “You miss it obviously when you retire. You miss playing a little bit, but once you don’t focus on that, it becomes a little bit easier.”You remember the people you met, the friendships that grew when you worked, and the bonding from touring. I’ve met many a people in different parts of the world that today are still my friends. That to me is very important. That’s some of the stuff you want to rub off on these kids – that don’t just see it as a cricket tour you go on and finish. You’re going to meet people who might have an effect on your life down the road, meet people who can become your friends, who live in another part of the world.”For kids in the United States it’s hard to fathom being able to hone your cricket skills right down the street from a proper cricket ground, but Walsh was able to do just that at the prestigious Melbourne Cricket Club in Kingston, Jamaica.”The first time I saw the [West Indies team] on TV, I just said, ‘Wow, that’s something I want to be a part of.’ Fortunately for me, I grew up right next to the Melbourne. So I was at the cricket ground every day I can think of. Whether I was playing football, cricket or just watching or just hanging out, I was always at the cricket ground. So cricket was embedded in me from a very early age. I played cricket for the club before I played cricket for my school.”

“I was at the cricket ground every day I can think of. Whether I was playing football, cricket or just watching or just hanging out, I was always at the cricket ground. I played cricket for the club before I played cricket for my school”Walsh on the early presence of cricket in his life

Not only was he always at the ground but he also got to receive guidance from a legend who was part of the same club, Michael Holding. Eventually Walsh made his Test debut in the same squad as Holding and many of the other greats. At the time he was just grateful to be on the same field as them but little did he know that when he retired he would be just as famous.”I remember we toured England in 1984 and I didn’t play any international games on that tour. My Test debut was in Australia. I remember when my name was called in the XII – you kind of have an idea as a player based on the make-up of the team – I called home and said, ‘I’m in the XII and have a very good chance of playing but I won’t know until the morning’, because you didn’t want to take anything for granted.”I wouldn’t say it was a sleepless night. It was a very exciting night. I would lie if I say I wasn’t nervous. I would lie if I say I went to bed as if everything was normal. You had butterflies thinking about it and you start thinking about what you want to do, how you want to perform. It’s a chance to try and make a name for yourself, to get into this team led by Clive Lloyd, and all the greats – Michael Holding, Viv Richards, Malcolm Marshall, Joel Garner, just to name a few. We had Gordon Greenidge. When you look at the names of the people among whom I had a chance at making my debut, it was just exciting stuff.”Walsh didn’t expect or think about lasting another 17 years at the international level, saying he only wanted to have “a good career” when he first broke through. “It’s something I’m very thankful for but at no point in time did I plan or dream that it was going be as successful as it was.”Walsh thinks that it’s possible for the members in this touring party, including the West Indies U-19 captain Kraigg Brathwaite, who has already made his Test debut, to have long and fruitful careers as long as they don’t try to master everything in one go.”I just try to keep it simple for them at this stage, in terms of giving them as much information as you can but advising them that they don’t have to do everything all at once,” Walsh says. “If they ask questions about swinging the ball and cutting, you pass on those tips because it’s information to pass on, but at the same time you don’t want them to be doing everything all at once. Explain to them that there’s practice time, when you practise things, and match time, when you do your basics.”The main advice I’ve always passed on to them is that the basics will not change. Perfect the basics first. Once you do that you have a base to work from, and you can improvise from there.”It is to be hoped that cricketing youngsters in the USA might one day have a homegrown role model to look up to. Such local role models were influential in Walsh’s life, and now he’s doing his best to be one for the next generation of players in Jamaica and across the West Indies.

Who was sold to whom, and who didn’t get a bid?

Sreshth Shah18-Feb-2021

Sold players

Chris Morris (Base price INR 75 lac) sold to Rajasthan Royals for INR 16.25 croreKyle Jamieson (Base price INR 75 lac) sold to Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 15 croreGlenn Maxwell (Base price INR 2 crore) sold to Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 14.25 croreJhye Richardson (Base price INR 1.50 crore) sold to Punjab Kings for INR 14 croreKrishnappa Gowtham (Base price INR 20 lac) sold to Chennai Super Kings for 9.25 croreRiley Meredith (Base price INR 40 lac) sold to Punjab Kings for INR 8 croreMoeen Ali (Base price INR 2 crore) sold to Chennai Super Kings for INR 7 croreAdam Milne (Base price INR 50 lac) sold to Mumbai Indians for INR 3.20 croreDawid Malan (Base price INR 1.50 crore) sold to Punjab Kings for INR 1.50 croreShivam Dube (Base price INR 50 lac) sold to Rajasthan Royals for INR 4.40 croreShakib Al Hasan (Base price INR 2 crore) sold to Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 3.20 croreSteven Smith (Base price INR 2 crore) sold to Delhi Capitals for INR 2.20 croreMustafizur Rahman (Base price INR 1 crore) sold to Rajasthan Royals for INR 1 croreNathan Coulter-Nile (Base price INR 1.50 crore) sold to Mumbai Indians for INR 5 croreUmesh Yadav (Base price INR 1 crore) sold to Delhi Capitals for INR 1 crorePiyush Chawla (Base price INR 50 lac) sold to Mumbai Indians for INR 2.40 croreSachin Baby (Base price INR 20 lac) sold to Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 20 lacRajat Patidar (Base price INR 20 lac) sold to Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 20 lacRipal Patel (Base price INR 20 lac) sold to Delhi Capitals for INR 20 lacShahrukh Khan (Base price INR 20 lac) sold to Punjab Kings for INR 5.25 croreDaniel Christian (Base price INR 75 lac) sold to Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 4.80 croreVishnu Vinod (Base price INR 20 lac) sold to Delhi Capitals for INR 20 lacSheldon Jackson (Base price INR 20 lac) sold to Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 20 lacMohammed Azharuddeen (Base price INR 20 lac) sold to Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 20 lacLukman Meriwala (Base price INR 20 lac) sold to Delhi Capitals for INR 20 lacChetan Sakariya (Base price INR 20 lac) sold to Rajasthan Royals for 1.20 croreM Siddharth (Base price INR 20 lac) sold to Delhi Capitals for INR 20 lacJagadeesha Suchith (Base price INR 20 lac) sold to Sunrisers Hyderabad for INR 30 lacKC Cariappa (Base price INR 20 lac) sold to Rajasthan Royals for INR 20 lacCheteshwar Pujara (Base price INR 50 lac) sold to Chennai Super Kings for INR 50 lacTom Curran (Base price INR 1.50 crore) sold to Delhi Capitals for INR 5.25 croreMoises Henriques (Base price INR 1 crore) sold to Punjab Kings for INR 4.20 croreJalaj Saxena (Base price INR 30 lac) sold to Punjab Kings for INR 30 lacUtkarsh Singh (Base price INR 20 lac) sold to Punjab Kings for INR 20 lacVaibhav Arora (Base price INR 20 lac) sold to Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 20 lacFabian Allen (Base price INR 75 lac) sold to Sunrisers Hyderabad for INR 75 lacLiam Livingstone (Base price INR 75 lac) sold to Rajasthan Royals for INR 75 lacSuyash Prabhudessai (Base price INR 20 lac) sold to Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 20 lacKS Bharat (Base price INR 20 lac) sold to Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 20 lacHarishankar Reddy (Base price INR 20 lac) sold to Chennai Super Kings for INR 20 lacKuldip Yadav (Base price INR 20 lac) sold to Rajasthan Royals for INR 20 lacJames Neesham (Base price INR 50 lac) sold to Mumbai Indians for INR 50 lacYudhvir Singh (Base price INR 20 lac) sold to Mumbai Indians for INR 20 lacBhagath Verma (Base price INR 20 lac) sold to Chennai Super Kings for INR 20 lacMarco Jansen (Base price INR 20 lac) sold to Mumbai Indians for INR 20 lacSaurabh Kumar (Base price INR 20 lac) sold to Punjab Kings for INR 20 lacKarun Nair (Base price INR 50 lac) sold to Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 50 lacKedar Jadhav (Base price INR 2 crore) sold to Sunrisers Hyderabad for INR 2 croreSam Billings (Base price 2 crore) sold to Delhi Capitals for INR 2 croreMujeeb Ur Rahman (Base price INR 1.50 crore) sold to Sunrisers Hyderabad for INR 1.50 croreHarbhajan Singh (Base price INR 2 crore) sold to Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 2 croreC Hari Nishanth (Base price INR 20 lac) sold to Chennai Super Kings for INR 20 lacBen Cutting (Base price INR 75 lac) sold to Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 75 lacVenkatesh Iyer (Base price INR 20 lac) sold to Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 20 lacPawan Negi (Base price INR 50 lac) sold to Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 50 lacAkash Singh (Base price INR 20 lac) sold to Rajasthan Royals for INR 20 lacArjun Tendulkar (Base price INR 20 lac) sold to Mumbai Indians for INR 20 lac

Unsold players

Alex Hales (Base price INR 1.50 crore)Jason Roy (Base price INR 2 crore)Evin Lewis (Base price INR 1 crore)Aaron Finch (Base price INR 1 crore)Hanuma Vihari (Base price INR 1 crore)Glenn Phillips (Base price 50 lac)Alex Carey (Base price 1.50 crore)Kusal Perera (Base price INR 50 lac)Sheldon Cottrell (Base price INR 1 crore)Adil Rashid (Base price INR 1.50 crore)Rahul Sharma (base price INR 50 lac)Ish Sodhi (Base price INR 50 lac)Qais Ahmad (Base price 50 lac)Himanshu Rana (Base price INR 20 lac)Gahlaut Singh (Base price INR 20 lac)Atit Sheth (Base price INR 20 lac)Himmat Singh (Base price INR 20 lac)Vishnu Solanki (Base price INR 20 lac)Ayush Badoni (Base price INR 20 lac)Vivek Singh (Base price INR 20 lac)Avi Barot (Base price INR 20 lac)Kedar Devdhar (Base price INR 20 lac)Ankit Rajpoot (Base price INR 30 lac)Mujtaba Yousuf (Base price INR 20 lac)Kuldeep Sen (Base price INR 20 lac)Tushar Deshpande (Base price INR 20 lac)Karanveer Singh (Base price INR 20 lac)Sandeep Lamichhane (Base price INR 40 lac)Sudhesan Midhun (Base price INR 20 lac)Tejas Baroka (Base price INR 20 lac)Rovman Powell (Base price INR 50 lac)Shaun Marsh (Base price INR 1.50 crore)Corey Anderson (Base price INR 75 lac)Devon Conway (Base price INR 50 lac)Darren Bravo (Base price INR 75 lac)Rassie van der Dussen (Base price INR 50 lac)Martin Guptill (Base price INR 50 lac)Gurkeerat Singh (Base price INR 50 lac)Marnus Labuschagne (Base price INR 1 crore)Varun Aaron (Base price INR 50 lac)Oshane Thomas (Base price INR 50 lac)Mohit Sharma (Base price INR 50 lac)Billy Stanlake (Base price INR 1 crore)Mitchell McClenaghan (Base price INR 50 lac)Jason Behrendorff (Base price INR 1 crore)Naveen Ul Haq (Base price INR 50 lac)Karan Sharma (Base price INR 20 lac)KL Shrijith (Base price INR 20 lac)Ben Dwarshuis (Base price INR 30 lac)G Periyasamy (Base price INR 30 lac)Thisara Perera (Base price INR 50 lac)Ben McDermott (Base price INR 50 lac)Matthew Wade (Base price INR 1 crore)Sean Abbott (Base price INR 50 lac)Siddhesh Lad (Base price INR 20 lac)Tajinder Singh (Base price INR 20 lac)Prerak Mankad (Base price INR 20 lac)Josh Inglis (Base price INR 20 lac)Simarjeet Singh (Base price INR 20 lac)Scott Kuggeleijn (Base price INR 50 lac)Wayne Parnell (Base price INR 50 lac)Reece Topley (Base price INR 50 lac)Chris Green (Base price INR 30 lac)Isuru Udana (Base price INR 50 lac)George Linde (Base price INR 50 lac)Chaitanya Bishnoi (Base price INR 20 lac)Ajay Dev Goud (Base price INR 20 lac)Jack Wildermuth (Base price INR 50 lac)Harsh Tyagi (Base price INR 20 lac)Gerald Coetzee (Base price INR 20 lac)Tim David (Base price INR 20 lac)Pratyush Singh (Base price INR 20 lac)

One of the biggest clubs in the world are hoping to sign an "irreplaceable" Manchester City player for just £43m this summer, according to a worrying transfer update.

Man City transfer news

Whatever happens between now and the end of the season, Pep Guardiola will again be on the lookout for new signings in the upcoming transfer window, as he freshens up his squad.

While established players are being linked with moves to the Etihad later in the year, youngsters are also needed for the long-term picture, and Lokomotiv Moscow ace Sergey Pinyaev is reportedly wanted by City.

Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz has enjoyed a fantastic season, scoring 11 goals and registering 10 assists en route to Xabi Alonso's side winning the league title recently. The move for Wirtz may have hit a snag, but there is still hope that the German could be at the Etihad in time for next season.

Guardiola may feel that a new centre-back is needed moving forward, especially with John Stones proving to be an injury-prone figure, and Everton ace Jarrad Branthwaite has been backed to sign for City. The young Englishman has been a rare bright spark for the Toffees this season, and could jump at the opportunity to join the reigning Premier League champions despite his success in Germany.

Links surrounding a move for Bayern Munich forward Jamal Musiala are also refusing to go away, with the German having the potential to mature into one of the best players in the world. He has 16 goal contributions (10 goals and six assists) in 20 Bundesliga starts in 2023/24 heading into this weekend.

Man City could lose "irreplaceable" star

According to a fresh claim from Catalunya Radio (as relayed by Sport Witness), Manchester City star Bernardo Silva is wanted by Barcelona this summer, and the player himself has "practically decided" to leave the club.

Barca are hoping to sign the Portuguese for just €50m (£43m) due to a release clause that exists in his current contract, and he sees them as his first choice to join.

Losing Silva this summer would be a massive blow for City, considering he has become a genuine legend during his time at the club, not only winning five Premier League titles and one Champions League crown, but also proving to be one of the league's outstanding players during that period. Meanwhile, Guardiola clearly thinks the world of the 29-year-old, saying of him:

"I could stay here and talk for 10 minutes on what Bernardo Silva means for me and our team. He is a player that is beyond good in all departments – solidarity, intelligence, he understands everything. We are in love with him. The problem is he has no big cars, he [dresses] maybe not for high style. He is humble and everybody loves him in the locker room. We were lucky not to lose him. He is irreplaceable. I know he is happy here."

Every Premier League Golden Boot winner

Some of the Premier League’s greatest goalscorers have won the Golden Boot – here’s every player to earn the coveted prize.

By
Stephan Georgiou

May 26, 2025

Admittedly, Bernardo isn't getting any younger, but he remains a world-class footballer who shouldn't drift past his peak for another few years, so City should do all they can to keep him. That being said, if he has decided he wants to leave, it would be hard to begrudge him a fresh challenge.

When they were in with a chance of upsetting Pakistan, Canada choked, but against Kenya, they used smart tactics and learned how to build partnerships

Nagraj Gollapudi at the Feroz Shah Kotla 07-Mar-2011The day before their clash in Delhi, both Kenya and Canada’s captains had said their teams would play their own brands of cricket. Jimmy Kamande promised his players would be expressive and bold, while Ashish Bagai said we could expect fluency from his men. At the end of Monday’s game, Kamande could barely speak, hurt and distraught; Bagai was all smiles, and even spoke a few words of Hindi.Canada were the sum of their parts on Monday. Their fast bowlers ensured they kept their foot on Kenya’s throat after making early inroads; their fielders remained electric and attentive to avoid any slip-ups; and in the end, their middle-order batsmen kept their heads light but focussed to snatch a comfortable victory, only their second in all World Cups.Essentially, Canada finished the job they had started against Pakistan last week. Then, chasing a similar target (184), they had stumbled at the halfway stage. Sensing a victory against a bigger opponent, they had shivered in the headlights. No such nerves on Monday. It was evident that Canada had been working on their mistakes.Against Sri Lanka, in their opening match, they realised how big the chasm was between an Associate and a big brother. The realisation that they needed to do more than just turn up to last in a 50-over match hit them flush in the face like a Mike Tyson punch. Then, against Zimbabwe, Bagai talked up their chances and they duly got steamrollered by a 175-run defeat.But it was against Pakistan that they took a big stride toward recovery. On a turning track, against an opponent never far from being fallible, Canada fielded and bowled with fervour to restrict Pakistan to less than 200. But could their batsmen pace the innings without allowing Pakistan to gain control? You don’t walk in with doubts when you are facing Shahid Afridi, and he lauded it over Canada in feudal style, whipping them into submission with his versatility as much as his aura.Ashish Bagai’s partnership with Jimmy Hansra ensured Canada completed the job they had started against Pakistan•Getty ImagesBut, on Monday, it was a battle of equals; and Canada brought their best game to the table. Henry Osinde delivered the kind of spell captains yearn for from their premier bowlers; and with Kenya 57 for 5, Canada knew unless they did something completely stupid the match was theirs.Luckily, they had a Plan B if things did not pan out the way they were expected to. On the eve of the match, Bagai had predicted that spin would be the dominant factor on a pitch that was devoid of any grass, in addition to being slow and low. But that never happened. Even Balaji Rao, their best spinner, who had managed to keep the Pakistan batsmen silent, couldn’t do much. Still, Canada sensed they held the advantage as Kenya did not have many wickets in the bag. It was Kenya then that panicked in the end and lost their way.Then, Canada made a smart move in sending the big-hitting Rizwan Cheema in to open. Though he did not last long, his brief cameo made clear the Canadian intentions: they were here to win.”We had a disappointing batting display against Zimbabwe and Pakistan, and we had a chance of getting a win over Pakistan, but we were looking at the present,” Bagai said after the win. “We are pretty happy with the guys who performed well. Henry bowled fantastic first-up, got us the advantage and then we pulled it back again in the Powerplay. And then two guys batted to get us over the line.”The two guys Bagai was talking about were himself and Jimmy Hansra. The pair added 132 for the fourth wicket, and along the way learned a few valuable lessons about constructing partnerships, which seems to be the Achilles heel of the batting line-ups of the Associate teams. “We were fortunate enough to have no run-rate pressure; four runs an over on that wicket would always be gettable if you spent some time on the wicket,” Bagai said. “It was not an easy wicket to get used to, but once you were in there you could work it around.”Kamande admitted the loss was a bitter pill to swallow against an opponent Kenya fancied beating. “I will not hide it. Today was our most disappointing performance of the tournament,” he said.Bagai, who was born in Delhi, found plenty of home support at the Kotla, with his “grandparents, friends, relatives” accounting for some 50 people of the 5,500-strong crowd. Asked if he was chilled or thrilled with Canada’s victory, Bagai said: “We are chilled with the win. We are looking to use this as a spark for the second half of the first round. My goal now is to get the batsmen who are performing to be consistent and leave the first round on a high.”

Bayern Munich director Max Eberl criticized teenager Paul Wanner after the midfielder chose to join PSV in a €15 million transfer.

• Wanner to join in PSV for €15 million
• Eberl accuses him of lacking courage 
• Bayern's fifth departure in attack this summer.

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Bayern and Germany U-21 midfielder Wanner is set to join Dutch champions PSV for €15m (£10m/$18m). Bayern reportedly retain a buy-back option, but director Eberl criticised the 19-year-old, saying he should have stayed to fight for his chance. Eberl, who spoke to Wanner during his loan at Heidenheim last season, felt he would get more playing time at Bayern this season due to their limited attacking options.

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• WHAT EBERL SAID?

  "We want to believe in players and work with them who are keen to become Bayern Munich players. And that requires taking steps. And it also requires courage," Eberl said at a media briefing on Thursday as he confirmed a medical is scheduled in Netherlands.

  He added: "We're relatively thin in attack, and everyone can see that. If a player still doesn't believe in his chances, then you just have to make a decision somehow."

• Getty Images
  

  THE BIG PICTURE

  Wanner became Bayern’s fifth attacking player to leave this summer, following an exodus that included Kingsley Coman, who joined Saudi side Al-Nassr on a lucrative contract. Praised as “blessed by God” and even considered as talented as Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala, Wanner’s potential departure worried fans. Bayern’s CEO reassured supporters, stating that director Eberl still sees him as part of the club’s future.

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• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR BAYERN AND WANNER ?

  Wanner was persuaded by PSV’s project, which includes Champions League football, providing valuable exposure for a young player. For Bayern, it remains to be seen whether they will reinforce their attack or go into the season with a depleted forward line

Napoli reportedly agreed to sign Miguel Gutirrez from Girona and are now considering to make a double swoop as they monitor right-back Arnau Martinez.

• Napoli faces a deadlock for Sevilla's Juanlu Sanchez
• Club's alternative target is Girona's right-back Arnau Martinez
• Girona also about to lose their left-back to Napoli

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Napoli are reportedly on the verge of signing Miguel Gutierrez from Girona for €18m (£15m/$20m). The Italian side are now also planning to add Girona's right-back Martinez to bolster their backline, according to Football Espana. Girona fear they might lose both of their full-backs this summer as Martinez has a release clause in his contract.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Napoli's first choice was Sevilla's Juanlu Sanchez, but reportedly the two clubs couldn't agree on terms, as Sevilla asked for €20m (£17m/$23m) and also wanted to include a 20 percent sell-on clause in Sanchez's contract. Rebuffed by the Spanish club's offer, the Italian side switched their targets to Martinez, who has a release clause of €14m (£12m/$16m) and can be persuaded to join the Serie A side.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The 2024-25 Scudetto winners have reportedly agreed on personal terms with Gutierrez. The Spanish defender has been an instrumental part of the Girona team and was also named in the La Liga Team of the Season 2023-24. The ex-Real Madrid player also won the Olympic Gold Medal with the Spain team in 2024. Madrid had kept a 50 per cent stake in the player's rights, meaning they'll receive their half from the Gutierrez deal.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR NAPOLI?

  After a slow start to the transfer market, President Aurelio De Laurentiis is finally securing some signings as he promised. The club has already signed the players they needed for the frontline, Kevin De Bruyne and Noa Lang, but could be tempted to reignite their interest in Ademola Lookman, whose future is hanging in the balance at Bergamo.

Celtic travel away from Parkhead to take on their local rivals in a huge match at the top of the Scottish Premiership table on Sunday afternoon.

The Hoops, who are currently one point clear at the top of the division having played one game more, have the chance to extend their lead to four points with a win at Ibrox.

Brendan Rodgers' side are yet to win a trophy this season, having already been knocked out of the League Cup and all European competitions, which means that the league title and the SFA Cup are their last two chances to pick up silverware this season.

With almost two months left of the 2023/24 campaign to go, the bulk of the club's focus will be on making sure that they can enjoy a successful end to the term.

However, they will also be thinking about the upcoming summer transfer window and the moves that they can make to improve their squad for next season.

Latest Celtic transfer news

According to Football Scotland, the Scottish side will have to wait until the end of the current campaign to find out if they can sign Adam Idah on a permanent basis.

The report claims that some fans were not convinced by the loan signing at the time it was made but his form for the club since making the move to Glasgow has led to calls from supporters for Rodgers to snap him up in the summer.

Football Scotland adds that no option to buy has been agreed between Celtic and Norwich City, who did not sanction the possibility of a permanent deal when they sent him up north on deadline day at the start of February.

The outlet states that the Canaries are waiting to see whether or not Sydney van Hooijdonk, who they brought in on loan from Bologna after he was linked with Celtic, proves his worth at Carrow Road.

Since his move from the Serie A, the Dutch striker has zero goals and one assist in seven substitute appearances in the Championship for David Wagner's side.

Football Scotland also claims that Norwich are also waiting to see what division they will be playing in next season, as they are currently in the race to secure promotion up to the Premier League. However, the report does not reveal exactly how that would affect Celtic's potential pursuit of Idah.

If the Hoops can secure a permanent deal for the Ireland international then they could repeat the masterclass they played with Jota, who was also signed permanently after an initial loan spell.

Celtic's Jota masterclass

Ange Postecoglou swooped to sign the Portuguese forward on loan from Benfica in the summer of 2021, during his first transfer window with the club, after the winger had struggled to nail down regular game time.

Jota had spent the 2020/21 campaign on loan with Real Valladolid in Spain, where he scored two goals in 18 appearances in all competitions, and Celtic then snapped him up for the following season.

As you can see in the table above, the right-footed wizard hit the ground running in Scottish football with an impressive return of double figures for both goals and assists.

The Portuguese dynamo, who scored 13 goals and provided 14 assists in all competitions that season, did enough to convince the club to snap him up on a permanent deal in the summer of 2022, for a reported fee of £6.5m.

Jota continued his fantastic form at the top end of the pitch throughout the 2022/23 campaign after joining on a permanent basis, with a return of 11 goals and 11 assists in 33 Premiership outings for the Hoops.

Celtic were rewarded for their decision to sign him permanently after his sublime performances on loan as he remained a phenomenal asset to Postecoglou on the pitch.

The Scottish giants were then rewarded off the pitch as they cashed in on the Portugese starlet in the summer of 2023. Saudi Pro League side Al Ittihad came in to sign him for a staggering £25m, which shows how much of a masterclass the club played with Jota as they made a gigantic profit on him after just one year.

Why Celtic should sign Adam Idah permanently

If Norwich decide that they are willing to sell Idah this summer, Celtic must pounce to sign the Ireland international to bolster their attack next season.

The £23k-per-week marksman arrived on loan on deadline day and has hit the ground running in Scotland, with a big impact on the pitch in recent months.

It took him no time at all to find his feet in the Premiership. He came off the bench to make his debut away at Aberdeen and instantly provided an assist to Nicolas Kuhn, with a clever lay-off inside the box to tee up the winger.

The Norwich loanee followed that up with two penalties in a 2-1 win away at Hibernian, including one in stoppage time at the end of the match, to secure all three points for the side.

In total, Idah has produced five goals and two assists in eight Premiership appearances – including four starts – for Celtic since his move to the earlier this year.

This means that the Irish marksman, who Rodgers hailed as an "incredible" talent, has averaged a goal contribution every 1.14 games on average in the league.

Idah, who scored six goals in 12 Championship starts during the first half of the season for Norwich, has showcased his quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals, whilst he still has plenty of room to develop and improve at the age of 23.

This means that, as was the case with Jota, Celtic would be signing a talented young player with scope to grow throughout his time at Parkhead.

They could nurture and develop his skills in the hope of being rewarded with superb performances on the pitch, and then a potential sale for profit in the future, which is why Rodgers could repeat the club's Jota masterclass by sealing a deal for the impressive loanee.

England batsman suffers recurrence of injury that caused three-month absence in 2019

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Aug-2020Ollie Pope has been ruled out for up to four months after dislocating his left shoulder during last week’s third Test against Pakistan at the Ageas Bowl.The injury occurred on the fourth day of the match, when Pope slid to save a boundary off the second ball of Stuart Broad’s first over of the day and left the pitch immediately.He underwent an MRI scan in London on Wednesday and was reviewed by a consultant on Thursday. He will now have surgery on the injured shoulder in the next couple of weeks before commencing a rehabilitation programme with the Surrey and England medical teams.The injury is a cruel recurrence for Pope, given that he injured the same shoulder while playing for Surrey last summer. He was out of action for three months on that occasion, and was unavailable for selection during England’s Ashes campaign.It is possible, however, that Pope will not miss any Test cricket on this occasion, with England’s next engagements coming against Sri Lanka and India in early 2021, by which stage it is hoped that he will have recovered full fitness.Despite a tailing-off in form during the Pakistan series, Pope has been one of England’s breakthrough players of the past few months. He scored a matchwinning 135 not out against South Africa in Port Elizabeth in January, then made a crucial 91 in the series decider against West Indies in Manchester.He was also England’s top scorer in the first innings of the first Test against Pakistan, making 62 out of a total of 219, a performance that would prove vital in the team’s fightback to win on the fourth afternoon.After his previous shoulder injury, Pope told Wisden Cricket Monthly that the time away from the game had been a “blessing in disguise”, allowing him the chance to take stock and make changes to his technique.

Chelsea’s recent 4-3 win over Manchester United basically summed up their campaign in a nutshell, winning games they shouldn’t be winning while suffering defeats in matches they should be taking all three points from.

The result leaves the club occupying tenth position in the Premier League table, just five points off sixth spot.

If Mauricio Pochettino can inspire his side to a solid finish over their remaining nine matches, they could perhaps steal a European place.

Cole Palmer has been in sensational form this season, having joined from Manchester City last summer, scoring 19 goals and registering 12 assists, proving to be arguably Pochettino’s finest player throughout the campaign.

Another standout has been Conor Gallagher. The Englishman has been outstanding at times this season and this sort of form has not gone unnoticed…

Conor Gallagher is attracting interest

Gallagher has a contract until 2025 at Chelsea, yet it looks as though an extension has not been discussed as yet for the midfielder.

Tottenham Hotspur are a club who have shown plenty of interest in the 24-year-old over the previous 12 months, and they could be set to make a move this summer if no new deal is agreed by then.

According to 90min, the Stamford Bridge side will place a £50m price tag on Gallagher’s head this summer, which is lower than the £60m that they were previously seeking.

Securing this type of fee for the player will allow the club to comply with financial fair play regulations as Pochettino looks to balance his books ahead of next season. The Argentinean has a tough decision to make, however, especially considering how influential Gallagher has become.

Conor Gallagher’s statistics for Chelsea this season

Gallagher returned from his loan spell at Crystal Palace looking to make inroads into securing a regular place in the starting XI last season. He featured 45 times in all competitions for the club and has used this as a platform for further success on a personal level this term.

So far during the 2023/24 campaign, the midfielder has played 40 matches, scoring five goals and registering seven assists in all competitions.

Among his teammates in the Premier League, Gallagher ranks second with regards to overall Sofascore rating (7.31), along with ranking second for big chances created (eight), key passes per game (1.5) and for tackles per game (2.5), showcasing his abilities across both attacking and defensive metrics this season.

When compared to his positional peers in the top five European leagues, Gallagher ranks in the top 1% for pass success rate per 90 (87.8%) and the top 2% for both tackles (2.5) and interceptions (1.3) per 90 across the previous 365 days.

These statistics clearly show how important Gallagher is to this Chelsea team. That being said, receiving a transfer fee of around £50m would give Pochettino a licence to manoeuvre in the transfer window, while he perhaps already has an ideal replacement just waiting to be unleashed in the first-team squad next season – Andrey Santos.

How much Chelsea paid for Andrey Santos

During the January 2023 transfer window – where Chelsea spent £320m – the Blues secured the signature of Brazilian youngster Santos from Vasco da Gama, costing the club around £18m, and he was certainly earmarked as a player who could have a solid future.

"He's a strong, box-to-box midfielder – I don't think Vasco would have been promoted without him,” said South American football expert Tim Vickery upon his arrival at Stamford Bridge.

"But it's a big step up. He's not a player who will be ready for Premier League football yet. He's only 18 – this is one for the future.”

Santos failed to make an appearance for the Chelsea first team during the second half of last season and joined Nottingham Forest on a loan deal at the start of 2023/24. The 19-year-old played just twice for the club before moving abroad on another temporary deal, sealing a move to French side Strasbourg.

Andrey Santos’ statistics at Strasbourg

Finding his feet at Forest proved to be more difficult than first anticipated, yet the teenager is beginning to flourish in France, already making four appearances since joining a couple of months ago.

Analyst Ben Mattinson praised the move to send him out on a temporary move, saying: “This loan will do him the world of good in building confidence after not being used at Forest.

“This type of signing is exactly the one they should be doing. [£]10m on a prospect who could become [£]60m. Value for money.”

Across his four Ligue 1 games, Santos has averaged a pass success rate of 87%, won 5.5 total duels per game, made two tackles per game along with losing possession just 5.5 times on average per match, showcasing his many talents in the French top flight.

He is clearly still developing, but playing for a club like Strasbourg where there isn’t as much pressure as trying to keep Forest in the Premier League, could be highly beneficial for the youngster.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig praised him after Santos shone for Brazil U20s last year, lauding the player as a “one-man war machine in midfield” and, given the chance, he could showcase these abilities at Chelsea in the foreseeable future.

Gallagher’s future is still uncertain heading into the summer transfer window and if he continues this excellent form, there will be interest from more clubs than just Spurs, that’s for sure.

Instead of splashing the cash on a replacement in the transfer market, Pochettino should be taking a closer look at Santos and perhaps giving him a chance to show exactly what he could do.

Chelsea could land an ideal Caicedo upgrade in £86m-rated "machine"

The most expensive player in Premier League history could already be in danger of losing his place in the team.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Apr 6, 2024

The 19-year-old is a special talent indeed, but it isn’t the first time that Chelsea have signed a player with all the promise in the world, only for them to struggle and move on after a few underwhelming years.

Santos is seemingly the ideal Gallagher replacement but Pochettino will have to handle his progress with care.