Antony has delivered a cryptic “we will see” message when it comes to his future, with the Real Betis loanee due back at Manchester United.

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Fell out of love with football at Old TraffordRediscovered lost spark during stint in SpainWaiting to discover what transfer window bringsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Brazil international severed ties with the Red Devils when completing a switch to Spain in the winter transfer window. He has spoken of how unhappy he had become towards the end of his time in England, with the South American falling out of love with football.

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

A spark has been rediscovered with Betis, netting nine goals and reaching the Conference League final, but it remains to be seen what the summer has in store. With his loan deal expiring, Antony will be due back at Old Trafford if no move elsewhere is agreed.

WHAT ANTONY SAID

Antony is reluctant to speculate on what the summer window will hold, telling when asked about what happens next: “I don't know what will happen in the future, only God knows.

“My work is playing and I'm doing that well. I have a lot of affection for Betis, for everyone but I have a contract with Man United and I don't know what's going to happen.

“Now I will go to the national team and then on holiday then we will see what happens in the future. I'm very happy here, everyone knows that but I have a contract.”

Getty Images SportDID YOU KNOW?

Antony suffered Conference League heartache in his final outing for Betis, as they threw away a first-half lead to lose 4-1 against Chelsea, with the South American saying of that setback: “Right now it's difficult to say any words, we knew the importance of this final but we lost. Congratulations to Chelsea for the title. Concentration was our downfall.

“It was a good first half but in the second half, we didn't have the ball. We need to remember that it's a game of 90 minutes and we didn't concentrate for the entire game.”

Also hoped curators in the Caribbean could produce pitches that encouraged more youngsters to thrive as fast bowlers

Alex Malcolm19-Jan-2024The performances of Shamar Joseph and Kirk McKenzie in Adelaide should give their West Indies team-mates the confidence that they can perform against Australia, according to the captain Kraigg Brathwaite.Joseph and McKenzie were the shining lights in West Indies’ ten-wicket loss at Adelaide Oval, which handed Australia a 1-0 series lead. Joseph became just the 14th player in Test history, and the first West Indian, to take a five-wicket haul and score more than 50 runs on Test debut having made 36 and 15 batting at No. 11 in both innings after taking five wickets in Australia’s only innings.McKenzie made his maiden half-century in just his second Test match. He was one of only two players in the entire match to pass 50 on a difficult Adelaide Oval pitch. He looked comfortable in both innings against Australia’s attack, which bowled superbly throughout.”It shows them that they can do it,” Brathwaite said after the match. “Kirk got a 50 and 20-odd [26] in the second. So it shows that he has the ability to score runs against world-class bowlers. And the other guys didn’t get runs but from watching Kirk they know now that we could get it done.”Because it’s all mental. We played some shots where I believe the shot was on but we edged it. So whether it was nerves, obviously a little poor execution, but I think it could give the batters confidence to know that they could do it.”[Joseph’s] belief is amazing. If all the guys could have that that’d be great. But he’s obviously a special, special guy and he gave a lot of confidence to the team as well when you see him playing his shots and for the batters I just want them to go out there and enjoy themselves.”Brathwaite had further praise for Joseph’s all-round performance, particularly his bowling.”It’s a great start to his international career and he has a bright future for the West Indies,” Brathwaite said. “I wasn’t surprised. I really believe he’s something special. And I was very happy for him.”It was a surprise that Joseph was not given the new ball in the second innings when Australia needed just 25 runs to win. He bowled well again in the ten balls he eventually bowled after coming on in the sixth over, beating the bat several times and hitting Usman Khawaja in the helmet.Related

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Brathwaite said there was a thought to give him the new ball and hinted he may do so in Brisbane in the second Test.”Obviously he got Steve Smith with his first ball,” Brathwaite said. “So there was a temptation and you never know.”Brathwaite was also pleased with the performances of his other debutants, Kavem Hodge and Justin Greaves, despite neither having a major impact on the game. He was typically pragmatic about the challenges facing his young West Indies side.”I think it’s good for the guys to get out there and play and experience what it is to play international cricket,” Brathwaite said. “It’s great to be playing against the number one team in the world because you pretty much know where you stand after here. I was very, very pleased with what I saw from those debutants.”Brathwaite once again reiterated the need for West Indies to have more Tests scheduled, particularly back-to-back series, so his players can get some continuity without having to wait six months in between two-Test assignments.He also hoped curators in the Caribbean could produce pitches with more bounce and carry to encourage more youngsters like Joseph to emerge in first-class cricket and to help prepare West Indies batters for trips to Australia in the future.”I think one thing that would be great for us is we just got to produce some good pitches in the Caribbean,” Brathwaite said. “Some pitches that have some bounce so that we can produce more Shamar Josephs and not just a lot of spinners. Because pretty much in our first-class cricket in the first hour, the ball is spinning.”Our pitches are obviously getting better and they did improve in the last two years and if we continue to get them to have some pace in it, fast bowlers enjoy themselves and get some pace and balls bouncing to the keeper well and not just carrying knee height, I think all of that together will help us to produce more fast bowlers because it gives them a lot of confidence.”

da leao： In what would see them get one over on their rivals, Nottingham Forest now reportedly want to sign a young Brazilian gem worth just £5m this summer in a deal that could see Edu Gaspar become key.

Nottingham Forest could use Edu advantage

da apostaganha： In his first summer standing alongside Evangelos Marinakis and working for the clubs across his portfolio, Edu could prove to be a key part in Nottingham Forest’s transfer window – especially if they qualify for the Champions League this season.

The former Arsenal sporting director helped rebuild the Gunners into consistent title challengers but could not resist the chance to secure a more important role across more clubs under Marinakis. Now, it’s those at the City Ground who could benefit.

Already enjoying the fruits of previous successful recruitment, it should now be about sustaining their place among the Premier League’s best for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.

Given how he plucked Gabriel Martinelli from Ituano in 2018 too, it should come as no surprise to see that Edu’s focus has instantly shifted towards signing a Brazilian sensation in the Midlands.

According to Nosso Palestra, Nottingham Forest now want to hijack Wolves’ move to sign Riquelme Filippi this summer. Reports are indicating that their Midlands rivals are already preparing a £5m bid to sign the Palmeiras winger, but that doesn’t look set to stop Forest’s own pursuit of signing the 18-year-old.

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In a race against their rivals, Edu could quickly become key. The South American market is one that the club chief knows well from his time at Arsenal and during his time as a player for Corinthians at both the start and end of his career.

So, as the summer approaches, it may not be long before Marinakis’ decision proves worthwhile as Fillipi continues to impress in Brazil.

"Entertaining" Filippi is a rising star

Whilst Fillipi is not a player who’d make an instant impact on Espirito Santo’s strongest side, the young forward is undoubtedly one for the future. At youth level this season, the teenager has been a goalscoring machine – finding the back of the net 11 times in just nine games for Palmeiras.

As a result of his excellent form, Fillipi has earned impressive praise from the likes of U23 scout Antonio Mango, who described the forward as “one of many entertaining players at Palmeiras”.

If Nottingham Forest are looking for a permanent place in the Premier League’s top four, then welcoming young stars who could play a part for years to come would certainly be a good start.

Up against Wolves in pursuit of Filippi, the Midlands outfit could even receive the added boost of getting one over on their rivals by securing the winger’s signature this summer.

Weekly Waiver Wire Report

Catcher

Dalton Varsho, ARI

I’m going to kick the Varsho tires one more time as I’m sure he remains in the free-agent pool in most shallow leagues. After delivering four hits over his first nine at-bats after his call up, Varsho only has one hit over 20 at-bats. He looks on the verge of getting sent back to the minors, but the Diamondbacks had two injuries (Carson Kelly and Asdrubal Cabrera) to clear his path for more playing time. Arizona should have playing time open at catcher and outfield, even with Ketel Marte scheduled to be back this week. My intrigue with Varsho is his combination of speed and power at the C2 position. His job now is to hit his way into more playing time.

Adley Rutschman, BAL

Over the first nine games at AA, Rutschman has seven hits in 32 at-bats with seven runs, two home runs, and six RBI. His walk rate (25) continues to be elite, but he does have 11 strikeouts. With a hot bat, he should push his way to AAA by the summer with a chance at the majors later in the year. For now, Rutschman is just a player to follow for the fantasy team's desperate for an upgrade at the catcher position.

First Base

Bobby Dalbec, BOS

Dalbec is available in 46 percent of 12-team leagues. His swing and miss style led to a quiet start to the year (15-for-86 with three runs, one home run, and six RBI while whiffing 33 times). Over his previous seven games, he hit .360 over 25 at-bats with six runs, three home runs, 11 RBI, and one steal. His hot run should continue with six games next week in hitter’s ballparks (@TOR and @PHI). For a power-starved team, Dalbec offers help as long as he is making contact.

Second Base

Jonathan Schoop, DET

A month and a half into the baseball season, there hasn’t been much to get excited about Schoop. Coming into this week, he only hit .180 over 111 at-bats with 10 runs, two home runs, and eight RBI. Schoop has three multi-hit games over his last five starts (8-for-21 with two runs and two RBI), signifying that a power run is on the way. From 2016 to 2019, he pounded 101 balls over the fence with 307 RBI over 2,143 at-bats. Schoop is worth a short-term ride for a fantasy team looking for power or covering an injury.

Jonathan India, CIN

After playing his way out of a starting job (5-for-48 with five runs, one home run, and three RBI), India capitalized on a Nick Senzel injury to put his name back into the lineup conversation for the Reds. He went 4-for-8 in games in Colorado with three runs, two home runs, and five RBI. India has more of a trick-or-treat feel with questions with his long-term value.

Shortstop

Elvis Andrus, OAK

There hasn’t been an Andrus sighting since 2019 in the fantasy market. He quietly has a seven-game hitting streak (8-for-23), with almost no production (one run and two RBI). Over his last 231 at-bats, Andrus hit only .186 with 19 runs, three home runs, 13 RBI, and six steals. The chase here is the possible uptick in stolen bases. Andrus has been dropped in all kinds of formats, but he is only viable in deep leagues where there is a much weaker player pool.

Wander Franco, TB

The Franco watch looks to be on track over his first nine games. He has 11 hits over his first 35 at-bats with seven runs, two home runs, six RBI, and one steal. He looks ready for the majors, but the Rays tend to restrict their top prospects early in their careers. Franco is a clear hold and a buy if somehow he was dropped in shallow leagues.

Third Base

Josh Fuentes, COL

Some home cooking in Colorado unlocked Fuentes’ bats over his last three games (7-for-13 with four runs, two home runs, and nine RBI). Before his uptick, he only hit .191 over 94 at-bats with 10 runs, two home runs, and 10 RBI. The Rockies lost C.J. Cron this week with a back issue, which helped his playing time. Fuentes tends to be a free-swinger who will hit for average while looking to develop his power-stroke. He is a free agent in 65 percent of 15-team leagues. Ride him while he is hot and keep him if his hits continue to leave the yard.

Outfield

Yonathan Daza, COL

Heading into action on Saturday night, Daza has a five-game hitting streak (10-for-14 with four runs, three RBI, and one steal) at home. He raised his batting average from .274 to .337. In 2019 at AAA, Daza hit .364 over 387 at-bats with 11 home runs, 48 RBI, and 12 steals. The Rockies will give him starting at-bats as long as Garrett Hampson starts at second base. Brendan Rodgers will be back in the majors soon, which adds another bat to mix in the infield.

Jo Adell, LAA

Over his first eight games at AAA, Adell hit .265 with nine runs, four home runs, nine RBI, and two stolen bases to create intrigue when the Angels call him up. His issue with Los Angeles in 2020 came from a high number of strikeouts (55 over 124 at-bats). He already has 14 whiffs in the minors over 34 at-bats, which means fantasy owners may need to pump the brakes on his arrival. Adell has a high upside when he figures out how to control the strike zone better. For now, Adell is only a player to follow.

Jesus Sanchez, MIA

The hottest outfield hitter at AAA over the first 10 days of the year is Sanchez. He has 17 hits over 35 at-bats with nine runs, five home runs, and 15 RBI. He comes with a right-field profile, which creates a problem for him reaching the majors if Corey Dickerson and Adam Duvall are healthy. Over his six seasons in the minors, Sanchez hit .300 with 55 home runs, 319 RBI, and 29 stolen bases over 1,830 at-bats. His bat should help in batting average while showing developing power.

Starting Pitching

Luis Patino, TB

Tampa shifted gears with Patino over the last week, which points to him working in a starting role. Over his four appearances (two short starts), he has a 1.54 ERA and 13 strikeouts over 11.2 innings. In his last outing, he went four innings while throwing 65 pitches, putting him one more game from pitching at least five innings. Patino posted a 2.35 ERA and 279 strikeouts over 234 innings in the minors. The Rays will limit his innings, but his arm has a high ceiling. In the high-stakes 15-team market, he was a popular pickup last week.

Matt Manning, DET

The next young pitching prospect to make it to the majors should be Manning. Over his five seasons in the minors, he went 22-17 with a 3.15 ERA and 423 strikeouts over 342.2 innings. Manning shined at AA in 2019 (11-5 with a 2.56 ERA and 148 strikeouts over 133.2 innings), which should have put him on a path to reach AAA in 2020 if there was minor league baseball. In his two starts this year at AAA, he picked up an impressive 13 strikeouts with one walk over 11 innings, but six of his nine hits allowed landed over the fence. Tarik Skubal needs a drop-down in class, and Jose Urena may have suffered an ankle issue in his start on Saturday. Manning needs to clean up his home runs if he is going to help fantasy teams in 2021.

Logan Gilbert, SEA

The Mariners called up Gilbert on Thursday to make his major league debut, and top-hitting prospect Jarred Kelenic. His career with Seattle started with a subpar showing (four runs, five hits, and two home runs over four innings with four strikeouts). His arm looked sharp in his first appearance in the minors (one run over five innings with five strikeouts). In 2019 over four levels, Gilbert went 10-5 with a 2.13 ERA and 165 strikeouts over 135 innings. He will be a top pitcher picked up in the high-stakes market this week. 

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da fezbet： Manchester United are interested in signing a £12 million forward who has outscored Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee this season, according to a new report.

Rasmus Hojlund open to leaving Man Utd

da pinup bet： It has been a very difficult season for both Hojlund and Zirkzee this season, but the latter seems to be slowly finding his feet at Old Trafford despite the goals not flowing in. For Hojlund, while he scored in the win over Leicester City on Sunday, his performances have thrown his future at the club into doubt.

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It’s now being claimed by reports in Italy, relayed by Man Utd news, that Italian giants Napoli have placed Hojlund at the top of their transfer wishlist, as Antonio Conte wants to sign a new striker. Hojlund is a player the club has under consideration, and the update adds that the Dane would “gladly” return to Italy after he played for Atalanta before joining the Red Devils.

Hojlund was a hefty investment for United, as they paid £63 million to secure his services back in 2023, and if he were to leave this summer, the Premier League side would want at least £51 million, as that would allow them to avoid a loss in their financial books. It is claimed that the price tag could be a problem for Napoli, but despite that, they have held “first exploratory talks”, as they consider the Denmark international as someone who could compete with current striker Romelu Lukaku.

Man Utd add new 24 y/o forward to transfer wishlist

So while Hojlund could be set for an Old Trafford exit, according to United in Focus, Man United have added Mainz striker Jonathan Burkardt to their shortlist as they search for a new number nine.

The report claims that the Red Devils are working hard behind the scenes to have a list of striker options heading into the summer transfer window. Burkardt has been added to that list after impressing club scouts, and therefore, they issued a glowing report on the forward. His performances in Germany this year have seen his Transfermarkt value rise, as he is now valued at roughly £21 million.

Mainz are a side that uses the 3-4-3 system that Ruben Amorim employs at Old Trafford, and Burkardt’s ability to fit into that system also makes him a standout choice. However, United are not alone in their pursuit, as other teams from the Premier League are also interested in signing the 24-year-old.

Jonathan Burkardt’s Mainz stats

Apps

137

Goals

42

Assists

14

Burkardt, who is said to be likened to Newcastle’s Alexander Isak, has been at Mainz since July 2014. He worked his way into their first team, and since 2018, he has been a regular in the side as they have cemented themselves as a Bundesliga team.

Last season, Burkardt scored eight goals in 21 league games, but already this season he has surpassed that, scoring 15 goals in 22 league games and 16 in all competitions and has captained the club regularly in 2024/25. That means the German has outscored both Hojlund and Zirkzee combined, as the pair have eight and six goals, respectively.

Ahead of a crucial game between two sides sitting in the depths of the bottom-half, Ipswich Town could be forced to square off against Manchester United without two key men.

Ipswich injury news

With every week and every defeat, Ipswich once realistic survival chances have faded into more and more of a fantasy. Now five points adrift of safety in the Premier League, The Tractor Boys desperately need to get back to winning ways for the first time in 10 league games, having last shocked Chelsea at the end of December.

There was once a time when a visit to Old Trafford was the last thing that a side in Ipswich’s position need. Nowadays though, it’s exactly what the doctor’s ordered.

Kieran McKenna’s side arguably have their best chance to pick up three points since they allowed Southampton to pick up a rare victory in frustrating fashion. United are blunt going forward, vulnerable going the other way and there for the taking under Ruben Amorim, but Ipswich may not be at their best themselves following recent injury news.

As confirmed by McKenna, Ipswich could now be without both Kalvin Phillips and Jens Cajuste against Manchester United after both players limped off against Tottenham Hotspur last time out.

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McKenna told reporters: “It looks like, hopefully, neither is a very, very serious injury. But they’re still getting some scans and assessments. Honestly, I don’t think we can rule anything in or out. That’s not being flippant.

“They’re getting some scans this morning which we’ll get the results of this afternoon. We don’t think either injury is severe and we can’t put any timescale on them at the minute.”

Facing a race against time to be fit, both Phillips and Cajuste will be desperate to fight back to full fitness and leave their mark on Old Trafford and the rest of Ipswich’s bid for survival.

Injury comes at frustrating time for Phillips

Having seen his time at Manchester City dominated by injury and a lack of game time, Phillips looked to be building momentum at last for Ipswich – starting three of their last four league games – only to suffer another blow. Now awaiting the result of his scan, the £150,000-a-week midfielder will be desperate to avoid another lengthy absence.

With just 12 Premier League games remaining, it will soon be decision time for Ipswich regarding a permanent move to sign Phillips. And whilst at times he has looked destined to bow out at Portman Road, recent improvement could yet ignite some hope that he could yet earn a summer switch.

Either way – whether courtesy of Ipswich or another willing club – the former Leeds United midfielder would be wise to end his Manchester City career on a permanent basis.

Before any of those decisions, however, Phillips must hope to play a part in what would be a miraculous recovery from Ipswich if they were to maintain their top flight status.

One spot left, three teams in contention and there’s the complication of rain as well

S Rajesh08-Nov-2023New ZealandNew Zealand’s net run rate of 0.398 is the best among the three teams, but their recent form is the worst: they have lost four on the trot. The last of those defeats came against Pakistan in Bengaluru, the same venue where they will face Sri Lanka on Thursday.Given their superior run rate (NRR), a win will significantly boost their chances of making the semi-finals, as Pakistan and Afghanistan will need victories by massive margins go past on NRR. However, if New Zealand lose, the only way they can qualify is if Pakistan and Afghanistan also lose and stay on eight, in which case New Zealand could sneak through on NRR. That will also mean a team qualifying for the World Cup semi-finals despite losing five out of nine games.There’s also the chance of a washout in Bengaluru, with rain predicted on Thursday. If that happens then New Zealand will finish on nine points, and again, the only way they can make the cut is if Pakistan and Afghanistan lose (assuming their matches aren’t washed out).PakistanPakistan’s NRR is the second-best among the three teams. Hence, if New Zealand lose to Sri Lanka, or if their match is washed out, then a win for Pakistan against England will put them in an extremely strong position to qualify.However, if New Zealand win then Pakistan will not only need to beat England, but also beat them by a handy margin: if, for instance, even if New Zealand win by just one run after scoring 300 in a 50-over game, Pakistan will have to win by 130 to go past their NRR.AfghanistanAfghanistan’s NRR of -0.338 is the worst among the three teams, which means their best bet is to hope that neither New Zealand nor Pakistan win their last game. In that case, any win margin against South Africa will suffice. If New Zealand don’t win their last match and Pakistan beat England by a run, then Afghanistan will have to beat South Africa by 140 runs to go past Pakistan’s NRR. If New Zealand win by a run in a full 50-over game, though, then Afghanistan’s victory margin will need to be 273 runs (assuming first-innings totals of 300). There have been two larger margins of victories in this tournament, but you’ll have to be an extreme optimist to believe that Afghanistan will pull off a win so comprehensive against South Africa.

كشف روبن باراخا، المدير الفني السابق لنادي فالنسيا، حقيقة ما تردد في الساعات الماضية بشأن اقترابه من تدريب الأهلي، خلفًا لمواطنه خوسيه ريبيرو.

ويبحث الأهلي عن مدرب جديد يقود الفريق بعد الانفصال عن ريبيرو عقب 94 يومًا فقط بسبب سوء النتائج.

اقرأ أيضًا.. الفتح يكشف لـ”بطولات” موقفه من رحيل جوزيه جوميز بعد أنباء اهتمام الأهلي

باراخا علق في تصريحات خاصة عبر بطولات، قائلاً: “سيكون أمرًا مثيرًا للاهتمام إذا تحدث معي أحد من النادي الأهلي حول تدريب الفريق”.

وأضاف: “لكن حتى الآن لم يحدث أي تواصل سواء معي بشكل مباشر أو مع وكيلي، ولم يصلني أي عرض رسمي أو غير رسمي، دعنا نرى ماذا سيحدث”.

وكانت تقارير صحفية قد أشارت إلى أن اسم باراخا طُرح على طاولة الأهلي في الفترة الماضية من أجل خلافة ريبيرو من خلال أحد الوكلاء.

المدرب الإسباني يملك مسيرة لافتة مع فالنسيا، حيث قاد الفريق في الموسم الماضي، وسبق له العمل في عدة أندية داخل إسبانيا مثل ريال سرقسطة، تينيريفي، رايو فاييكانو، سبورتنج خيخون، إلتشي.

ويُنتظر أن يواصل الأهلي دراسة عدد من الملفات التدريبية الأخرى قبل حسم هوية المدير الفني الجديد للفريق خلال الأيام المقبلة للبدء بعد فترة التوقف الدولي.

Everton’s time at Goodison Park has very nearly run its course with a second test event at Bramley-Moore Dock now complete.

It remains to be seen what players will be picked by David Moyes for Everton’s first competitive fixture at their fresh home, with the Scotsman having to wrestle with the futures of many of his camp now owing to their contracts running down, on top of loanees such as Jack Harrison and Jesper Linderstrom perhaps not sticking it out long-term.

Whatever does take place, the options at Moyes’ disposal on the left side of the attack look to be light with Iliman Ndiaye currently out injured and homegrown gem Anthony Gordon now way away from the grasps of Goodison at Newcastle United.

Gordon's rise at Newcastle since leaving Everton

Gordon has had to walk away from Thomas Tuchel’s England camp this international break due to his own injury difficulties, but it’s fair to say his career has come on leaps and bounds since waving goodbye to Merseyside.

Indeed, the Liverpool-born attacker is front and centre of Eddie Howe’s EFL Cup-winning side right now, with Gordon boasting an impressive nine strikes and six assists this season in all competitions, even if he did miss that Wembley showdown with the Reds through suspension.

Those numbers alone actually match his entire output from when he was in the Everton first-team picture, with Gordon only mustering up a disappointing seven goals and eight assists at the Toffees, having previously shone in many a youth side.

Still, this didn’t prove to be a setback for the now fully fledged Three Lions international who has gone on to excel past Merseyside.

On the flip side, however, a fellow former Toffees youth product hasn’t quite gone on to reach the heights once expected of him, despite bettering Gordon back in their U23s education.

The Everton academy star who was ahead of Gordon

It’s to be expected in the cruel landscape of youth football that some won’t hit the heights they believe they’re destined for, with the hype next to their name often working against them.

Nathan Broadhead is arguably a forgotten face when examining the recent crop to have come up through the youth ranks at Goodison, with the likes of Gordon stealing most of the plaudits for his heroics now at St James’ Park.

But, back in 2021, many would have been expecting Broadhead to be the star to hit the big time in the same way Gordon has, considering the Welsh starlet had a number of goal-and-assist laden campaigns under his belt playing for the U23s.

Broadhead had been in and around the U23 set-up since 2017, with Gordon still having to cut his teeth in the U18 picture initially, whilst his counterpart went on to tally up 17 goals and seven assists from 59 appearances in the highest level of youth football.

Gordon paled in comparison with his output for the U23s too – helping himself to just eight goals and five assists from a lesser 28 appearances – but only one of them would ultimately go on to forge a senior career at the club.

Despite making a name for himself in the youth circles at the club, Broadhead only made a meagre two first-team appearances for the Toffees, with the path to stardom for Gordon laid out for him when he seized his senior chances better.

24/25

16

0

1

23/24

41

13

5

22/23

21

8

6

He has since gone on to play in the Premier League more regularly at his current employers Ipswich Town after Kevin Thelwell sanctioned a £1.5m switch, but he has had to work hard to get back up to the level, having joined the Tractor Boys when they were marooned down in League One.

Ultimately, it’s extremely hard to predict how a youngster’s playing days will pan out, with Gordon potentially set for even dizzier heights at the Magpies, whilst Broadhead stares a relegation back to the Championship in the face.

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Elsewhere, Surrey confirm Kemar Roach’s return for opening months of Championship season

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Feb-2024

Australia batter Cameron Bancroft will return to Gloucestershire this year after signing a deal to represent the club across formats in the 2024 season.Bancroft was recently overlooked by Australia’s selectors for the Test opening spot vacated by David Warner, but has been prolific for Western Australia in the last two Sheffield Shield seasons. He was named men’s domestic player of the year at the Australian Cricket Awards earlier this week.He previously played for Gloucestershire in 2016 and 2017, and also played county cricket for Durham (2021) and Somerset (2023). “I’m absolutely delighted to sign with Gloucestershire and to have the chance to return to the club where I started my county career,” Bancroft said.He will link up with the club in April and be available for the majority of the summer. “I love playing county cricket and the opportunity to play all formats with the club is something I’m really excited about,” he said. “With a new coach and a really talented playing group, I’m looking forward to the season ahead.”Gloucestershire are in a transitional period after losing senior players Ryan Higgins (Middlesex) and Benny Howell (Hampshire) last season. They were winless in the County Championship last year, finishing bottom of Division Two, and failed to qualify for the T20 Blast knockout stages and were losing semi-finalists in the Metro Bank Cup.On Thursday, they unveiled Mark Alleyne as their new coach after Dale Benkenstein left for Lancashire. “I’m really excited to have someone of Cameron’s ability and experience on board for the season to come,” Alleyne said. “We already have an exciting group of players here so to add to that with a player of international calibre in Cameron, it’s fantastic for me as a coach to have such depth in the squad.”Meanwhile, Surrey have confirmed that Kemar Roach will re-join the club for the first seven matches of the Championship season. “Everyone knows that Surrey is a second home for me, and I love coming to London to play at one of the best grounds in the world,” he said.”The Club’s ambitions in the red-ball game are a big draw for me and I want to play my role in winning another County Championship trophy. I cannot wait to start my fourth season with Surrey.”