Marseille manager Roberto De Zerbi has been sent a strong message about Mason Greenwood’s best position at the Ligue 1 club.

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Greenwood has scored 19 goals in Ligue 1Has revived his form after a temporary dipMarseille captain Rongier sends stern message to De ZerbiFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Greenwood delivered another stellar performance for Marseille, reinforcing his growing influence in Ligue 1 with a goal (although it has since gone down as an own goal) and an assist during their recent clash against Brest. After a brief spell on the bench following concerns around his attitude, he seems to have returned to De Zerbi’s good books, and his recent display offered plenty of reasons why.

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Marseille lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation against Brest, with Greenwood deployed in a wide position that appears to suit his strengths. And Marseille captain Valentin Rongier believes the forward will thrive in his new role.

WHAT RONGIER SAID

In an interview with Rongier said: "Changing things up puts everyone back in alert mode. And also putting Luis (Henrique) and Mason (Greenwood) in their preferred position. Because Mason loves to be there, even when he played a little bit as a false nine, as a ten, he likes to go out to the wing. I think it's also good for our attacking assets."

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Marseille currently hold second place in the Ligue 1 standings, keeping them firmly in contention for a spot in next season’s UEFA Champions League. They will be back in action next against Lille on Sunday in Ligue 1.

Jos Buttler’s team begin the World Cup in ominous form, but injury concerns still surround Livingstone and Woakes

Andrew Miller21-Oct-2022

Jos Buttler is in prime form, but Ben Stokes faces questions over his exact role in England’s T20I set-up•Getty Images

Big pictureAs the dramas of the opening week of this World Cup can attest, there really aren’t any pushovers at this level any more. The reduced parameters of the 20-over format, allied to the dog-eat-dog competitiveness that caused each of the eight first-round teams to win and lose at least once in their quest for the main event, ensure that every underdog can and will have his day, if any supposed superior dares to lower his guard.And in that context, there can be few more riveting match-ups than England versus Afghanistan, a clash of cricketing cultures on the one hand, but one that shares at its core a single uniting ethos – the ball is there to be battered as hard and as far as possible. And on the sort of Perth flyer that allowed England and Australia to muscle 408 runs between them in a six-laden thriller earlier this month, it’s hard to envisage either line-up holding back.Related

Afghanistan ready to script 'remarkable stories' as two-year wait of playing in Australia ends

Can Chris Jordan find redemption and a swansong at the World Cup?

The 'rationally irresistible' rise of Jos Buttler, T20 opener

Chris Woakes doubtful for England's opener against Afghanistan

For all that West Indies offer a cautionary tale, however, it would be quite the shock if England trip up at this early juncture of their campaign, given that they seem at last to have rediscovered their default batting mood. They were made to brawl for a hard-earned 4-3 series win in Pakistan last month, but with four wins in as many completed matches, plus a crushing display of range-hitting in their warm-up against Pakistan in Brisbane, they are primed to plant the front foot for this campaign, and live up to the assertion of their captain Jos Buttler that they will be a “dangerous” proposition in the coming weeks.That’s not to say, however, that their build-up has been plain sailing. The loss of Jonny Bairstow to a freakish slip on the golf course in August was a devastating blow, particularly after the award-winning summer he had just enjoyed, and when Reece Topley stepped on a rogue boundary marker, they lost another of their most potent powerplay weapons. Concerns still swirl about Liam Livingstone’s ankle and Chris Woakes’ quad, and while Ben Stokes’ star quality can never be in doubt, his precise role in the side remains a work in progress after 18 months in abeyance.But, given the diffidence of the home summer just gone, in which England failed for the first time since 2013 to win a single white-ball series in four attempts, they remain impressively well placed to challenge for the title that eluded them in the UAE 12 months ago.To a certain degree, England’s recent reticence was inevitable. Given the extent to which the post-2015 white-ball set-up had been forged in the former captain’s image, the sudden retirement of Eoin Morgan in June – only weeks after the appointment of his new sidekick Matthew Mott – left the set-up becalmed and in danger of imitating its former glories rather than striving for new ones. Jason Roy’s loss of form, and a range of injury absences – most particularly, given his stellar recent displays, Mark Wood – added to this sense of stagnation.But, quite literally by accident, but ultimately by design, the bold decision to offer an olive branch to Alex Hales in the wake of Bairstow’s slip may yet have provided the jolt that the squad was possibly crying out for. At a stroke, the old order was dismantled – Morgan’s culture-first ethos replaced by something with a touch more desperation, as perhaps befits the needs of a golden generation that might not get many more shots at global glory.Do Afghanistan have the game for the pace and bounce of Perth?•ICC via Getty Images

Certainly this looks likely to be Chris Jordan’s swansong campaign, while the likes of Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali are unlikely to extend far beyond next year’s 50-over World Cup defence in India. As for Dawid Malan, last week he was bristling at the indignity of being cut from England’s full central contracts list, but – as one of the most destructive good-wicket batters in the world (and that is not intended as faint praise) – there could be no better stage for him to restate the credentials that carried him to the top of the ICC’s T20I rankings. Either way, there’s a hunger to England’s cricket at the moment that augurs well for the fights to come.As for Afghanistan, they rarely need prompting to put up a fight at this tournament. Twelve months ago – and once again automatically seeded in the main draw – they won two of their five games, albeit against the qualifiers Namibia and Scotland, but have undergone a fair evolution themselves in the past 12 months. Stalwarts such as Mohammad Shahzad and Hamid Hassan have moved on, but with newcomers such as Fazalhaq Farooqi and Qais Ahmad already fixtures on the franchise circuit, they bring with them a different type of threat and experience.It will be a significant contest, too, for Afghanistan’s new head coach Jonathan Trott, who has previously worked in England’s camp as a consultant down the years, but has since stepped into the role vacated when Graham Thorpe fell ill earlier this year.Recent formEngland WWWWL (last five completed T20Is, most recent first)
Afghanistan LLLWWIn the spotlightThis is Jos Buttler’s time to shine. England’s captain has been eased back to full fitness since the calf strain that ended his home season back in August, including through a full seven-match tour of Pakistan in which he didn’t feature even once. But the patience from England’s management looks as though it has paid off, with a brace of formidable half-centuries in last week’s 2-0 series win over Australia including a comeback innings of 68 from 32 balls at this same Perth venue. In the course of his 132-run opening stand with Alex Hales, Buttler tapped unstintingly into the prolific mindset that earned him the MVP award at last season’s IPL, as well as 269 runs at 89.66 and a strike-rate of 151.12 in the previous T20 World Cup 12 months ago. At the age of 32, Buttler is a young captain in the context of the world-beating white-ball set-up that was forged under his predecessor Eoin Morgan, but he’s at the absolute peak of his personal powers right now, and seemingly in the mood to lead England’s campaign from the front.Rashid Khan is Afghanistan’s blue-chip asset – a competitor who is not simply world-class but arguably the best in his business, as attested to by a career haul of 118 T20I wickets in just 71 matches, and at an incredible economy-rate of 6.24. His methods as a wristspinner are simple but devastating – a flat, wicket-to-wicket approach, with unrelenting accuracy, indecipherable movement both ways, and a speed through the air that confounds any attempt at second-guessing. Factor in his fielding and a swordsman’s flair with the bat, and it’s little wonder he’s a marquee pick at any tournament he turns his hand to. That said, he does not have especially happy memories of his last encounter with England. At Old Trafford in the 2019 World Cup, he was panned for an eyewatering 110 runs in nine overs as Eoin Morgan’s six-laden century set the eventual champions up for their highest total of the tournament, and to judge by Alex Hales’ comments in the build-up to the match, England fancy their chances of taking him down on a similarly springy surface. “Of all the grounds to play him at, Perth is probably one of the friendlier ones as a batter,” Hales said. We shall have to wait and see.Team news
The loss of Reece Topley is a shattering blow to England’s plans, given his pivotal roles with both the new ball and at the death, as well as his prolific form throughout 2022 – no other England T20I bowler has come close to his 17 wickets at 28.00 this year. To that end, England are likely to stack their rejigged line-up with bowling options – if Livingstone’s ankle is passed fit after his solitary outing against Pakistan this week, he is likely to nudge out Harry Brook, meaning England could have as many as eight bowling options in their 11. These will include Stokes, who has been an intriguing new-ball option since arriving in Australia. With doubts about Woakes’ fitness, it may be up to Sam Curran and David Willey to cover Topley’s top-and-tail overs, with Wood’s raw pace providing the point of difference through the middle. Tymal Mills, Topley’s replacement, is another possibility although he has not bowled competitively since August.England (probable) 1 Jos Buttler (capt & wk), 2 Alex Hales, 3 Dawid Malan, 4 Ben Stokes, 5 Liam Livingstone, 6 Moeen Ali, 7 Sam Curran, 8 Chris Woakes / David Willey, 9 Chris Jordan, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Mark WoodRashid Khan might have revenge on his mind after suffering a mauling during his last World Cup meeting with England•AFP/Getty Images

Afghanistan had an injury scare in the course of their warm-ups, when Rahmanullah Gurbaz was struck on the foot by Shaheen Shah Afridi during their warm-up against Pakistan, but he has since been cleared of a fracture. Head coach Jonathan Trott was giving little away on the eve of the game, but his squad appears to have a clean bill of health.Afghanistan (probable) 1 Hazratullah Zazai, 2 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 3 Ibrahim Zadran, 4 Darwish Rasooli, 5 Najibullah Zadran, 6 Mohammad Nabi (capt), 7 Azmatullah Omarzai, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Mujeeb Ur Rahman, 10 Naveen-ul-Haq, 11 Fazalhaq FarooqiPitch and conditionsThe weather is likely to be good, and the pitch is likely to be bouncy and full of runs. What more could you ask for?Stats and trivia England and Afghanistan have faced each other on two previous occasions in T20Is, at the 2012 World T20 in Sri Lanka, and in the 2016 event in India four years later. England won both matches, but were made to sweat in Delhi, eventually winning by 15 runs, en route to the final. The most recent of their four meetings in all internationals came at Old Trafford in the 2019 World Cup, a match made memorable by Eoin Morgan’s world-record haul of 17 sixes in his 148 from 71 balls. Ben Stokes needs 25 runs to reach 500 in T20Is. He has yet to make a half-century in 37 appearances. Quotes”I think we’re a dangerous team who have players who can win games on their own and that’s a huge thing in T20 cricket.”
“Nowadays with the way that analysts, analysing games with regards to technology and that sort of stuff, I don’t think there’s much you can say that isn’t available.”

In partnership with NewBettingSites.uk, Football FanCast had a quick chat with former Liverpool, Leeds and Arsenal winger Jermaine Pennant this week to catch up on a few of his old stomping grounds. Catch the full video interview and transcript below.

Pennant heaps praise on Arsenal youngsters but raises doubts over title race

Having come through Arsenal’s youth set-up to play his first senior minutes at Highbury, Pennant heaped praise on Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri, but did raise some possible red flags for the Gunners.

“Relying on youngsters going into a title dogfight, towards the end of the season, is not ideal. So it’s kind of a double edged sword – it’s great because they’re fearless and going out there with youth and athleticism and they’re hungry to play.

“But then you’ve got, when it comes down to the crunch time, inexperience, how can you handle that? It’s going to be new territory, so yeah it’s a double edged sword.”

Pennant on Arsenal's summer transfer plans amid links to Isak

Amid cries from fans in North London for a new number nine and constant links to Newcastle star Alexander Isak, Pennant believes the emergence of the aforementioned young stars clears the way for a serious signing up front this summer.

“I think so, you’ve seen now that Nwaneri can be a more than suitable replacement for Saka. You can put him in – like Liverpool throwing in a Gakpo or Diaz – and either/or you’re happy with. So with Nwaneri and Saka they’ve got that right hand side in a good place.

“Lewis-Skelly at left back, he’s proven that he’s more than capable in that position, so again they don’t really need to focus on that.

“So I think that’s helped them going into the market to really now finally focus on a good number nine.”

Related Arsenal told new Alexander Isak price tag in boost for Mikel Arteta

He’s a reported top target for the Gunners.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Feb 18, 2025 Pennant on Liverpool's plans to replace Mohamed Salah

With still no sign of a new contract for Liverpool superstar Mo Salah, we asked Pennant if there are any wingers within the Premier League good enough to succeed Anfield’s Egyptian King.

“Semenyo for Bournemouth, he’s looked exciting but he likes to play off the left, but I think he could play off the right as well. Mbeumo is a good option, but when you’re talking about other players rather than Mo Salah, it’s hard to put anyone up near him. Whoever we get, it’s just not going to be the same.

“So will we see someone from the Premier League? Probably not, I think they’ll go abroad to find a replacement.

“Their recruitment is usually spot on. I’m sure as we speak Liverpool are looking for some sort of replacement.”

Pennant on where else Liverpool need to strengthen this summer away from the 'big 3'

While the majority of the focus at Anfield remains on the futures of Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, Pennant, a boyhood Reds fan, believes left-back is also an area of concern.

“This is probably one of the most important spots that Liverpool need to fill in and that’s left back.

“No disrespect to Andy Robertson, absolutely fantastic player, fantastic servant to the club, a left-back legend, probably one of the best left-backs Liverpool have ever had.

“But I think now he’s coming to the end of the tether, still can be a great Liverpool player and part of the team, but to be a top left-back at the moment, he’s coming to the end of that cliff.

“Out there now to replace him, Kerkez from Bournemouth, Robinson from Fulham or even the likes of Ait-Nouri from Wolves, he had a good game (on Sunday) and I think he’d suit Liverpool well.”

Liverpool left-back targets

Current Club

Age

G/A in 2024/25

Antonee Robinson

Fulham

27

0 goals, 10 assists

Milos Kerkez

Bournemouth

21

2 goals, 3 assists

Rayan Ait-Nouri

Wolves

23

3 goals, 5 assists

Pennant on Leeds plans to sign Solomon and Rothwell to permanent deals

Having spent a season on loan at Elland Road as a youngster back in the 2003-04 campaign, the now 42 year-old Pennant believes the Whites should be penning loanees Solomon and Rothwell to long-term contracts this summer.

“100 per cent. Especially when you come into the Premier League, you need as much talent as you can. They’re two great players who have helped Leeds immensely.

“When you get players who have got you promoted, you want to keep that core and then invest around that for players who can adapt and play in the Premier League.

“So 100 per cent they need to sign players like that, it’s only gonna benefit them if they can.”

Pennant urges Farke to bring Jack Harrison back to Leeds

With the likes of Joe Gelhardt, Jack Harrison and Rasmus Kristensen – who has been linked with a permanent exit – currently out on loan, it was the Everton winger Pennant picked out as a sure-fire candidate to help Leeds once promoted.

“We’ve seen teams come into the Premier League and not invest in Premier League players who can do the job. The Championship and the Premier League is such a drastic difference.

“So a player like Harrison who’s been in the Premier League and is in and out but knows all about it, I think they need to keep players like that and bring him back in.”

Liverpool could now be set to lose yet another star this summer after it emerged that a European giant now want to lure one of their talents away from Anfield before the 2025/26 campaign.

Liverpool lead at the top thinning

A controversial late James Tarkowski goal ended the final Goodison Park derby as a 2-2 draw, stretching Liverpool’s lead at the top of the Premier League to seven points with 14 games left to play, before Arsenal trimmed that to four on Saturday with a 2-0 win at Leicester.

Arne Slot’s side are flying across all competitions, having lost just once in the Premier League and topping the Champions League first phase too, winning seven of their eight games.

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Though they were shocked by Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup, they have a chance at early silverware when they take on Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley in a month’s time, while they are well placed in both other competitions to scoop silverware by the end of the campaign.

However, off the pitch it is a different story; there has been very little movement publicly on the contract situations of any of Liverpool’s key trio, with Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold all set to walk away for nothing at the end of the campaign as things stand.

With Salah having provided 36 goal contributions in the Premier League alone this season, it would be a massive blow were Liverpool to lose him, let alone financially when you consider how much it would cost to sign anyone even close to his level in the summer.

The same can be said for Van Dijk, whose performances at the heart of defence continue to be the backbone to their success, though Trent’s departure would be eased by the emergence of Conor Bradley.

However, there could now be another departure from Anfield in an unwelcome turn of events for Slot and co.

PSG want to sign "elite" Liverpool ace

That comes courtesy of a report from ESPN, which reports that Paris Saint Germain are now eyeing up a move to sign Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate this summer as they look to continue their impressive squad building.

There had been reports that the French giants were also keen on a move for Mo Salah, but with no decision yet on his contract it is unclear whether they will resurface. However, the Parisians may raid Anfield nonetheless, with the French champions “keen to sign” Konate and bring him back to Paris, where he was born.

Appearances

18

Goals

1

Clean sheets

8

Points per game

2.4

Still just 25-years-old, Konate has been a key player for Slot, who was full of praise for his defender just last month: “He’s already very good. He’s a centre-back who, without even touching the ball, is impressive because he is so strong and tall.”

Meanwhile, one EFL Football Analyst took to X to dub his partnership with Van Dijk “elite”.

However, the French international is in the final 18 months of his £70,000 a week deal at Anfield, and though he has been offered a new contract no update on an agreement has been forthcoming, meaning that this summer could be Liverpool’s last chance to cash in on their asset to avoid a repeat of the sagas of this season.

Worse still for the Reds, Konate is said to be “tempted by a return to the city of his birth” and is “interested” in a move to PSG, where he would partner Marquinhos with the view to becoming their star centre-back in the years to come. Can Liverpool afford to let him leave as well?

Big picture

On geographical terms, Afghanistan and Ireland are perhaps two of the most peculiar rivals across cricket, but the intensity of this rivalry was borne out of a battle for Associate supremacy throughout the 2010s before both sides were elevated to Test status in 2017. Whether locked in a virtual dead heat in that era, or joined at the hip in the time since then as the fresh faces of the Full-Member society, these two sides know each other better than most at this tournament.Ireland and Afghanistan faced off in three consecutive tournament finals at the Men’s T20 World Cup Qualifier in 2010, 2012 and 2013, of which the men in green won the latter two. Those are part of the 23 times these sides have met before in the format since their first encounter in 2010. Remarkably though, this will be the first time they face off in a T20 World Cup proper.Barring those back-to-back wins in the finals of the qualifier, Afghanistan have dominated the rivalry, thanks in large part to Ireland’s inability to negotiate Rashid Khan. But the tide shifted this past summer in Belfast when Ireland took a five-match series by a 3-2 margin. Rashid only took one wicket in the three matches that Ireland won, highlighting a simple equation that has often determined the fate of the result over the years. Rashid takes wickets – Afghanistan wins. Ireland sees him off – Ireland wins.

Form guide

Afghanistan: LLLLW (last five completed matches, most recent result first)
Ireland: WLWWL

In the spotlight

For most of his career, Ireland captain Andy Balbirnie batted at No. 3. But since Kevin O’Brien was dropped following Ireland’s disastrous performance in the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE, Balbirnie has moved himself into the opening role and has justified the decision by doubling his prior career tally of four T20I half-centuries. The most recent of those came against England at the MCG, and he also served as a catalyst for the opening round win over West Indies that took them into the Super 12s with 37 off 23 balls.Rahmanullah Gurbaz was the best six-hitter in the Asia Cup, clearing the ropes on 12 occasions to make 152 runs at a strike rate of 163. It might take that kind of muscle to clear the ropes at the MCG. He was also one of only three players to score a half-century for Afghanistan during the five-match series held in Belfast in August.Rashid Khan vs Ireland batters could be a key contest at the MCG•ICC via Getty Images

Team news

George Dockrell has recovered from Covid-19 – he played anyway against England and Sri Lanka after testing positive – and should be fine to go against Afghanistan. It’s unlikely Ireland will change the winning combination that saw them beat England at the same ground.Ireland (probable): 1 Paul Stirling, 2 Andy Balbirnie (capt.), 3 Lorcan Tucker (wk), 4 Harry Tector, 5 Curtis Campher, 6 George Dockrell, 7 Gareth Delany, 8 Mark Adair, 9 Barry McCarthy, 10 Fionn Hand, 11 Josh LittleAfghanistan too are likely to stick with the same combination that took the field five days earlier against England despite a losing effort.Afghanistan (probable): 1 Hazratullah Zazai, 2 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 3 Ibrahim Zadran, 4 Usman Ghani, 5 Najibullah Zadran, 6 Mohammad Nabi (capt.), 7 Azmatullah Omarzai, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Mujeeb Ur Rahman, 10 Fareed Ahmad, 11 Fazalhaq Farooqi

Pitch and conditions

The MCG has favored seamers in this tournament and historically favors chasing sides with 10 out of 16 men’s T20I matches won by the team batting second. The decision to chase may be even more enhanced by the forecast for Friday. Following the rain that halted England’s chase against Ireland and forced Afghanistan’s match against New Zealand to be washed out entirely, an 80% chance of showers is forecast from 8 am until 8 pm on Friday.

Stats and trivia

• Hazratullah Zazai needs 33 runs to get to 1000 in T20Is. Nobody has more runs or a better average for Afghanistan against Ireland in T20Is than Zazai, who has made 466 at an average of 51.77, including a famous 162 not out off 62 balls at Dehradun in 2019.
• Paul Stirling has an equally enviable record at the top of the order in this rivalry, scoring nearly 20% (614) of his T20I career runs (3133) against Afghanistan. He’s saved his best for ICC tournaments against Afghanistan. Two of his four half-centuries in 22 innings against Afghanistan came in Player-of-the-Match performances to win the final of the ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier.

Quotes

“I’ve seen a lot of rain in my time playing cricket, and I’ve never been happier to see that rain come down when it did.”
“We’re not just here to participate but here to win matches. We’ve got players and a squad that can do that.”

أشعلت صورة ضمت أنطونيو روديجر، مدافع ريال مدريد، برفقة فرناندو هييرو، المدير الرياضي لنادي النصر السعودي، والوسيط المعروف فران بوراس، التكهنات بشأن احتمال انتقال اللاعب إلى دوري روشن خلال سوق الانتقالات الصيفية.

وباتت السعودية وجهة مفضلة للنجوم المخضرمين الباحثين عن تحدٍ جديد بعقود مجزية، ويبدو أن روديجر، الذي يرتبط بعقد مع ريال مدريد حتى يونيو 2026، قد يكون أحدث الأسماء المستهدفة من النصر، الساعي لتعزيز خطه الدفاعي قبل انطلاق الموسم.

وظهر روديجر خلال لقاء ودي على مأدبة عشاء جمعته بأسطورة ريال مدريد هييرو وبوراس، في صورة وصفها البعض بأنها تحمل مؤشرات واضحة على وجود مفاوضات أولية، بحسب صحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ماركا: رودريجو يبلغ إدارة ريال مدريد بقراره النهائي بشأن مستقبله

ويُعرف الوسيط فران بوراس بعلاقته الوثيقة بفرناندو هييرو، كما سبق أن لعب أدوارًا رئيسية في صفقات مشابهة، ما يعزز التكهنات بأن اللقاء لم يكن اجتماعيًا فقط بل خطوة تمهيدية لصفقة مدوية.

ورغم ارتباط روديجر بعقد طويل الأمد مع ريال مدريد، لا يُمانع الملكي فكرة بيع الألماني هذا الصيف إذا تلقى عرضًا مناسبًا، بشرط إيجاد بديل بنفس القدرات الدفاعية والخبرة الدولية، خصوصًا في ظل تركيز النادي على تجديد دمائه.

وكان روديجر قد خضع مؤخرًا لعملية جراحية في الركبة، ويركز حاليًا على استعادة جاهزيته للمشاركة في كأس العالم للأندية، التي قد تكون آخر بطولة كبرى له بقميص ريال مدريد إذا مضت المفاوضات في طريقها.

اللاعب البالغ من العمر 32 عامًا قدم موسمًا مميزًا مع ريال مدريد، لكنه يدرك أن فرصة اختتام مسيرته بعقد ضخم في دوري روشن قد لا تتكرر، في ظل تقدم العمر ووجود رغبة فعلية من النصر في ضمه.

Postponed West Indies tour of Pakistan opens up window for players to participate in new South African league

Umar Farooq04-Nov-2022Cricketers from Pakistan have been permitted by the PCB to sign up with the CSA’s SA20 league, after not being part of the main player auction.ESPNcricinfo understands that the change came after the league introduced the option of additional wildcard entries. The process will allow each team to pick one extra player in their squads, and at least two Pakistani players who do not have PCB central contracts are aiming to secure deals. The PCB has also allowed contracted players to play in the SA20 league, if they can get takers. The first edition of the tournament begins in January 2023.”We are introducing a wildcard pick,” Graeme Smith, commissioner of the SA20 league, told ESPNcricinfo. “Post the World Cup, we will allow teams to pick one other player. From a league perspective, we don’t get involved with selection. The teams go to the market and pick.”No Pakistan players featured in the original auction, in part because most of the top players will be involved in a busy home international season. But there was also a sense within the PCB that their players would get snubbed because the franchises are owned by owners of IPL teams; Pakistan players have been effectively barred from the IPL since 2008 because of poor relations between the governments of India and Pakistan.Related

SA20 auction: Stubbs the biggest buy, Ferreira creates a stir

It is unclear what made PCB change its mind, though the postponement of West Indies’ tour to Pakistan is thought to be one of the reasons. That tour, of three T20Is, was scheduled for January 2023, but has been called off, providing space in the calendar for players from both countries to become available for T20 leagues in the January-February window.Apart from the SA20, the ILT20 (in the UAE), Australia’s BBL, and the BPL in Bangladesh are all on at the same time, and the PSL is set to start in early February.The PCB, however, will keep its players away from the ILT20 as originally planned. Fast bowler Mohammad Hasnain and wicketkeeper batter Azam Khan were both denied NOCs for the league earlier. Both players were in contention to sign a deal with Desert Vipers, one of the teams in the league that is not Indian-owned.The SA20 auction took place in September with a long list of 533 players. Tristan Stubbs fetched the highest bid of Rand 9.2 million (US$ 520,000 approx.) for the inaugural edition, with Sunrisers Eastern Cape winning a fierce bidding war against MI Cape Town and Johannesburg Super Kings to pick up their homegrown star-in-the-making.

Chelsea are open to letting Wesley Fofana leave in the summer amid strong interest from Ligue 1 giants Marseille.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Fofana could leave Chelsea
• Marseille show interest in French defender
• Currently out of action with injury

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Fofana, who has appeared in only 14 matches across all competitions for Chelsea since the summer of 2023, is considering ending his injury-plagued journey in West London and moving out of Stamford Bridge at the end of the 2024-25 campaign.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Per , Ligue 1 giants Marseille have shown strong interest in the French defender and are expected to approach the Premier League giants with an offer. The Blues have yet to decide whether to sell the player permanently this summer or let him leave on a one-year loan deal.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Fofana rejoined Chelsea training in March after being sidelined for three months due to a hamstring injury. However, earlier in April, it was confirmed that he would have to undergo surgery on another muscle issue, thereby ruling him out for the remainder of the season.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MARSEILLE?

  Roberto De Zerbi's side could virtually seal a Champions League spot for next season if they beat Lille in the upcoming Ligue 1 fixture on March 4.

The January transfer window officially slammed shut on Monday and Liverpool did not make a single signing to bolster their squad during the winter market.

Arne Slot’s side are currently top of the Premier League and have already secured a place in the last 16 of the Champions League, which shows that their current team is already good enough to compete in the major competitions.

The Dutchman and the club, ultimately, decided to avoid any mid-season additions, which could have disrupted the group, and can now fully focus on the players that they do have in the second half of the season.

Liverpool beat high-flying Bournemouth 2-0 away from home in the Premier League at the weekend, thanks to two goals from Mohamed Salah, and their biggest success in January may well have been keeping players like the Egypt international.

Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold are all out of contract at the end of the season and the Reds resisted any potential temptations to cash in on the trio before possibly losing them for nothing.

Real Madrid reportedly made an offer of £20m to sign Alexander-Arnold from Liverpool, but it was not enough to tempt the Premier League leaders into selling him.

Liverpool's most valuable players

Despite his contract expiring in the summer, the England international is currently valued at €75m (£62m) by Transfermarkt, which is significantly more than what the LaLiga giants put on the table for him last month.

That perfectly illustrates just how valuable the right-back is to the Reds because he is the third-most valuable player in the squad on Transfermarkt, even with his deal up at the end of the season.

Whereas, van Dijk and Salah – who turn 34 and 33 respectively this summer – both rank outside of the top-five most valuable players at the club, with values of £23m and £46m respectively.

Alexander-Arnold is still in the prime years of his career, at the age of 26, and that may be why his value has remained so high, in comparison to van Dijk and Salah’s, despite his ongoing contract situation.

Luis Diaz

£71m

Alexis Mac Allister

£64m

Trent Alexander-Arnold

£62m

Dominik Szoboszlai

£62m

Darwin Nunez

£54m

As you can see in the table above, only Alexis Mac Allister and Luis Diaz are currently worth more than the academy graduate, who could find himself at Real Madrid on a free transfer in the summer if the Reds do not agree an extension with him.

If Slot and the club are unable to pin him down to a long-term deal at Anfield, the Dutch head coach could hit the jackpot by unearthing a new star in his successor – Conor Bradley.

Conor Bradley's current market value

At the time of writing (05/02/2025), Transfermarkt currently values the Northern Ireland international at €20m (£17m). Only two outfield players in the squad – Wataro Endo and Tyler Morton – are worth less on the site.

This means that Bradley is one of the least valuable players in the Liverpool squad at this moment in time, but that does not account for his potential to improve and develop over the years to come.

At the age of 21, the talented youngster still has plenty of years left ahead of him to grow as a player to improve his performances on the pitch and, as a result, increase his market value for the Reds.

Since coming up through the academy, Bradley has racked up 46 first-team appearances for the Premier League giants, after spending the 2022/23 campaign on loan with Bolton Wanderers, and has proven himself to be a capable performer.

Appearances (starts)

11 (10)

Goals

1

Key passes per game

1.4

Assists

3

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.9

As you can see in the table above, Jurgen Klopp brought him into the side last season and handed him plenty of opportunities to shine, with ten starts in the top-flight.

Bradley caught the eye with four direct goal contributions and almost four tackles and interceptions per game on average, as the youngster impressed at both ends of the pitch.

Why Conor Bradley is a £77m star in the making

Slot could, now, hit gold with the 21-year-old ace as the long-term replacement for Alexander-Arnold at Anfield because he is a potential £77m star in the making.

As per FBref, Manchester City full-back Josko Gvardiol is one of the most similar full-backs to Bradley over the last 365 days in the Men’s big 5 leagues and European competitions, based on their statistics.

The Cityzens reportedly paid a fee of £77m to sign the versatile defender, who can play at centre-back or left-back, from German side RB Leipzig, which speaks to how highly-rated the Croatia international is.

Gvardiol, who has scored five goals in 23 appearances in the Premier League this season, has started 22 times in the top-flight under Pep Guardiola this term, which shows that the Spanish boss has a lot of trust in him.

Shot-creating actions

2.46

2.33

Non-penalty xG + xAG

0.18

0.21

Progressive carries

3.80

2.49

Successful take-ons

0.90

1.06

Touches in the opposition box

4.37

2.84

As you can see in the table above, both Bradley and the Croatian dynamo are attack-minded full-backs who want to push on to make an impact at the top end of the pitch.

The Northern Irishman, who was once described as being “really special” by international boss Michael O’Neill, has played 14 times in the Premier League and the Champions League this season and has done enough, statistically, in the first half of the current campaign and the second half of last term to be compared to Gvardiol.

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This suggests that Slot has a dominant attacking force in the making at right-back and the manager can, therefore, unearth his own £77m star in the wake of Alexander-Arnold’s possible exit by making Bradley his first-choice at right-back.

Monday’s deadline looms large and as yet, Tottenham Hotspur’s only senior arrival has been that of 21-year-old goalkeeper, Antonin Kinsky, having been knocked back in their bid to sign fellow youngster, Mathys Tel.

As Ange Postecoglou said himself last week, the north London side would be “playing with fire” if they did not bring in further reinforcements before the window closes, particularly amid their worsening injury crisis.

Across the park, the Lilywhites appear more depleted with each passing game, having seen Radu Dragusin – who arrived from Genoa a year ago – cruelly struck down by injury after entering the fray at half-time against Elfsborg.

With Spurs still competing on all four fronts, this threadbare squad simply needs help, with Daniel Levy running the risk of letting his club slip further into the mire, if he does not back his manager over the next 48 hours or so.

Latest Tottenham transfer news

The blow of missing out on wantaway Bayern Munich man, Tel, has been somewhat eased amid the news that Tottenham could be looking to land the signing of AC Milan defender, Fikayo Tomori, with Fabrizio Romano claiming that the Serie A side are keen to move the centre-back on in the coming days.

Interestingly, the Englishman may not be the only player with Chelsea connections to have come onto Levy’s radar, with Caught Offside reporting that the north Londoners are also ‘exploring the possibility’ of signing Axel Disasi from Stamford Bridge on loan.

The report suggests that the Blues are willing to allow the Frenchman to leave the club amid his limited role under Enzo Maresca, with Aston Villa having also been in the race for his signature of late.

Transfer Focus

As Romano reported early on Saturday, the loss of Dragusin could see Spurs move for two centre-backs, ensuring that there is a chance both Tomori and Disasi could arrive at N17.

Indeed, Romano has also revealed that Spurs have made contact regarding a move for the Chelsea man, even though he has already agreed terms with Villa.

What Disasi would bring to Spurs

It may be somewhat difficult to judge Disasi based on his peripheral role at Chelsea in recent times – having started just four Premier League games this season – yet those of a Spurs persuasion will likely be concerned at the prospect of signing the former Monaco man from their rivals.

Werner’s PL season in numbers – 24/25
Stat (*per game)	Record
Games (starts)	17 (4)
Goals	0
Assists	3
Big chances missed	2
Big chances created	5
Key passes*	0.6
Pass accuracy*	74%
Successful dribbles*	0.6
Possession lost*	6.3x
Total duels won*	43%
Stats via Sofascore

Indeed, have they not learned their lesson from the loan capture of Timo Werner last year, with the German signing from RB Leipzig in January 2024, having previously failed to thrive at Stamford Bridge.

Signed by the Blues for £45m in the summer of 2020, Werner went on to win the Champions League during his time in west London, albeit while scoring just 23 goals in 89 games over the next two seasons.

Now under Postecoglou’s wing at Spurs, the forward’s woes have been replicated in Lilywhite, with just three goals coming his way in 40 games over the last 12 months. The 28-year-old also came under fire from his manager for an “unacceptable” showing against Rangers in the Europa League.

The fear would be that looking to sign another player who has ‘failed’ at Chelsea in the form of Disasi could lead to a similar result, with the 26-year-old having endured a wretched time of it in his current home.

Described as a “disaster” by pundit Andy Jacobs, Disasi’s Chelsea stint has been littered with mistakes, including his wayward own goal against Leicester City in the FA Cup last season, as well as his stray pass in the build-up to Omari Hutchinson’s clincher against Ipswich Town this term.

Equally, his statistics across the last 365 days make for grim reading, as he ranks in the bottom 35% for tackles and the bottom 15% for interceptions among those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues, as well as in just the top 41% for aerial duels won, as per FBref.

While a 91% pass completion average is encouraging, it is difficult to overlook the £80k-per-week defender’s defensive woes, with it tricky to see just why he’d fare any better in Postecoglou’s struggling side.

The flawed signing of one Chelsea ‘flop’ in Werner should be enough for Levy and co to think again, amid their apparent pursuit of Disasi.

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