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Ipswich Town are now plotting a move for an “exceptional” striker, who has 74 career goals to his name in the Championship.

Ipswich looking to boost promotion push by signing striker

Ipswich have made up considerable ground on both Middlesbrough and Coventry City over the past few weeks, having taken ten points from their past four games, which means they have moved up to third place.

Indeed, the Tractor Boys are just two points behind Boro with a game in hand, meaning they are in a very strong position to return to the Premier League at the first attempt, but Kieran McKenna remains keen on bringing in some reinforcements this month.

The manager said: “For sure, we’re going to look to add to the squad and improve the squad in the second half of the season. But, of course, the other teams will as well.”

The 39-year-old also bemoaned the fact his side haven’t scored enough goals, compared to the number of opportunities they’ve created, saying: “We need to keep working with the players individually, we need to recruit well in the window to be more clinical with the chances we get and we need to keep working on our play as a team to create more chances.”

As such, it is no surprise Ipswich are now looking to bring in a new striker, according to journalist Alan Nixon (via Football League World), who states they are plotting a move for Sheffield United star Patrick Bamford.

Interestingly, Bamford would be open to leaving the Blades, should the right offer come his way, and a move to Portman Road could be exciting, given that McKenna’s side are pushing for promotion, while Sheffield United are in 16th place.

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At the moment, the Tractor Boys are closely monitoring developments involving the centre-forward, with no formal moves made, but they could make an approach if he becomes available.

"Exceptional" Bamford is experienced in the Championship

Lauded as “exceptional” by ex-Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, the 32-year-old is proven at Premier League level, having amassed a whopping 26 goal involvements for Leeds United during the 2020-21 campaign, while he also has plenty of Championship experience.

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Indeed, the Englishman has a stellar record in the second tier, having contributed 74 goals and 15 assists in 227 outings, and he has five goals to his name for Sheffield United in ten matches this season.

The ex-Leeds man may not be the long-term solution for Ipswich in attack, given his age and injury issues, missing large parts of the Whites’ promotion-winning 2024-25 campaign due to a muscle issue.

However, with Chuba Akpom failing to deliver, scoring two goals in 20 Championship games, McKenna could do with bringing in a new striker for the promotion run-in, and Bamford could be ideal.

Crystal Palace are now lining up a move for an “incredible” striker, amid a new update on Jean-Philippe Mateta’s future at Selhurst Park.

Mateta attracting interest from rival Premier League clubs

Mateta bagged his eighth Premier League goal of the campaign in the 1-1 draw against Fulham on New Year’s Day, but Palace are at risk of losing their star striker, amid interest from a whole host of rival English clubs.

Manchester United have been named among the potential suitors for the centre-forward, alongside the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, with the Frenchman’s future uncertain, as his contract is set to expire at the end of next season.

Given that the Eagles are set to lose Marc Guehi on a free transfer, should they decide not to cash-in on their captain this month, they may be hesitant to let another key player’s deal run down, and there has now been a new update on Mateta’s future.

According to reporter Alan Nixon (via GiveMeSport), Crystal Palace would now be prepared to sanction the striker’s departure for a fee of around £50m, given that he has thus far refused to put pen to paper on a new contract.

As such, Palace have now started searching the market for potential replacements, and they are lining up a move for Strasbourg striker Joaquin Panichelli, who has been identified as their top target at centre-forward, having impressed scouts.

The Eagles are now seriously considering replacements for Mateta, and the Strasbourg star’s goal output, physical attributes and development have caught the eye.

"Incredible" Panichelli could be exciting Mateta replacement

Of course, Palace will be hoping their current striker opts to extend his stay at Selhurst Park, given how instrumental the three-time France international has been to their recent success, slotting away 17 goals in all competitions as Oliver Glasner’s side won the FA Cup last season.

However, should the 28-year-old move on, there are indications Panichelli could be an exciting replacement, having already chipped in with 11 goals in all competitions this term.

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The Argentinian only arrived in France last summer, and scout Jacek Kulig has waxed lyrical about the way in which he has adapted to life in Ligue 1.

Crucially, Panichelli is still young at just 23-years-old, and Palace should continue to monitor his performances between now and the end of the season, at which point they may have a big decision to make about Mateta, whose contract will have just one year remaining.

Eddie Howe will enter 2026 happy that his Newcastle United troops won away at Burnley to end the year on a somewhat positive note, but will also be hoping for more as his hot-and-cold team tackles the New Year head-on.

On another night, Burnley would have taken their chances at Turf Moor and come away with a draw or even a victory, with some much-needed heroics in defence from the Toon saving their skin.

In attack, it also wasn’t the most convincing display, minus a mini flurry of goals within the first seven minutes in Lancashire, as Anthony Gordon fears he will be dropped for the next Premier League clash to come against Crystal Palace, after failing to put in a consistent display again across the full 90 minutes versus the Clarets.

Why Gordon needs to be dropped

It’s clear, when Gordon is at his very best for Newcastle, that he is one of the first names on Howe’s team sheet.

After all, the Liverpool-born forward hasn’t just fluked his Toon tally of 29 goals and 26 assists, with Gordon looking to have turned a corner this season when bagging two league goals early in December.

Before that, he was consistently drawing blanks to the frustration of the Tyneside faithful, but off the back of bagging this penalty in the reverse fixture against Scott Parker’s men, Howe would declare the former Everton man his “best player”, which has now looked to be a premature judgment.

He did pick up an assist at Turf Moor when combining with Joelinton in the very early exchanges, but the 16-time England international would cut a largely disinterested figure throughout, leading to him failing to test Martin Dubravka with a single on-target effort, as he also came up short on seven of his 14 ground duels.

Also noted as having “offered even less” than the heavily scapegoated Anthony Elanga in the Tyne-Wear Derby by one content creator, it will be interesting to see if Howe does persist with his hit-and-miss number ten for the visit of the Eagles, as he endures yet another sticky patch in the attacking areas.

It’s a sad decline, whatever does occur, when you consider Gordon was once being talked up to be on Liverpool’s shopping list for £100m, as another Newcastle stalwart unfortunately starts to fall victim to the same regression taking place with the EFL Cup-winning forward.

Howe must axe star who "doesn't look interested"

Thankfully, it’s not all just doom and gloom at St James’ Park at the moment, with Joelinton’s early effort going down as his first Premier League strike in a year, while Yoane Wissa finally got up and running for the Toon with the second goal of the night.

But, away from both players carrying Newcastle over the line with their instinctive finishing, Sandro Tonali put in another shaky display from the middle of the park, to continue his own ongoing decline.

The hope will be that the Italian is just suffering from a minor blip in form and he can change his fortunes around in the New Year, having turned himself into a “world-class” performer on English shores, as journalist Carlo Garganese once stated, after once finding himself permanently on the sidelines owing to a betting ban.

Indeed, at the start of 2025, it would have been ludicrous to suggest that Tonali should be dropped, with the 25-year-old hailed as one the Toon’s “standout” talents by podcast host Andrew Musgrove, even when Alexander Isak was still on the books,

Indeed, he collected four goals and two assists in league action all across last season, alongside averaging four duels won per Premier League contest.

Tonali’s drop in performance

Stat

vs Man United

vs Burnley

Minutes played

77

90

Goals scored

0

0

Assists

0

0

Touches

74

71

Shots

2

0

Accurate passes

48/55

49/60

Possession lost

13x

17x

Tackles won

1

0

Total duels won

5/9

2/7

Stats by Sofascore

However, Howe will soon have to face up to the fact that Tonali is regressing just like Gordon, with the former AC Milan battler winning just seven of his 15 duels across his last two outings in December.

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Moreover, he has been uncharacteristically sloppy with the ball at his feet, with possession given away a costly 17 times at Turf Moor, which is coincidentally the same number of passes the ex-Everton winger would miscalculate.

Journalist Luke Edwards, at the close of the topsy-turvy 3-1 win, would dish out some unwelcome home truths to Tonali, with Edwards stating that below-par number eight was both “dreadful” and at points “doesn’t look interested”.

There could be some weight behind that second comment, with Tonali no doubt unimpressed with his team’s drop in form, having once been touted to be an £85m-calibre performer at his St James’ Park peak.

Still, with no such big move in sight anymore, Tonali needs to buck his ideas up quickly, as the dwindling number eight could be surprisingly axed for Newcastle’s first game of the New Year versus Oliver Glasner’s men, alongside Gordon.

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Abdul Razzaq could play for Pakistan again © AFP

Abdul Razzaq has taken back his decision to retire from international cricket and is available once again to represent Pakistan. The allrounder’s decision comes after discussions with his local club and long-time coach.”I have reversed my decision and am available for Pakistan once again,” Razzaq told Cricinfo. “I have had many discussions with P&T Gymkhana and my coach, Azhar Zaidi, and we felt it was better if I took back my original decision. Maybe I made that in the heat of the moment.”Razzaq announced his retirement from international cricket in August, in protest at being ignored by the selectors in the squad for the ICC World Twenty20. He accused the selection committee and the board of not treating him with enough respect and dropping him for matters other than his form. The selectors maintained that he was still in their plans for ODI and Test cricket, though his form in those formats has been unconvincing over the last year or so. In his last 15 ODIs, he averages 17.30 and has taken only 12 wickets.Three fifties and 38 wickets in his last 15 Tests have also done nothing to help his cause, though injuries have hardly helped the process. He missed the Test series against South Africa late last year and the World Cup in the West Indies subsequently. In 2005, he also missed the home series against England with an elbow injury.Razzaq now plans to take part in the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam trophy for Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL). The doors back to international cricket will not open immediately, however. Salahuddin Ahmed, chief selector, said Razzaq would need to show that he was back to his bristling best. “Let him play first-class matches first and prove his form and fitness there. After that, the doors are always open for every first-class cricketer in the country,” Salahuddin told Cricinfo.And further obstacles may exist in the form of the Indian Cricket League (ICL). Razzaq was one of four Pakistani players to sign up for the league and the Pakistan board still maintains that anyone who does turn out in the ICL will not represent Pakistan.Mohammad Yousuf, another player to sign for the ICL, was convinced by the board to opt for Pakistan instead, though no similar efforts were made with Razzaq. The league has threatened legal action against Yousuf. Razzaq says, however, he will wait and see how matters develop before deciding on a course of action as far as his contract with the ICL is concerned.

Pakistan’s batting woes could pave the way for Yasir Hameed © AFP

Batsmen Yasir Hameed and Asim Kamal are in contention for Pakistan’s Test squad for the West Indies series, following a litany of batting failures on tours to Sri Lanka, England and the Champions Trophy.Pakistan’s trouble with openers is well-chronicled; over 15 combinations have been tried in their last 20 Tests alone including players such as Salman Butt, Imran Farhat and Taufeeq Umar. None has brought particular success. Hameed played the last of his 17 Tests in June 2005 against West Indies and according to Wasim Bari, chairman of selectors, is under consideration once again.Bari told Cricinfo, “There are four openers on the national circuit: Imran Farhat, Salman Butt, Mohammad Hafeez and Yasir Hameed. Hameed has been out of the side for some time but he will definitely be under consideration for the series because no pair, or player, has really established himself in that position yet.”He can definitely make a comeback. Hafeez has done exactly the same. He was out of the Test side for nearly three years before he returned, after performing well domestically and on A tours. He played well on his return at The Oval as well and any player who shows form can come back.”No such luck for another forgotten opener Imran Nazir, however. Following a blistering century for Sialkot against Uttar Pradesh in the Mohammad Nissar Trophy, his name briefly resurfaced as a contender to add to the eight Tests he has played for Pakistan. But Bari was of the opinion that Tests were not Nazir’s arena. “He is a different type of player. He is mainly an ODI player and maybe not suited for Tests. But if he performs consistently domestically, he has a chance.”The problem appears to be one of limited choice, as Bari concedes. Rafatullah Mohmand, who enjoyed a prolific run in the Quaid-e-Azam trophy last season with Peshawar, was also floating around the national squad earlier in the season. He wasn’t picked eventually and though he made scores of 39 and 40 against Australia A in the Top End series in July, Bari only termed his performances as “average.””There are other openers around on the domestic circuit but mostly they are too young right now and not experienced enough,” said Bari. “Karachi’s Khurram Manzoor has potential but again not mature enough as a player just yet.”Lower down, below the formidable middle three, Pakistan has also struggled with the dip in form of both Shahid Afridi and Kamran Akmal. In searching for solidity, calls for Kamal over the last couple of months have not been rare. Eight half-centuries in 12 Tests is not a poor record and they’ve been made in Australia, West Indies, India and Pakistan, as Bari acknowledges. “Kamal is always in contention for the number six spot in Test matches. He has a good record in Tests and provides solidity to the lower order.”But the re-emergence of Faisal Iqbal has complicated matters. “Faisal I think has edged him out slightly over the last year in that spot. He has a hundred against India, a good fifty against Sri Lanka and a couple of decent scores against England as well. You have to be fair to players who are performing, which he has done.”Pakistan will hold a three-day pre-series training camp from November 3 and the squad is expected to be announced soon after.

Scorecard
Ravneet Ricky and Shikhar Dhawan cracked hundreds and steered North Zone to an imposing position on the second day of their Duleep Trophy clash against Zimbabwe President’s XI at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Having shot them out for 94 on the first day, North rode on a mammoth 220-run opening stand between Ricky and Dhawan. Their promising partnership in the previous game, against East Zone, had been cut short by some doubtful umpiring decisions but the duo enjoyed a flurry of boundaries and left the Zimbabweans with hardly any chance. Graeme Cremer, the legspinner, ended with a career-best 7 for 114 but North were well on their way to a resounding victory by then. The Zimbabeans lost the wicket of Neil Ferreira before the end of the day, and will need a minor miracle to get something out of this game.
ScorecardHalf-centuries from Piyush Chawla and Harvinder Singh helped Central Zone reach an imposing 478 on the second day against South at Surat. Resuming on 299 for 3, Central consolidated their position through their lower middle order with Chawla, the legspinning allrounder from Uttar Pradesh, anchoring the ship. Harvinder, the Railways fast bowler, was a surprise package and his 92-run stand with Chawla left South with a lot of catching up to do. Dinesh Karthik’s plucky unbeaten 50 helped South reach 127 for 3 by stumps, but a lot of work remains to be done if South, who lost their opening game to West, harbour hopes of staying alive in the competition.

In an interview with London’s Daily Telegraph, Clive Rice, the former South African captain, has slammed the “inverted racism” he claims is threatening to turn South Africa into another Zimbabwe.Speaking on the day England start their tour with a game at Randjesfontein, Rice said that the blame for South Africa’s decline lay with the United Cricket Board (UCBSA). “It’s apartheid in reverse,” he explained. “White players are being driven out of our country in droves. Good luck to them. There’s no future here.” Rice was instrumental in persuading Nottinghamshire, his old county, to sign Kevin Pietersen, the Pietermaritzberg-born batsman who recently made his debut for England after deciding his opportunities were too limited in South Africa.Rice was especially critical of what he claimed was an overreaction in the desire to redress the racism of the apartheid era. “The board have got it into their heads that there’s a generation of black and coloured players straining at the leash to play Test cricket and that holding back whites is the only way they’ll ever get a chance to shine. Wrong. Tiger Woods isn’t a great golfer because he’s black. It’s because he’s a great golfer. Nobody would welcome an influx of top-quality black cricketers more than me. We desperately need them. Unfortunately, few black South Africans regard cricket as their national game. They are more interested in football. They talk about players from Soweto but most of them have been Kenyans imported to make it look good.”Although the UCBSA claims that the quota system was jettisoned in 2002, Rice dismissed that as “absolute bullshit” and added that the bias against whites was driving them away from cricket as well as rugby. “Why do you think South Africa are slipping down the rankings? We aren’t much better than Zimbabwe or Bangladesh, who are, frankly, pathetic. They call it Test cricket when it’s no better than a series of charity matches. The public aren’t stupid. Mediocrity chases crowds away. That’s why our grounds are half-empty.”And he said that the UCBSA stifled free speech in a bid to paper over the cracks. “No one in the press is allowed to criticise the regime,” he told the Daily Telegraph’s Tony Francis. “Television commentators have to present a sugar-coated view of South African cricket when it’s crumbling before their eyes. Once Shaun Pollock, Jacques Kallis and Herschelle Gibbs have retired, it’s Old Mother Hubbard time.”

Three new additions have been made by the Tasmanian selectors to their Tigers squad for next season.They are, Kelby Pickering, David Dawson and Travis Birt.Pickering is a 27-year-old fast bowler, who has had first-class experience with the Southern Redbacks in 1997-98 before moving to Tasmania. He has been an excellent performer in recent seasons with the Glenorchy Cricket Club.David Dawson is a 21-year-old wicket-keeper/batsman from the ACT. In club cricket last season he amassed a creditable 800 runs at an average in excess of 50. He also topped the then ACB Cup aggregate with 552 runs at an average of 50.18. Dawson was a full-time scholar at the AIS Cricket Academy in 2002 and has been offered a Rookie contract for the first time.Travis Birt at 21 years of age is a powerful left-handed batsman who dominated club cricket last season with Glenorchy and has previously held a Rookie contract with Victoria in 2001-02. He also attended the AIS Cricket Academy in 2001 and is a former Australian Under-19 opening batsman. Birt began his cricket career with Sale in Victoria before moving to Tasmania last season with the sole objective of forcing his way into the Tasmanian team.Tasmanian coach Brian McFadyen said: “I am very pleased with the addition of all three players to our squad. Both Pickering and Dawson are well known for their determination, work ethic and attitudes. Kelby deserves this opportunity due to superb club and solid ACB Cup performances. David Dawson is well regarded for his all-round skills and he provides excellent balance to our squad along with the other two additions.””Birt could not have done any more in club cricket last season. He has a powerful game based around his back-foot play and we believe he has a bright future for Tasmania.”The State selection panel have selected a squad of 27 players, comprising both contracted and non-contracted players. The panel has the ability to revise the squad wherever appropriate.Sixteen senior contracts, and the maximum of five rookie contracts have been offered.The Tasmanian Cricket Association has the option of offering a further two senior contracts by September 29.ACB Contracts – Ricky Ponting, Shane Watson.Senior contracts squad – George Bailey, Sean Clingeleffer, Jamie Cox, Graeme Cunningham, Gerard Denton, Michael Dighton, Michael Di Venuto, Xavier Doherty, Andrew Downton, Brett Geeves, Adam Griffith, Scott Kremerskothen, Daniel Marsh, Scott Mason, Shannon Tubb, Damien Wright.Rookie contracts – Travis Birt, Luke Butterworth, David Dawson, Ben Hilfenhaus, Tim Paine.Uncontracted – Chris Bassano, Adam Polkinghorne, Kelby Pickering, Brad Thomas.

RichardJohnson – off to India Photo CricInfo

It says much for cricket’s resurgence in the West Country that England’s selectors have picked both their tour replacements for India from the same patch. Somerset, whose supporters must at times have tired of reminiscing about the glory days of Richards, Botham and Garner, have the first Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy in their Taunton cabinet. One of the primary architects of that success, fast bowler Richard Johnson, will be on the plane to Mumbai next week.For Johnson’s international aspirations, fate’s summer frown has mellowed into an autumnal smile. Three times he was called into the England squad during the Ashes series; three times he was rebuffed at the last minute. But he bore such rejection stoically.”Really it was my friends and family who were frustrated with the situation,” Johnson said. “I was just happy to be involved, and gaining experience of Test match grounds during the summer against the Aussies. It was great.”It is ironic that Johnson is going to India as a result of the withdrawal of his county team-mate Andrew Caddick. “I understand Caddy’s decision 100 per cent. I’m in a different situation. I’m 26 years old, and opportunities like this don’t always come round. I’m going to grab this one with both hands.”Johnson generates sharp pace off a relatively short run, with a vigorous delivery action. He can also swing the ball and move it off the seam, a key factor in winning him the selectors’ vote ahead of Chris Silverwood and Martin Bicknell. “In India as a seamer you’ve got to try and keep it tight, but if you can swing the ball you’ve got a chance of taking wickets, so hopefully if the ball swings out there I’ve got a chance.”With a haul of 62 first-class wickets in 2001, Johnson’s move from Middlesex to Somerset is plainly bearing fruit. “It was a very difficult decision to leave Middlesex. I’d been there since I was nine years old. In my heart of hearts Middlesex is my club, but I knew that Kevin Shine could help me at Somerset. My gut feeling was to move, and I knew it could help my career, and so far it’s proved right.”If the momentum continues over the rest of this year, at least three players from England’s westernmost county – Trescothick, Caddick and Johnson – will be vying for international honours in 2002.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAngelo Mathews was unbeaten on 63 when rain ended play•Getty Images

“This is as green as it gets,” said former New Zealand batsman Craig Cumming of the Seddon Park pitch. The seam and swing on offer was far from unplayable, though, and through a combination of enterprising batting, impatient bowling and some luck, Sri Lanka made 264 in the day at a run rate of just under four an over before rain ended play at 4.30 pm.Sri Lanka combated the conditions with aggression. They had been submissive on an easier surface in Dunedin but today they stood up to New Zealand, lashing the swinging ball through the off side and pulling short deliveries instead of weaving and ducking. Kusal Mendis set the pace, Dinesh Chandimal accelerated, and when the innings was in danger of unravelling because of that aggression, Angelo Mathews tempered it to suitable levels. Once Mathews and Milinda Siriwardana had settled, however, they produced the strongest partnership of the innings, adding 138 runs at 4.60 an over.Until three quick wickets in the final session gave New Zealand acceptable returns, the day had defied popular perceptions after Brendon McCullum began his 99th successive Test – a new record for consecutive matches from debut – by giving his attack first use of the grassy surface in Hamilton.Trent Boult, in particular, and Tim Southee tried too hard – looking to swing the new ball prodigiously when a McGrath-like line would have sufficed – and were not on a good length around off stump often enough. Ross Taylor dropped a catch at slip; McCullum failed to nail two run-out chances; Doug Bracewell hit the stumps but the bails didn’t fall. Mendis was the beneficiary each time. Several other edges did not go to hand, and New Zealand also exhausted their reviews on lbw appeals – against Dimuth Karunaratne and Dinesh Chandimal – inside the first 16 overs.Southee got it right either side of the first drinks break, his outswingers drawing the inside edge from Dimuth Karunaratne and the outside edge from Mendis. The wicketkeeper BJ Watling caught both, adding to his nine dismissals in the first Test.Sri Lanka were 44 for 2 when Chandimal edged his first delivery through the cordon for four. He then launched his counterattack. An over from Bracewell featured smooth drives down the ground and through cover, and a fierce cut over point. It read: 2,2,4,4, dot, 4. Chandimal laid into Neil Wagner too, lofting over mid-off, driving through and carving over cover.Udara Jayasundera, playing only his second Test, was also aggressive. He flicked and pulled the left-armers Boult and Wagner, and his aggression against the short ball was a sea change from how he had struggled against it Dunedin.Sri Lanka’s advantageous position of 108 for 2 eroded quickly after lunch, though. Jayasundera was run out attempting a second that Chandimal did not want, and Chandimal added only six runs to his lunch score of 41 before being caught behind playing the cover drive against Bracewell. They had added 71 at 4.43 an over.Having taken two wickets for 13 runs, McCullum tried to subdue Sri Lanka once again. Wagner began his short-ball attack with a leg gully, backward short leg and a long leg. Mathews and Siriwardana pulled when they could, middling some balls, top-edging others over the keeper for six. They were watchful too, mindful of the long tail after them, but refused to be beaten into stagnation.Having scored 90 runs in the second session, Sri Lanka turned it on after tea. Siriwardene and Mathews charged the left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner, who had bowled so economically in Dunedin, and hit him repeatedly over the long-on boundary. One of those sixes brought up the 100 stand in 22.4 overs and Mathews’ fifty off 87 balls. They went after Bracewell too, not allowing him to perform his controlling role. Siriwardene pulled for a flat six, and then caressed the ball through the covers to bring up his fifty.Hamilton had been sunny in the morning but as it began to cloud over after tea, the ball began to hoop once again. Boult repaired his figures with a double-strike in an over, his movement away from Siriwardene resulting in an edge to slip, where Taylor juggled but caught it. Three balls later, Kithuruwan Vithanage closed the face too early and the leading edge was taken low by McCullum diving forward at mid-off.Sri Lanka suffered another run out before the day ended, when Mathews called for a risky single towards cover. Williamson swooped on the ball from gully and his direct hit dismissed Herath. Losing three wickets for five runs just before the rain was a blight on an otherwise spirited performance from a young visiting side in tough conditions.