Category Uncategorized

Former Leeds United winger Raphinha has undoubtedly been one of the best players in the world in the past 12 months. Now at Barcelona, it took the Brazilian a bit of time to really get his time in Spain off the ground, but he’s hit astronomical heights since the start of last season.

In 2024/25, he was on fire under Hansi Flick. The 28-year-old scored 34 times and assisted 26 in just 57 games, mainly operating off the left-hand side. It was that form that saw him place fifth in the Ballon d’Or.

Now one of the best footballers on the planet, Leeds fans will look back at his time at Elland Road fondly.

Raphinha’s Leeds career

Leeds signed Raphinha at the end of the 2020 summer transfer window, and he stayed at the club for two years before making the move to La Liga to join Barca. He was a key reason why they were able to survive in the Premier League for as long as they did.

In 67 games for the Whites, Raphinha scored 17 goals and assisted 12 times. Unlike under Flick in Spain, he tended to operate as a right-winger for Leeds, cutting inside on his deadly left foot.

There were some vital goals scored by the former Leeds winger, too. His most important came against Brentford, in what would turn out to be his last ever game for the club.

He coolly slotted a penalty home from 12 yards, in a goal that would be enough to keep his side in the Premier League.

Someone who thought highly of Raphinha whilst he was a Leeds player was former manager Marcelo Bielsa.

Whilst the pair were at Elland Road, the now-Uruguay boss said that “technically he’s at the level of the best,” showing just how much he rated the Brazilian.

Current Leeds manager Daniel Farke would surely love Raphinha in his current squad. Well, in the summer, he signed someone who could be considered in the same mould.

The new Leeds star in the same mould as Raphinha

It was certainly a big summer for Leeds, who needed to make some statement signings to help their chances of Premier League survival.

Some of their new additions have hit the ground running, with Sean Longstaff one man who has started particularly well.

Well, the other player who’s made a strong start to life in West Yorkshire is Swiss attacker Noah Okafor. The 25-year-old made the move to Elland Road from Italian giants AC Milan, costing the club £18m.

It has been a fast start for Leeds’ new number 19. He’s only featured in five Premier League games, notching up 308 minutes so far. Already, Okafor has two goals to his name, operating as a left-winger.

The “explosive” winger, as football scout Antonio Mango described him, bagged a goal in Leeds’ 3-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.

He also found the back of the net for what turned out to be the 800th time by a Leeds player in the Premier League, against Tottenham Hotspur.

Some of the numbers from those two games highlight exactly why Okafor could become Leeds’ new Raphinha.

For example, he completed six dribbles against Wolves and created two chances against Spurs, to go along with his goals.

Touches

40

34

Opposition half passes completed

6

12

Ground duels won

8

5

Key passes

0

2

Dribbles completed

6

1

Goals

1

1

It is interesting to look at the start Rphinha made to his Leeds career, compared to Okafor.

The Swiss international has actually had a more productive beginning, with two goals in his first five top-flight games, better than the sole strike Raphinha bagged in his opening five Premier League games.

Already, Okafor has shown great responsibility in a Leeds shirt and the ability to grab the game by the scruff of the neck and make things happen for his side.

If the 25-year-old winger can replicate what Raphinha did for Leeds, he will go down in history. He’s certainly started strongly.

Value has soared by 500%: Leeds struck gold with "explosive" Marsch signing

One Jesse Marsch signing has turned out to be great business for Leeds

ByJoe Nuttall Oct 10, 2025

Jadon Sancho endured a difficult night on a rare start for Aston Villa as former player Stiliyan Petrov criticised the Manchester United loanee for failing to take his chance in Thursday's 2-0 win over Maccabi Tel Aviv. Sancho's subdued display left the former club captain "disappointed" with renewed doubts over his long-term Premier League future.

• Sancho struggles in Europa League clash

  Sancho was handed a rare starting opportunity for Aston Villa on Thursday night but failed to impress in the Europa League win over Maccabi Tel Aviv. Making just his third start of the season, the Manchester United loanee played 75 minutes before being substituted in what many saw as a make-or-break chance to convince Unai Emery he deserved a bigger role. His overall performance was criticised as ineffective and lacking intensity.

  Sancho’s inclusion came as part of a rotated Villa side, with key players like Ollie Watkins rested for the European clash. Villa’s goals from Maatsen and Donyell Malen secured the three points, but the performance of the English winger again drew scrutiny from pundits and fans alike. His limited impact, despite flashes of skill, did little to dispel the growing perception that he has yet to rediscover his best form since leaving United on loan.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  Pundits criticise Sancho's 'disappointing' showing

  Speaking on after the match, former Villa captain Petrov delivered a blunt assessment of Sancho’s performance. "A few of those players would have the opportunity to show the manager they should be in the starting XI," he said. "Really impressed with Maatsen — every time he’s had the chance he always performs, he always impresses. I’m not sure if I can say that for Sancho and [Evan] Guessand. I’m a bit disappointed there."

  Elsewhere, Dietmar Hamann questioned whether the winger can still succeed in the Premier League, he told footballblog.co.uk: "It hasn’t really happened for Jadon Sancho at Aston Villa yet. He’s failed to settle at several English clubs – should he be looking to return to Dortmund when his loan expires and is he in danger of not realising/wasting his talent?

  "He's such a good player. When he came to United, I said to everybody, what he's done in the Bundesliga was second to none. I was really surprised he struggled at United. Obviously, he didn't get on with the manager, which didn't help. I just thought he was too good not to make an impact at United. He came back, did well at Dortmund.

  "I think he's got to have the belief to do it somewhere outside of Dortmund, or outside of Germany, because I think he's a player who can certainly play in the Premier League, who should be one of the better or best players in the Premier League.

  "Then again he went back to Dortmund. Does he come back once more? I’m not sure. Dortmund probably has had a look at him. Usually when you do go back and do these things again, they’re not as good as they were the first or the second time.

  "If Dortmund take him back, the wages might be a problem. At a reasonable price maybe it works, but I think even Dortmund might think, if you take him back a second time, for his third stint in Dortmund, we're not sure whether it's going to happen again as well as the first two times."

• Emery believes Sancho is improving physically

  Emery’s outlook on Sancho remains cautious yet optimistic. The Villa manager has repeatedly insisted that the winger’s limited minutes are part of a long-term plan to rebuild his fitness and confidence. "I am so happy because his impact was good, his electricity, his skill, but then to play more than now, he’s not ready to play 90 minutes," Emery explained recently. "He’s getting better and better."

  The Spaniard has a strong record of rejuvenating careers. Emery believes Sancho still has the technical qualities to succeed. However, the coaching staff remain concerned by his sharpness and conditioning, often substituting him after the 70-minute mark or using him primarily in less demanding fixtures such as cup or European ties.

  Sancho has made seven appearances across all competitions, registering no goals or assists, and remains without a Premier League start.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Man Utd ready to cut costs with Sanch

  Sancho’s immediate focus will be regaining consistency and fitness ahead of Villa’s upcoming fixtures, but time is running short to change perceptions before his loan expires next summer. With United reportedly prepared to let him leave on a free transfer rather than pay his £200,000-a-week wages, his long-term future appears to lie away from Old Trafford.

July has rolled around and it's time for Oneil Cruz to catch a heater.

Cruz has immense upside, but his results haven't matched some of the impressive numbers that are underneath the hood when he makes contact. With that in mind, I'm targeting Cruz as one of my three home run prop bets on Tuesday's card.

Keep reading to find out how I'm betting the home run prop bet market and why Ryan McMahon has made the cut for a second straight day.

Best Home Run Prop Bets for Tuesday, July 2ndOneil Cruz (+480)David Dahl (+460)Ryan McMahon (+500)Oneil Cruz

Cruz hasn’t had the results he was hoping for in his first full season in the bigs after being lost to injury in 2023, but the power is still there. 

The shortstop ranks near the top of several hitting metrics, including average exit velocity (99th percentile) hard-hit percentage (96th percentile) and xSLG (85th percentile), but only has a .239 batting average with 12 home runs. 

Cruz does draw a plus pitching matchup against Kyle Gibson and an erratic Cardinals bullpen. 

The left hander has a .505 slugging percentage against righties, and should thrive against the soft tossing Gibson. 

David Dahl 

Dahl will see more time due to injuries to the likes of Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber, and this matchup sets up nicely for the left hander. 

While he only has three home runs on the season, all of them have come when facing right handed pitchers, which the Cubs will start on Tuesday in Hayden Wesneski. Further, this is a hitter friendly matchup with the winds blowing out at Wrigley Field at 15 miles per hour. 

Wesneski has some concerning underlying metrics, including an xERA that is more than a run higher than his actual ERA (4.81 vs. 3.60), so I’ll side with Dahl as my home run hitter of choice. 

Ryan McMahon

McMahon couldn’t cash for us in a high scoring affair on Monday against the Brewers, but I’ll trust him once more against Dallas Keuchel of the Brewers. 

McMahon is hitting .316 against lefties, which Keuchel is, with a .526 slugging percentage, crushing five home runs in 95 at bats. Keuchel is far from his time as a quality arm, signed to eat innings for the Brewers. 

His inability to generate swings and misses leads to a ton of hard contact that will be exaggerated in Colorado, where the ball flies even further due to the high altitude. 

In a game that should feature plenty of hard contact, I’ll take McMahon for a second straight game, who ranks in the 96th percentile in hard-hit percentage. 

Cricket West Indies (CWI) has asked the ICC to provide a fair and transparent pathway for at least one of the Caribbean’s sovereign nations to represent the region at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.The issue is that in cricket, the Caribbean island nations compete under the “West Indies” banner and are administered by one cricket board (CWI), but only sovereign nations are allowed to contest at the Olympic Games. At the Los Angeles Olympics, where six nations each will compete in the men’s and women’s T20 disciplines, the region hopes to have at least one of its sovereign states in action.”The Caribbean has always punched above its weight at the Olympics, inspiring the world with our athletic brilliance,” CWI president Kishore Swallow said in a statement. “Cricket’s return to the Games in 2028 must not exclude our young cricketers from the same dream that has inspired our athletes. The Olympic Charter emphasizes fairness, transparency, and universality. We are simply asking that these principles be upheld – not just in spirit, but in structure. West Indies cricket must have a pathway, and fully deserves an opportunity to compete.”West Indies Women are ranked sixth on the ICC T20I rankings, and the men are fifth. If the teams are finalised based on rankings (at a cut-off date) and not much changes to the current positions, both the men and the women should make the cut, but there is an additional complication: USA, as the hosts, might gain automatic qualification despite their low ranking. This isn’t confirmed yet, but if that were to happen, only five further spots would be available.The ICC has so far made no announcement on what the Olympics qualification process would be.In its proposal to LA28, the ICC had suggested the six teams be shortlisted based on the T20I rankings at a cut-off date. The final call on qualification, while not taken yet, is expected to be made this year.On the question of USA, Kit McConnell, the International Olympic Committee’s sports director, had said in October 2023, “Normally, the host country is one of the teams in the team sports, and then we look at a balance of global strength and regional representation, and try and find that balance within the available quota as well.”Barbados were one of the teams at the Commonwealth Games in 2022•Getty Images

CWI has suggested…

• If rankings are used and West Indies men and women teams technically qualify, an internal qualifying tournament among its Olympic-affiliated member countries should determine which island represents the West Indies; or
• Have a global qualifying pathway that includes associate ICC members in the five ICC Development Regions plus member countries of the West Indies.

The first of these would have the CWI, through domestic tournaments, pick their champions for the LA Olympics. The second would involve a more rigorous selection process, in which the sovereign nations that are members of the CWI compete alongside a host of other nations for Olympics spots.At the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, when women’s T20 cricket was included, Barbados took part. West Indies were direct qualifiers, and Barbados were selected because they were the champions of the West Indies’ regional competition of the time – the Twenty20 Blaze.What the CWI board has stressed is that qualification criteria must be “fair and transparent”.CWI chief executive Chris Dehring said, “Our nations have proudly flown their individual flags atop Olympic podiums as perennial gold medallists. Now, with cricket’s inclusion, we must ensure that our cricketers are not shut out of history. We are ready to collaborate. We are ready to compete. But above all, we are asking for fairness.”Cricket has only once been played in the Olympics, way back in 1900. On that occasion, France and Great Britain competed, with Great Britain winning the two-day match by 158 runs.

Champions remain winless after Hove pitch and weather combine to stultifying effect

ECB Reporters Network21-Apr-2025

Daniel Hughes and Tom Haines added an unbroken stand•Getty Images

Sussex 435 (Haines 174, Alsop 63, Hughes 62, Atkinson 4-120) and 132 for 0 (Haines 69*) drew with Surrey 490 (Lawrence 117, Pope 103, Sibley 82, Foakes 60, Coles 5-108)Champions Surrey are still looking for the first win of the season in the Rothesay County Championship after they drew with Sussex at Hove.Surrey’s hopes of putting pressure on their hosts on the final day evaporated when they lost their last seven wickets for 100 runs in the morning session.They still took a first-innings lead of 55 after being dismissed for 490, but Tom Haines followed his first-innings 174 with an unbeaten 69 (nine fours) and Dan Hughes contributed 49 to an unbroken first-wicket stand of 132. Haines took his aggregate for the season to 449 and is averaging 89.80.Surrey needed early wickets to put pressure back on Sussex but the openers wiped out the arrears in the 17th over, by which time Surrey had to employ spin at both ends because of the poor light with skipper Rory Burns bowling three overs and Dan Worrall and Dom Sibley sending down some exploratory legbreaks.Bad light stopped play at 3.25pm and there was never any chance that the players would return. In the end the loss of 83 overs during the first three days to bad weather and a pitch which hardly deteriorated ended up frustrating both teams. Surrey took 15 points and Sussex 14 and both sides remain unbeaten after three matches.Surrey began the day on 390 for 3 with ambitions to go past Sussex’s 435 and make it an awkward second innings for their hosts.But they lost momentum straight away. Ollie Robinson’s third ball of the day stopped in the pitch and Dan Lawrence gave midwicket an easy catch without adding to his 107, which came off 111 balls with ten fours and a six.Robinson settled into a probing spell of 11-2-42-1 and Jayden Seales gave good support on a pitch that offered more seam movement than had been evident in the previous two days under low cloud cover and with the floodlights in use. And after conceding 162 runs during the afternoon session on the third day and incurring the wrath of coach Paul Farbrace, Sussex were much more disciplined in the field.Seales bowled at decent pace from the Sea End and was rewarded with wickets in successive overs. Ben Foakes fenced at a ball of good length for 60 then Ryan Patel fatally chased a widish one.Left-arm spinner James Coles finished things off with the last four wickets. Jordan Clark heaved across the line before the left-arm spinner picked up the final three wickets in six balls.Atkinson inside-edged a full toss on to his off stump, Matthew Fisher was bowled trying to guide his second delivery down to third man and Coles completed his maiden five-for when he fired one down the leg side and Ollie Sykes got a thin edge to John Simpson, who took his fourth catch of the innings to ensure Sussex took maximum bowling points, an unlikely outcome at the start of the day.

Liverpool are reportedly “confident” of signing Marc Guehi on a free transfer next summer, and FSG also want to snap up an £87m-rated star.

Liverpool preparing for trip to Burnley

The international break seems to have lasted a lifetime, but the Reds aren’t too far away from their return to Premier League action this weekend.

Arne Slot’s champions make the trip to Burnley on Sunday afternoon, looking to continue their 100% winning start to the season, and while the Clarets are a newly-promoted team with far less quality than Liverpool, Turf Moor can be a tricky place to visit.

Slot has some key decisions to make with his personnel, not least with Alexander Isak, as he weighs up whether to start the Reds’ new record signing or use him from the substitutes’ bench.

Meanwhile, both Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley could be in the mix to start at right-back, but Dominik Szoboszlai’s superb form in that role may mean that he keeps his place, having flourished in a role that is relatively alien to him.

Liverpool linked with double transfer swoop

According to a new update from Caught Offside, Liverpool and FSG are “confident” of completing the signing of Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi next summer, with the 25-year-old out of contract at the end of this season. This is despite rumours of Real Madrid showing an interest in the centre-back.

He showcased his quality once again on Tuesday evening, scoring in England’s 5-0 win away to Serbia and producing an immaculate all-round performance.

Elsewhere, Guehi’s former Palace teammate Michael Olise is also a rumoured target for Liverpool, with the £87m-rated Bayern Munich winger being looked at as a potential long-term replacement for Mohamed Salah.

If Liverpool were able to sign both Guehi and Olise at the end of the current campaign, it would feel like another huge step in the right direction.

Appearances

34

Starts

28

Minutes played

2348

Goals

12

Assists

15

Key passes per game

2.7

Shots per game

2.5

Dribbles per game

2.1

It is common knowledge that Guehi had all but sealed a move to Anfield on deadline day, only for Palace to pull the plug, but it is vital that their interest in him remains strong, with England manager Thomas Tuchel lauding him earlier this week.

“He looks absolutely fine and impressive on the field. He has had a good couple of weeks behind him on the performance side. He has continued like that in camp and he handles it [the transfer situation] with respect and with a brilliant attitude.”

As for the £87m-rated Olise, he feels like a perfect Salah replacement once the Egyptian’s world-class quality has waned, possessing his ability to cut inside from the right flank and wreak havoc.

Liverpool lead race for "breakout star" with £34m+ release clause in 2026

The Reds have positioned themselves nicely to land his signature.

BySean Markus Clifford Sep 11, 2025

If Liverpool could sign both, and Palace youngster Adam Wharton, it would be another great summer transfer window, making this one to watch.

There will be either a new winner or the same one crowned in front of a full house at South Africa’s premier cricket venue, the Wanderers

Firdose Moonda07-Feb-2025It’s ending how it began, with a match between defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SEC) and highly-rated but underachieving Mumbai Indians Cape Town (MICT). And this time it’s in the final.There will be either a new winner or the same one crowned in front of a full house at South Africa’s premier cricket venue: the Wanderers, where no rain is forecast. What more could anyone want? A close game, perhaps. If there is one criticism of this edition of the SA20 it’s that result margins have been too big with only six tight matches out of 30 in the group stage – defined as games won by 10 or fewer runs of with six or fewer balls to spare – and one of the three qualifiers. No one quite knows why and SEC captain Aiden Markram put it down to either “coincidence,” or “guys are getting really big scores and then to chase it down is tough or starting badly with the bat,” and hoped for a “close, entertaining,” last match.Whether he really means that is doubtful after SEC had to play two games in two days to come through the Eliminator and Qualifier 2, and will now play a third in four days. Are they exhausted? “There are pros and cons,” Markram said. “We’re starting to do some good things and we’ve got answers to some questions. But the other side of it is rest and being completely fresh physically and mentally for the final.”Related

Rashid Khan: 'It's going to be massive to get 1000 wickets'

Stats – Rashid Khan, T20 king in every phase and every league

Started from the bottom now they're here – the MI Cape Town story

Rashid Khan becomes T20 cricket's highest wicket-taker

Sunrisers keep three-peat dream alive as Marco Jansen makes the difference again

The break Markram spoke of was the privilege of MICT, who had three days off. Rashid Khan confirmed he used the downtime to “just sit in my room and watch Netflix a lot.” His series of choice? “Prison Break. It gives you an idea of how to get out of difficulties.” How so? “Sometimes you forget as a captain so I have the idea to write things on my arm where you can write what’s going to happen in the next over.”It’s been done, of course. There are incidents of captains having so many team changes that they’ve written them on their palms and Scotland’s Mark Watt famously remembered his tactics with a cheat sheet that he pulled out of his pocket at the 2022 T20 World Cup and though Rashid may joke about it, he is unlikely to need it.MICT have been, by a distance, the most clinical of the six teams in this edition of the SA20. They won seven of their 10 league games – no team has won more in the group stage – qualified directly for the final on their first attempt and have completely turned themselves around from the team that finished last in the previous two editions. With a squad laden with players from the Highveld (Ryan Rickelton, Rassie van der Dussen, Reeza Hendricks, Kagiso Rabada, Connor Esterhuizen and Delano Potgieter have all played at the Lions while Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis and Thomas Kaber all play down the road at the Titans), some would go as far as to say they are favourites, but they’d do that at their peril.Rashid Khan’s MI Cape Town have been the most clinical of the six teams this edition•SA20After three losses from their opening three games, SEC are one of the last two standing. They’ve dug deep and scrapped, had their reserves tested and relied heavily on their two biggest national names: South Africa’s T20 captain Markram and premier allrounder Marco Jansen but they’re on track for a three-peat. If they do that, they will draw comparisons with South Africa’s national rugby team, the Springboks, who have won the World Cup three times and are seen as the ultimate symbol of national success. Not bad company to keep, but first they’ll need to overcome some challenges. We outline the main match-ups here.The batters: Test openers vs T20 stars The first clear point of difference between the finalists is how their opening pairs have performed. MICT, who have mostly used Rickelton and van der Dussen, had the leading top two of the group phase, with 523 runs and an average of 58.11. SEC had the least successful opening partnership, who averaged just 12.40.Both Rickelton and van der Dussen’s entire domestic careers have been played at the Wanderers, which is an obvious advantage. “To have those players around where they give you the best information and the ideas about the wicket and the conditions, is so great,” Rashid said.While SEC’s Tony de Zorzi grew up on the Highveld, both he and David Bedingham play at the coast (Cape Town, ironically) and neither are what you would call obvious T20 picks. Bedingham acknowledged to ESPNcricinfo that he is still trying to find the sweet spot in his short-format game while de Zorzi showed glimpses of it in his 49-ball 78 in Qualifier 2 against Paarl Royals. Both are in fairly good touch, which bodes well for Markram, especially as he has taken a personal interest in de Zorzi’s development.Tony de Zorzi played a match-winning knock in the Qualifier 2•SA20″He’s a hell of a player but most importantly, I think he’s a really strong character mentally. He sets high standards and he’s mentally very strong as well,” he said. “Over the last few years he’s been playing some really good cricket and been scoring massive runs. I’m really chuffed for him last night that he did well and could sort of now just settle down and get into the competition just before the final. He’ll feel a bit more comfortable at the crease now.”This idea that the competition only starts at the end is something de Zorzi said Markram had mentioned before the knockouts, as a way to remind the team that everything they’ve done to get here is just preparation. The real test is now.The bowlers: Battle of the seamers (keep an eye on Ottneil Baartman and Corbin Bosch) Although the Wanderers has turned this season, it is known as the pace paradise in South African cricket and SEC, in particular, will hope it plays to reputation. Their seamers were the most successful of the group stage with 41 wickets and Marco Jansen – his height advantage means he often gets extra bounce and the regularity with which he takes wickets in the powerplay has made him the most difficult bowler to face across the tournament.Corbin Bosch has stood out for MICT•SA20But pressure has not always been his friend and, by his own admission, he gets nervous in big moments and this one could be bigger than he thinks. SEC are sweating on the fitness of Ottneil Baartman, who left the field in his fourth over in Qualifier 2, and was assessed on Friday. His participation is in doubt, which could open the door for 21-year old Andile Simelane to play but would cost SEC experience.On MICT’s side, they have Rabada and Trent Boult but their leading seamer is Corbin Bosch, with 10 wickets. There’s extra motivation for him to show what he can do in the final: South Africa have yet to name a replacement for Anrich Nortje in their Champions Trophy squad and with Gerald Coetzee injured, Bosch is the front-runner. He offers pace, with speeds above 145kph, and a good showing in a crunch match will make him impossible to ignore.The coaches: Adi Birrell and Robbie P The people behind the scenes have no direct impact on what will happen on the field but the work they’ve done has helped put the teams in this position and has to be acknowledged.For SEC, Adi Birrell has masterminded two titles and has them on the brink of a third and his players are never short of praise for the kind of change-room environment he has created. “He’s seen so many things but just remains really calm, almost like a grandfather figure for us,” Markram said, quickly realising his terminology may not be seen as complimentary by his 64-year old coach. “He’s going to hate me but he knows anyone can chat to him, he manages each individual in the team with a lot of care which the players really appreciate and his values are really strong. He’s one of the best for sure.”MICT’s Robin Peterson has endured a tough two seasons but after first tasting success at the MLC with MI New York, where Rashid was also his captain, he has transferred to the SA20. “He is someone who always gives you that positive energy and that’s what you need as a captain,” Rashid said. “With him, I have that very good understanding and I’ve learned so many things from him. He keeps the environment very positive which is something which really helped in MLC and here as well.”

With one eye on the 2027 Test tour of India, selectors have shown some of their cards on how the future Australia Test team could look

Andrew McGlashan09-Jan-2025Nathan McSweeney’s second call in three weeks from chair of selectors George Bailey was much better than the first one.After being ruthlessly cut from the Test side against India following the Brisbane match, paving for the way for Sam Konstas’ momentum-shifting debut, McSweeney is back in the fold for the Sri Lanka series having been selected in a squad that has a youthful flavour.”Obviously [it was] nice news after a bit of a chaotic couple of months,” McSweeney told reporters at Brisbane airport. “It was a bit of nicer call than the last one. I will take heaps of learning from my experiences in my first three Tests and hopefully learn from that if I get the opportunity to play over there I play really well.”It would need a reshuffle of the batting order for McSweeney to return to the side in Sri Lanka, which is not out of the question with Travis Head an option to open although there will also been a keenness to get subcontinent cricket into Konstas, but even if he doesn’t play it is notable that he has been recalled swiftly.Related

Ankle problem makes Cummins a doubt for Champions Trophy

Australia 'very hopeful' Green could play World Test Championship final as a batter

Connolly, McSweeney, Kuhnemann included for Sri Lanka tour

“I think it shows the character that we’ve seen and the sort of person he is, the way he responded and spoke so well about it publicly pretty soon after it happened and jumped straight back into performing for the Heat,” Bailey said.McSweeney has previously traveled to the MRF Academy in India to further his education against spin and expects to have to use a different set of skills than works for him in Australia should he get an opportunity.”It’s a great challenge no doubt, but one I have planned for and will be ready for no doubt,” he said. “Playing spin in Australia has to be very different to playing spin over in Sri Lanka. I’ve worked out a method in Australia that has worked for me in my Shield career but will definitely have to work out a new one to be a good player over there.”In the official release, Bailey had talked of the tour as a chance for players to “grow their games in the subcontinent” with a view on the years ahead, although later insisted that qualification for the World Test Championship final, with the 3-1 series margin over India, had not changed the selectors’ thinking over who went on this trip.Nathan McSweeney had a tough initiation to Test cricket•Cricket Australia via Getty Images”I know there’s been a lot of speculation around that [WTC qualification], but we view every Test tour and Test match as being really important,” Bailey said. “So for us, it was more around structuring up two or three different ways of what we thought the first XI may look like.”But there is certainly evidence of the next generation being unfurled with McSweeney (25) joined by Konstas (19) and the uncapped Cooper Connolly (21). Todd Murphy, who has six Tests under his belt, is also just 24. Call-ups for Glenn Maxwell (36) and Peter Handscomb (33) would not have brought a sense of forward planning, although Handscomb was very close and remains on standby.While it is not rubberstamped that Konstas retains his spot as an opener, it would be a way to help fast-track his education at Test level in what are likely to be spin-friendly conditions with an eye on the 2027 Test tour of India.”What we have seen is he’s a quick learner, absorbs a lot of information,” Bailey said. “So [we are] expecting him to get a lot out of it. From his spin play in Australia and the opportunities he has played in different parts of the world, we think he’s got a game that’s well suited and a technique that can stand up. That’s one of the exciting things about this tour. We’ll learn a bit more about his game in different conditions to what he’s just faced in Australia.”Connolly, meanwhile, has been selected after just four first-class matches which have brought three half-centuries, including 90 on debut in last year’s Sheffield Shield final, and he has yet to take a wicket in the format with his left-arm spin. However, the selectors have been encouraged by his big-temperament which has already earned him four white-ball appearances.”Technically, we like it. Temperament, we like. Character, we like. Clearly, skill set, there’s a lot to like there as well,” Bailey said. “On the first-class front, there’s not a great deal of games behind him, but he is one that’s been around that one-day group. We have in the past used that as a stepping stone at different times to see a player a bit more, find out a bit more about the way they play. He was obviously the beneficiary of that. He’s someone that we’ve had our eye on for a period of time.”

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has made it clear that he wants the club to bring in new signings in the attacking positions before the end of the window.

The Hoops head coach, who was speaking after the 2-0 win over Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership, says that there is nothing imminent on that front as it stands, though.

Adam Idah has started both league games this season and failed to score from 0.82 xG and only created 0.06 xA for his teammates in the games against St Mirren and the Dons.

Why Celtic need to drop Adam Idah

The Ireland international has had a huge opportunity to impress as the starting number nine due to the lack of business done by Celtic in the forward areas.

Idah only scored 13 goals from 13.57 xG in the Premiership in the 2024/25 campaign, which shows that he was not particularly ruthless in front of goal in his first full year at the club.

His failure to provide a goal, from 0.82 xG, or an assist in the opening two games does not suggest that he has vastly improved as a finisher over the summer, which is why Rodgers should be dropping him down to the bench to play as an impact substitute.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Instead of dipping into the market to sign a new striker to replace Idah, though, the Hoops could sign reported £6m-rated target Clement Bischoff instead, to free Daizen Maeda up to play through the middle.

Why Celtic should sign Clement Bischoff

The 19-year-old starlet is a right-footed left winger who could provide a direct and creative threat down the left flank, which is something that the Hoops do not have aside from Maeda due to Jota’s ACL injury.

Bischoff was described as an “explosive” and “flamboyant” talent by U23 scout Antonio Mango, and it is easy to see why when you look at his incredible start to the 2025/26 campaign.

Appearances

7

Shots on target

4

Goals

1

Key passes

24

Big chances created

5

Assists

2

Successful dribbles

11

As you can see in the table above, the Danish youngster, who has been playing as a left-sided forward, has already created five ‘big chances’, and 24 chances overall, in seven appearances for Brondby.

This suggests that the teenage starlet, who created 51 chances in 39 games last season as a wing-back, is an incredibly creative winger who can consistently create high-quality opportunities for his teammates.

His presence on the left flank would then free Maeda up to take Idah’s place as the number nine, which could be an effective switch given his form last season. The Japan international scored a staggering 14 goals in 11 starts as a striker for Celtic last term, compared to 16 in 36 outings on the wing.

This suggests that the Japanese marksman has the potential to be a lethal number nine option, given his unbelievable haul of goals in that position last season, which is why Idah should be dropped from the team to facilitate this switch.

Perfect for Tierney: Celtic made approach to sign Euro U21s star

Celtic reportedly made an approach to sign a star who would be perfect for Kieran Tierney.

ByDan Emery Aug 6, 2025

Bischoff coming in would provide Rodgers with a quality left wing option to free up Maeda to show off his goalscoring prowess in the centre-forward position, in turn leaving Idah to play the role of super sub for the time being.

This is why the Brondby youngster could be an ideal signing to improve the attack, both because of his own creative quality and what it could mean for the number nine role.

MatériaMais Notícias

Buscando potencializar o seu já robusto programa de sócio-torcedor, o Internacional informou nesta semana que fará um desconto de 50% no valor das mensalidades para duas faixas etárias específicas:entre 12 e 17 anos ou acima de 80.

+ Assine o Star+ por apenas R$32,90 por mês e acompanhe o Inter na Libertadores quando e onde quiser!

O desconto praticado pelo Colorado levará em conta exclusivamente a faixa etária, sendo elegíveis para esse tipo de benefício integrantes de qualquer modalidade no atual programa que compreenda estas idades. São os casos do Carteira Vermelha, Campeão do Mundo, Nada Vai Nos Separar e Academia do Povo.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCorinthiansMesmo com o futuro indefinido, Fernando Lázaro deve comandar treino do CorinthiansCorinthians20/04/2023Futebol InternacionalAtacante comemora primeiro gol pelo Gwangju na temporada da Coréia do SulFutebol Internacional20/04/2023Futebol LatinoCerro Porteño quer ‘complicar’ o Palmeiras na LibertadoresFutebol Latino20/04/2023

>’Não era para ter essa dramaticidade’, afirma Mano após triunfo do Internacional

Além da possibilidade de ver sua mensalidade habitual sofrer um considerável decréscimo, o desconto em questão também tem validade para novas adesões, algo que pode trazer uma base ainda mais sólida para os mais de 100 mil sócios-torcedores ativos contabilizados pelo clube gaúcho.

Vale ressaltar queo desconto não é cumulativo com outras isenções eventualmente praticadas às modalidades e categorias sociais envolvidas. Além disso, quando o associado ou a associada completar 18 anos, a mensalidade subsequente já será cobrada no valor integral.

Dentro de campo, o momento do Inter é de preparação visando à segunda rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro. Após a suada vitória na Libertadores frente ao Metropolitanos, o time comandado por Mano Menezes terá pela frente o Flamengo, no domingo (23), às 11h (de Brasília), no Beira-Rio.