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Birmingham City cruised to yet another victory in League One against Bolton Wanderers last time out, with both clubs once Premier League regulars now scrapping it out in the lower depths of the EFL.

Chris Davies’ men are certainly doing better this season, with the 2-0 win over Ian Evatt’s men helping matters, as the Blues sit top of the pile whilst the Trotters occupy an unsatisfactory 14th spot in the division.

Birmingham will already be dreaming about an immediate return to the Championship off the back of their top-of-the-table heroics, with fans that have stuck by the Blues throughout years of turbulence in the league above aware that there have been faces that shone in the tricky league over recent years, even as their side routinely fought off relegation.

Top performers for Birmingham in the Championship

They even have one on their books right now, with Jay Stansfield crowned Birmingham’s top scorer in league action last season with a promising return of 12 strikes from 43 games, as the ex-Fulham man consistently stood out as a bright spark even as relegation was confirmed.

Another striker by the name of Lukas Jutkiewicz also sticks out as a recent hall-of-Famer at St. Andrew’s – who is still present in Davies’ camp too – with the imposing centre-forward amassing 336 appearances for the Blues to date regularly playing in the second tier, reliably chipping in with 66 goals along the way.

Other notable names include Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham, who began his playing days at the Blues before going on to become a world-class talent in Spain, alongside the likes of Demarai Gray who now plays out in Saudi Arabia after scoring eight goals from 77 games once on the books of Davies’ men.

There is another figure that could spring to mind in the form of Che Adams, who ended his time with Birmingham by registering a sublime 22 league goals during the 2018/19 season, before a major switch to Southampton came to fruition.

Adams' move to Southampton

Before that breakout campaign, the ex-Birmingham number nine hadn’t always been a devastating goal machine, only registering 12 league strikes the two seasons prior to his big moment in the spotlight.

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

Off the back of this goal-laden patch of games leading the line for the Championship club, however, a bumper move to the Premier League beckoned, with caretaker manager Pep Clotet selling on the Scotland international for £15m in the summer of 2019.

Southampton

191

48

Torino

10

4

The goals haven’t dried up either for the now 28-year-old forward away from St. Andrew’s, as the one-time Blues youngster played a crucial role in Southampton’s recent promotion exploits by firing home 15 strikes from 41 league games last season.

Ex-Saints boss Ralph Hassenhuttl would even label Adams as “fantastic” when the striker competed in the Premier League, but the conclusion of his time on the South Coast will leave a bad taste in the mouth for those at St. Mary’s who regularly cheered his name.

He would up and leave for Torino on a free transfer this summer just gone, after failing to agree a new deal at Russell Martin’s men, with the Serie A club picking up a smart bargain in the process.

With four goals already under his belt in Italy, Southampton will curse that they couldn’t have at least got some money out of the sale, if he was dead set on departing England.

Birmingham will just be pleased they cashed in when they did, with Adams’ value now at Torino coming in at the £8m mark as per Football Transfers, meaning he is worth £7m less than his previous flashy £15m price tag.

Davies will have everything crossed that his current troops can make an immediate leap back up to the Championship come the end of the campaign, away from the Scotsman’s promising start to life in Serie A, with the likes of Stansfield eyeing up Adams’ 22 goals as a potential target to beat.

Sold for £6.3m: Birmingham hit gold with ace who's now worth millions less

Birmingham City would have been glad to just get this player off their books.

1 ByKelan Sarson Oct 4, 2024

ITV pundit Lee Dixon is now convinced that a “most intelligent” player could sign for Arsenal, with the ex-Gunner believing he’d be an ideal recruit.

Arsenal's rumoured transfer plans for 2025

Sporting director Edu Gaspar and manager Mikel Arteta will be devising ways to strengthen the north Londoners’ ranks in 2025, and it is believed that Arsenal would like to sign back-up options who can rotate with key players.

Arsenal given till January 16 to sign £21m star after he agreed summer move

The clock is ticking for Edu to strike a bargain.

By
Emilio Galantini

Oct 17, 2024

Bukayo Saka’s hamstring scare on international duty with England highlights the glaring need for Edu to potentially bring in an alternative for that area of the team, with Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo believed to be a target for Arsenal in that regard.

As well as Semenyo, reports claim Arsenal would still like to bring in a striker, despite Kai Havertz’s excellent form this season. The German withdrew from international duty with a knee problem, and while it isn’t thought to be serious, there are still doubts surrounding Gabriel Jesus’ future at Arsenal – so a new number nine is apparently something to watch out for.

Arsenal’s next five Premier League games	Date
Bournemouth (away)	October 19
Liverpool (home)	October 27
Newcastle United (away)	November 2
Chelsea (away)	November 10
Nottingham Forest (home)	November 23

Arsenal appear to be in pole position to sign Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran, despite his recent new deal, but there are suggestions he will cost around £67 million. Defensively, Edu and co have been monitoring new options as well, considering how much they rely on star centre-back duo William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes.

Indeed, Arsenal scouts were in Munich on Monday to run the rule over Jorrel Hato, with the Ajax starlet on their transfer list as he continues to impress in the Eredivisie. Arsenal have held internal talks over signing Hato, according to other reports, so it appears Emirates Stadium officials are weighing up the possibility of bringing in more players in a wide variety of areas.

The midfield definitely cannot be discounted, either, considering both Thomas Partey and Jorginho are out of contract next summer.

Lee Dixon convinced Arsenal will sign Angel Gomes

An astute option could be Lille midfielder Angel Gomes, who recently received his first-ever England cap and has impressed in Ligue 1.

As quoted by CaughtOffside and The Metro, former defender Dixon has claimed that Gomes could join Arsenal next year on a Bosman deal, with his Lille contract expiring as clubs are handed the opportunity to bring him in for free.

“I think Angel Gomes would fit in at Arsenal superbly,” said Dixon.

“His qualities are clear to see, he’s a very good link-up player and we’ve seen that he can play alongside Declan Rice. He’s got a lot of potential and although there will be plenty of clubs looking at him, I could see him at Arsenal next season.”

Former Lille manager Paulo Fonseca, now in charge of AC Milan, has also lauded the ex-Man United starlet’s technique and in-game intelligence.

“Angel is maybe the most intelligent player I have in my team. He understands faster than the others everything about the game; he loves the game. He loves to learn and he is a player with big skills, big technique,” said Fonseca.

“He is a player who under pressure it is not easy to steal the ball off him and who discovers the space so easily. He is young, he has a big talent. I believe with the right coach, with the right project, with the right game for him, he can have the possibility to have a big step in his career.”

Manchester United fan Mark Goldbridge is stunned at a decision INEOS made during the summer transfer window, given the injury situation involving defender Luke Shaw. Manager Erik ten Hag has faced a challenging start to the new season, but he will be optimistic that Saturday’s victory over Brentford could signal the beginning of a turnaround. The team now faces two challenging away games in the next few days, against Fenerbahçe and West Ham.

Man Utd ace waiting on Ten Hag sack decision before starting contract talks

Erik ten Hag is willing to let a first team player leave, but he may have other ideas depending on what happens in the dugout.

ByBrett Worthington Oct 21, 2024 Man Utd lining up defensive signings

The football season is now starting to enter its busiest time, and Ten Hag’s focus will of course be on the upcoming matches, but the Red Devils already appear to be putting plans in place for January and next summer too.

United added two centre-backs to their ranks during the summer in the form of Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt, but they are already looking to improve in that department once again. Barcelona’s Ronald Araujo is someone that United remain interested in signing, as while he is a key player at Barça, his contract ends in 2026, and United are keeping an eye on his situation in case a new contract cannot be agreed.

Meanwhile, the Premier League side have a couple of players who are nearing the end of their contracts at Old Trafford, one being Harry Maguire, and the defender is said to be waiting for Ten Hag to be sacked before making a decision on his future. The England defender wants to see if his role can change under a new boss; as of yet, no talks have been held over a new contract.

United were very busy during the summer, improving in defence, midfield and the forward line, but there was one position that wasn’t addressed which left Goldbridge mystified.

Goldbridge stunned at INEOS with Shaw injured again

Manchester United fan/pundit Goldbridge has been left stunned at INEOS for not signing a left-back in the summer, considering Luke Shaw is once again out injured. The 29-year-old, who has been at Old Trafford since July 2014, has struggled with injuries throughout his career, missing 77 United games in the last four seasons alone, a timeline which excludes the serious leg break suffered in 2015.

Shaw played just 12 times in the Premier League last season – in total he played 15 games in all competitions. His last game for United was in February, but since then he has been away with England for Euro 2024, returned to pre-season training at Carrington and picked up another injury once again.

Apps

275

Goals

4

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28

The left-back has been out since and while he is closing in on his return to the first team, Goldbridge is right to question the decision this summer considering fellow left-back Tyrell Malacia is also struggling to stay fit.

Doubts now over the status of the men’s Test against Australia in November with ICC also monitoring the situation

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Sep-2021

The Afghanistan players will now train at exclusive female-only centres•Afghanistan Cricket Board

Question marks have risen over the future of Afghanistan in international cricket following the Taliban’s reported opposition to women playing the sport.The fallout has already begun with the Australian sports minister Richard Colbeck telling that Afghan athletes would “remain welcome in Australia, but not under the flag of the Taliban”. The men are scheduled to play their first-ever Test in the country later this year but in light of these events that is now under some doubt.The ICC said it was monitoring the changing situation in Afghanistan and was concerned about the media reports that women will no longer be allowed to play cricket. A spokesperson said: “This and the impact it will have on the continued development of the game will be discussed by the ICC Board at its next meeting.”On Wednesday, the deputy head of the Taliban’s cultural commission, Ahmadullah Wasiq, told that it wasn’t “necessary” for women to play cricket because “they might face a situation where their face and body will not be covered. Islam does not allow women to be seen like this.”The higher-ups in the Afghanistan Cricket Board appear to have been expecting this stance by their government.Earlier this week, the ACB chief executive Hamid Shinwari admitted to ESPNcricinfo that the women’s game was “in peril.” while the acting chairman, Azizullah Fazli, told that it would be allowed to continue so long as the players adhered to Islamic rules.Fazli also said that they will now train at exclusive female-only centres and that Dina Barakzai would serve as head coach.As for the men’s team, they are due to take part in the T20 World Cup in the UAE next month but there has been concern about the Test match they are scheduled to play against Australia in November.”It’s an extremely challenging and complex situation,” the CA chief executive Nick Hockley told radio. “There’s so many layers to it and it really does transcend cricket”The situation as it stands today, is that Afghanistan are a full member of the ICC, they’re due to play in the T20 World Cup, but we’re working very closely and having all the right discussions with the ICC, with the Australian government and ultimately we’ll take our lead from them.”We don’t yet have answers but we’re in dialogue and taking advice from all the relevant organisations.”Absolutely we want to see cricket for women and girls growing and strong all around the world. The current situation is very new, international cricket is working to understand the implications, but it is something we will continue to watch very closely.””I think it’s something that is being keenly followed and observed. I think here in Australia, we’ve been a real driving force in growing cricket for women and girls.”Afghanistan is the only Full Member to have received that status without having an operational women’s team in place. Last year the Afghanistan Cricket Board had announced their first contracts for women as they looked to build a team.

Without a CEO since James Bisgrove swapped Ibrox for Saudi Arabia and Al-Qadsiah four months ago, Glasgow Rangers have now reportedly been offered the services of an experienced option who previously worked in both England and Wales.

Rangers still looking to replace Bisgrove

The Gers looked to have finally found their replacement for Bisgrove in St Mirren vice-chairman Jim Gillespie before he suddenly pulled out of the move to leave Rangers back to square one once again.

Their off-pitch fortunes have far from helped things on the pitch, with Philippe Clement's side making a stuttered start to the season which included an all too comfortable 3-0 defeat against Old Firm rivals Celtic. As the gulf in class between the two sides potentially begins to grow on the pitch, those at Ibrox must ensure that they find a way to close the gap away from the action, at the very least.

Rangers let exciting young ace leave for £0, now he's outscoring Tavernier

The Light Blues blundered when they decided to release the talented forward from their academy.

By
Dan Emery

Sep 10, 2024

In a summer that saw plenty of inexperienced players arrive as part of Clement's project, the Gers may now be best served turning towards experience when it comes to replacing Bisgrove, which may yet see Adrian Bevington emerge as an option.

Bevington told Go Radio last week that he's open to becoming Rangers' next CEO, claiming that he's "made no secret" of his interest in one day working in Scotland.

Relayed by The Scottish Sun, Bevington said: "Look, Scottish football I have made no secret over the many years that I would at some point in my career always be interested in working in Scotland.

"I think it is an incredibly passionate football country and I've got a great deal of respect for the game there because of the fan base. You have got so much to build on there.

"Rangers football club should be able to attract someone who has that stature and the ability to lead from the front but also have a real good understanding of how the industry works and a great network of contacts and relationships with people right throughout the game in Scotland but also at UEFA, the European Club Association.

"There are people within Celtic who have some of those relationships already and Rangers should be expecting similar."

The Scottish Sun have now added that the highly experienced 53-year-old 'would welcome an approach from Rangers chairman John Bennett to discuss the vital Ibrox role.'

Rangers need swift CEO solution

The more that Rangers fail to match Celtic on the pitch, the more the finger will be pointed the way of those away from the action when it comes to handing out blame. And if those at Ibrox do not find a replacement for Bisgrove sooner rather than later, then that blame would be aimed fairly accurately.

Clement's side cannot be expected to go toe-to-toe with their Old Firm rivals if those higher than them cannot find adequate replacements within the structure of the club.

After failing to welcome Gillespie, turning to Bevington wouldn't be a bad idea either. The 53-year-old has plenty of experience, having enjoyed roles at England, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest, and could now put that experience to its best use at Rangers. Considering that he's open to the role too, Bevington may be one to watch.

استنكر آرني سلوت مدرب ليفربول، تفكير الجماهير بشأن نتائج فريقه في ظل وجود المصري محمد صلاح.

وخاض ليفربول مباراة أمام ولفرهامبتون اليوم الأحد بمنافسات الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، حقق خلالها الفوز بهدفين لهدف.

وقال سلوت في تصريحات نشرها موقع ليفربول الرسمي: “لا أعتقد أن التوتر كان شديدًا، بل أعتقد أن الأمر كان له علاقة أيضًا بالطريقة التي ظهر بها ولفرهامبتون”.

وأضاف: “يوم الأربعاء (أمام إيفرتون) أظهرنا عقلية هائلة في أصعب الظروف التي واجهناها هذا الموسم ثم تقدمنا ​​بهدفين لهدف ثم لعبنا آخر 15 أو 20 دقيقة بالطريقة التي لعبنا بها مع كل الأشياء التي حدثت في تلك الدقائق الـ 15 أو 20، والخروج بالتعادل، كان من الصعب جدًا جدًا تقبل ذلك”.

وتابع: “ثم اليوم، بعد تقدمنا ​​بهدفين، كان علينا التعامل مع التفكير في أننا سجلنا الهدف الثالث، القرار الصحيح تمامًا أنه ألغى الهدف بداعي التسلل، التفكير في أننا سنسجل الهدف الثالث بركلة جزاء لـ محمد صلاح، مرة أخرى، في رأيي، كان القرار الصحيح لتقنية حكم الفيديو المساعد لإلغاء هذا القرار”.

اقرأ أيضًا | سلوت: أهداف محمد صلاح ليست مفتاح ليفربول الوحيد للألقاب.. ونجونا أمام ولفرهامبتون

وأردف: “ثم تلقينا الهدف على الفور، وهذا ليس سهلًا دائمًا من الناحية العقلية، ولهذا السبب ربما تكون هذه الانتصارات أكثر أهمية من عندما تفوقنا على توتنهام كما فعلنا هنا قبل أسبوعين بنتيجة 4-0”.

وشدد: “من الصعب الفوز بمباراة كرة قدم، الناس يفكرون دائمًا قائلين ليفربول يمتلك محمد صلاح فما الذي تتحدث عنه كمدرب؟ سيسجل لك دائمًا هدفًا”.

وأتم سلوت: “لا، لا، لا، من الصعب جدًا الفوز بمباراة كرة قدم كل ثلاثة أيام بعد كل ما تمر به في الموسم، ولهذا السبب فإن هذا الفوز مهم في أسبوع صعب للغاية، حيث نأمل أن نتمكن من إظهار نفس العقلية مرة أخرى ضد كلا الفريقين ولكن اللعب بشكل أفضل قليلاً على الكرة”.

MatériaMais Notícias

A panela de pressão está mais do que ligada dentro do Athletico. Sem vencer nos últimos quatro jogos, o time de Alberto Valentim despencou na classificação e olha a zona de rebaixamento bem de perto.

+ Veja no aplicativo do LANCE! o resultado dos jogos da rodada

No momento, com três rodadas pela frente, o Furacão aparece na 16ª posição, com 42 pontos. O Bahia, primeiro time do Z-4, aparece com 40 pontos.

Decisão

Em situação dramática, o atual campeão da Copa Sul-Americana pode entrar na zona de rebaixamento, caso o Bahia, que joga na quinta-feira, derrote o Atlético-MG, em Salvador.

Caso isso ocorra, o duelo entre Athletico e Cuiabá, marcado para sexta-feira, ganha contornos dramáticos, já que ambos estão perto da zona de rebaixamento.

Nas contas da comissão técnica, com 46 pontos o Furacão está garantido na elite. Ou seja, além de vencer o Dourado, o Athletico vai precisar arrancar um empate contra Palmeiras e Sport.

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Leeds United failed to earn promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking with a 1-0 defeat to Southampton at Wembley in the play-off final in May.

They had finished third in the Championship table, just shy of Ipswich Town and Leicester City in the automatic promotion places, but failed to get over the line in the post-season tournament.

The Whites then lost several of their key players from the 2023/24 campaign, as Archie Gray, Crysencio Summerville, Georginio Rutter, and Glen Kamara all moved on from Elland Road.

Daniel Farke was able to dip into the market, though, to sign Largie Ramazani, Joe Rothwell, Alex Cairns, Joe Rodon, Jayden Bogle, Ao Tanaka, Isaac Schmidt, and Manor Solomon to bolster his options across the pitch.

The German head coach also made an addition to the team without making a new signing by bringing Brenden Aaronson back into the group, after his spell out on loan, and has struck gold with the USA international.

Brenden Aaronson's pre-Farke Leeds career

Jesse Marsch swooped to sign the attacking midfielder from RB Salzburg for a reported fee of £24.7m in the summer of 2022 and he endured a difficult debut year in England.

The move came after a return of 13 goals and 15 assists in 66 appearances for the Austrian giants, including two assists in eight Champions League outings.

Aaronson did not do enough on the pitch to justify his price tag at Leeds, though, and his struggles on the pitch contributed to the club's eventual relegation from the Premier League in the 2022/23 campaign.

22/23 Premier League

Brenden Aaronson

Appearances

36

Goals

1

Assists

3

Ground duel success rate

43%

Aerial duel success rate

17%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the 23-year-old dud only produced four direct goal contributions despite featuring in all bar two of the top-flight matches.

One goal in 36 outings, which came in his third league appearance against Chelsea, shows that he did not offer much of a goal threat for the Whites.

The American flop was dubbed a "lightweight" by pundit Jon Newsome when speaking to BBC Radio Leeds in February 2023 of that season, which is backed up by the statistics above as he lost the majority of his duels on the deck and in the air.

He did not provide enough at the top end of the pitch, with a lack of goals and assists, and was a liability out of possession, as defenders found it far too easy to get the better of him.

Put simply, the £24.7m-rated flop could not adapt to the quality or the physicality of the top division in England and his issues were amplified by playing in a struggling Leeds team that ended up being relegated.

Aaronson's German loan struggles

Aaronson did not opt to stick around for the club's first season back in the Championship, and made the decision to join Union Berlin on loan for the 2023/24 campaign.

The former Salzburg star had the chance to play Champions League football with the German side but did not enjoy his appearances in the competition.

He featured in all six of their group matches and failed to contribute with a single goal or assist as his team ended the group with zero wins under their belt.

23/24 Bundesliga

Brenden Aaronson

Appearances

30

Goals

2

Big chances created

4

Assists

2

Duel success rate

45%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Aaronson, as was the case in the Premier League, rarely made an impact at the top end of the pitch for Union.

Across the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigns combined, the midfielder scored three goals and provided five assists in 66 top-flight matches in the Bundesliga and the Premier League.

This highlights his struggles in the final third over the last two years and shows why some may not have expected him to return to Yorkshire to play a key role this season.

Farke has struck gold with Aaronson

Farke has since revealed that the decision to send the playmaker out on loan was made before his arrival at Elland Road to replace Sam Allardyce last summer.

After his dismal spell in the Premier League under Marsch, Javi Gracia, and Allardyce, the youngster may have wanted a fresh start and to get away from his problems on the pitch, but – 12 months on – he has made his return.

The German head coach decided this summer that the USA international will be a part of his first-team squad at Elland Road this season and, so far, it has proved to be a masterstroke as the midfielder has made himself undroppable.

He almost made the perfect return to competitive action at Elland Road on the opening day with a late strike to secure a 3-3 draw with Portsmouth, albeit there was a chance for him to score a second and win the game that went begging shortly after.

The right-footed wizard was made to come off the bench against West Brom in the 0-0 draw after the clash with Pompey but has started the last two games and caught the eye with his displays.

In two starts against Sheffield Wednesday and Hull, Aaronson has produced one goal, three key passes, and three successful dribbles, to go along with a pass accuracy of 89%.

He has provided a dynamic and relentless presence in the number ten position with his reliable and creative passing, progressive dribbling skills, and an eye for goal.

The American gem ranks within the top 90.8% of his positional peers in the Championship for goals per 90 (0.81) and the top 76.1% for pass accuracy (85.9%), which speaks to his quality in front of goal and his reliability in general play.

Related Leeds messed up selling "dangerous" star who's now worth more than Tanaka

The Whites seemingly made a mistake when they parted ways with the midfielder.

Posts 2 ByDan Emery Sep 2, 2024

This is why the young whiz is now undroppable for Farke, as he has been sublime since coming in as a starter, and that is why the German coach has struck gold by bringing him back to the club this summer.

The season is fast approaching, but Aston Villa are still intent on moving on a few players before the transfer window closes at the end of the month.

Due to the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules, Unai Emery was forced to sell Douglas Luiz to Juventus, while Moussa Diaby moved to the Middle East a couple of weeks ago, raising £60m in the process.

This should give the former Arsenal manager plenty of flexibility to bring in another player or two as he looks to bolster his squad.

While there have been plenty of links with regard to incomings of late, the latest update concerns someone who Emery could sell in the next few days…

Aston Villa could be close to selling first-team star

Defender Diego Carlos has reportedly held talks with Fulham over a potential move to the Premier League side this summer.

The Brazilian only joined the Midlands side two years ago but is open to leaving the club during the current transfer window.

This will see Emery dip back into the market in order to sign a new centre-back before the window slams shut. The question is, who will he pursue?

Aston Villa showing interest in Euro 2024 star

According to Italian outlet Tutto Mercato last month, Villa reportedly made contact about signing defender Jaka Bijol, who shone for both Udinese in Serie A last term before enjoying a solid Euro 2024 campaign with Slovenia.

Napoli and Lazio are also showing interest in the £17k-per-week centre-back, but Champions League football that is on offer at Villa could be the game changer regarding any prospective move.

When compared to his positional peers in Europe’s big five leagues, Bijol ranked in the top 6% for aerial duels won per 90 (3.63) and in the top 3% for clearances per 90 (6.05), clearly showcasing his excellent defensive capabilities in one of the most difficult leagues on the continent.

Accurate passes per game

26.8

Clean sheets

2

Touches per game

51.5

Total duels won per game

5

Possession lost per game

6.3

Tackles per game

2.8

Clearances per game

9.5

These displays for Udinese have clearly attracted the attention of Villa and several other Italian sides and his performances for his country and Euro 2024 backed his league form up.

He started all four of Slovenia’s matches as they went out to Portugal in the last 16 on penalties. Across these games, Bijol kept two clean sheets, averaged 2.8 tackles per game, won five total duels per game while losing possession just 6.3 times each game.

Journalist Zach Lowy lauded the defender for his showing in Germany, saying Bijol had been “impeccable throughout” as Slovenia reached the knockout stages at the Euros for the first time.

He could be an ideal replacement for Carlos, who seems to be on his way out of Villa Park as Emery looks to bring down the average age of his side.

Aged just 25, it can be argued that the Slovenian defender hasn’t even hit his peak yet, meaning Villa may get the best years of his career should they secure a deal to sign him in the next few weeks.

Contact made: Aston Villa target Watkins 2.0 in £50k-p/w star

Aston Villa looking to add even more firepower upfront alongside Watkins

1 ByConnor Holden Aug 2, 2024

Injuries and departures have derailed the hosts, while the visitors might bring in Sharjeel Khan and Haider Ali

Danyal Rasool09-Apr-2021Big picture
Given there is a certain other tournament that happens to coincide with this four-match series, South Africa against Pakistan at the Wanderers is unlikely to have global eyeballs fixed firmly upon it. One of the few T20I series longer than three games, it must have appeared, on paper, as the perfect appetizer ahead of the T20 World Cup later this year. These are two evenly-matched sides who have produced some of the most evenly-matched cricket in recent times, with the T20I series in Pakistan earlier in the year producing three enthralling clashes that had ebbs and flows usually only associated with cricket’s longer formats.When Pakistan edged South Africa out 2-1 two months back, South Africa’s squad was severely depleted as they attempted to rest up for a then scheduled Test series against Australia that eventually never ended up taking place. However, the then visitors will have been buoyed by the performances of what was effectively a second-string XI, and must have been confident they would get their first-choice XI back in the return leg with a more seasoned side.But this series’ clash with the IPL has exacted a heavy toll on the South Africans, five of whom are in India at the moment. To make matters worse, injuries have struck a number of those waiting in the wings to replace them, with Temba Bavuma and Dwaine Pretorius – who famously took 5 for 17 in Lahore in February – both ruled out. Rassie van der Dussen is also a doubt, while Reeza Hendricks has withdrawn due to the birth of his child this week.All this gives Pakistan a clear shot at stamping their authority in a country where their T20I series-winning streak ground to a halt in 2019, with the wheels coming off the hottest T20I run since the format’s inception. Two years on, Pakistan are a shadow of that dominant unit but will fancy themselves to avenge that defeat with a squad that has no real injury issues of its own. Shadab Khan’s absence is well covered by Usman Qadir, while Fakhar Zaman’s ODI form has earned him a recall for this format. Mohammad Hafeez, one of the key absences for Pakistan in the home series in February, is also available.The Pakistan bowlers likely to feature are mostly the same personnel who did the job in the ODI series, though should the visitors wrap this series up early, there might be the possibility of younger players being handed international experience. Nineteen-year-old Mohammad Wasim was one of the most impressive PSL prospects earlier this year, and is a part of the squad. As is Arshad Iqbal, who followed up a stellar PSL season last year with another distinguished campaign this time around. With the T20 World Cup fast approaching and the opposition down to bare bones before the series even begins, Pakistan may find they have the chance to flex their bench strength in a way few sides do in South Africa.Form guide
(Last five completed matches, most recent first)
Pakistan WLWWL
South Africa LWLLLKyle Verreynne will be looking to grab a spot in South Africa’s T20I side•AFP via Getty ImagesIn the spotlight
Kyle Verreynne hasn’t yet played a T20I match, but already seems like he will be one of the key hopes for this depleted South Africa side. The 23-year old has long been regarded as one of the stars of the future generation and in the few ODIs he has had the chance to play, he has shown why. His most recent game – the third ODI against Pakistan – saw him drag his side from a near-certain defeat to well within contention with a 53-ball 62. It is that sort of confidence in his abilities that has sparked comparisons with some of his more decorated countrymen over the years. His domestic T20 record isn’t quite as impressive as his first-class numbers, but if he’s looking to grab a spot in this side, this is an obvious chance.Sharjeel Khan looks set to return to Pakistan colours for the first time in four years. Few selections have been as contentious or had as many points of interest as the inclusion of the left-hand opener. There have been questions about his past as well as his fitness, but despite all the baggage Sharjeel brings with him, there is a reason Pakistan’s selectors have been so keen to welcome him back. Half a decade ago, he was among the most fearsome strikers of the ball, and that hasn’t changed in all these years. A glimpse of his power was on display at the PSL, where only Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan scored more runs than him, though neither could match his strike rate of 170.94. Against this severely-depleted South Africa attack, expect Sharjeel to go in all guns blazing.Team news
For South Africa, this squad inherently means an uncertain XI. van der Dussen’s inclusion would be a major boost for an inexperienced middle order, while Aiden Markram, Andile Phehlukwayo and Wiaan Mulder have been called up as cover.South Africa (possible): 1 Janneman Malan, 2 Aiden Markram, 3 Pite van Biljon, 4 Kyle Verreynne, 5 Heinrich Klaasen (capt & wk), 6 Andile Phehlukwayo, 7 Wiaan Mulder, 8 George Linde, 9 Beuran Hendricks, 10 Lizaad Williams, 11 Tabraiz Shamsi/Daryn DupavillonZaman, who wasn’t a part of the original T20I squad, might slot back straight into the side, while Haider Ali might be included after being overlooked for the ODIs. It is unlikely Pakistan will line up with two spinners at the Wanderers, so Zahid Mehmood might miss out.Pakistan (possible): 1 Sharjeel Khan/Fakhar Zaman, 2 Babar Azam (capt), 3 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 4 Haider Ali, 5 Mohammad Hafeez, 6 Asif Ali, 7 Faheem Ashraf, 8 Hasan Ali, 9 Shaheen Afridi, 10 Haris Rauf/Mohammad Hasnain, 11 Usman QadirPitch and conditions
This should be a high-scoring game, in line with the Wanderers’ reputation. Inclement weather is unlikely to make its presence felt.Stats and trivia
Mohammad Hafeez will become just the sixth player to feature in 100 T20Is should he play on Saturday. One Pakistani has achieved the feat so far – Shoaib Malik.The Wanderers is the venue of South Africa’s heaviest T20I defeat – a 107-run thumping against Australia last year.Quotes
“They are a quality side. It’s nice playing against them. We need to win this series to get back at them. They’ve played good cricket against us.”