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Glasgow Rangers have taken off to Spain for a mid-season training camp in the hopes that the sunshine could rejuvenate tired bodies ahead of the second half of the season which begins on 20 January.

Philippe Clement will be under no illusions that winning one trophy is enough as boss of the Ibrox side and, while League Cup success was required, more silverware will be expected.

The Belgian has accumulated plenty of credit in the bank during his first three months in charge and with the January transfer window now in operation, he could bolster his squad adequately.

Several areas of the team need a fresh face or two, none more so than the left back area and there have been a few names already mentioned.

Josh Doig was a player who was linked, yet it appears as though this move may have bypassed the Gers with a recent update on his situation.

Rangers' interest in Josh Doig

Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio (via Toro Goal) claimed towards the end of 2023 that the Light Blues were one of the teams battling it out for Hellas Verona left-back Josh Doig this month as he looks set to leave the Serie A club.

Torino, AC Monza and Leeds United are also keen on signing the defender in January as Clement appeared to face stiff competition for the youngster.

Rangers could sign Barisic replacement in Josh Doig

Rangers could sign a dream Borna Barisic replacement in Hibernian starlet Josh Doig.

Indeed, a recent update by the Scottish Sun, Torino have tabled a £3.5m offer plus add-ons, a 10% sell-on clause along with sending midfielder Gvidas Gineitis to Verona on loan and this could be too good for the club to turn down.

This suggests that the Gers have potentially missed out on luring Doig back to Scotland – where he won the Young Player of the Year award in 2021 – and it could be back to the drawing board for Clement.

Ridvan Yilmaz may be close to joining Verona for a fee in the region of £3m according to reports in Italy (via the Sun) and this heightens the need for another left-sided defender.

The 49-year-old could forget all about Doig, however, by focusing his interest on highly rated Dutch defender Gijs Smal, who has been linked with a move to Scotland.

Rangers' interest in Gijs Smal

Reports in the Netherlands over the weekend (via the Scottish Sun) claim that the Gers are monitoring FC Twente left-back Smal as a potential target this month.

The good news is his contract expires this summer, which indicates that he wouldn’t break the bank should he complete a move in January. He could even arrive for nothing in the summer, yet Clement will be looking to bring in another defender sooner rather than later.

Dutch players to have played for Rangers	Appearances
Sam Lammers	31
Ronald Waterreus	59
Frank de Boer	15
Fernando Ricksen	223
Bert Konterman	100
Ronald de Boer	111
Michael Mols	128
Arthur Numan	154
Giovanni van Bronckhorst	103
Theo Snelders	6
Peter van Vossen	8
Pieter Huistra	9
Via Transfermarkt

The Dutch side will be doing everything they can to keep a hold of the 6-foot gem, however, with their technical director Arnold Bruggink saying: "Of course we would very much like it if Gijs signed a new deal with us. But both parties have to want that. And we have to be realistic about that part of his future sadly."

Celtic have previously shown their interest in the Twente gem, but it looks as though it is the Ibrox side who are currently leading the chase to bring him to Scotland in the near future.

Gijs Smal’s season in numbers

The 26-year-old has missed a large chunk of the campaign due to suffering a calf injury, but he has started Twente’s previous seven matches in the Eredivisie, indicating that he is returning to full fitness.

Despite a lack of game time this term, Smal has still shown his attacking capabilities from a left-back slot, as he currently ranks fifth in the squad for key passes per game (1.5) along with ranking sixth for successful dribbles per game (0.6) and for shots per game (1.6), underling how impressive he has been going forward.

Indeed, the defender has also shone when compared to his positional peers in similar leagues in Europe, as he ranks in the top 6% for assists, shot-creating actions, progressive carries, and total shots per 90, which is further evidence of how good he is at pushing forward down the left-hand side on a regular basis.

Securing a player like this without having to pay a transfer fee would be a wonderful piece of business, but the reality is, Clement may need to shell out something this month in order to sign him.

How Gijs Smal compares to Josh Doig

Kai Watson – the founder of the Rangers Journal – analysed Smal due to his links with the club, and he dubbed the 26-year-old as “much more aggressive on the defensive end” compared to Borna Barisic while also saying he “would provide quality deliveries from the left” and a move is a no-brainer.

When compared to Doig, not only has Smal registered more shots per 90 (1.66 vs 0.61), but he also has a higher pass completion percentage (79.3% vs 73.9), generated more shot-creating actions per 90 (3.93 vs 1.09) and has taken more touches in the final third (134 vs 97), suggesting he is a much better attacking option than the former Hibs starlet.

Defensively, the Dutchman wins more aerial duels per game (0.8 vs 0.5), but Doig holds the upper hand when it comes to tackles (1.5 vs 0.9) and clearances (1.3 vs 0.9) along with losing possession on fewer occasions per game (9.9 vs 11.6) and it is clear from the statistics that while Smal is a much better option going forward, Doig looks more solid from a defensive viewpoint.

Barisic’s game is built on attacking as often as possible and this could be something which Clement wishes his next first-choice left-back to continue to do.

If so, Smal must be the main target as he could generate plenty of chances for his teammates during games and this will only benefit the attack.

It could be a long few weeks for the supporters as they wait to sign more players following the arrival of Fabio Silva late last month and Clement will hopefully avoid the mistakes of his predecessors by making all his January signings before deadline day.

Last summer, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp made sweeping changes to his side's midfield after a dismal year bore no success, and while the defensive ranks will receive priority this year, the German could yet bolster his engine room with another addition.

The narrative of the January transfer window at Anfield would suggest that there the Liverpool transfer board are contented and composed at the 2023/24 campaign's midpoint, first-placed in the Premier League and firing on all cylinders.

And having slalomed past multiple obstacles over the past several months, namely injuries to numerous key players, Klopp appears convinced of his squad's calibre, capable of bringing silverware back to Merseyside over the coming months.

However, the lack of formal action in the market this month does not mean that no deal will be pursued, with recent reports suggesting that Liverpool could make a move to complete last year's midfield repairs ahead of the business end of the term.

Liverpool transfer targets – January

Italian publication La Gazzetta dello Sport – via FourFourTwo – have recently revealed that Liverpool are targeting Atalanta midfielder Teun Koopmeiners and are ready to bid a sum of £40m to secure his services.

The Netherlands international was reportedly on Klopp's radar during the summer but other options were chosen, though the resurfacing of rumours suggests that Liverpool are still convinced of his qualities.

While Newcastle United are also interested, Atalanta would prefer to sell Koopmeiners to a foreign club than a Serie A rival and the Reds will be confident that they can convince him to move to Merseyside.

How Teun Koopmeiners compares to Szoboszlai

Koopmeiners has amassed 104 appearances for Atalanta – posting 21 goals and 12 assists – since signing from Dutch Eredivisie team AZ Alkmaar for around €12m (£10m) in 2021.

The 25-year-old is creative and dynamic but offers a roundedness to his craft that would make him a fantastic addition to an ambitious Premier League side such as Liverpool, hailed as the “orchestrator” for his side by talent scout Jacek Kulig, which essentially means a technically proficient player with a range of passing and intelligence in possession to influence play and dictate the flow.

This season, across 26 displays, the ace has scored seven goals and supplied four assists for his Italian outfit, averaging 2.3 key passes, 1.3 tackles and 5.2 ball recoveries per game in Serie A, as per Sofascore.

Moreover, as per FBref, the 6 foot 1 talent ranks among the top 6% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals scored, the top 3% for assists and the top 8% for progressive carries per 90, highlighting his creative flair and willingness to drive forward and make things happen for his side.

Pascal Gross

Brighton & Hove Albion

Dominik Szoboszlai

Liverpool

Martin Odegaard

Arsenal

Given that Dominik Szoboszlai is considered one of Koopmeiner's most comparable Premier League players, via FBref's 'similar players' model, it's clear that Klopp has identified a player of a particular profile to fit his system and is now eager to add another layer by completing a move for the Atalanta man.

Szoboszlai joined the Anfield side in July after his £60m release clause with RB Leipzig was met, and while he has mellowed somewhat after a lightning start to life in the Premier League, the Hungarian has been one of the most impressive and enterprising midfielders around this term.

Described as a "generational talent" by journalist Marcel Moeller, the 23-year-old has started 19 matches in the English top-flight this season, clinching two goals and assists apiece, completing 88% of his passes and averaging 1.8 key passes, 1.4 tackles and 6.4 ball recoveries each outing.

Capable of hitting a football with sheer, brutish force, like the clap of thunder, Szoboszlai has been immense this season and embodies the finest attributes of a quintessential 'Klopp' creative midfielder, and Koopmeiners would only find success by taking the leap and joining the Anfield project.

Of course, it has to be said that there is something of an overload of midfielders in Liverpool's mix at present, but rotation has worked very well indeed as the Reds chase down silver-laden success across all four fronts – top of the Premier League, on the cusp of advancing to the Carabao Cup final and having advanced in both the FA Cup and the Europa League.

His versatility is an asset; he has an innate understanding of how to thrive across multiple midfield roles, deftly tweaking his skills to align with the responsibilities of sitting deep, or impacting proceedings from an attacking standpoint, or providing a balance of sorts in a box-to-box deployment.

Given that Koopmeiners has the talents needed to slot right into Klopp's system (and if Mac Allister is kept in a deeper-lying midfield role going forward) then it is understandable that such a player be welcomed to complete the pack, having also been described as a "machine" by one scout.

Finishing

Set-piece threat

Long shots

Aerial duels

Key passes

Concentration

There is the matter of Thiago Alcantara's contract expiring at the end of the season, and while the distinguished Spanish star hasn't played once this season due to injury, replacing him with a skilful star is something Klopp is clearly considering.

Liverpool have demonstrated prudence in January transfer windows over recent seasons, signing Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo across the past two years to replace Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino respectively, both moves made six months before the esteemed stars actually took their leave.

Right now, Klopp will feel that he has enough firepower to ensure that his glittering Liverpool trophy cabinet is augmented by summer, and while setbacks to important players have been weathered throughout the first half of the season, Koopmeiners might just be the perfect option to complete the engine room.

Manchester United’s 2-0 victory over Wigan Athletic on Monday evening in the FA Cup was remarkably their first away win since November.

Despite progressing, the Red Devils were underwhelming, which has become a common theme this season.

United are eighth in the Premier League, and with that in mind, Erik ten Hag will be desperately wanting to improve his squad for the back end of the campaign.

Perhaps bringing in a Premier League midfielder would do the trick for the Dutchman.

Man Utd transfers latest – midfield hunt for Ten Hag

According to Football Transfers, Man United have opened talks with Amadou Onana of Everton.

It is rumoured that a deal involving Scott McTominay going to the Toffees could be on the cards, which would see Onana swap Merseyside for Manchester.

A move could occur this January, but Everton are looking for a fee in the region of £60m according to prior reports from Football Insider.

How Kobbie Mainoo could benefit from Amadou Onana

Monday's game against Wigan further cemented the fact that Kobbie Mainoo is arguably one of United’s most important players at the moment.

Despite being just 18 years old, he controlled the midfield all by himself having completed 90% of his passes and won a staggering ten ground duels. Such work has made the teenager simply undroppable.

Mainoo vs Wigan Athletic

Minutes Played

90

Touches

86

Accurate Passes

61/68 (90%)

Key Passes

1

Successful Dribbles

2/2

Duels Won

10/16

Tackles

8

Stats via Sofascore.

However, what was also obvious is the need for a player to partner him in the middle of the park, because although the youngster is excellent, he cannot take on all the defensive midfield responsibility alone. That dream partner could be Onana, who would provide the perfect balance and support to Ten Hag’s team.

The table below shows Onana’s statistics from the 2023/24 Premier League campaign and how he ranks compared to positional peers in the division.

Onana's 2023/24 Premier League Stats

Stats (per 90)

Onana

Ranking in PL

Tackles

2.81

Top 19%

Tackles won

1.71

Top 20%

Ball recoveries

7.13

Top 18%

Aerials won

2.47

Top 4%

Passes completed

35.99

Top 50%

Stats via FBref

Firstly, what stands out instantly about Onana is the fact that he is very strong out of possession, and he is dominant due to his power, size, and athleticism, which is why he has been compared to Patrick Vieira by former Belgium coach Roberto Martinez.

The former Everton boss once stated: “Sometimes he reminds you of a young Patrick Vieira in the way that he can drive with the ball,"

The 22-year-old stands at 6 foot 4, which clearly makes him useful in both penalty boxes. United are quite a short team overall, and Onana’s ability to be dominant in the air would help defend long balls and set pieces in particular.

The Everton star also has long legs, which allow him to tackle with ease and regain possession for his side by recovering the ball. His size and frame also allow him to cover ground quickly, which will significantly reduce the number of transitions and cutbacks that the Red Devils concede from.

Due to playing for an Everton side that rarely dominates possession and endures long spells without the ball, the former Lille players’ passing statistics are not that impressive. However, he has shown glimpses of technical class, and in a different environment, like United, he could flourish.

Having said that, if playing next to Mainoo, Onana would be the slightly more defensive of the two, which would allow the 18-year-old to play further forward, where he can impact the game with his close dribbling and creativity.

Related Man Utd could sign a bigger talent than Mainoo in 2024

Manchester United could strengthen their midfield in the January transfer window.

Posts ByMatt Dawson Dec 24, 2023

However, the United academy graduate is also secure out of possession, as shown by his eight tackles won versus Wigan, and together they would be a complete midfield duo.

Signing Onana would be an excellent move by United, especially if they could bargain with Everton for a cheaper fee or/and a swap deal. Onana and Mainoo have the potential to dominate the Premier League for years to come, and therefore, the Red Devils must look to sign the Belgian.

One Celtic player is starting to become a target overseas ahead of the New Year, with another club making an offer for his services.

Celtic transfer update

The Hoops were busy over the summer following Brendan Rodgers’ return to Parkhead, with a number of additions being made in multiple areas of the pitch.

Celtic summer window signings

Fee

Gustaf Lagerbielke (IF Elfsborg)

£3m

Odin Thiago Holm (Valerenga)

£2.5m

Marco Tilio (Melbourne City)

£2m

Hyun-Jun Yang (Gangwon)

£2m

Hyeokkyu Kwon (Busan I-Park)

£1m

Maik Nawrocki (Legia Warsaw)

£4.3m

Tomoki Iwata (Yokohama F. Marinos)

Undisc.

All fees according to Sky Sports

Alongside all the arrivals, there were also some departees, and the club actually made a profit in the summer, mainly due to Jota’s big-money exit to Saudi Pro League side Al Ittihad. As well as Jota, Celtic also received fees for Carl Starfelt, Albian Ajeti and Conor Hazard, and by the looks of things, the club could soon bring in cash for another player in 2024.

Celtic outcast Yosuke Ideguchi made the move back to Japan earlier this year, joining Avispa Fukuoka back in February. Since then, reports have claimed that the J1 League want to secure his services on a permanent deal.

However, in a new Celtic transfer update from Japan, relayed by The Glasgow Times, the Hoops have already received an offer from Avispa Fukuoka and now fellow Japanese side Vissel Kobe are also said to have made a "formal offer" for the midfielder.

Yosuke Ideguchi's career at Celtic

Ideguchi arrived in Glasgow back in January 2022 and is under contract until 2026, however, things haven’t worked out for the Japan international. He has missed a number of games through injury since putting pen to paper in Scotland and has made just six senior appearances in green and white. His injury issues have continued while on loan at Avispa Fukuoka.

Yosuke Ideguchi injury history

Injury

Games missed

Season

Broken ankle

17

2022/23

Fitness

12

2022/23

Knee

7

2021/22

Unknown

10

2020/21

Former Greuther Furth boss Damir Buric previously heaped praise on the player, though, saying:

“In regards to Yosuke, I can only speak the best. He is an outstanding person with great character. First of all I was very impressed with the way he came back from that serious injury. What impressed me most was the way he was working during his time out with the injury.

“It was just unbelievable, almost like soldier. He showed such a great attitude and positive approach. He was extremely disciplined, took in every additional training session of physical rehabilitation and invested all of his time in getting back as soon as he possibly could.”

He appears to be a player with quality when fully fit, however, unfortunately, Celtic haven’t seen that version of the player enough, so a permanent exit could make sense for all involved in 2024, whether that be with Avispa Fukuoka or Vissel Kobe, making this one to watch.

Chelsea may end up being without Enzo Fernandez for the rest of the season, with the Argentina star starting to plan for the Copa America.

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• Midfielder nursing hernia problem
• Will be forced to undergo surgery
• Decision to make on operation date

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Albiceleste, with eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi in their ranks, will be looking to defend their continental crown on U.S. soil this summer. Their intention is to call upon the services of World Cup winner Fernandez for that competition.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Fernandez is, however, carrying an inguinal hernia problem that will require him to undergo an operation. No decision has been made as yet regarding a date for surgery, but the Argentina camp are pushing for that procedure to take place as soon as possible.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Argentina news outlet points out that if the 23-year-old midfielder were to go under the knife imminently, then he would be fully recovered in time for the Copa America. That competition is due to get underway on June 20 – with the world champions opening things up against Canada.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  A major sticking point when it comes to surgery for Fernandez is that he would miss the remainder of the season at Chelsea if he were to seek hernia treatment at this stage. The Blues are still pushing for European qualification, with a battle of wills now on the cards as a club versus country debate breaks out in west London.

The first day of India’s four-day non-first-class fixture against CA XI is expected to receive plenty of rain, and the second is not clear either

Sidharth Monga27-Nov-2018

Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant and Kuldeep Yadav celebrate a wicket•AFP/Getty Images

India begin their only tour game before the Test series in Australia on Wednesday, but they do so in a manner similar to the one in England despite efforts to do it otherwise. They will play a non-first-class fixture against a weak side in a game that might not see more than three days’ play.In England, India had asked their only four-day match to be reduced to three days, a game in which every player of the squad played, ridding it of its competitive nature. In Australia, the BCCI seemed to have pulled off a modern coup of sorts, getting a tour game at a venue that will be hosting a Test later, the Sydney Cricket Ground. A further breakthrough was made when they got Cricket Australia to accommodate a late request to turn the three-day fixture into a four-day one, raising the possibility that India might buck the trend and play a proper first-class game.A day before the match, though, India announced this would not be a first-class fixture. That means everybody in the squad will get to bat and bowl with only 11 on the field at a given time. To choose between such a game and a proper first-class fixture has of late been the dilemma with tours – especially India’s – having time only for one warm-up match before the series begins.One school of thought is to decide your best XI in advance, and go hard to win a competitive match. Former Australia captain Ian Chappell, among others, is a fan of this approach. He wrote for ESPNcricinfo last weekend: “Many sides touring Australia have failed to observe the rule that should be etched on their boarding pass: try to win every game, especially those leading up to the first Test. The last touring side that obeyed that principle was Andrew Strauss’ England side in 2010-11. Their enterprise in the warm-up matches was an influencing factor in an eventual 3-1 Test series victory.”However, it is understandable that when you have only one game, you want to give some time in the middle to every batsman and bowler before you zero in on your best XI for the Test. India can’t be assessed harshly for taking this route.It is possible the wretched forecast for Sydney had some influence on this call. The first day of this match is expected to receive plenty of rain, and the second is not clear either. So if you are likely to get only three days of play, does it make sense to play it as a four-day competitive fixture?India captain Virat Kohli’s main grouse with warm-up fixtures is likely to stay. Even in England, he defended his decision to not play competitive tour games by saying it was rare to get an opposition that prepares you for a Test match. “A lot of people talk about tour games but where are those tour games happening and against what quality of bowling are very important questions to be asked,” Kohli had told Sky TV in England. “Because if you don’t get the preparation you need before a Test series, then it is actually not utilised well. Time is not utilised well if you don’t get the quality of opposition that you will face in Test cricket.”India’s opposition in this SCG match is a CA XI side, with only eight of those players having played first-class cricket. D’Arcy Short is the only one with international experience, but he is seen as a T20 specialist. Most of the players in Australia are busy playing the concurrent round of Shield cricket.Five Test specialists have had a better shot at acclimatisation. They reached Sydney early to train with Sanjay Bangar, India’s assistant coach. Ajinkya Rahane, M Vijay, Parthiv Patel, Prthivi Shaw and Hanuma Vihari have been working at the SCG from November 22. From among the T20 specialists, offspinner Washington Sundar will stay back till November 29 as a net bowler to help the Test batsmen prepare.From whatever time India get in the middle, they will look to sort out their best combination. They have to decide between the three openers on tour – M Vijay, KL Rahul and Prithvi Shaw – and also need to decide whether they want an extra batsman or a spin-bowling allrounder in Hardik Pandya’s absence. If India do play an extra batsman, they have to pick between Rohit Sharma and Hanuma Vihari. R Ashwin should start as the lead spinner, but Kuldeep Yadav’s wristspin will always be part of the conversation.CA XI: Sam Whiteman (capt), Max Bryant, Jake Carder, Jackson Coleman, Harry Conway, Daniel Fallins, David Grant, Aaron Hardie, Jonathan Merlo, Harry Nielsen (wk), D’Arcy Short, Param Uppal

Zimbabwe finished day two on 25 for 1 after Mushfiqur’s unbeaten 219 helped Bangladesh post 522 for 7

The Report by Liam Brickhill12-Nov-2018Stumps Mushfiqur Rahim celebrates his double-hundred•Raton Gomes/BCBMushfiqur Rahim lit up the second day in Mirpur with a brilliant, unbeaten 219 that allowed his team to declare their innings at a massive 522 for 7. Mushfiqur’s was the first Test double-hundred of 2018 and the highest score recorded by a Bangladesh batsman in Tests, while he also became the first wicketkeeper in Test history to hit two double-tons.Having set a new Bangladesh record for the fourth-wicket partnership with Mominul Haque on the first day, Mushfiqur followed that up by setting a new record for his country the eighth with Mehidy Hasan. Together they added an unbeaten 144, Mehidy striking five fours and a six in an adventurous 68 before the declaration came 40 minutes after tea.Mushfiqur reached the landmark 15 minutes after tea, having batted for over nine hours, and his marathon knock meant that Bangladesh were able to weather a five-wicket haul from Zimbabwe seamer Kyle Jarvis. While Jarvis was probing in every spell he bowled, Zimbabwe were hampered by an injury to his seam-bowling partner Tendai Chatara. He pulled up short running up to bowl the third delivery of his 22nd over of the innings, clutching his left thigh and wincing in pain. He was stretchered off with a suspected grade 2 quadriceps muscle strain, and Zimbabwe lost a leader of their attack for the remainder of the match.In his absence, Jarvis struck twice in the first half-hour after lunch to pick up his third five-for in Tests, but Mushfiqur held firm. A slash over the slips brought up his 150, which took up 334 balls and five minutes short of eight hours at the crease.He greeted Sikandar Raza’s introduction for the first time in the day by twice using his feet to get down the track, driving inside out through cover and then clobbering the first six of the innings over midwicket. Mehidy brought up a 78-ball fifty by double-stepping and slamming Raza over long on for another six, and proved the perfect foil for Mushfiqur’s more level-headed accumulation.Mushfiqur’s acceleration in the afternoon stood in stark contrast to his morning go-slow, when he faced 55 deliveries in the first session before hitting his first boundary. There was no hint of the impatient, limited-overs batting style that blighted Bangladesh’s efforts in the first Test, and Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah progressed through the morning very much in Test mode.Mushfiqur had been the fortunate recipient of another missed chance in the field by Zimbabwe in the fourth over of the morning, when Chakabva tumbled to his right but failed to hold onto a thin inside edge that had ricocheted off the batsman’s pad. Mushfiqur doubled down his defence in response, taking an hour and a half to score his first ten runs of the day, but then unfurled the sweep shot to good effect against Zimbabwe’s spinners, collecting boundaries off Sean Williams and Brandon Mavuta.As he batted on and on through to tea and beyond, he found increasing momentum, picking the right ball to attack, and when the declaration finally came, a Zimbabwe line-up, fatigued by the better part of two days in the field, was faced with the prospect of surviving a tricky 18-over period before the close.Hamilton Masakadza survived a review for lbw after being hit on the pad by Mustafizur Rahman third ball, and was gifted a second life when he edged debutant Khaled Ahmed into the slips, where Ariful Haque dropped the chance. But in fading light, his battling knock came to an end when he edged Taijul Islam low to Mehidy at slip to fall for a 44-ball 14. Brian Chari and nightwatchman Donald Tiripano survived unscathed to the close, but Zimbabwe have been left with a mountain to climb after Mushfiqur’s epic.

Lamine Yamal revealed that he does not want to play both Euro 2024 and the Olympics and gave his reasons for picking his preferred competition.

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• Yamal a key player for Spain
• But youngster only wants to play in European Championship
• Does not want to risk overloading himself

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Yamal, a cherished treasure of Luis de la Fuente, is faced with the possibility of participating in both the Euro 2024 and the Olympics. However, concerns have emerged within the Barcelona camp regarding the potential strain on the young player if he were to compete in both competitions in quick succession. The club is keen to avoid a scenario similar to 2021, where Pedri's fitness suffered due to the demanding schedule of multiple international tournaments.

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  WHAT YAMAL SAID

  In light of these concerns, Yamal recently addressed the issue himself in an interview with, acknowledging the challenges of participating in both the Euros and the Olympics.

  "It wouldn't be wise to participate in both tournaments," he said. "I've always tried to avoid overloading myself and playing excessively, so it wouldn't be logical to do both. But of course, representing Spain is a dream. It depends on how the Euro Cup unfolds, but I believe the priority would be the Euro Cup."

  However, Yamal, remains "definitely" open to reconsidering his stance if he is used scarcely in the Euro or Spain exit early from the competition.

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Yamal's decision marks a departure from his previous stance, where he had indicated openness to playing in both competitions. However, he now prioritizes the European Championship considering Pedri's erstwhile experiences. While speaking on the Pedri factor, he said: "It’s an example of what can happen because he’s the only one I remember doing it.“

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  WHAT NEXT?

  While the Spanish Football Federation has assured Barcelona that they would not overload their youngsters, the Catalans are likely to take measures to prevent their players from participating in both tournaments. Real Madrid have already taken a firm stance, prohibiting their players from competing in two competitions, signalling the importance clubs place on wellbeing and performance. Yamal will be back in action when Barcelona make a trip to Parc des Princes to face Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final.

India Blue needed just 10.4 overs on the fourth day to wrap up an innings-and-187-run victory against India Red in the Duleep Trophy final in Dindigul.Blue had won the toss at the NPR College ground and piled up 541 in 167.3 overs, riding on Nikhil Gangta’s 130 from No. 7 in a remarkable lower-order revival, after they were reduced to 284 for 6. Swapnil Singh then took 5 for 58 with his left-arm spin to shoot out Red for 182. Blue captain Faiz Fazal enforced the follow on, and Red fared just as poorly in their second innings.Resuming from an overnight 128 for 5, still trailing by 231 runs, Red lost three wickets inside the first four overs on day four, and any hope they might have had of mounting a fightback evaporated. Eventually, they were bowled out for 172 in 38.4 overs, with the spin duo of Saurabh Kumar and Deepak Hooda taking five wickets each.Left-arm spinner Saurabh’s 5 for 51 was his second five-wicket haul in two matches and took his tally to 19 wickets, the highest in the tournament. Hooda took 5 for 56 with his part-time offspin, his best innings figures in first-class cricket.When the match began on Tuesday, Blue had a somewhat wobbly start, losing their top four inside 42 overs to be 107 for 4. The first rebuilding effort was undertaken by Ricky Bhui (60) and Anmolpreet Singh, who added 144 before Anmolpreet fell for 96 just before stumps on the first day.Gangta then shepherded the lower order with all of Swapnil (69), Saurabh (36) and Jaydev Unadkat (24) making useful contributions as Blue put up a formidable total.Red then lost their captain Abhinav Mukund, bowled by Dhawal Kulkarni in the ten overs they had to bat on the second day, and unravelled quickly on the third day. B Sandeep’s 57 at No.3 was the only score above 20 among the top seven, with Kulkarni and Hooda taking two wickets apiece to complement Swapnil’s five.Red fared even worse in their second innings. Abhinav’s 46 was the highest score of the innings, and Ishan Kishan made 30 while Sandeep made 22, but no other batsman made more than 15.In addition to the highest wicket-taker in Saurabh, Blue also had the top run-getter of the tournament in Dhruv Shorey, who made 293 runs in five innings at an average of 58.60. Sanjay Ramaswamy, the Red opener, was second with 267 runs in six innings, while no other batsman totalled more than 200 in conditions where spinners thrived.

Premier League clubs fishing for new talent to add to their squads often look to faraway leagues in Europe to buy from, but looking a little closer to home often pays off with the Championship full of exceptional players worthy of a top-flight challenge if purchased. Everton are a club to have found notable success with such a strategy.

Players such as James Maddison, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Ivan Toney all flourished into top players in the Premier League after finding their feet in the second tier of English football – Brentford signing Toney for a cheap initial £5m transfer fee from Peterborough United, a bargain looking back with the 27-year-old now an established goalscorer at top-flight level.

The Toffees have more than utilised this method of signing up-and-coming talents from the Championship effectively, acquiring the likes of Tim Cahill from Millwall and Joleon Lescott from Wolves in the past.

But, the standout name is John Stones, who Everton signed from Barnsley in a transfer around the £3m mark in 2013.

A decade on, Stones is now a key player for both Manchester City and England on the international stage.

Everton will hope that they can get their hands on another gem from the Championship, and in Adam Wharton from Blackburn, they could well replicate the Stones success story with the 19-year-old if he swaps Ewood Park for Goodison Park.

Are Everton interested in Adam Wharton?

Branded as an "outstanding talent" by football journalist Josh Bunting, Everton are very much interested in Wharton's services who continue to excel with Blackburn.

The young midfielder has made 33 appearances for his current employers to date, cementing his spot as a first-teamer this season after breaking through into the starting XI at the end of 2022/23 campaign.

Everton aren't the only interested party, with a whole host of top-flight teams from England sniffing around for Wharton's services – TEAMtalk reporting, via Alan Nixon, that Newcastle United, Manchester United, Brighton and four other Premier League clubs are all actively looking at Wharton for a possible January transfer worth around £10m.

But, Sean Dyche's men could have the upper hand. Nixon is reporting that the Toffees are 'preparing to launch a January bid' which proves Everton's interest is concrete for the young Blackburn star.

How good is Adam Wharton?

Adam Wharton is highly thought of in the Blackburn set-up, the Lancashire-born midfielder featuring in all but two of the Riversiders' games this season – dropping out of the side recently owing to injury.

On his first full game for Rovers, Wharton picked up a Man of the Match accolade – the homegrown talent's presence helping Blackburn get over the line in a narrow 1-0 victory, assisting the only strike of the contest versus the Tangerines.

His overall Sofascore rating for Blackburn sees him come in at a 7.0, his tenacity on the ball a standout attribute – recovering the ball an average of six times a game this season so far from ten matches played.

Everton could well look to Wharton as a useful buy to give the Toffees more energy and doggedness through the centre of the park, a spot freed up in the midfield too after Jean-Phillipe Gbamin was recently released by the Merseysiders.

The Toffees will further hope that they have unearthed a gem to the same level that they managed to obtain when purchasing Stones in 2013, Wharton drawing parallels by coming through at his hometown club and attracting plenty of interest from a whole host of Premier League suitors.