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GOAL runs through the best and worst of British players plying their trade on foreign soil. Now more than ever, British players are finding that the grass can be greener elsewhere. The lure of the Premier League remains grand, but it's not the be-all and end-all. In fact, some of the home nations' biggest stars have decided to take their talents abroad to the mainland continent and beyond.

England's captain is in the Bundesliga, two of their other best players are at Santiago Bernabeu, and there's now even one at the rebuilt Camp Nou. With the 2025-26 European season now properly underway after the September international break, there have been contrasting fortunes for the Britons who are currently making a living away from home.

GOAL will be breaking down the winners and losers each week, and here's our latest round-up after a weekend that saw a host of heavyweight European teams make big statements of intent…

AFPWinner: Harry Kane

Fresh from scoring in England's thumping World Cup qualifying victory over Serbia, Kane continued his scintillating early-season form for Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga on Saturday. The 32-year-old hit a brace and notched an assist as the German champions thrashed Hamburg 5-0 at Allianz Arena.

Serge Gnabry opened the scoring before Aleksandar Pavlovic made it two inside 10 minutes, with Kane feeding a perfect pass through to the latter after some neat link-up play on the edge of the box. The England captain extended Bayern's lead with a trademark penalty and they went in at the interval 4-0 up thanks to a deflected Luis Diaz strike.

Vincent Kompany's side understandably took their foot off the gas in the second half, but Kane rounded off the comprehensive victory just after the hour mark, producing a sublime first touch to ghost past his marker before firing low into the net. That's now 11 goal contributions in his first five appearances across all competitions for Bayern this season, which is staggering when you consider he only really had one month's rest over the summer due to the club's exertions at the expanded Club World Cup.

Could it be that Kane is making an early play for the 2026 Ballon d'Or? He is too humble to ever admit such an ambition, but there is a real edge to his play at the moment, and Bayern will be genuine Champions League contenders if he can keep it up. 

"This team suits me a lot: the way we play, the way we press, it gives me space and it gives me chances to get on the ball; I have runners in behind," Kane said after the game, which suggests Kompany's high-intensity system is now working at optimal capacity, and that could very well mean that Bayern's star striker soon becomes a Golden Ball favourite.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportLoser: Trent Alexander-Arnold

Trent Alexander-Arnold's dream move to Real Madrid is quickly turning into a nightmare. The ex-Liverpool star was dropped to the bench for the second time this season as Los Blancos battled to a vital 2-1 victory away at Real Sociedad, which maintained their perfect record in La Liga after four games.

Kylian Mbappe and Arda Guler grabbed the goals for the visitors as Real secured all three points despite having to play the best part of 60 minutes with 10 men after Dean Huijsen's red card. Alexander-Arnold had very little to do with the final result, though, coming on in the 82nd minute as Xabi Alonso's team closed out the win.

Dani Carvajal once again got the nod at right-back over the England international, who is now being forced to face up to a bleak reality: he may not be a guaranteed starter under Alonso. "Whoever deserves it will play; it's going to be very repetitive all year," the Madrid boss said in the build-up to the game, but it's clear that right now, Carvajal is a better fit for his disciplined style of play.

With so much firepower up top already, Alexander-Arnold's playmaking qualities are not as important for Real as Carvajal's defensive nous. That all being said, the 26-year-old has time on his side to change the situation, and Carvajal's subpar performance against Sociedad will have doubtless aided his cause.

The Spain full-back recklessly gave away the penalty that got Sociedad back into the contest, and he is not as mobile as he once was at 33. If Alexander-Arnold can sharpen up off the ball and make the most of his opportunities, which will be more frequent once the Champions League kicks off, he can still become a key player for Real as they chase silverware across all fronts once again.

Winner: Marseille's ex-Man Utd duo

Marseille suffered a disappointing loss to Lyon before the international break, but bounced back impressively on Friday when welcoming Lorient to Stade Velodrome. The most decisive moment of the game came just nine minutes in, when Michael Murillo was hauled down in the box after brilliantly controlling a long pass to put himself in a clear goalscoring position.

Darlin Yongwa was sent off his clumsy challenge and the referee pointed to the penalty spot, with Mason Greenwood subsequently stepping up to calmly roll the ball into the net and put Marseille in front. The ex-Manchester United forward then turned provider, delivering a wicked in-swinging corner for Benjamin Pavard to head home the second goal for Roberto De Zerbi's side.

That was Pavard's first goal for Marseille since arriving on loan from Inter, and another summer signing put them out of sight in the 33rd minute. After a mis-hit clearance fell kindly to Angel Gomes, who joined the club on a free transfer after leaving Lille, the midfielder set himself before unleashing an unstoppable volley that flew into the top corner from 20 yards out.

Nayef Aguerd sealed a 4-0 win for Marseille late on, but the two United academy graduates took most of the plaudits, and rightly so. Greenwood will again be Marseille's chief goal threat as they bid to push Paris Saint-Germain closer this season, and De Zerbi will hope that Gomes can be similarly influential in the south of France. 

"The club had a great transfer window, the team is strong, the players are very good," the Marseille coach told reporters. "We can think that this is our first league match since it is the first time our players played together. There is a lot of enthusiasm to wear the OM jersey." With Real Madrid up next in the Champions League, Marseille will need to maintain that "enthusiasm" across the pitch.

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Getty Images SportLoser: Jobe Bellingham

“I like his attitude to his job. I like the passion he shows. As a 19-year-old, that’s not something to be taken for granted. He’s certainly very mature for his age," Borussia Dortmund boss Niko Kovac said of Jobe Bellingham in his first press conference after the international break. "He knows where he comes from, he knows where he is, and he also knows where he wants to go. You see that every day in our work with him."

They were strong words of praise for the former Sunderland star, who showed that "passion" when playing on after suffering a nasty head injury in Dortmund's 3-0 win over Union Berlin on August 31. Bellingham also scored for the England U21s in their European Championship qualifier against Kazakhstan, which would have left him brimming with confidence upon his return to BVB.

But in a very surprising move, Kovac ended up leaving Bellingham out of his latest starting lineup, with Felix Nmecha and Pascal Gross selected in centre midfield against Heidenheim. Bellingham did come on for the final 25 minutes, but only when Dortmund were 2-0 up and cruising against the 10-man hosts, who saw their star striker Budu Zivzivadze pick up a red card in the first half for a dangerous tackle. Kovac may be impressed with the teenager's mentality, but it's obvious he doesn't yet fully trust him to deliver consistently strong performances.

With Marcel Sabitzer, Carney Chukwuemeka, and Salih Ozcan also vying for minutes in the middle of the park, Bellingham is fighting a tough battle to establish himself at Signal Iduna Park, especially given that Kovac has already pigeon-holed him as a specialist No.6. There is no need to panic just yet, but Bellingham will need to make a big impression in the coming matches to avoid becoming a backup player.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers recently revealed that the Scottish Premiership champions need to add more goals to their team during the summer transfer window.

When asked about what the Hoops need to do before the start of September, the manager said: “I think it’s bringing goals to the squad. Especially when you score four goals, it seems like you’re okay. But we lost an important player in Kyogo [Furuhashi] in January. He brought us a lot of goals. We lost Nicolas Kuhn. He brought us a lot of goals. Matt O’Riley even last summer.

Ligue 1 side Rennes swooped in to sign Kyogo Furuhashi from the Scottish giants for a reported fee of £10m in January, ending a goal-laden time for the striker at Parkhead.

Celtic hit the jackpot with Kyogo Furuhashi

Ange Postecoglou signed the centre-forward from Vissel Kobe in the summer of 2021, and it is safe to say that it was an incredibly successful move for all parties involved.

Kyogo ended his Celtic career with a return of 85 goals and 15 assists in 165 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants, which shows that he was prolific throughout his time at the club.

His best season at Parkhead, by far, was when he plundered 34 goals in the 2022/23 campaign for Postecoglou, though, as the Japan international was a goal machine that year.

Whilst it is unrealistic to expect Celtic to find a new forward who can score 34 goals in one season, Rodgers could finally replace Kyogo by signing Federico Chiesa on loan from Liverpool, as the club are reportedly one of the teams chasing a loan deal for the attacker.

Why Celtic should sign Federico Chiesa

If the Hoops can convince the Italy international to make the move to Parkhead on loan, the £150k-per-week star could be a high-quality addition to the squad.

Chiesa primarily plays as a winger but he has also started 87 career club games as a second striker or as a centre-forward, which suggests that he could play through the middle for Celtic in the Scottish Premiership.

The Italian forward has scored 66 goals for Juventus and Fiorentina, whilst he has also scored seven goals for his country. This speaks to his pedigree and shows the kind of quality that the Hoops would be bringing in.

Chiesa only played 14 times, scoring twice, in all competitions for Liverpool last season, but his form in the 2023/24 campaign for Juventus shows that he has the quality to be a fantastic signing for Celtic.

Starts

25

xG

6.43

Goals

9

Big chances created

12

xA

5.58

Assists

2

As you can see in the table above, the Italian forward, who can play wide or centrally, provided a big threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals in one of Europe’s major leagues.

The 27-year-old star, who was once dubbed “unplayable” by reporter Carlo Garganese, was also incredibly efficient in front of goal, overperforming his xG by almost three goals.

Whereas, Kyogo only scored 10 goals from 14.14 xG in the first half of last season’s Premiership campaign. Chiesa, based on his form for Juventus, could be far more efficient with the chances that come his way if Rodgers provided him with an opportunity to play regularly.

The Italian dynamo is a clinical finisher and creative force who can offer quality out wide or through the middle as a dynamic forward option, who is already proven at a higher level of football than the Premiership.

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Therefore, Celtic should be pushing to win the race for Chiesa’s services as he is a clinical forward who could provide a cutting edge to the team’s attack as a Kyogo replacement this summer.

استعاد نادي إنتر ميامي توازنه من جديد وتمكن من تحقيق انتصار مستحق فجر اليوم الأربعاء على حساب نظيره سياتل ساوندرز بثلاثة أهداف مقابل هدف واحد، وذلك لحساب منافسات بطولة الدوري الأمريكي الممتاز لكرة القدم.

إنتر ميلان دخل لقاء اليوم بهدف التعويض، عقب الخسارة القاسية التي تعرض لها رفاق الأسطورة ليونيل ميسي أمام شارلوت بثلاثة أهداف دون مقابل، يوم الأحد الماضي.

ودفع مدرب نادي إنتر ميامي، خافيير ماسكيرانو، بقوته الضاربة، حيث تواجد ميسي كمهاجم صريح اليوم، في حين لعب جوردي ألبا على الجناح الأيسر بجانب مشاركة رودريجو دي بول كجناح أيمن وسيرجيو بوسكيتس في خط الوسط.

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وبدأ إنتر ميامي لقاء اليوم بضغط كبير بحثًأ عن تسجيل الهدف الأول، وهو ما تحقق بالفعل في الدقيقة 12، حيث توغل ميسي بين دفاعات ساوندرز ليمنح ألبا انفرادًا أمام المرمى، حيث وضع الظهير الأيسر الكرة بنجاح في شباك الفريق المنافس، معلنًا تقدم إنتر ميامي.

وكان ميسي قريبًا من تسجيل الهدف الثاني لصالح إنتر ميامي في الدقيقة 28، لكن الدولي الأرجنتيني سدد كرة ارتطمت في القائم الذي تعاطف مع ساوندرز.

ورد ألبا الدين إلى ميسي في الدقيقة 41، حيث مرر لاعب برشلونة السابق الكرة إلى النجم الأرجنتيني ليسددها الأخير بيمناه في مرمى ساوندرز مضيفًا الهدف الثاني لإنتر ميامي.

ومن كرة ركنية استطاع إيان فراي التوقيع على الهدف الثالث لإنتر ميامي في الدقيقة 52 من رأسية رائعة، مؤكدًا فوز أصحاب الأرض.

وحفظ أوبيد فارجاس ماء وجه ساوندرز وسجل الهدف الوحيد لفريقه في الدقيقة 69.

بتلك النتيجة رفع نادي إنتر ميامي رصيده إلى 49 نقطة في المركز الخامس بالقسم الشرقي، بينما تجمد رصيد ساوندرز عند 45 نقطة في المركز الرابع بالقسم الغربي.

Sanath Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka’s interim coach, wants his team to channel the criticism they have received after the T20I series loss to India to turn things around during the 50-overs leg of the tour.”I tell them that I have been at this place too during my 20 years as a player,” Jayasuriya said ahead of the first ODI in Colombo. “A lot of you have just started. You have to be able to accept this criticism, and then be able to come out and play well. If you play well the fans will love you. What they say to you is because of the hurt they are feeling, and that’s temporary.Jayasuriya said the Sri Lankan team was putting in “huge efforts” at training, and the batting collapses they suffered in all three T20Is was simply a case of things not clicking. Two nights ago, they lost 7 for 27 as India took the third T20I into the Super Over despite the hosts cruising towards their 138-run target at one stage. In the first T20I, they lost 9 for 30 after setting themselves up for victory at 140 for 1 in 14 overs while chasing 214.Jayasuriya said it wasn’t a lack of skill or commitment that led to the meltdowns. He felt his players’ “cricket awareness” needed sharpening. “We have created a system where top-order batters could bat for two or three hours during training,” he said. “Kamindu Mendis batted for more than 600 balls during our training. Kusal Perera batted for over 700 balls and that’s quite a number of overs.Related

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“I don’t see a lack of commitment, but they have got to tackle pressure better. Their cricket awareness also needs sharpening. We are taking the responsibility; you can’t go away from that. As long as they realise that, and make sure that, we’ll have to keep giving them the confidence and support.”Jayasuriya elaborated on the “cricket awareness” aspect by citing how it was acceptable to not be a six-hitting team.”When you talk about power hitting, I don’t think you need that much,” Jayasuriya said. “If you hit enough fours and enough twos, you get the total that you need. The [Sri Lankan] grounds are a little bigger. There’s no reason why you can’t hit boundaries, or twos, or threes. If you can do that, you can get by without hitting so many sixes.”Jayasuriya also backed new captain Charith Asalanka to come good, while underlining the importance of giving him time to settle into the new role before being judged. Since his debut in 2021, Asalanka has risen to become one of Sri Lanka’s more consistent ODI batters, averaging 43.59 with a strike rate of almost 90 across 52 innings.”Charith Asalanka is one of our best players in this format, and we need to remember that,” Jayasuriya said. “But when you get the captaincy, there is some pressure. I’ve been there too. You have got to give them a little time in that position.”There are ten more players in the side, and 16 in the squad. We all have to get together and give him the confidence too. At any moment, the captain could click. Charith Asalanka is someone who works really hard. He’s very professional and communicates well.”The Sri Lanka players have been hit by injuries and illnesses in the lead-up to the ODI series. The list is rather long – Binura Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka, Dushmantha Chameera, Matheesha Pathirana and Nuwan Thushara are all unavailable.”We have brought Pramod Madushan into our squad,” Jayasuriya said. “There’s also a viral flu in the team and we need to account for that. Maheesh Theekshana was sick and he recovered enough to play. Wanindu Hasaranga also had it. There were several who caught it and in the end, we even had to admit Binura Fernando to the hospital.”The absence of key players, though, is not something Jayasuriya wants to use as an excuse. He insists there’s plenty to play for and has spoken to players individually about placing an emphasis on being “mentally in the right place”.”I’m interim coach and I’ve only got these two series, but that’s not how I think,” he said. “When I was playing, and even now, I hate to lose. The players who are around now know that too. When I talk to them, I tell them that fans in this country love the game, and a lot of us, including me, have brought cricket into this country to a certain place.”I’ve spoken about that a lot individually with players and as a team. In terms of facilities and practice, I’ve tried to do as much as I can. What I want is to create a good environment so they can be mentally in the right place and can play with confidence.”

Manchester United are now showing serious interest in signing an £85 million midfielder from a Club World Cup side, according to a recent report.

Man Utd chasing multiple strikers amid search for new front three

The current focus at Old Trafford remains on completing the signing of Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford, but once that deal is done, United will switch their attentions to completing the rest of their new-look front three with a new number nine.

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Rasmus Hojlund looks as though he could be moved on by the Red Devils this summer to make way for a new striker. Indeed, reports have already emerged that Hojlund has given the go ahead to join Inter Milan.

Meanwhile, United are assessing their options for who could replace the Dane. Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres looked to be one of their preferred targets, given his connection with Ruben Amorim, but they have now moved onto other targets.

Hugo Ekitike is a player who has emerged as a strong candidate to become United’s new number nine in recent weeks. The Premier League side have held talks with his representatives over a move to Old Trafford, although it’s claimed that Eintracht Frankfurt would want around £85 million.

But there are also two new names in the frame, as reports over the weekend revealed United are interested in signing Moise Kean from Fiorentina, after he scored 19 goals in Serie A last season, and United are seriously considering a move to sign Ollie Watkins from Aston Villa.

Man Utd showing serious interest in Richard Rios

As well as signing a new centre-forward, it’s been well publicised that Amorim wants a new midfielder, and they may now have found their ideal target. According to reports relayed by The Express, Man United are interested in signing Richard Rios from Palmeiras.

Rios is now a concrete target for the Red Devils, as they are seriously interested in a transfer, but a move will have to wait until after Palmeiras’ Club World Cup campaign has come to an end.

The report states that United are likely to prioritise signing a defensive midfielder this summer, as captain Bruno Fernandes is set for a deeper role next season, given the arrival of Matheus Cunha and the potential arrival of Mbeumo.

Rios, who has been described as a “ball-carrying machine” by data analyst Ben Mattinson, has been at Palmeiras since March 2023. The 25-year-old has become a key performer for the Brazilian side, as shown in the Club World Cup, where he’s played and started both games so far, drawing with Porto and beating Ahly SC.

Apps

2

Starts

2

Minutes per game

89

Total shots

1.5

Touches

43.0

Key passes

1.0

Passing accuracy per game

18.5 (77%)

Interceptions per game

3.0

Tackles per game

2.0

Balls recovered per game

5.5

Total duels won

7.0 (54%)

It is reported that Rios has a staggering £85 million release clause in his contract, which could be considered a lot for the Red Devils. Either way, signing Rios may have to be put on hold until they balance the books and move a few of the unwanted players on first. Rios’ potential arrival at Old Trafford would see him join Casemiro, Manuel Ugarte, Kobbie Mainoo and Toby Collyer as the defensive-minded midfielders in the squad.

Leeds United’s transfer business over the last couple of years has been nothing short of sensational, playing a massive role in their ability to secure the Championship title.

After their failure to win the play-offs in the 2023/24 season, multiple key players departed Elland Road for a move to the Premier League, resulting in the loss of numerous star men.

Crysencio Summerville, Georginio Rutter and Archie Gray were all sold, bringing in over £100m in player sales – a simply staggering feat for a side in England’s second-tier.

However, such funds allowed for the arrival of the likes of Ao Tanaka and Jayden Bogle, with both players playing a vital role in Daniel Farke’s side this campaign – as seen by their EFL Team of the Season inclusions.

If they are to secure survival in 2025/26, the hierarchy will need to replicate such dealings, handing the manager the funds to land quality talents who can further bolster the ranks in Yorkshire.

Leeds’ activity in the transfer window ahead of the summer

Even though the window is yet to open, Leeds have already been active in the market, looking to land multiple players to provide depth to multiple areas of Farke’s side.

The midfield department has arguably seen the most interest generated, with Manchester City’s James McAtee and Southampton’s Mateus Fernandes just two names thrown into the mix.

The latter could be available for a fee in the region of £30m after the Saints suffered an immediate return to the Championship, with the Whites looking to take advantage of such a situation.

As for the forward line, Jamie Vardy has been a name mentioned in recent weeks, with the 38-year-old to be a free agent this summer after announcing he would be departing Leicester City at the end of his current deal.

However, if any player does complete a switch to Yorkshire in the coming months, they will have high standards to live up to, based on the displays produced by multiple players during their previous stint in the top-flight.

The Leeds star who could be sold for more than Phillips

Kalvin Phillips came through the Leeds academy ranks and built a name for himself, playing a vital role in the previous promotion-winning season before becoming a mainstay in the Premier League.

The 29-year-old made a total of 234 appearances for the Whites, including 49 in the top-flight, being a key reason why the side finished 9th in their first season back in the top-flight back in 2020/21.

Such displays didn’t go unnoticed, leading to various England call-ups and featuring under Gareth Southgate for the national team at Euro 2020.

He would ultimately leave in a £45m deal to join Manchester City in the summer of 2022, earning the club a huge sum of money, with his career rapidly declining ever since, as seen by his loan spell at now-relegated Ipswich Town.

However, the club have another talent in the form of Wilfried Gnonto, who could leave for a higher figure if he continues on the current trajectory he’s on at Elland.

The “electric” ace, as labelled by statistician Statman Dave, has starred in Yorkshire over the last couple of years after his £3.8m transfer from FC Zurich in the summer of 2022.

He’s managed to find the net on 22 occasions in his 118 appearances, including one against Plymouth Argyle on the final day of the season, securing the club the Championship title as a result.

Such performances and tallies have led to interest over the last couple of years, with numerous sides across the globe registering interest in landing the Italian talent.

Most notably, Gnonto was the subject of huge interest from Saudi Arabia back in January, but the Whites refused to sell the 21-year-old, demanding a fee in the region of £50m for his services.

Leeds United’s record departures

Rank

Player

Team

Fee

1.

Raphinha

Barcelona

£55m

2.

Kalvin Phillips

Manchester City

£45m

3.

Archie Gray

Tottenham Hotspur

£40m

=

Georginio Rutter

Brighton & Hove Albion

£40m

4.

Rio Ferdinand

Manchester United

£30m

5.

Crysencio Summerville

West Ham United

£25m

Stats via Transfermarkt

The return to the Premier League this season hands him the platform to thrive once more, after previously registering four goals and two assists in his last season in the top-flight.

Should he manage to build on his previous term in England’s top-flight, his price tag would certainly increase further over the coming months – having the potential to be a club-record departure.

No supporter will want to lose such a talent in the near future, with the 21-year-old having the chance to build on his success in Yorkshire and play a key role in their survival hopes.

However, it once again highlights the superb work done by the hierarchy in recent times, with such business needing to be replicated during the upcoming window.

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Battling Premier League rivals on and off the pitch, Nottingham Forest have now reportedly joined the race to sign a 12-goal star who will be available for as little as £30m this summer.

Nottingham Forest's summer plans

They may still be battling to secure their Champions League place in a race which could yet end in defeat, but nothing can take away from Nottingham Forest’s excellent season. With or without a place in the top five, it’s been one to remember for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, who are likely to find themselves playing in some form of European football next season.

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All of a sudden, a move to the City Ground is a seriously attractive one. It’s not one that will leave players scrapping to keep the club in the Premier League. Instead, the chance to join the current Forest side is arguably one of the most exciting prospects in English football, given how they’ve cut through teams with pace and the rapid counter-attacking football that the Premier League has desperately lacked in recent times.

With that said, it’s no surprise that owner Evangelos Marinakis has already set his sights on the summer transfer window. Already, names such as Baris Alper Yilmaz and Yeremay Hernandez have been mentioned as potential targets in recent weeks, with Forest’s transfer plan becoming clearer by the day.

As the Midlands club look to repeat their success next season, it looks as though welcoming additional attacking support behind and around Chris Wood will be among Forest’s priorities.

The 33-year-old won’t be at the peak of his powers forever and after the City Ground got a glimpse of what life will be like without his goals in recent games, signing a striker should sit top of Espirito Santo’s wishlist.

Nottingham Forest join Liam Delap race

According to Wayne Veysey of Football Insider, Marinakis has now registered Nottingham Forest’s interest in signing Liam Delap, joining the race to sign the Ipswich Town star who has a release clause worth just £30m after the Tractor Boys suffered Premier League relegation.

One of the most sought-after stars ahead of the summer transfer window, Forest would do well to win the race for Delap’s signature against the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea.

With 12 goals to his name in all competitions this season, Delap earned the praise of football talent scout Jacek Kulig in April, who described the forward’s campaign as “superb”.

At just 22 years old, there’s every chance that the former Manchester City man is only just getting started. Wood, meanwhile, is coming towards the end of his career – making the arrival of a younger, in-form forward something that would be timed to perfection at the City Ground this summer.

Delap undoubtedly deserves to be playing Premier League football. Whether that’s for Nottingham Forest, Chelsea, Man Utd or another club remains to be seen, however.

South Africa’s Test captain last was in action in early October and last played a Test in August

Firdose Moonda22-Nov-2024

Temba Bavuma last played a competitive game in early October•AFP/Getty Images

Temba Bavuma has opened up about battling “mental demons” as he has recovered from a second elbow injury, and a fourth major niggle, in the last two years – all of which kept him out of crucial international games.”It’s definitely has played in my mind. When you’re injured and you start in a rehab process, it’s always tough,” he said in Pretoria, where South Africa are involved in a preparation camp ahead of their home Test summer. “It’s just [about] trying to get over all those mental demons and get yourself into a space where you accept what it is that is happening and you try to deal with it. It has been a tricky couple of weeks.”Bavuma has not played competitive cricket in seven weeks since he fell awkwardly while completing a run in an ODI against Ireland in Abu Dhabi. He hurt the same elbow that he fractured in 2022 – his left one – and was out of action for three months. This time, it has only taken a little over half the time but in-between Bavuma has suffered injuries on both his right and left hamstrings. The former saw him play last year’s ODI World Cup semi-final without being fully fit, and the latter prevented him from batting in the Boxing Day Test against India and from playing in the New Year’s match that followed.Related

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Add to that that he missed South Africa’s Tests in New Zealand in February because of SA20 commitments and the matches in Bangladesh with the most recent elbow concern, and Bavuma has only played in three of the team’s eight World Test Championship (WTC) matches in this cycle. He has watched his team put themselves in contention for the WTC final mostly without him and admitted that hasn’t always been easy.Temba Bavuma: ‘It’s just [about] trying to get over all those mental demons and get yourself into a space where you accept what is happening and try to deal with it’•ICC via Getty Images

“As much as the guys played as well as they did against Bangladesh, it was quite frustrating from my side not being able to take part in that,” he said. “But obviously, I had a lot of joy in how the guys performed.”Bavuma was part of the traveling party in Bangladesh, where South Africa enjoyed their first Test and series victory in the subcontinent in a decade, and was close to playing the second match but felt some discomfort on impact while batting. He has since passed a fitness test – including a 90-minute batting session and has been given the all-clear to lead the side in the hope he will remain fully fit through the summer.”I don’t know what the next couple of weeks or months look like. I’m just happy that I’m able to speak to you guys at this point in time,” he said. “I’ll try to prepare as much as I can from a physical and mental point of view. And hopefully the gods can smile on me a little bit longer.”So far, Bavuma said his “elbow feels good”, the intensity of his training “has definitely ramped up” and he is mentally ready to go. “I feel quite fresh and excited as well to have the opportunity to be batting, to be putting on my pads, to be running on the field. From a skill point of view, it’s always just got to build it, just build that confidence – feel yourself hitting the ball out the middle and feel your movements are the way that you want them to be.”While Bavuma continues to regain his own sense of self-belief, South Africa’s is soaring, not only because they have not lost a Test series under Shukri Conrad but because their WTC fate is in their own hands. If they win all four of their remaining Tests (two each against Sri Lanka and Pakistan), they will be guaranteed a place in the final. Considering that South Africa have played fewer matches than anyone else and effectively forfeited a series in New Zealand, where they were without most of their first-choice players who were committed to the SA20, that they remain in contention itself is impressive, and they know it.”There’s lots of excitement,” Bavuma said. “Obviously, as a group, starting the WTC cycle, that’s one of the things that we spoke about in terms of what we’d like to achieve. Things became a bit tricky for us after the New Zealand trip but there was always a goal at the back of our minds. We understand that the expectation and the pressure will probably ramp up.”There is also renewed hope in South African cricket. After reaching three T20 World Cup finals in 18 months (twice by the women and once by the men) and the men’s ODI World Cup semi-final against expectations, there is a feeling something big (read: trophy) must be on the horizon. Whether that comes now or in the future, Bavuma can feel the positive shift and hopes his team will lean into it.”From a belief point of view, that’s definitely grown within the team,” he said. “We’re playing at home during festive times and playing in front of our home fans. Hopefully the stadiums will have a little bit more people than we are accustomed to. We’ve been putting in some good performances so from a confidence, belief point of view, it’s been good to see. As a team, we’ll ride that for as long as it lives within us.”

Like every IPL season, this one too had players grabbing their opportunities and making a name

Ashish Pant27-May-2024

Phil Salt

Phil Salt went unsold at the auction and might not even have been part of IPL 2024 had Jason Roy not pulled out of his Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) gig. Along with Sunil Narine at the top, Salt was responsible for getting KKR off to blazing starts. He hit 296 of his 435 runs inside the powerplay, at a strike rate of 185.00. His approach didn’t change much in the middle overs, where he struck at 175.94. Salt finished the season as KKR’s second-highest run-getter and played a critical role in taking them to the playoffs as the top team in the league stage.Mayank Yadav left a lasting impression despite playing just four games in the season•BCCI

Mayank Yadav

After playing just four matches across two seasons for Mumbai Indians (MI), 23-year-old Tristan Stubbs was picked up by Delhi Capitals (DC) at the auction and became their designated finisher straightaway. Stubbs was DC’s second-highest run-getter in IPL 2024, smashing 378 at a strike rate of 190.90 while averaging 54.00.Related

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The newest version of the 360-degree player, Stubbs found runs in all corners of the ground, and with power. He was as brutal on the pull or slog sweep as on the cover drive or reverse and as proficient against pace (strike rate of 198.30) as against spin (180.00).Stubbs finished with a death-overs strike rate of 297.33 – the highest for any batter with a minimum of 100 runs in an IPL season. Between overs 17 and 20, Stubbs faced a total of 75 balls, of which only two were dots.Harshit Rana excelled with the ball in all phases•Associated Press

Harshit Rana

Rarely has a youngster made an impact on an IPL season as quickly as Jake Fraser-McGurk did this year. The 22-year-old was picked by DC two weeks into the season as a replacement for Lungi Ngidi, and he swiftly turned all eyes towards him. He faced all of 141 balls this season and still finished as DC’s third-highest run-getter with 330 runs at a barely believable strike rate of 234.04.Fraser-McGurk struck four fifties: two off 15 balls, one off 19, and his slowest coming off 31 balls – that was on IPL debut. He finished with a powerplay strike rate of 250.94, the highest for any batter to have played two overs or more in the phase.A staggering 296 of Fraser-McGurk’s 330 runs came in boundaries (32 fours and 28 sixes). “If I get ones and twos, it’s only either because I’ve mis-hit it or maybe it’s the last ball of the over,” he said after his 27-ball 84 against MI. A boundary percentage of 89.70 is solid proof of that.Shashank Singh helped Punjab Kings achieve the highest successful chase in a men’s T20•BCCI

Shashank Singh

“Shashank Singh” had left Punjab Kings confused at the auction, but there were not doubts about his abilities once he got going in IPL 2024. One of the few bright sparks for PBKS, Shashank finished the season as their highest run-getter with 354 runs in 14 games, striking at 164.65. He first showed his finishing skills against Gujarat Titans with an unbeaten 29-ball 61 before threatening to pull off another win against SRH five days later with a 46 not out off 25 balls, only to see his team fall short by two runs. Shashank’s finishing act of a 28-ball 68 not out against KKR was key to PBKS overhauling the highest-ever T20 target of 262.Travis Head was unstoppable in the powerplay in the league stage this season•AFP/Getty Images

Travis Head

It’s unusual to see someone who has been in the international circuit for eight years and has scored centuries in the WTC final and the ODI World Cup final on this list. But such has been Travis Head’s IPL graph that 2024 was the first year where he truly broke through in this competition.Before this, Head played two seasons in 2016 and 2017 with meagre returns. This year, along with Abhishek Sharma, he revolutionised powerplay batting. The highest run-getter for SRH, Head struck 567 runs this season at 191.55. Of these, 402 came in the first six overs at a strike rate of 208.29. No other batter scored more runs than Head in the phase and he didn’t even start the season for SRH.Head holds the record for three of the four fastest fifties by an SRH batter, while his century against RCB off 39 balls was the fourth-fastest in IPL history.Some shots might not have been textbook, but Abishek Porel was extremely effective for Capitals•BCCI

Abishek Porel

Abishek Porel came in as an Impact Sub at No. 9 in DC’s first match of the season and scored an unbeaten 32 off ten balls. Since then, the 21-year-old became a regular in the DC set-up and made the most of the opportunities at the top of the order, even keeping Prithvi Shaw out of the team. Porel ended the season with two fifties in his last three innings – a 65 off 36 balls against RR and 58 off 33 balls against Lucknow Super Giants, both coming in winning causes. In all, Porel scored 327 runs in 12 innings, at an average of 32.70 and strike rate of 159.51, finishing as DC’s fourth-highest run-scorer.Nitish Kumar Reddy has impressed with his ability as well as athleticism•BCCI

Nitish Kumar Reddy

Nitish Reddy is only 21, but has shown enough proof of how good an all-round player he can be. In just his second innings of the season, he scored a crucial 37-ball 64 against PBKS, a game that SRH won by a narrow two-run margin. He also played a key role in SRH’s one-run win in a group game against RR at home, scoring 76 not out off 42 balls in the first innings. In all, Reddy recorded 303 runs in 11 innings, averaging 33.66 and striking at 142.92. He also picked up three wickets with his medium pace.The other thing on Reddy’s side is that he is a terrific outfielder and supremely fit. In a video posted on the SRH social handles, he was seen racing against Glenn Phillips, and came up short only by a whisker.

Only two points currently separate the four teams from fourth to seventh spots

S Rajesh16-May-2022Delhi Capitals: Mat 13, Pts 14, NRR 0.255
Delhi Capitals’ comfortable 17-run win against Punjab Kings is good news for them, but not so encouraging for all the other teams trying to sneak into the playoffs. Capitals’ net run rate, which was already a healthy 0.210, has gone up to 0.255, but the runs that Kings scored towards the end means that there is still a chance for other teams to catch up, should there be an NRR scramble for the last spot.From Capitals’ point of view, the equation is simple: win the last game against Mumbai Indians on Saturday, and qualify for sure. Even if they lose and stay on 14, they will have a fair chance to qualify if Royal Challengers Bangalore lose to Gujarat Titans. However, if it comes down to NRR, they aren’t yet safe.If Capitals lose their last game by 30 runs (chasing 171), their NRR will fall to 0.123. Currently, Kolkata Knight Riders are on 0.160, so a win by any margin in their last game will keep them above 0.123. If Capitals lose by 15 runs, their NRR will be 0.179. Thus, Capitals could still be on a sticky wicket if they lose to Mumbai. They play their last game after Knight Riders, though, so they will know the equation before they get into that game on Saturday.Punjab Kings: Mat 13, Pts 12, NRR -0.043
Kings’ qualification chances have taken a severe beating with the loss to Capitals. Their NRR has slid into negative space, and even a 40-run win against Sunrisers in their last game (after scoring 170) will only improve it to 0.112. However, big victory margins have been common in the last few games – in seven of the last 12, the winning margin has been greater than 50 runs, while another win came with 31 balls to spare – which should give the Kings some hope.They also play the last game of the league stage, which means they’ll know if they have a chance at all, and exactly what they need to do. Obviously, if Capitals or Royal Challengers win their last match and move to 16 points, then Kings will be knocked out.Royal Challengers Bangalore: Mat 13, Pts 14, NRR -0.323
Royal Challengers will need Capitals to lose their last game to stand a chance of qualifying. Even if Royal Challengers score 200 and win their last game by 100 runs, their NRR will only improve to 0.071. Capitals will be well ahead of that if they win by any margin.And if both these teams lose and stay on 14, Capitals will have to lose by an absurdly high margin for their NRR to slip below that of Royal Challengers. For instances, if Royals Challengers lose by one run, Capitals will have to lose by around 150 (depending on the exact scores).In other words, Royal Challengers will have to win their last game, against table-toppers Titans, and hope that Capitals lose theirs against bottom-of-the-table Mumbai.Kolkata Knight Riders: Mat 13, Pts 12, NRR 0.160
Knight Riders still have a chance of qualifying if they win their last game, and if Capitals and Royal Challengers lose theirs. As mentioned earlier, their relatively healthy NRR means that they are best placed to capitalise if those two teams slip up.Sunrisers Hyderabad: Mat 12, Pts 10, NRR -0.270
Even if Sunrisers score 170 and win each of their last two games by 40 runs, their NRR will only improve to 0.056. Capitals will have to lose by around 48 runs for their NRR to drop below that. It looks highly unlikely that Sunrisers will progress further in the tournament, but they could do worse than pull off a big win against Mumbai Indians on Tuesday, and keep their slim hopes alive.