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Celtic are basking in the glory of becoming Scottish Premiership champions and could now have eyes on a bright starlet who has admitted he is dreaming of a move to Parkhead, per reports.

Celtic set to enjoy another productive transfer window

Brendan Rodgers leads his side into battle against Rangers this weekend and will hope they can lay down a marker after claiming their fourth successive league title against Dundee United.

The Irishman will also hope to become the first Celtic manager to deliver three trebles during his tenure in charge if the Bhoys can navigate past Aberdeen in next month’s Scottish Cup final, though it is reasonable to assume he will already have one eye on the summer window.

There is an expectation at Parkhead that some form of squad refresh could take place. New blood is expected, and James Wilson could be on his way to the Hoops after a breakout campaign at Heart of Midlothian.

Kieran Tierney is on his way back to Celtic on a free transfer once his contract at Arsenal comes to an end. AC Ajaccio forward Moussa Soumano could join the Scotland international to bolster Rodgers’ options across the final third.

Champions League league phase involvement isn’t guaranteed for the reigning Scottish champions next campaign, meaning they will need to adopt a laser-focused approach to recruitment amid a swift turnaround between the end of this term and 2025/26.

Worth more than Tierney: Celtic have hit the jackpot on "brilliant" star

Celtic have hit the jackpot on this star who is now worth more than Kieran Tierney.

By
Dan Emery

May 1, 2025

However, there is also time for Celtic to look to the future with long-term additions who can develop into stars of the future, and they may now have their next candidate after a surprise transfer admission.

Dylan Leonard admits his dream is to play for Celtic

Speaking to A Leagues, Western United youngster Dylan Leonard has admitted he wants to join Celtic in the future, claiming signing for the Scottish Premiership champions is his ‘ultimate dream’ in football.

He stated: “That’s probably one thing I want to achieve in football is play for Celtic. Win something with Celtic obviously, but that’s definitely the one thing I want to do, the one club I want to play for.”

Enjoying an impressive campaign in his homeland, the 17-year-old has registered a goal and an assist across 24 appearances in the Australian top-flight. Primarily a central defender, Leonard has also come out in 100 duels and made 28 tackles on league duty, illustrating his potential to grow into a solid presence at the back.

Celtic are always on the lookout for talent and the Carlton-born starlet definitely appears to be someone that would fit the bill, but it remains to be seen whether a deal can be struck between all parties.

Who is the greatest player in Liverpool’s modern history? Certainly, if we’re talking about post-millenial brilliance, Steven Gerrard sits at the top of the tree.

Gerrard might be the greatest player in the Merseysiders’ history anyway, utterly incredible and synonymous with the city’s beating red heart.

However, we’re looking at Liverpool’s resurgence over the past decade, here, when Jurgen Klopp saved a team from drowning and turned it back toward the light.

So many superstars have graced Anfield’s pitch since the former German manager was appointed as Brendan Rodgers’ successor, but it’s hard to argue against Virgil van Dijk being the cream of the crop.

Virgil van Dijk is Liverpool's hero

When Liverpool paid Premier League rivals Southampton a £75m sum to take their prized centre-back in January 2018, many opposing fans chuckled at such an obscene figure for a defender.

But it’s difficult to say that Liverpool and their Dutch skipper haven’t had the last laugh, with Van Dijk transforming the Reds’ shaky backline and leading them to glory, winning all the biggest honours, coming within a whisker of Lionel Messi on the Ballon d’Or podium in his prime and immortalising his name as the leader of Liverpool in their finest period in modern times.

The 33-year-old is no longer a bright new voice in the Premier League but he’s still matchless in defence, so important this season as Arne Slot’s side surprised everyone and assumed a commanding lead at the top of the table – 11 points clear with seven games to go.

Matches (starts)

31 (31)

Goals

1

Assists

1

Clean sheets

13

Pass completion

92%

Key passes*

0.3

Dribble success

60%

Ball recoveries*

3.1

Tackles + interceptions*

2.7

Clearances*

5.1

Total duels (won)*

4.7 (67%)

And he’s not done yet. Van Dijk has completed 313 appearances for Liverpool and won the full gamut, and though his lucrative contract is into its eleventh hour, he’s recently allayed fans’ concerns by confirming that talks are ongoing regarding a renewal.

This will be crucial for the Anfield side as it steers into the second year of Slot’s project, giving the Netherlands icon another year (or two) to drive the stake of his legacy even deeper into the rich Liverpool soil.

To be fair, you’d have to say that Mohamed Salah is Liverpool’s best signing in a long, long time. The Egyptian joined the club from AS Roma for just £34m and has gone on to claim legendary status.

However, his arrival preceded the skipper’s. He was followed from the Serie A by another though, and it is he who stands proud as Liverpool’s standout signing.

Liverpool's best signing after Van Dijk

You’ve probably already guessed who it is. While Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and co have reshaped Liverpool’s midfield and charged the club’s charge toward the Premier League title this season, it’s not them.

While Ibrahima Konate, Luis Diaz and and Cody Gakpo have been instrumental in Liverpool’s success in recent years, it’s Alisson Becker between the sticks who has been the life-juice since arriving in the early knockings of Klopp’s still-standing (even if he’s gone) dynasty.

Liverpool paid a world-record £67m fee – for a goalkeeper – to secure Alisson’s signature, but it still feels like something of a bargain. Quite simply, the Brazil international’s positional rivals all pale in comparison.

Slot has been more than happy to chip in about his keeper’s calibre, hailing his “world-class” saves. He’s the best of the best, with his stunning display at the Parc des Princes in February the perfect illustration of his lofty skills.

Making nine stunning saves and preventing an xG total of 2.26 goals, as per Sofascore, the South American called it “the performance of my life” as Liverpool somehow survived a ceaseless onslaught and emerged victorious – they lost the return leg, of course, but Alisson still put in a good shift.

First-leg match-winner, Harvey Elliott, also called his towering teammate “the best in the world” – and it’s a fair claim indeed.

It’s not just this season that the 32-year-old’s been in fine fettle, as you surely know. Back in May 2023, Klopp declared that his shot-stopping star had been the club’s “most consistent player” through a testing year.

In fact, injuries aside, Alisson is rarely in the firing line for poor performances, with his leadership, command and shot-saving prowess all converging to present a player who is truly the complete package.

The fact that Alisson, who arrived at Liverpool way back when, remains Liverpool’s best signing since Van Dijk was brought into Klopp’s squad six months earlier makes a telling comment on the issues behind recruitment over recent years.

It also details a pretty firm assessment regarding the Reds’ absolutely staggering longevity, not really making the sweeping changes of their divisional rivals over the past eight years or so.

Liverpool have done well to prudently tie Giorgi Mamardashvili down, but whether he’ll reach the same incredible heights as the Brazilian is another question entirely.

The Georgian keeper is set to join from Valencia this summer in a deal worth £29m, but the 24-year-old is sure to spend some time serving as Alisson’s understudy, replacing Caoimhin Kelleher as the able deputy leaves in search of a first-choice spot.

Alisson’s place is at Anfield for the foreseeable, but he’s about to enter the penultimate year of his contract and could leave for a transfer fee in one year’s time or maybe see his £150k-per-week deal out to its end.

In any case, the 6 foot 4 sensation is one of Liverpool’s finest modern players, so important, so influential, over the years. There’s a firm case to be made that all who have walked through the gates since have failed to outstrip him.

Better than Diaz & Gakpo: "Perfect" £62m star wants to sign for Liverpool

Arne Slot is hoping to make a range of signings this summer to improve Liverpool’s starting 11.

ByAngus Sinclair Apr 7, 2025

On a day when one of them ran through New Zealand, the other endured 14 overs of wicketless toil

Alagappan Muthu01-Nov-20241:31

Manjrekar: ‘This pitch was tailor-made for Jadeja’

Mumbai was really pretty for Diwali. The high-rises were all lit up. The roadside had pop-ups selling garlands. The sky had trouble holding onto the night. There was colour everywhere. Then the sun came up.Daryl Mitchell spent a little over three hours under it. On occasion, he tried to hide from it. At 1.28pm, with temperatures hitting 37C, he crumpled into a heap and toppled clean over onto his back. This was a small window where he could relax. Will Young had just been dismissed and there were precious seconds before the new man would make his way out to the middle. He wasn’t the only one in discomfort.R Ashwin had figured out what to do on this pitch. He needed to bowl straight. He did that. He needed to put revs. He did that. He needed to be quick. He did that. But the wickets just would not come. It was only the ninth time in 126 innings at home that he’s returned to the dressing room without any success. Even when he thought he had something, the umpire raising his finger to adjudge Mitchell lbw on the reverse sweep, Ashwin already knew there was bat on it.Related

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The funny thing is, he was bowling from the other end when New Zealand were made to part with four of the their top five. He was helping build the pressure that paid out at the other end because it was being manned by bowlers who were a little more naturally suited to bowling those 90kph darts.Ravindra Jadeja bagged his 14th five-wicket haul in Test cricket. But even he seemed to have trouble operating at the pace that India seemed to have collectively decided upon. He offered a lot of easy drive balls after lunch, New Zealand scoring 24 off 34 deliveries in the full-length area, which was weird because, before lunch, 17 of Jadeja’s first 18 deliveries had been full, but had only led to nine runs. Before the break, he was better at bringing the batter forward and then stranding them there, denied the opportunity to really get to the pitch of the ball.ESPNcricinfo LtdAshwin created similar uncertainty, but as many boxes as he ticked, there was just one more that let the batter off the hook. In the 19th over, Rachin Ravindra faced an offbreak at 91kph. It drew him onto the front foot. It squared him up. All of this was good. But the menace in this ball was doused all too easily because it pitched just that little bit too close to the batter. Ravindra pressed down with his hands so that his mis-hit went straight to ground right by his own feet. This outcome was still an improvement from Ashwin’s first spell, where he was being played off the back foot.None of these things made him seem like a weak link. New Zealand still couldn’t relax while he was there at the top of his mark. His bowling led to 20 false shots, which was only seven fewer than the guy who ended up running through the opposition.”Sometimes it happens that you don’t even get a wicket on a turning track,” Jadeja said. He was speaking about himself here but the point he made applied to Ashwin too.”Sometimes it happens. Sometimes you don’t even need a lot of turn, a little turn is enough for the slip and keeper to come into play. Sometimes when the pitch is turning a lot, it becomes a matter of luck. I haven’t got a wicket on a lot of such pitches. I haven’t got a wicket in a lot of such matches. And sometimes it happens that I get a wicket with a little turn. That’s why I would say that it is important to have some luck.”Ravindra Jadeja acknowledges the cheers after his five-for•BCCIJadeja bowled unchanged in the middle session in the kind of heat that was trying to melt people’s faces off. The wicket of Young kicked off a period where his control of length, line and pace was as close to perfect as can be. No more easy drives. Forty-seven full-length deliveries from the 44th over onwards could only be converted to 13 runs and they came at the cost of two wickets.The Glenn Phillips dismissal highlighted the agony that Jadeja can put a batter through in conditions like these. He had walked in to bat after seeing Tom Blundell play for the straight ball – badly, he closed the face, suckered in by the angle Jadeja was creating from wide of the crease – and get bowled. That ball pitched outside leg stump and took out off stump.Phillips was bowled by the one that went straight on. It landed on the fuller side of a good length, which meant he had to go forward even though he knew he was never going to reach the ball on the half-volley, and it came at him at a speed of 94.3 kph. He played for the turn. There wasn’t any. And at that pace, he had no hope of coping with the natural variation.These were the kinds of wickets Ashwin was looking for too, but he was just missing his marks. When the pace was right, the length was not quite right, when the length was right, the pace was a touch off. That’s partly why, even though he was the first spinner that India turned to, the other two outbowled him just in terms of overs.0:57

Manjrekar: ‘Unfair to say Ashwin’s skills are waning after one series’

Could a line be drawn from Ashwin’s outcomes in this series – six wickets in five innings at an average of 51.33 – to India finally being beaten at home? His figures are startlingly similar to when the last time that happened, against England in 2012-13 – 14 wickets from eight innings at an average of 52.64.That seems way too simple.”Sometimes we lose a couple of matches. But it’s okay,” Jadeja said. “As a player, we [he and Ashwin] never had a discussion in the dressing room about who played badly. We lost two matches, but no one pointed out to each other that you played badly, he played badly. Okay, if we win, we all play together. If we lose the series, 15 people from each team still play together.”India didn’t get enough first-innings runs in Bengaluru and Pune. That’s why they’ve lost their fortress. Though Jadeja has a different theory. “I was afraid of this. I had personally thought that [as long as] I played in India, I didn’t want to lose a single series. But this happened. So, now I haven’t thought in my mind that I don’t want to do this. Whatever I think about, it happens suddenly.”That’s all gone now. It’s time to build again and Ashwin definitely remains a part of that process, though it isn’t often that a plan he puts together doesn’t come off, and it is even rarer that he gets outbowled by someone practicing the same discipline he does. Washington Sundar’s arrival has added an unexpected chapter to this story.

“I’ve got to try and be myself and I can’t be him. Every time I go out and bat, I just try to be me and get some runs”

Firdose Moonda06-Mar-2023Tagenarine Chanderpaul does not have the most conventional batting stance going around, except perhaps in his family.The son of Shivnarine, who was coached by his grandfather Khemraj, is less square on than his dad but there are still many similarities. His front foot starts off well outside leg stump, his heel points towards square leg and he shuffles across just in time to be in line to meet the ball. At that point, Tagenarine looks as regular as any other batter, which is sort of how he sees himself.”My stance is pretty conventional,” he tells ESPNcricinfo, almost chuckling. “But I guess when my trigger starts, I can get a bit square on. My dad, when he came back to Guyana, I was about 13 and we would practice together in the afternoon, so yeah, some of the stuff started to rub off.”Tagenarine was not born when Shivnarine made his Test debut, in 1994, and grew up mostly with his mother, Annalee, in Unity Village in Guyana. His first coach was his paternal grandfather, who taught him to play cricket on the same cement pitch that Shivnarine learnt on. “He was my first coach,” Tagenarine says. “Where we lived, he would throw balls at me. We also have a cricket ground not too far from us – Unity Cricket Ground – so we would go there in the afternoon and hit balls. And then he took me to join a club in town. After school, we would go and practice there. It took off from there.”That is pretty much the same journey Shivnarine took, and his presence, albeit not always physical, was keenly felt by his son. “Growing up, if we go about somewhere people would know him or speak about him or talk about a game from the previous day,” Tagenarine says. “It was a proud feeling.”

“My dad is a totally different person from me, personality wise. He’s achieved so many things. I can only do what I can do.”Tagenarine on his father Shivnarine

It was also a source of rising expectation. The talk around Tagenarine was that he would take the same path as his famous father, and when Shivnarine returned to Guyana in 2009, there was hope the pair would walk the road together. Four years later, Tagenarine made his first-class debut, with limited success. He scored 105 runs in his first three matches. In his fourth, he played in an XI alongside his father, who scored a second-innings century, to his own 42 and 29.”Unfortunately, we didn’t bat together as much as we would have liked and it’s because I got out quite a few times before he came in,” Tagenarine says. “But when we were together, he gave me some advice and ways to score and what shots I can play so it was good to have him around.”All told, the pair played 11 first-class matches together over a span of five years and in the last of them, Tagenarine scored his first red-ball century. Later that year, Shivnarine played his final first-class match and the baton appeared to have been passed. But it would take almost five more years before Tagenarine earned his first Test cap, after a century against the Australia Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra. And that’s when Tagenarine had to remind himself that as much as there was a reputation to live up to, he is his own player.”My dad is a totally different person from me, personality wise. He’s achieved so many things. I can only do what I can do,” he says. “I’ve got to try and be myself and I can’t be him. Every time I go out and bat, I just try to be me and get some runs.”Tagenarine scored 51 and 45 in this first Test and 47 and 17 in unfamiliar conditions and against a strong Australian attack, under the guidance of none other than Brian Lara. “He wasn’t a team mentor then but he was doing commentary and he would come to practice sessions and offer some advice,” Tagenarine says.Tagenarine Chanderpaul got his Test cap from Brian Lara in Australia•Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesThen, with Lara assigned to the team full time, his baptism of fire has continued with his season ending in South Africa. “Australia and South Africa have very good bowling attacks and the conditions are very different from back home. It was nice to get some runs in Australia on debut. Here, the South African attack is very good. They are very consistent and they don’t give you many loose balls. You’ve got to try and concentrate for long periods.”He has already demonstrated he can do that because in between those two series, West Indies were in Zimbabwe, where Tagenarine scored his first Test century, and made it a double. He spent four minutes short of 10 hours at the crease crafting that innings. “It was a very special feeling – my first century,” he says. “I didn’t really celebrate too much. I’m not really too much of a party person.”Instead, he is committed to the growth of cricket in Guyana, where significant investments are being made to develop the game. “The government is putting a lot of emphasis on sports right now. They’re building a few stadiums and getting some more indoor facilities,” he says.In January, the Guyana government announced a budget of US$4.3 billion for the development of sports which includes the development of a cricket academy.That, together with a renewed resolve from players like Jason Holder and Kyle Mayers – both of whom left the SA20 to play the Tests in Zimbabwe – to the longest format, gives Tagenarine hope that West Indies can become more competitive in Tests. In particular, he singled out his captain and opening partner Kraigg Braithwaite as someone who has put a particular importance on the red-ball game.”Kraigg has been a consistent performer over the years. He is pretty tough mentally and accustomed to pressure situations,” Tagenarine says. “And we have players who are committed. Jason and Kyle left leagues to come back and play Test matches. Everyone gets along very well and the guys gel together. Guys are very easy to approach and welcoming. Hopefully all goes well for us.”As for Tagenarine himself, the T20 game has not yet lured him and has yet to play a single one, although he’d like that to change. “It’s something I could venture into. If given the opportunity, I’ll try and get involved,” he says. “I’ve got to work on a few more scoring shots and areas I can improve to try and be well equipped for that type of cricket.”And that you may say, is what underlines his case as the most conventional cricketer, even in his own family.

The Bangladesh quick seems to have realised where he was going wrong, and is desperate to make amends

Mohammad Isam19-Mar-2021A smile flashed across Taskin Ahmed’s face after he took the last West Indies wicket in the Chattogram ODI in January this year. Bangladesh had won by 120 runs and clinched the series 3-0. Ahmed, bowling with a more stable action than before and hitting decent lengths consistently, topped 140kph for the most part in his 8.2 overs. That smile, albeit fleeting, might have been an expression of relief more than anything else, after three years of torment.It was a phase during which he said he “felt like I was in depression”. So much so that Ahmed, still only 25, had to consult a mental-health expert. But that’s not all he did.’He is done, he is finished’Ahmed’s last international appearance before that was a wretched one, as he went for 40 runs in three overs. The Sri Lanka batsmen feasted on his mild, hit-me pace and inconsistent lines. That was the last straw for the team management, which dropped him for the rest of the Nidahas Trophy. The national selectors then didn’t turn his way for the next three years.From the poster boy of Bangladesh’s pace attack, Ahmed was reduced to a cautionary tale. His domestic performances were being ignored too, as the men who matter focused on other bowlers. Bangladesh’s spin-based approach in home Tests didn’t help either.Then came the pandemic, and Ahmed grew desperate.Related

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Ahmed cajoled a trainer into opening his gym for a couple of hours every day. He contacted real-estate company owners to let him run in their dusty and sandy under-construction plots of land. He called up his bowling coach and mentor for help, contacted a nutritionist to find a better diet, and, when he realised the problem might really be between his ears, he sought a mental health expert.”People said things like ‘he’s done, he’s finished’. They said that I have nothing more to offer, that I have a bad lifestyle and am always injured. You know, the usual things people say when you are not successful,” Ahmed told ESPNcricinfo. “At one stage, I felt like I was in depression. Speaking to a mental-health expert definitely helped me. It really cleared my mind up. I was motivated to do more in terms of fitness and my bowling. I am still in touch with him, and the rest of the people who helped me get fitter and bowl better.”The time away from the Bangladesh team made him realise what he was missing, and it hurt. More than what was being said or written about him. The solution was to make sure he did his best, not look back years later with regret at what he could have done better.”I think more than what anyone around me is saying, the most disappointing aspect is not being able to play for your country. I achieved my dream to play at the top level in 2014, but I lasted only three years. It is never a good feeling to be left out of contention, and I don’t want it to happen again. I want to become the main bowler in our pace attack, be consistent. For that, I will have to keep working hard.”A photograph of Ahmed running in the sand with two tyres tied to his body surfaced. It was a welcome sight – he was trying. He was among the first to return to full-time training when the Shere Bangla National Stadium opened for use in June last year. Then, Ahmed was among the top wicket-takers in two domestic tournaments during the pandemic, enough to earn selection for the ODI series against West Indies at home, and he is now among seven pace bowlers in New Zealand.Taskin Ahmed had gone from a bowler with an ODI hat-trick to one that couldn’t be trusted to bowl four overs in a T20I•AFP/Getty ImagesComplacence, or something like itAround the time he had been dropped, Ahmed was struggling to be taken seriously. He had lost much of his pace; he chugged in off a long run-up, but didn’t seem capable of making it to the end. In the space of a year, from March 2017 to March 2018, he had gone from a bowler with an ODI hat-trick to one that couldn’t be trusted to bowl four overs in a T20I.”At the start of my career, everything was happening for me – I was playing well, I was becoming famous. Things like following up on fitness and skill work never crossed my mind. I assumed everything will go well, I wouldn’t get injured. But when a player relaxes even for a moment in international cricket, this is what happens, they get to the back of the queue.”After he took only two wickets in the 2017 Champions Trophy, Ahmed had a torrid tour of South Africa. He took only two wickets in six matches, averaging 188.50. He was dropped for the ODI tri-series at home a few months later. Once he bombed in the Nidahas Trophy, where he was picked to provide extra pace, that was it. For Ahmed, the good things might have been that he finally had an opportunity to look hard at himself.”When a cricketer is with the national team, the trainers take care of everything. But I think it’s critical what we are doing at home and during our off-time,” he explained. “Every fast bowler should have a personal trainer, bowling coach, mind trainer and nutritionist to maintain their standards at the highest level. A young player who hires these people is going to be in better shape when he is not training with the national team.”Taskin Ahmed bowls during a practice session as Ottis Gibson looks on•AFP/Getty ImagesBig decisions, three of themThe uncertainty caused by the pandemic last year pushed Ahmed into taking three crucial decisions.First, he decided to improve his fitness, for which he requested Debashish Ghosh, a reputed trainer in Dhaka, to open his gym for a few hours every day during last year’s Ramadan. Struggling to find a ground where he could run, Ahmed called up a couple of people he knew, people who owned land. And he went back to the basics in terms of his bowling.”I was struggling for fitness and form. During the early days of the lockdown, I called the trainer Debashish Ghosh and convinced him to open his gym, which had shut because of the pandemic. He was kind enough to open it for couple of hours every evening after Iftaar. After Eid ul Fitr, I started running on sand twice a week for agility and to strengthen the lower part of my body. I used to go to one of the real estate projects in the western outskirts of Dhaka.”For technical help, Ahmed called up his childhood mentor, Mahbub Ali Zaki, a BCB bowling coach with a growing reputation, and former Bangladesh captain Khaled Mahmud, the BCB director who is also a coach.”Zaki sir was my coach since the Under-15s, while Sujon sir [Mahmud] had been giving me opportunities since I was a kid. They gave me a few technical pointers, on which I started to work in my garage. Cricket grounds were still not available then, due to the pandemic, so I used to call up everyone to tell me where I could bowl with a full run-up.”In an interview with ESPNcricinfo in January, Zaki had pointed out that to become a more explosive bowler, Ahmed needed more balance at the crease. For that, he needed improved muscle-build and a leaner physique.Ahmed followed Zaki’s advice to the last letter. “To improve my fitness, I was also strict on my diet. I don’t do cheat days. I sacrificed my favourite biriyani. My mother and my wife now prepare my food separately at home. I also spoke to a mental-health expert. Being out of the national team for close to three years was weighing me down.”‘My pace is back’, but that’s not allAlong with Ahmed’s personal transformation, another interesting development was taking place: fast bowlers were leading the wicket charts in the BCB President’s Cup, a three-team one-day tournament to kick off cricket after the lockdown, and the Bangabandhu T20 Cup that followed. It was explained as a result of unused pitches and batsmen being out of cricket for a long time, but pace bowlers like Ahmed, Rubel Hossain and Mustafizur Rahman were among the top wicket-takers in both tournaments. It was a massive change than the last two decades when left-arm spinners ruled the roost.Ahmed and newcomers Shoriful Islam and Hasan Mahmud were picked in the Bangladesh ODI side. That, however, didn’t change Ahmed’s mindset.”No matter how tired I am these days – and national team training can be quite tough – I keep doing my personal drills. I haven’t reached Mushfiq ‘s [Mushfiqur Rahim] level of discipline, he is a role model, but among the fast bowlers, I believe that if I maintain myself properly, I can stay ahead.”By Allah’s grace, my pace is back. I touched 146kph during the Chattogram ODI. I can’t be Brett Lee in one day, but I want to deliver on the potential that Allah has given me. I have to be fit, and stick to my process. I don’t want to have any regrets that I didn’t give my best.”But pace isn’t everything. “In this day and age, a bowler cannot just rely on his pace. The wickets are batting-friendly even in countries like Australia, England and South Africa. There will be times when I have to bowl a lot of slower balls and then there will be times when I have to rely on pace. By playing more matches, I can be ready for every situation.”Ahmed is a young cricketer who has learned an important lesson at an early stage of his life and his career, and is better for it; he isn’t taking anything for granted anymore. And he is fully aware that if he shells this chance, there may not be another one.

MatériaMais Notícias

Treinador campeão do mundo com a Argentina em 1978, César Luis Menotti faleceu no último domingo (6). A divulgação da morte do veterano de 85 anos foi feita pela Associação de Futebol da Argentina (AFA).

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➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

Embora não tenha tido um grande destaque como jogador, El Flaco, como era conhecido, teve uma passagem rápida pelo Brasil, tendo vestido a camisa da Juventus-SP. No entanto, o profissional tornou-se referência como técnico.

O primeiro grande trabalho do treinador foi com o Huracán, onde permaneceu entre 1971 e 1974. Nesse período, o comandante conseguiu tirar o clube de 45 anos sem conquistar um título nacional e venceu o Campeonato Argentino em 1973. Inclusive, esse foi o último troféu na elite do país.

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Devido ao grande trabalho com o El Globo, Menotti foi promovido a comandante da Argentina em 1975 visando a Copa do Mundo de 1978. E em casa, a lenda foi responsável pela primeira conquista da Albiceleste no maior torneio de futebol. E no ano seguinte, venceu o Mundial Sub-20 com os hermanos.

Referência em seu país, o treinador foi contratado pelo Barcelona, onde conquistou uma Copa do Rei, uma Copa da Liga Espanhola e uma Supercopa da Espanha. Após o período na Catalunha, o profissional passou por Peñarol, Boca Juniors, Atlético de Madrid, mas sem o mesmo sucesso em relação ao início de sua carreira.

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RELAÇÃO COM MARADONA

Maior ídolo do futebol na Argentina, Maradona recebeu sua primeira oportunidade com a camisa da Albiceleste sob comando de Menotti. Juntos, os dois conquistaram a Copa do Mundo Sub-20, além de terem trabalhado juntos no Barcelona.

No entanto, a relação dos dois foi um pouco estremecida pelo fato do técnico não ter convocado o camisa 10 para o Mundial de 1978. Ainda assim, o Dios cravou que El Flaco foi o melhor treinador com quem trabalhou na carreira em uma entrevista dada em 1996.

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O Corinthians encara o Cruzeiro no domingo (14), às 18h (de Brasília), na Neo Química. Será o segundo jogo da semifinal da Copa do Brasil. Dorival Júnior convive com a expectativa de contar com dois titulares para a partida: Yuri Alberto e Raniele.

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O atacante sentiu dores na região do adutor da perna esquerda e precisou ser substituído aos 19 minutos do segundo tempo na vitória por 1 a 0 do Timão contra o Cruzeiro, no Mineirão. Antes do triunfo, Yuri Alberto havia sido poupado de duas partidas por uma sobrecarga na região.

O Corinthians divulgou que Yuri Alberto seria reexaminado na sexta-feira (12), mas não apresentou nenhum diagnóstico. O atacante é o artilheiro do clube alvinegro na temporada com 18 gols marcados. Caso não conte com o camisa 9, a tendência é que Dorival Júnior escale Gui Negão em seu lugar.

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No meio de campo, a dúvida é sobre Raniele. O volante não foi relacionado no primeiro jogo das semifinais, devido a um edema no tornozelo esquerdo. O atleta segue trabalhando e será reavaliado até o confronto. Em seu lugar, José Martínez fez uma boa partida.

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Vantagem do Corinthians

No primeiro jogo, deu Timão. Os comandados de Dorival Júnior venceram após Memphis balançar as redes e garantiram a vantagem do empate no duelo de volta. Em caso de vitória por um gol de diferença do Cruzeiro, a decisão será nas penalidades.

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O Corinthians ainda não sofreu gols na atual edição da competição, em que eliminou Novorizontino, Palmeiras e Athletico Paranaense na trajetória. Ao todo, foram sete jogos. O adversário na final saíra do confronto entre Fluminense e Vasco. O Cruzmaltino venceu o jogo de ida por 2 a 1.

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The former Australia batter will take over from Matthew Mott, who was fired after the franchise had lost their last five games in MLC 2025

Tristan Lavalette02-Dec-2025

Outgoing Western Australia head coach Adam Voges will take the reins of Seattle Orcas in next season’s Major League Cricket as he furthers his leadership credentials on the T20 franchise circuit.Voges replaces Australian compatriot Matthew Mott, who was fired after Orcas lost their first five games of the 2025 season. Having recently announced that he will step down as WA head coach at the end of the current domestic season, it was widely anticipated that Voges would take up a senior role at an MLC franchise.”I am very excited to be joining the Seattle Orcas for the upcoming season,” Voges said. “The MLC competition continues to grow and I look forward to working with the owners, players and staff to help bring success both on and off the field.”Overseeing an incredible run of success for WA after replacing Justin Langer in 2018, Voges has long been touted as a successor to Australia head coach Andrew McDonald whose current contract runs through to 2027. McDonald has indicated that he is unlikely to seek an extension having been in the job since early 2022.Voges has previously coached Australia A and worked with the national side.In the meantime, Voges has decided to further his coaching development through T20 franchise cricket. As flagged by ESPNcricinfo, Voges has joined Trent Rockets in the Hundred as an assistant coach.WA Cricket are continuing discussions with Voges about staying on as Perth Scorchers head coach in the BBL having led the franchise to back-to-back titles in BBL11 and 12. Voges also twice lifted the trophy as captain of Scorchers.Related

Seattle Orcas part ways with coach Mott

Assistants Beau Casson and Tim MacDonald will likely be in the mix to replace Voges as WA head coach.Voges, who averaged a remarkable 61.87 from 20 Tests for Australia, will be tasked with lifting Orcas back up the ladder. After making the final in MLC’s debut season, Orcas won just four of 17 games across 2024-25.”We are thrilled to welcome Adam Voges to the Seattle Orcas family,” Orcas chief Hemant Dua said. “He brings a proven pedigree of winning, a distinctive ability to develop world-class talent, and a deep understanding of the nuances of T20 franchise cricket.”His dominant run with Western Australia and the Perth Scorchers speaks to his expertise. We believe Adam’s calm demeanor, tactical intelligence, and commitment to building a high-performance culture will be pivotal as we aim for the Major League Cricket title.”We are building something special in Seattle, and Adam is undoubtedly the right person to lead the charge.”Orcas are co-owned, among others, by GMR Group and JSW Sports, who are also co-owners of Delhi Capitals in the IPL and WPL, and their entities in SA20 (Pretoria Capitals) and UAE’s ILT20 (Dubai Capitals).

Chelsea have now submitted an opening bid for Athletic Club forward Nico Williams, amid a new update on his future at the La Liga club.

The Blues already have a plethora of attacking options, having invested heavily during the summer transfer window, with Jamie Gittens grabbing his first Premier League assist of the season in the 2-0 victory against Burnley on Saturday afternoon.

Gittens set up fellow winger Pedro Neto with a perfectly weighted ball from the left, before Enzo Fernandez sealed all three points with just minutes left to play, moving the Blues up to second in the Premier League in the process.

After the disappointing 2-1 defeat against Sunderland at the end of October, Enzo Maresca’s side look like they are starting to click, and there may be an outside chance they could even compete for the title, although BlueCo may need to strengthen the squad in January to make that dream a reality.

Chelsea submit opening offer for Nico Williams

According to a report from Spain, Chelsea have now submitted an opening offer of €70m (£62m) for Athletic Club star Williams, and they are willing to triple the winger’s salary in order to tempt him into a January move to Stamford Bridge.

The Blues have been working on a deal for weeks, and they are now confident they will be able to get it over the line soon, with the 23-year-old being identified as a key target, although there is set to be competition for his signature.

Tottenham Hotspur have now matched the west Londoners’ offer for the Spain international, with it being revealed his future at Athletic Club is ‘more open than ever’, amid interest from two of the Premier League’s top sides.

There are question marks over whether the Athletic Club star would be a necessary signing, given that Maresca already has a wide array of attacking options, as Chelsea have been obsessed with signing young forwards with high potential.

However, the Pamplona-born forward has certainly impressed in both Spain and Europe over the past three seasons, indicating he could be capable of displacing Gittens in the starting XI at left-wing.

Nico Williams’ performance by season

Appearances (all comps)

Goal contributions

2023-24

37

26

2024-25

45

18

2025-26

10

4

The Spaniard was also one of the stars of Euro 2024, scoring two goals and picking up one assist as his side went on to defeat England 2-1 in the final, while Statman Dave was left particularly impressed by his performance against Georgia in the round of 16.

As such, Williams, who is regarded as one of the best wingers in the world, could be a solid signing for Chelsea, as they look to mount an outside push for the Premier League title.

Chelsea plotting fresh talks to sign another winger alongside Williams Related Chelsea plot fresh talks with forward after failed £62m bid and 'very exciting proposal'

He’d be a stellar addition to Enzo Maresca’s side.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Nov 20, 2025

Crystal Palace are now readying a January move for Chelsea’s Raheem Sterling, with Oliver Glasner personally keen, and they hold an advantage in the race for his signature.

Palace are one of many clubs looking like they could make a push for the European places this season, should they manage to keep their squad together, and there has recently been a positive update on that front, despite Liverpool retaining an interest in Marc Guehi.

There has also been a new update on Adam Wharton’s future, amid widespread interest from Premier League clubs, while the Eagles have been forced to make do without Eberechi Eze this season, with the 27-year-old moving to Arsenal in the summer.

Following Eze’s departure, Glasner’s side brought in Yeremy Pino, but it has now been revealed they want to bring in another forward to soften the blow of losing their talisman in the previous window…

Crystal Palace readying January move for Raheem Sterling

According to a report from SportsBoom, Crystal Palace are now readying a January move for Chelsea’s Sterling, with Glasner personally keen, and the Blues willing to pay part of the winger’s wages to get him off the books.

There is expected to be competition for the Englishman’s signature from Leeds United, but Palace may hold a key advantage in the race for his signature, as he wants to remain in the south for personal reasons.

The South Londoners’ location could give them the edge in the battle for the Chelsea outcast, who has been named as one of the best wingers in Premier League history, given that he lives in Berkshire, but there are doubts over whether they should even pursue a move.

Pep Guardiola has lauded the former Manchester City man in the past, saying: “For his confidence it will be massive, the first goal is brilliant, when Raheem executes without thinking he is excellent.”

However, the 30-year-old has had little opportunity to show his brilliance in recent times, having not made a single appearance for the Blues this season, and he struggled on loan at Arsenal last term, scoring zero goals and picking up just two assists in 17 Premier League games.

Having amassed a whopping 198 goal contributions in 396 Premier League matches and won 11 trophies, there can be no denying that Sterling was a top player in his prime, but his best days might be behind him, so it wouldn’t be the end of the world if Leeds beat Palace to his signature.

Crystal Palace join race for "extraordinary" forward likened to Kvaratskhelia Crystal Palace join race for "extraordinary" forward likened to Kvaratskhelia

The Eagles are looking to bolster their options in attacking areas during the January transfer window.

ByDominic Lund Nov 12, 2025