Konstas made 73 not out and Beau Webster made an unbeaten 46 as Australia A chased down 168 with six wickets to spare

Alex Malcolm09-Nov-2024

Sam Konstas drives through the off side•AFP

Sam Konstas signalled he is a player for the future, even if he might not be ready for the first Test, making an outstanding unbeaten half-century to guide Australia A home in a tricky run chase at the MCG after Dhruv Jurel and Prasidh Krishna gave India A hope while putting their hand up to play in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.Konstas, batting at No. 4 in this match for the first time in his short career after appearing to be removed from the Test opening calculations, made a composed 73 not out alongside Beau Webster, who made an unbeaten 46, to guide Australia A to a 2-0 series win after slumping to 73 for 4 chasing 168 in the fourth innings.Earlier, Jurel made his second half-century of the match while Prasidh made 29 as India’s tail wagged with contributions from Nitish Kumar Reddy and Tanush Kotian ensuring Australia A had a tricky chase after the game threatened to finish early on day three.Prasidh then struck twice in the opening over of the fourth innings with Marcus Harris and Cameron Bancroft falling for ducks in consecutive deliveries. Nathan McSweeney only made 25 as Australia A slumped to 48 for 3 and 73 for 4 before Konstas and Webster combined for an unbeaten 96-run stand to win the game.Australia’s A chase got off to a disastrous start and Australia’s selectors did not get the final pieces of information they were hoping for from Harris and McSweeney. Harris played a half-committed drive to a very full ball and was given out caught behind off the inside edge. His luck from day two might have evened out as it was not entirely clear whether he hit it. Bancroft’s horror run of form continued when he was hit on the toe by a cracking yorker and given lbw. It was tight to leg but probably hitting. Bancroft has scored 29 runs in eight first-class innings so far this season, including four ducks, with any hopes of a Test recall completely dashed for the time being.McSweeney looked organised in his last bid to convince selectors he is worthy of opening the batting in the Perth Test. He hardly made an error in his 69-ball 25. But he was undone by a cracking delivery from Mukesh Kumar that angled into off and nipped away to catch the edge.Konstas, 19, then showed the composure and the batting craft that has so many astute judges in Australian cricket cooing. He weathered the storm with resolute defence and then began to expand as the ball got softer and Kotian came into the attack. He unfurled a cracking pull shot off Prasidh and then skipped out to Kotian several times to bang him over the top down the ground. He also sat back and punched him through the off side. He didn’t get sucked into playing at balls outside his leg stump when a short leg and leg gully were set for him.He lost Ollie Davies for a brisk 21 when his New South Wales team-mate misjudged the length from Kotian completely and was bowled attempting an ambitious cut shot.Webster settled after a nervy start and hit the ball with trademark power to help ease the pressure of the chase. The pair rattled along, striking 13 boundaries and a six between them. They scored fast enough for the umpires to extend play with an extra half-hour to win the game on the third night. Konstas only gave one life, with substitute Abishek Porel dropping him at deep square with 15 runs to win.Dhruv Jurel made 68 in the second innings•AFP

Earlier in the day, Jurel was once again the fulcrum that held India A’s batting together with another outstanding knock. There have been three 50-plus scores in the match and he has two of them. His 68 was the key to giving the visitors a total to defend in spite of four wickets to Corey Rocchiccioli and three to Webster.Unlike the first innings though, he did need a large stroke of luck. Early in the morning, on 25, he uppercut Scott Boland to deep third absentmindedly with a fielder placed there for that exact shot. Ollie Davies had to run forward and dive but he spilled the difficult chance offered despite getting two hands to it. Had that been held, India A would have been 85 for 6, leading by just 23 and in danger of losing before lunch.Thereafter, the momentum swung in India A’s favour. Jurel and Reddy shared a pivotal 94-run stand to give their side a chance. Jurel’s class shone through again. He pounced on anything short or overpitched and was rock solid in defence. While his team-mates have looked all at sea against the extra bounce at the MCG, Jurel has looked right at home with a game tailormade for Australian conditions.Reddy played his best innings of the tour to-date, striking five fours and a six in a key supporting role. Australia A struggled to penetrate given they were a bowler down after the loss of Michael Neser on day one.But just as Jurel got a stranglehold on the game, he holed out to deep square off Rocchiccioli to open the door to the tail. Three overs later, Reddy fell to Webster for the third time in four innings. It was also the third time he was bounced out, gloving one to the keeper trying to hook to fine leg.That left India A 162 for 7 with a lead of just 100. But the last three wickets added 67 to ensure Australia would have a tricky chase. Kotian and Prasidh frustrated the bowlers with an entertaining and vital 49-run stand. They struck nine fours and a six between them. Kotian posted the fourth-highest score of the match, making 44. Prasidh’s innings was bewildering. He consistently backed away but slapped the ball with power both sides of the wicket in a breezy 29. He eventually fell to a sensational diving catch at deep midwicket by Konstas.Kotian added 28 with Mukesh Kumar who scored just 1 before miscuing one to mid-off. Rocchiccioli wrapped up the innings with his fourth wicket, pinning Mukesh plumb lbw.

Graham Potter has enough credit in the bank as a Premier League-proven manager to turn around West Ham United’s fortunes.

During his final full season at the helm of Brighton and Hove Albion, the 50-year-old would guide the Seagulls to a fantastic ninth place in the league standings, with the Hammers jumping for joy at a potential top-half finish themselves, after an unsatisfactory 14th spot was sealed last season.

Those watching on week after week at the London Stadium might have expected Potter to hit the ground running with speed when joining last campaign, but with a transfer window soon to be under his belt, he should be able to stamp his authority on proceedings more effectively to try and make his Irons stay a success.

Kyle Walker-Peters is the standout addition so far this summer, having just been picked up on a free transfer deal from Southampton, with another purchase from a recently relegated side looking to be in the works.

West Ham enter race for Premier League star

West Ham are also scouring the rest of the Premier League, away from just looking to raid the unlucky clubs that have unfortunately fallen through the relegation trapdoor.

Indeed, James McAtee is reportedly on their shopping list from Manchester City, although his £35m valuation might prove to be too steep, whilst Harvey Elliott is also allegedly on the Hammers’ radar from City’s rivals in Liverpool.

They are also setting their sights on Leicester City when attempting to add in some fresh bodies centrally, with journalist Ben Jacobs recently revealing, when talking to talkSPORT, that Potter and Co. are keen on Wilfred Ndidi’s services.

Transfer Focus

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

Jacobs does state that there could be an intense race ahead for the Nigerian’s in-demand signature, owing to the likes of Manchester and Everton also keeping an eye out on the 28-year-old as a potential recruit:

“A quick word on West Ham United because now that they’ve sold Mohammad Kudus to Tottenham, I expect West Ham to have a little bit more financial leeway to really get going. My expectation is that Graeme Potter is going to be pushing this window for an attacking midfielder and also a number six.

“And the latest player that I’ve heard on the radar for number six is Wilfred Ndidi, who has been discussed by Manchester United, Everton, Real Betis and Juventus and even Saudi. There are so many clubs in for Ndidi that my feeling is that it will resolve itself relatively quickly.”

Yet, if West Ham wants to finally fill the void left behind by Declan Rice’s exit in the middle of the park, they might have to flex their muscles and advance to the front of the queue for Ndidi.

How Ndidi can help West Ham to finally replace Rice

Expecting the £75k-per-week talent to instantly be West Ham’s new answer to the England international straight away is a lot to ask.

He is well accustomed to the pressures of the Premier League already, though, having notched up 220 top-flight appearances for the Foxes to date, meaning he should be able to perform with the same confidence centrally that Rice showed in spades when he was still situated in East London.

Before taking his game to an unbelievable new level at Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal – with the £105m talent now not looking out of place against world beaters Real Madrid – Rice was well-known as a vibrant and lively midfield option at his boyhood employers, with a split second ability to fire home a stunning strike in his locker, just like this one he arrowed home back in 2021 for the Hammers.

But, he also had a bite present in his game that made him a formidable foe to come up against, as seen in him winning a high 4.4 duels on average in league action during his swansong campaign at the London Stadium.

Ndidi’s league numbers for Leicester (24/25)
Stat – per 90 mins*	Ndidi
Games played	28
Goals scored	0
Assists	5
Touches*	53.2
Accurate passes*	29.5 (82%)
Ball recoveries*	4.5
Total duels won*	6.3
Stats by Sofascore

Looking at the table above, Ndidi seemingly operated in a very similar manner to a much rawer Rice for his relegation-doomed side last campaign, with a willingness to push up the pitch and get involved in attacks seen in his five assists, away from his further seven goals across his entire Premier League playing days.

However, it’s also his desire to get stuck in from deep, away from just bombing forward, which makes him an ideal candidate to finally fill that Rice-shaped hole, with a hefty 6.3 duels won on average.

In contrast to the “absolute monster” of a midfielder – as described by ESPN’s Colin Udoh – despite being in the form of his life now at the Emirates, the ex-Hammers number 41 would only win 3.4 himself across the same span.

Labelled as a “first-class” talent by Brendan Rodgers when the pair were together at the King Power Stadium, West Ham might well deem winning the services of Ndidi as a more important venture now than replacing Mohammed Kudus, especially if it finally allows for the heartbreak of Rice’s departure to be put to bed.

Their new Kudus: West Ham open first talks to sign "intelligent" £30m star

West Ham United could snap up their next Mohammed Kudus by signing this £30m attacker.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jul 22, 2025

Trevor Penney has been appointed Paarl Royals’ head coach for SA20 2025. He replaces Shane Bond, who will focus on Rajasthan Royals’ plans ahead of the next IPL auction.The owners of the Royals franchise, Royals Sports Group, took over the Barbados team in the CPL in 2021. Penney has been in charge of the team since 2022, with the runners-up finish that year their best result under him.”I’m honored to take on the head coach role at Paarl Royals,” Penney said in a statement. “The SA20 has become a major tournament on the global cricket calendar, and I’m excited to work with such a talented squad. Being part of the Royals family with Rajasthan Royals and Barbados Royals has been a wonderful journey, and I’m looking forward to continuing that experience in Paarl. I’m confident we can build on the successes of the last two seasons and make a strong push for the title in 2025.”Related

• SA20 2025: Can anyone prevent a Sunrisers Eastern Cape hat-trick?

• SA20 2025 auction: Hendricks fetches highest bid; Super Kings sign Pathirana as wildcard

• Dinesh Karthik to play for Paarl Royals in the SA20

Penney will work alongside David Miller, who has captained Royals in both the seasons of SA20 so far.Royals made a semi-final exit in the inaugural season of the SA20 (2023) and bowed out in the Eliminator earlier this year. In the auction ahead of the next edition of the SA20, Royals had just the one slot left to fill and did that by picking wicketkeeper Rubin Hermann. Before that, they had picked former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik as their wildcard player.Meanwhile, Bond, who is the bowling coach of Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, will link up with new head coach Rahul Dravid and batting coach Vikram Rathour to finalise the plans ahead of the auction later this year.”We’re delighted to have Trevor join as head coach of Paarl Royals,” Royals’ director of cricket Kumar Sangakkara said. “His track record with the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL and with the Barbados Royals in the CPL, where he’s helped in transforming the team into consistent contenders, shows the quality of coach he is. We believe his experience, combined with the leadership of David Miller and a talented squad, will help Paarl Royals continue their rise in SA20.”Shane Bond, who has been fantastic with us in both the IPL and the SA20, will focus extensively on his continued role with the Rajasthan Royals and spend more time in India, overseeing the scouting and trial processes along with Rahul and Vikram.”

Sunderland’s transfer window has been the biggest in the club’s history. After an unexpectedly long stint out of the Premier League, manager Régis Le Bris has been backed to ensure that they stay there.

The club have made roughly £36.8 million from the sales of Jobe Bellingham and Tom Watson to Borussia Dortmund and Brighton respectively, which has added a boost to their transfer budget.

Most of the new arrivals at the Stadium of Light have been attacking or midfield players, and the squad is yet to reinforce their defence, which was the fourth-best in the Championship last season. However, the Black Cats are now looking to change that in a big way and go all out on an up-and-coming talent.

Sunderland scouting Italian star Comuzzo

Reports from Italy, via Sports Witness, have revealed that Sunderland are among a number of English teams who have been scouting Italian centre-back Pietro Comuzzo. Comuzzo’s club, Fiorentina, have spent part of their pre-season in the UK, where Black Cats scouts checked on him in person.

Sports Witness shared a recent interview where Comuzzo stated he was happy at his current club and wasn’t currently looking to move. However, during the transfer window, things can change quickly. If Le Bris could convince Comuzzo of the project, then it’s reported that Fiorentina would be willing to part ways with the player for £34.5 million, which would see the Black Cats once again smash their previous transfer record by £7.5 million.

Sunderland’s most expensive signings of all time

Rank

Player

Fee

Signed from

Year

1

Habib Diarra

£27m

Strasbourg

2025

2

Simon Adingra

£21m

Brighton

2025

3

Enzo Le Fee

£19.3m

AS Roma

2025

4

Chemsdine Talbi

£18m

Club Brugge

2025

5

Noah Sadiki

£15m

Royale Union Saint-Gilloise

2025

6

Didier Ndong

£13.6m

Lorient

2016

=7

Granit Xhaka

£13m

Bayer Leverkusen

2025

=7

Asamoah Gyan

£13m

Rennes

2010

9

Steven Fletcher

£12m

Wolves

2012

10

Jack Rodwell

£10m

Man City

2014

Comuzzo will be in the UK this weekend as Fiorentina face Manchester United at Old Trafford in a pre-season friendly. Early reports had indicated that United were another one of the teams to have taken an interest in the centre-back, but after several big-money signings and other positions yet to fill, they seem unlikely candidates.

Sports Witness’s Kaustubh Pandey concluded that the stories currently circulating about Comuzzo could be an attempt to increase his value and sell him at a later date. In which case, this could end up being a long-term Sunderland target that they use to solidify their place in the Premier League if they stay up this season.

Why Comuzzo is so highly rated

Comuzzo is a name that fans will hear a lot of in the coming years, and there are a few reasons why he is seen as such a prodigy. When compared to centre-backs of a similar age who featured in the Premier League last season, fans can see his uniqueness.

Defensive Actions Last Season

Comuzzo

Khusanov

Huijsen

Tackles in Defensive 3rd Per 90

1.19

0.79

0.7

Long Pass Completion

69%

56.3%

59.5%

Attempted Tackles on Dribblers Per 90

1.19

0.85

1.07

Success Rate of Tackles on Dribblers

79.3%

64.3%

62.1%

Stats from: FBREF

Abdukodir Khusanov and Dean Huijsen have both recently received big transfers, with the former joining Manchester City in January and the latter joining Real Madrid this summer, but in many regards, Comuzzo is better than both.

An issue that many defenders find when joining the Premier League is that the pace of the wingers is too much for them. However, this is where Comuzzo specialises, as not only does he attempt more tackles on dribbling players than average, he also has a higher success rate with them.

Comuzzo’s ability to accurately play a long ball is also unique. Not only does it get the team out of danger defensively, but it can also help the team up the pitch offensively. Many of the newly promoted teams find themselves camped in their own third as the bigger Premier League sides attack them. Comuzzo would help avoid this with the combination of his ability to win back the ball and then progressively play it out once he has done so.

All of these attributes make Comuzzo an ideal player for the Premier League and particularly one further down the table. If Sunderland don’t push for him this summer, their chance of signing him may disappear, because it’s only a matter of time before someone snaps him up.

يبدأ جافي لاعب خط وسط برشلونة مرحلة تعافي صعبة أخرى، حيث خضع اللاعب لعملية جراحية يوم الثلاثاء على يد الدكتور جوان كارلوس مونلو تحت إشراف الخدمات الطبية للنادي لعلاج ألم في ركبته اليمنى وفقاً لما أصدره النادي في بيان.

وأجرى لاعب خط وسط برشلونة لجراحة تنظير المفصل لإصلاح إصابة الغضروف المفصلي الداخلي ثم خضع لخياطة للحفاظ عليه، وسيخضع جافي الآن لمراقبة تقدم حالته.

ومن المتوقع أن تستغرق مدة تعافيه ما يتراوح بين 4 و5 أشهر، وهذه المدة أطول مما كان متوقعاً في البداية، والتي كانت من المفترض أن تتراوح بين شهر ونصف إلى شهرين.

وقدم جافي موسمًا تحضيريًا جيدًا وبدأ بقوة تحت قيادة هانز فليك، وتلقى اللاعب دعماً من العديد من زملائه والعديد من الشخصيات الكروية على وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي.

اقرأ أيضاً. شيرر يوجه رسالة قوية لـ راشفورد بعد قرار فليك: يجب أن تكون محترفًا

ووجه جافي رسالة يوم الأربعاء عبر صفحته الرسمية على وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي عبر فيها عن مشاعره بعد أن علم أن فترة تعافيه استغرقت وقتًا أطول بكثير من المتوقع.

ونشر جافي والذي لا يزال يتعافى في المستشفى، صورة مع رونالد أراوخو ولامين يامال وبيدري الذين قاموا بزيارته وأظهروا له كل الود من غرفة الملابس.

وذكر جافي: “من يعرفني منكم يعلم أنني سأعود للدفاع عن برشلونة وفريقي حتى النهاية، البطل الحقيقي لا يصنع في لحظات النجاح بل في لحظات النهوض بعد التعثر، شكراً لكم جميعاً على رسائل التشجيع والمحبة”.

David Moyes has made no secret of his determination to reshape Everton’s attack before the Premier League season kicks off.

His squad looked flat throughout the Premier League Summer Series in the US, suffering defeats to both Bournemouth and West Ham, along with a draw against Manchester United.

With Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom returning to their parent clubs, Moyes has prioritised signing a new wide player who can slot straight into his first eleven.

So far, there have been arrivals in other areas.

Carlos Alcaraz’s loan move from Flamengo was made permanent, while the club also secured the £27m signing of striker Thierno Barry from Villarreal – though Moyes has cautioned that the forward will need time to adapt.

What’s more, Bayern Munich left-back Adam Aznou has joined in a £7.8m deal.

However, Everton have suffered frustration in the market too. Kenny Tete renewed with Fulham, while a bid for Lyon’s Malick Fofana has fallen short.

Talks for Real Sociedad’s Takefusa Kubo were equally problematic, with his £50m release clause proving prohibitive. Everton have also shown an interest in Jack Grealish, though a deal appears complicated at this stage.

In the midst of these challenges, one name has emerged as a potentially transformative addition, alongside both Tyler Dibling and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who could be on their way to Merseyside, according to the most recent reports.

Everton interested in wildcard option

Zuriko Davitashvili, the 24-year-old Georgian winger currently playing for Saint-Étienne, is quickly attracting attention.

Like Iliman Ndiaye before him, Davitashvili has shone in Ligue 1 with his blend of direct attacking play and creative spark.

Last season, he produced nine goals and eight assists in 33 appearances, while also amassing 46 caps and six goals for Georgia.

Analyst Ben Mattinson has described him as a “powerful finisher,” a trait that would certainly appeal to Moyes, who needs players capable of providing an end product.

Transfer Focus

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

Davitashvili can play on the left, on the right, or through the middle, giving Everton the kind of versatility they have lacked since losing Harrison and Lindstrom.

He is valued at around €12m (£10m), as per Football Transfers, a price Everton could realistically afford even within their financial constraints.

According to Foot Mercato, the Toffees are among those interested in making a move, despite Saint-Étienne having declared him not for sale, frustrating the player, who is said to be determined to test himself at a higher level.

Rennes, Strasbourg, Sevilla, and Mönchengladbach are also all credited with interest, but convincing Saint-Étienne to sell will take negotiation. If the Toffes can do just that, they’d be in for a real treat…

Comparing Davitashvili to Ndiaye

Like Ndiaye, who arrived from Ligue 1 side Marseille last summer in a £16.9m move and went on to contribute nine Premier League goals, Davitashvili appears ready-made for Moyes’s counter-attacking style, with his capacity to drive from deep and create in tight spaces.

The parallels between Davitashvili and Ndiaye are striking.

Both are left-wingers who can also play centrally, and both have a proven Ligue 1 record.

Statistically, Davitashvili actually surpassed Ndiaye’s output last season, registering 17 goal involvements (nine goals, eight assists) compared to Ndiaye’s nine.

When you dig into their numbers, subtle differences emerge.

According to FBref, Ndiaye offers more progressive carries per 90 (3.19) and progressive passes per 90 (3.07) than Davitashvili (2.19 and 2.36 respectively), suggesting Ndiaye is more dynamic in advancing play through the thirds.

Davitashvili, meanwhile, is more of a final-third contributor, boasting higher shot-creating actions per 90 (3.85 vs. 2.41) and more shots on target per 90 (0.78 vs. 0.56).

Their finishing efficiency also varies. Ndiaye landed 42.9% of his efforts on target, compared to 35.3% for Davitashvili, though Davitashvili takes more shots overall.

His pass completion rate sits slightly lower (78.6% vs. Ndiaye’s 81.8%), suggesting more risk-taking in his passing decisions.

In terms of beating defenders one-v-one, Ndiaye again has the edge with a 47.6% successful take-on rate, compared to 37.4% for Davitashvili.

Moyes may see Davitashvili as a player who complements, rather than directly mirrors, Ndiaye.

Where Ndiaye excels at progressing play through the middle third, Davitashvili could thrive in advanced areas, providing a clinical edge in front of goal and adding variety in how Everton break teams down.

His positional versatility, plus a proven track record of scoring and assisting from wide positions, would make him an immediate contender for a starting role.

Everton’s recruitment team have been instructed to identify players who can adapt quickly, cope with physical football, and plug multiple gaps.

Davitashvili, with the same Ligue 1 background as Ndiaye and a clear ambition to play at a higher level, fits that brief.

If Everton can negotiate a way past Saint-Étienne’s resistance, he could arrive at Goodison Park as another hidden gem, following in Ndiaye’s footsteps to help rebuild an attack that has badly needed fresh energy.

Sunderland’s rapid-fire business so far this summer has certainly entertained those watching on.

To date, the Premier League newcomers have welcomed in eight fresh faces that have cost an alleged £140m in total, with their ninth purchase now in the offing as a deal to bring in Marc Guiu on loan from Chelsea for the season edges nearer to being completed.

With Regis Le Bris also now tied down to a contract until 2028 in the Stadium of Light dug-out, this summer has been an extremely smooth operation for the most part, with Jobe Bellingham’s exit to Borussia Dortmund also swiftly forgotten about.

Guiu might not be the only striker addition signed off on before September’s looming deadline, however, as a deal to bring in an experienced free-agent forward might also be on the cards.

Sunderland made ambitious move for free agent

Sunderland could well be looking to add in more Premier League experience to their ranks, away from Guiu’s addition, with Granit Xhaka the only presence in their squad who has tasted the harshness of the division previously.

They have certainly tried to bring in some seasoned heads, with a new report from talkSPORT revealing that the Black Cats had lined up an ambitious play to bring Dominic Calvert-Lewin in on a free transfer, after his Everton contract had expired.

Unfortunately for Le Bris and Co., despite their obvious ambition being on full display, the injury-prone striker has decided to keep his options open for the time being, in the hope that a team higher up the Premier League standings decides to gamble on his free agent services.

After all, if he were to wrestle free of his injury concerns and get back to his Toffees goalscoring peak, he would be a real asset to Sunderland, or any other side, as the Wearside outfit potentially battle against the drop.

He could even become the Black Cats’ next iteration of Darren Bent, with Bent’s goalscoring exploits on Wearside somewhat slipping under the radar, much like Calvert-Lewin’s best days on Merseyside have been shoved to one side amid his constant issues in the treatment room.

How Calvert-Lewin could be the next Bent

Unfortunately, when strikers go off the boil, it often receives the most attention.

Bent’s playing days would unfortunately fizzle out by the time he was lining up for lowly Burton Albion in the Championship, but he will still be well remembered at the Stadium of Light for being an absolute menace at the peak of his powers.

Of course, his most infamous strike for the Wearside club would come against Liverpool in 2009, as a beachball inexplicably got involved with play, but he would score another 35 goals donning Sunderland red and white, away from this bizarre moment in isolation.

Bent would close out his esteemed career with 106 Premier League efforts next to his name. Calvert-Lewin is only 49 strikes shy of matching that bumper amount, despite being dismissed as an injury-plagued, wasteful presence in recent seasons.

The 11-time England international was even once viewed as a “monster” in front of goal – as he was labelled by football talent scout Jacek Kulig – for the Toffees before his career at Moyes’ side unravelled, with his output during the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons in the top-flight seeing him bag a clinical 29 strikes.

Both the campaigns in question saw Everton comfortably sit in mid-table, but his reasonable seven goals during the 2023/24 season had a far more pivotal impact on proceedings, resulting in the Merseyside outfit surviving in 15th spot.

The concern will be whether or not Calvert-Lewin can wriggle free of those consistent knocks to be that same impactful presence for Le Bris’ men, with Guiu no doubt boosted subsequently by having such an experienced figure by his side as he learns and grows out on loan.

Bent’s goalscoring heroics for the Black Cats once upon a time enabled mid-table finishes in the Premier League to be a regular occurrence.

The Sheffield-born forward will hope he can offer up the same for his potential new employers as they boldly reenter the promised land.

Better signing than Xhaka: Sunderland make £26m "warrior" their top target

Sunderland is still interested in the prospect of landing this £26m star.

ByKelan Sarson Aug 6, 2025

The legspinner went through Victoria’s resistance in dramatic style late on the final day

AAP04-Nov-2024Lloyd Pope spun South Australia to their first Sheffield Shield victory over Victoria in nine years, claiming six wickets to seal victory with 16 minutes to spare.In a thrilling and somewhat controversial finish at Adelaide Oval, Pope took 6 for 74 to have Victoria all out for 207 in pursuit of an unlikely target of 346.Pope took four wickets in 13 minutes to win the match, after Victoria looked likely to claim a draw with four wickets in hand and 30 minutes left before stumps.Related

All-round Manenti gives South Australia chance of victory

Couch's historic hat-trick and Agar's guile dismantle Tasmania

The win marked South Australia’s first win over Victoria since 2015-16, with the two teams having played 18 games since then.But the finish was not without drama, with Victoria’s Campbell Kellaway given out at bat-pad among the flurry of late wickets. Kellaway appeared bewildered by the call, with replays suggesting the ball may have come flush off the pad and not hit his bat on the way to the fielder.From there it appeared inevitable that Pope would take South Australia to victory, before he wrapped up the match by trapping Cameron McClure lbw attempting to leave the ball.Pope’s figures made for just the third five-wicket haul of his Sheffield Shield career, and his first in four years after bursting on to the scene as a cult hero in the 2017 Under-19 World Cup.Pope had always looked the most threatening of South Australia’s bowlers on a deteriorating day-four wicket. The legspinner was the only bowler to threaten Victoria’s batters in the opening session, with Ashley Chandrasinghe and Kellaway well set.Henry Thornton eventually got the breakthrough in the middle session when he had Chandrasinghe caught at slip with a fast-rising ball. And while Thornton also removed Tom Rogers shortly after, it was always Pope who looked the most likely to take charge of the game.He had Peter Handscomb superbly caught by player-of-the-match Ben Manenti at first slip for 8, then drew Sam Harper’s back foot out of his crease to have him stumped for 5.And after Mitchell Perry chewed up 80 balls in a 25-over partnership with Kellaway, it was Pope who got the crucial wicket in the final hour.The 24-year-old spun a ball back from outside the left-hander’s off stump, bowling Perry for 9 as the No. 8 went back to cut. Kellaway’s wicket came in Pope’s next over, before he had Peter Siddle caught at slip to leave Victoria nine wickets down.And when No. 11 McClure offered no shot to a ball that went straight on, Pope had ensured South Australia would stay second on the ladder with a rare win over their old rivals.

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O executivo de futebol Fabiano Melo esteve à frente do CSA no momento mais vitorioso da história do clube. Entre 2016 e 2020, a agremiação alagoana saiu de uma situação em que não disputava nenhuma divisão do Campeonato Brasileiro e chegou à Série A. O profissional comenta o trabalho realizado.

– Tenho muito orgulho do que fizemos no CSA naquele período. Três acessos consecutivos, um título da Série C e ainda dois campeonatos estaduais. Tantos triunfos sucessivos não ocorrem por acaso. Um planejamento cuidadoso e uma execução certeira foram fundamentais para que alcançássemos o sucesso – declarou.

O último trabalho de Fabiano foi na penúltima edição do Paulistão, em 2022. O executivo levou o Santo André às quartas de final do torneio, eliminando na fase de grupos o Santos. Aos 48 anos, Fabiano crê que o futebol brasileiro viva hoje um momento extremamente profissional.

– Evoluímos bastante nos últimos anos. Cada vez mais os clubes compreendem a necessidade de terem no comando do departamento de futebol indivíduos capacitados, que estudaram muito para ocuparem aqueles cargos. Sou otimista quanto ao futuro do nosso esporte – encerrou.

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Birmingham City very much had a reputation last season in League One as being lavish spenders in the transfer market.

The Blues broke transfer records to land Jay Stansfield for a mighty £15m, and that excessive spending hasn’t ceased moving up a division, with Chris Davies and Co forking out a fee around the £10m mark just this month to land ex-Celtic favourite Kyogo Furuhashi.

This wild approach in the transfer market does seem to have caught up with them, however, as another statement move to snap up Premier League regular Hwang Hee-Chan hangs in the balance.

The latest on Birmingham's move for Hwang

Birmingham have significant backing behind the scenes courtesy of American investment from Tom Brady and Tom Wagner, but that well looks to have dried up now unless some sales are signed off on.

Indeed, it is being reported by Birmingham Live that a deal for Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Hwang to move from Molineux to St. Andrew’s is too steep to get over the line, owing to the South Korean attacker’s £14m price tag and his high wage costs.

He is arguably worth that extortionate amount, considering he has 22 Premier League goals next to his name, but unless some players leave, namely someone like Bailey Peacock-Farrell who is looking for an escape route out of the Blues – it appears unlikely that Hwang will join Kyogo in the Midlands.

Not all hope will be lost on the end of Birmingham, though, when it comes to attempting to add some magnificent coups to Davies’ camp, with a Champions League winner perhaps on the way.

Birmingham's Hwang alternative

Whilst Birmingham do have a reputation for rashly splashing the cash, this summer has seen the Blues also operate shrewdly.

Indeed, they have added two free agents to the camp, most notably in the form of Bright Osayi-Samuel and Blues academy graduate, Demarai Gray.

The next standout move when diving back into this fruitful market could well be Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Journalist Graeme Bailey recently revealed that a plethora of Championship clubs are now contemplating a move for the ex-Liverpool man, which includes Davies’ men, off the back of his Besiktas contract expiring.

Whilst Hwang is still actively participating in the Premier League, Oxlade-Chamberlain’s previous experience of the tough league is still eye-catching enough on its own to make the signing even more of a coup than splashing out £14m on the Old Gold forward, having amassed a whopping 235 top-flight appearances while on the books of both Arsenal and Liverpool.

Amazingly, although Birmingham would be able to obtain the seasoned 31-year-old for free, the Reds once had to fork out a whopping £35m to land the versatile midfielder’s services, with the 35-time England international then more than repaying that extortionate fee by being a trusty utility body at Anfield over many a season.

CM

76

7

10

RM

18

3

1

LM

14

2

1

LW

9

2

0

AM

7

2

2

RW

4

1

1

CF

1

0

0

Oxlade-Chamberlain’s much-loved flexibility when donning Liverpool red even saw him line up in Hwang’s centre-forward position on one occasion, leading to Jurgen Klopp labelling the Portsmouth-born star as “wonderful” to work with, despite recurring injury troubles.

Staggeringly, even as he played a bit-part role at points at Anfield, the 31-year-old only falls short of Hwang’s Premier League goal total by two, away from his well-known adaptability making him a figure Davies would surely love to have around the group in their moment of need.

One a free transfer too, it really does feel like an obvious decision on Birmingham’s end to snap up the one-time Premier League champion, instead of waiting around for everything to click into place concerning other far more expensive targets.

Kyogo's dream midfielder: Birmingham still chasing "quality" £16k-p/w star

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1 ByKelan Sarson Jul 16, 2025