Tottenham remain active in the summer transfer window as we fast approach deadline day in just 48 hours’ time, with Spurs having until just 7pm on Monday to get all of their desired deals over the line.

Thomas Frank has officially welcomed highly-rated playmaker Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig, in a deal which insider Paul O’Keefe claims could be worth a club-record £125 million (including wages and add-ons spread over his potential seven-year contract).

Mohammed Kudus

£55 million

Kota Takai

£5 million

Mathys Tel

£30 million

Joao Palhinha

Loan

Kevin Danso

£21 million

Xavi Simons

£52 million

The actual club-to-club fee was £52 million for an attacking player who bagged 11 goals and eight assists over 33 appearances last season, despite missing a portion of the early season with ankle ligament damage.

After returning from injury, Simons racked up 14 goal contributions in Leipzig’s final 18 Bundesliga games – standing out as one of the major positives in what was an otherwise dismal season for Ole Werner’s side.

Tottenham satisfyingly hijacked one of their main London rivals, Chelsea, in the process of signing Simons.

The 22-year-old had agreed terms with Enzo Maresca’s men, but weeks of negotiations between Leipzig and Chelsea, which failed to get anywhere quickly enough, handed the Lilywhites an opportunity to swoop in and steal the Netherlands sensation from under BlueCo’s nose.

Frank played a key role in convincing Simons to make the move to a different part of London, presenting Simons with an appealing project.

Spurs are in the market for another attacking player, and whoever the recruitment team lands on could well be another central attacking midfielder, considering Simons is versatile enough to play on the left-wing.

The former PSG and Barcelona academy man thrived in that area on numerous occasions last term, so it cannot be ruled out that Daniel Levy and co will bring in another versatile player who can interchange roles in that same respect.

Atlético Madrid expecting Conor Gallagher bid from Tottenham

According to Spanish newspaper Marca, £150,000-per-week Atlético Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher, who can play in the central playmaker role and even out wide on occasion, is a target for Spurs heading into deadline day.

The England international is largely a traditional centre-midfielder, but can contribute effectively going forward – bagging 10 goal contributions under Diego Simeone in all competitions during his debut campaign in Spain.

Marca reports that Tottenham are one of the “most interested” clubs in signing Gallagher, and Atlético are expecting the north Londoners to make a late offer for his signature.

Currently, Atlético have adopted a ‘not for sale’ stance and are not particularly keen on losing the 25-year-old, but a seismic offer could change their minds.

If they were to sell Gallagher, Simeone’s side would want between £43-52m for the “priceless” player – which may not be too far out of Spurs’ reach.

GOAL runs the rule over the British players earning a living away from their homeland, with plenty more stars deciding to leave the comforts of Great Britain in search of a better footballing life elsewhere. The Premier League is still obviously one of the world's most entertaining divisions and the Championship can prove fantastic for development, but there are more options out there.

This weekend proved to be a mixed bag for the British stars playing away from home, though, with some continuing fine starts to the season while others were brought crashing down to earth after devastating losses. From England's captain breaking yet another record, to his international team-mate flopping on his first start of the campaign, GOAL has got you covered on all the major talking points.

Every Monday, we will be breaking down the winners & losers of the Brits Abroad, so without further ado, let's dive into the latest edition, kicking off with a man who may just be the most deadly footballer in world football right now…

Getty Images SportWINNER: Harry Kane

Can anyone stop Harry Kane? That is a question clubs across the continent are pondering amid the 32-year-old's history-making run in the early stages of the 2025-26 campaign. Kane has hit 15 goals in just eight appearances in all competitions for Bayern, including a brace against Chelsea in the Champions League, and was once again a force of nature in his latest domestic outing.

Bayern romped to a 4-0 Bundesliga victory over Werder Bremen on Friday, with Kane scoring twice and Jonathan Tah and Konrad Laimer also getting in on the act. Kane's first came in the form of a trademark penalty, while his second was just a simple close-range finish, but it feels like he can't miss at the moment, and the way he is defying the ageing process is truly frightening.

Kane has now reached 100 goals in a Bayern shirt after just 104 games, which makes him the quickest player to ever reach a century for any club in Europe's top five leagues. Cristiano Ronaldo and Erling Haaland both needed an extra match to hit that milestone at Real Madrid and Manchester City, respectively, and the weight of the achievement is not lost on Kane.

"I knew about this record, for sure," he told after the game. "It was hard not to hear about it or see it. Yeah, it's a big one, first of all to reach 100 goals for any club is an amazing achievement. A club like Bayern Munich is extra special. And then to do it in record time, one game less, you're talking about some of the great players – Ronaldo one of the best ever, Haaland on his way to being a great. These are great achievements that I can look back on when I'm a bit older, but for now it's just about enjoying it."

Rumours of a potential return to the Premier League for Kane in 2026 have been ramping up in recent weeks, but why would he leave Allianz Arena? The ex-Tottenham striker is in the best form of his entire career and Bayern appear to have evolved into a more complete team under Vincent Kompany. If Kane keeps this up, a clean sweep of all the major trophies feels like a realistic goal.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportLOSER: Jude Bellingham

Jude Bellingham made his first start of the season for Real Madrid on Saturday after recovering from surgery on a persistent shoulder problem, but it was anything but a happy return to action for the 22-year-old midfielder. Real suffered their biggest derby defeat to Atletico in 75 years as they were thrashed 5-2 at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, with Xabi Alonso's perfect start shattered in the most devastating way possible.

Real actually led 2-1 heading into first-half stoppage time, as goals from Kylian Mbappe and Arda Guler cancelled out Robin Le Normand's early opener, but Alexander Sortloth equalised moments before the break, and Atletico carried that momentum into the second 45 minutes. Julian Alvarez hit a quick-fire brace before Antoine Griezmann rounded off the comprehensive victory late on, and Alonso pulled no punches after the final whistle.

"It was a bad game," the Madrid boss told reporters. "We didn't play well collectively, with or without the ball. We weren't at the level we need to be at. We were lacking a gear. This defeat hurts." It's fair to say that Bellingham was one of the main culprits.

The England international lasted 70 minutes before being substituted for Rodrygo, and probably would have been glad for the reprieve. He had no meaningful impact going forward and struggled to keep up with the pace of the game, which is understandable considering his last proper appearance for Los Blancos came at the Club World Cup in July. But it certainly looked like Madrid's reported plan for Bellingham to trim down on muscle prevented him from imposing himself physically against a well-drilled Atletico team.

Real won't panic after one defeat, but they need Bellingham back in top shape and rhythm to avoid further setbacks. We'll likely have a much better read on him after Los Blancos' next two games: a Champions League clash with minnows Kairat on Tuesday, followed by a crucial La Liga encounter against high-flying Villarreal next weekend.

WINNER: Marcus Rashford

Barcelona capitalised on Real's shock defeat by battling to a 2-1 win against Real Sociedad at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys on Sunday. Alvaro Odriozola put Sociedad in front on the half-hour mark, but goals from Jules Kounde and Robert Lewandowski completed an impressive comeback for Barca, who dominated possession throughout and racked up 22 shots compared to the visitors' seven.

It was 18-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal who predictably stole the show when he came on in the 58th minute and almost instantly set up Lewandowski's winner, easily beating his marker before providing the perfect cross for the Polish frontman to head home. The Spain attacker showed no signs of rust after four games out injured, or disappointment after losing the Ballon d'Or to Ousmane Dembele, which is great news for head coach Hansi Flick now that Barca are back at the La Liga summit.

But on his fifth start for Barca, Rashford also put in another impressive shift. The Manchester United loanee posted 62 touches in his 78 minutes on the pitch and two key passes, one of which led to Kounde's goal. Rashford's beautifully flighted corner gave the Frenchman the easy task of nodding into the net and provided Barca with a boost when they needed it most.

The 27-year-old is now up to six goal contributions in just eight appearances this term, more than any other player in the Barca squad. Some United fans, including club legend Paul Scholes, are not too happy about Rashford's sudden resurgence after two years of abject mediocrity at Old Trafford, but it's no great mystery.

He's now playing in a fully functioning team full of world-class talent instead of being tasked with dragging a rotten one up by himself. As Barcelona are seeing now, a happy Rashford is a major asset for any side, and if he continues to show Flick he belongs at the very highest level, a permanent transfer will soon be on the cards. 

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Getty ImagesLOSER: Scott McTominay

Just like Rashford, Scott McTominay has also shone since leaving Manchester United, and was the driving force behind Napoli's 2024-25 Serie A title run, but he endured a rare off-day for Antonio Conte's team on Sunday. AC Milan leapfrogged Napoli into first place with a 2-1 victory over the reigning Italian champions, despite playing almost the entire second half with 10 men after a red card to Pervis Estupinan.

Christian Pulisic was the difference-maker on the night, as the USMNT international first teed up Alexis Saelemaekers to put Milan into the lead before doubling their account himself with a brilliant first-time finish. The Rossoneri went in at the interval two goals up and defended valiantly in the second half to secure the three points, with a Kevin De Bruyne penalty proving to be nothing more than a consolation for a Napoli.

Milan successfully neutered all of Napoli's most dangerous players, including McTominay, who struggled to get a foothold in the game as Luka Modric, Adrien Rabiot and Youssouf Fofana dominated the midfield battle. The Scot was hauled off 17 minutes from time with a dismal expected goals (xG) tally of 0.03, and won only one of his ground duels in the contest.

"It’s about the whole team needing a little more focus and concentration, because we made life difficult for ourselves at 2-0 down. There’s work to do, because we’ve been conceding too many goals lately," a frustrated Conte later told the media after seeing his side lose their 100 percent record in Serie A this term. McTominay was by no means the only one at fault, but he looked a shadow of the player who scooped the Serie A MVP award last season. Napoli need him to rediscover his mojo quickly if this result is to be a one-off. 

Afghanistan captain exudes confidence ahead of the team’s first game in the Champions Trophy, against South Africa

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Feb-20254:25

Shahidi hopes cricket somehow goes to Afghanistan ‘soon’

Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi is confident of beating South Africa on their Champions Trophy debut in Karachi on February 21, especially after having defeated them 2-1 in the ODI series in Sharjah last year. It was also Afghanistan’s first ODI series win against a top-five ranked nation.”Between 2019 and now there’s too much difference and just recently we beat them [South Africa] in Sharjah – 2-1 – so we have that confidence with us and we are not under pressure anyway,” Shahidi said at his press conference on Thursday. “Because right now we are focusing what we can do in this tournament and I believe that our team is more ready for this tournament and we are focusing on our own team. There is no pressure on us.”While Afghanistan will be without teenaged mystery spinner AM Ghazanfar, who has been sidelined from the entire tournament with injury, they have enough spin depth in the form of Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mohammad Nabi and Nangeylia Kharote. Afghanistan will also have support from the Karachi crowd.”First of all, about people here – there are a lot of Afghans,” Shahidi said. “They live here in Karachi and in Pakistan and also a lot of Pashtun people, I think, they support us. So yeah, yesterday there was a lot of crowds shouting for us [during training] and it feels good and it give us confidence that we have supporters here and about our performance.”Related

Afghanistan begin with dreams to realise, South Africa with nightmares to quash

Giant-slayers Afghanistan are serious contenders for semi-finals

How Rahmanullah Gurbaz won his family over

Mohammad Nabi wants to play for Afghanistan with his son

Will sanctioning the men's team help Afghanistan women?

This will be Afghanistan’s first-ever appearance in the Champions Trophy, but Shahidi made it clear that they are not here to make up the numbers and that their goal is to win the title. Afghanistan can draw confidence from their performances in the recent global tournaments: in the 2024 T20 World Cup, they made the semi-finals while earlier in the 2023 ODI World Cup, they had booked a sixth-place finish and with that a spot in this Champions Trophy.”We are doing very good and, in this tournament, we are here to compete here and our aim is to win the final,” Shahidi said. “We are not here just to participate here in this tournament. We are definitely 100% looking to win this event and at the same time because we played a lot of quality cricket from last two years and it’s a good chance for us because the boys are very experienced and these conditions are also suitable for us. So we have a good chance and let’s start it from tomorrow and hopefully we start with the win and we go with the same momentum throughout the tournament.”Temba Bavuma, the South Africa captain, said his team won’t be underestimating Afghanistan, but having played them in September means South Africa have idea of what to expect.* “Yeah, highly competitive team, Afghanistan. I think they’ve got a lot of experience within their team. Guys who have that international pedigree at least from a skill point of view,” Bavuma said on match eve. “Like you said, we played against them mid to late last year and they were victorious, so they won’t be short of any type of confidence coming into the game tomorrow.”[But] we’ve also had a good look at them – I think probably a similar team that we played against in Sharjah that will be coming again. So, I guess we kind of know what to expect.”Bavuma said the challenge for his bowlers in this tournament would be to keep their discipline on batting-friendly tracks. “I think in terms of the conditions here, we’ve had a nice look at what to expect. Probably batter-friendly wickets and I think quite a nice challenge for the bowlers. Our challenge as a bowling unit is to be one of the more disciplined and precise bowling units. I guess always look for opportunities to take wickets.”From a batting point of view, scoreboard pressure is a big thing. Guys getting in, making sure they go get big so we can challenge for those 330-340-350 type of scores.”Shahidi on playing in Afghanistan: ‘Hopefully that day comes’Afghanistan haven’t had a dedicated home venue and since June 2017, when they were granted Full-Member status, they have played their home internationals in the three major cities of the UAE, in Dehradun, Lucknow and Greater Noida in India (which was also home before they became a Full Member). Shahidi, though, talked up the cricketing facilities and domestic cricket in Afghanistan, hoping to play international cricket in country in the near future.”I have answered this in Pashto but let me say it again because in media I heard a lot from other countries that they [Afghanistan] don’t have facilities, they don’t have stadiums, they don’t have academies. It’s totally wrong,” Shahidi said. “We have good facilities. We have cricket academies. We have High Performance Centre in Kabul and Jalalabad and also, we have stadiums in every zone of Afghanistan. So, we have the facilities to call a team to come to Afghanistan but in our country there were some security issues that’s why other countries are not coming but hopefully soon, as soon as possible, one of the countries will come to Afghanistan and you will see the crowd also.”When we play domestic cricket, it’s fully packed. Even people wait outside the stadium and try to come and watch the domestic game, like more than 50,000, 40,000 or 30,000 people coming for the finals of an event. I know that if any team come to Afghanistan, there will be like thousands of people, fans come and arrive to the stadium because there is a lot of craze for cricket. There are a lot of people who love cricket. So hopefully that day comes and hopefully it comes soon.”

Do Wolverhampton Wanderers need to be active in the final few days of the transfer window to avoid being relegated?

In their Premier League opener on Saturday, Wolves were demolished 4-0 by Manchester City at Molineux, their heaviest defeat under Vítor Pereira.

This is the start of the Old Gold’s eighth successive season in the Premier League, their longest stay in the top division since the early-70s, but could it come to an end?

Well, some fresh additions between now and September 1st would certainly help.

Wolves targeting new midfielder

That opening day annihilation at the hands of Man City underlined Wolves’ lack of quality, so do they have their eyes set on a highly-rated midfield general?

Transfer Focus

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

Well, according to reports in Spain, Wolves are interested in signing Marc Casadó from Barcelona, with Real Betis and Como also in the running.

They add that Barça “would accept” a suitable offer, given their ongoing financial issues, only able to register new signings Joan García and Marcus Rashford on the morning of their La Liga opener against Mallorca last weekend.

As it transpires, the three aforementioned suitors have already submitted an offer to sign the player, believed to be worth around £26m.

So, could Casadó soon swap Catalonia for the English Midlands?

What Marc Casadó would bring to Wolves

Ever since they secured their return to the Premier League in 2018, high-quality midfielders have been key to Wolves’ success.

First, Portuguese duo João Moutinho and Rúben Neves formed the bedrock of Nuno Espírito Santo’s side, playing 184 matches for the club together, but the one that got away is unquestionably Vitinha.

20 years old at the time, he spent the 2020/21 season on loan from Porto in the Black Country, making just 22 appearances for the club, starting only five times in the Premier League, his only goal this absolute rocket against non-league Chorley in an FA Cup tie.

Wolves did have a £17m option to buy following the conclusion of his loan, but declined, a decision they surely now regret, considering Vitinha has become one of the very best midfielders in the world, thriving at Paris Saint-Germain.

But, how does Casado compare? Well, joining Barcelona’s academy at the age of 13, and is a classic la Masia midfielder; diminutive and possessing exceptional technical ability, much like Vitinha.

After making the odd cameo appearance here or there beforehand, he really established himself as a key figure in Hansi Flick’s domestic treble-winning squad last season, as the table below documents.

Marc Casadó statistics 2024/25
Statistics	Casadó	Barça rank
Minutes	2,443	11th
Assists	6	8th
Completed passes	1,682	7th
Pass completion %	89.8%	6th*
Progressive passes	154	8th
Tackles	77	2nd
Ball recoveries	120	8th
*minimum 1,000 attempted
All statistics courtesy of FBref.com

Casadó ranked highly for a wide variety of statistics at Barcelona last season, including passing and defensive metrics, despite the fact ten players saw more minutes than he did.

Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labels him a “midfield general”, praising his “control and work rate”, while Pol Ballús of the Athletic notes that he dominated midfield against ‘elite opposition’ last season, believing he could be a massive star in the future. It’s clear to see why the comparisons to Vitinha exist.

However, could this future be away from Camp Nou, with Casadó having fallen down the Barça midfield pecking order, an unused substitute for Saturday’s win at Son Moix, with Fermín López, Frenkie de Jong and Pedro starting, while Gavi came off the bench?

Should Casadó end up in Wolverhampton, he’d be joining the strongest area of Wolves’ team, with Brazilian duo João Gomes and André starting on the opening weekend, surely one of the best pairings in the bottom half, with Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Marshall Munetsi deployed further forward.

Nevertheless, the 21-year-old Spain international has the potential to be a world-class operator so, if Wolves are able to take advantage of Barcelona’s dire finances, they can’t afford to fumble this opportunity, as they did with Vitinha five seasons ago.

Wolves submit £26m offer to sign "superb" new star who’s been granted exit

The Midlands club have made their first move.

By
Tom Cunningham

Aug 21, 2025

Manchester United have agreed an off-field deal which has left director of football Jason Wilcox “delighted”.

It has been a productive summer transfer window so far for the Red Devils, with INEOS spending more than £200m on the likes of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko.

However, the club have also bolstered their ranks for the future with a deal for teenage defender Diego Leon. United paid Paraguayan side Cerro Porteno £7m for Leon, who Ruben Amorim used in pre-season.

Talking during the summer after appearing in friendlies, Leon said: “It’s incredible. I am really enjoying being here with team-mates and learning a lot of things. It’s the first time I have had friendlies like this. I thought it was going to be the stadium half-empty before entering the pitch but then, I hear a sound that surprised me! The stadium is full, the fans. It’s all crazy.”

New Pogba: INEOS offered bargain deal to sign "world-class" CM for Man Utd

Manchester United could finally end their midfielder pursuit with a player just like Paul Pogba.

2 ByEthan Lamb Aug 21, 2025

Leon could feature in the club’s academy ranks while also pushing for a spot in the first-team squad under Amorim, and a new update on the club’s academy has been confirmed.

Man Utd agree deal for Brentford academy director

On Thursday, it was revealed that the new academy director for Man Utd will be Stephen Torpey.

The Red Devils had been looking to fill the vacancy since Nick Cox departure to Everton as technical director was confirmed in June. Cox has stayed at Carrington to ensure a smooth transition and will take up the role on Merseyside when Brentford academy director Torpey joins in the coming months.

Wilcox admitted he was “delighted” and described Torpey’s previous work as “outstanding”.

Torpey said after a move to Man Utd was announced: “I am really proud to have this opportunity to lead Manchester United’s academy. It is obviously a great time to be joining as the club enters an exciting new era; I can’t wait to play my role in continuing the incredible tradition of youth development here.

“After spending time with the leadership team, it is clear that the academy will always remain key to the identity of Manchester United, with our primary aim being to produce players ready to support a first team capable of challenging for the biggest honours.”

MatériaMais Notícias

Estão definidos os confrontos das quartas de final da Copa do Brasil: América-MG x Corinthians, São Paulo x Palmeiras, Bahia x Grêmio e Flamengo x Athletico.

+ Veja a tabela completa e atualizada da Copa do Brasil

COMO FICOU O CHAVEAMENTO: o vencedor de América-MG x Corinthians encara quem passar de São Paulo x Palmeiras. Já o vencedor de Bahia x Grêmio enfrenta quem avançar em Flamengo x Athletico.

+ Premiação da Copa do Brasil 2023

COMO FICOU O MANDO DE CAMPO?

AMÉRICA-MG x CORINTHIANS – jogo de ida no Independência; CORINTHIANS X AMÉRICA-MG – jogo de volta na Neo Química Arena
SÃO PAULO x PALMEIRAS – jogo de ida no Morumbi; PALMEIRAS x SÃO PAULO – jogo de volta no Allianz Parque
BAHIA X GRÊMIO – jogo de ida na Fonte Nova; GRÊMIO X BAHIA – jogo de volta na Arena do Grêmio
FLAMENGO X ATHLETICO – jogo de ida no Maracanã; ATHLETICO X FLAMENGO – jogo de volta na Arena da Baixada

Assim ficou o chaveamento da Copa do Brasil. Os times em amarelo detém o mando de campo na ida.

As datas base para os confrontos são 5 de 12 de julho. CBF ainda vai confirmar. #lanceSORTEIO pic.twitter.com/mLlYwidrLA

— Gui Xavier (@GuiVXavier) June 6, 2023

QUANDO SERÃO OS JOGOS DAS QUARTAS DE FINAL?

Os jogos de ida das quartas de final serão disputados no dia5 de julho, enquanto os de volta serão na semana seguinte,no dia 12.

Big picture: New Zealand primed for semi-finals

New Zealand are in their element. They came into the Champions Trophy after an unbeaten run to the tri-series title against South Africa and Pakistan, whom they beat convincingly once again in the tournament opener.Will Young and Tom Latham struck centuries to set up a 300-plus score before Matt Henry and Will O’Rourke stifled Pakistan in the powerplay. Their three spinners tightened the grip with impactful spells and the contest fizzled out early in the chase. It was a near-perfect performance from a well-drilled unit.Another win against familiar opponents Bangladesh in Rawalpindi will confirm their place (and India’s as well) in the semi-final, an admirable achievement after losing several frontline bowlers to injuries pre-tournament.Bangladesh’s ODI side has lost its mojo in the last couple of years. Their top order includes Soumya Sarkar and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, both of whom bagged ducks as they slumped to 35 for 5 against India. They may have not got anywhere near 228 had Jaker Ali, who made 68, not been dropped first ball by Rohit Sharma.Related

• Simmons wants top order 'to put things together' in the powerplay

• After lengthy layoff, Jamieson climbs back from 'bottom of the cliff'

• Hridoy: 'I had to fight and find a way' after the early wickets

• Latham, Young hit hundreds on Champions Trophy debut

Towhid Hridoy made his maiden ODI century but suffered from cramps at the end of his innings. Fortunately for him, Rawalpindi will be cooler than Dubai. Bangladesh will also be buoyed by the news that their senior batter Mahmudullah is likely to play against New Zealand after missing out against India with a hamstring niggle.Bangladesh’s bowling was steady against India but they need more from the likes of Taskin Ahmed, Rishad Hossain and Mehidy Hasan Miraz. They could also do with more firepower in Nahid Rana, their fastest bowler. New Zealand have never faced him before, so the surprise factor could be to Bangladesh’s advantage in a game they must win to keep their Champions Trophy campaign alive.Towhid Hridoy battled cramps during his hundred against India•Associated Press

Form guide

Bangladesh: LLLLL (last five completed ODIs, most recent first)
New Zealand: WWWWL

In the spotlight: Towhid Hridoy and Glenn Phillips

A century was a long time coming for the impressive Towhid Hridoy. It has taken him more than two years, and 34 matches, to score one. He was tested by a potent Indian attack but showed off his shots. With a hundred in the bag, he has the platform to push on, but Bangladesh will hope he displays more durability after coming down with cramps and struggling for impact towards the end of his innings in Dubai.Glenn Phillips is an electric cricketer. His catch to dismiss Mohammad Rizwan in Karachi, leaping high and to his left at backward point, is one of the moments of the tournament – an effort that would make the best goalkeepers feel envy. His fielding aside, Phillips’ attacking batting down the order gives New Zealand acceleration towards the end of their innings. He is also a capable offspinner and he can keep wickets too. Is there anything Phillips can’t do?

Team news: What if Mahmudullah and Ravindra are fit?

Two changes are expected for Bangladesh as they look to include Mahmudullah and Nahid. Who will they replace though?Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tanzid Hasan, 2 Soumya Sarkar, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), 4 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 5 Tohwid Hridoy, 6 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 7 Jaker Ali, 8 Rishad Hossain, 9 Tanzim Hasan, 10 Taskin Ahmed, 11 Mustafizur RahmanNew Zealand rested Rachin Ravindra against Pakistan after he was struck on the forehead while fielding during the tri-series just before the Champions Trophy. Since then, Devon Conway has scored of 97, 48 and 10 as an opener while Young scored a hundred in the previous game. So if New Zealand want to bring Ravindra back, who do they leave out?New Zealand (probable): 1 Will Young, 2 Devon Conway, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Daryl Mitchell, 5 Tom Latham (wk), 6 Glenn Phillips, 7 Michael Bracewell, 8 Mitchell Santner (capt), 9 Nathan Smith, 10 Matt Henry, 11 Will O’RourkeWill Rachin Ravindra play against Bangladesh?•AFP/Getty Images

Pitch and conditions: Rawalpindi could be cloudy

This time, there will be no industrial fans and outdoor heaters to dry the pitch, as was the case ahead of the last international match – a Test against England – at this venue. Rawalpindi is generally good for batting, with a bit of help for fast bowlers as long as the ball is new and shiny. The forecast for Monday is cloudy weather with the temperature expected to drop below 20C after sunset.

Stats and trivia: Bangladesh’s most frequent ODI opponents

• Bangladesh beat New Zealand in their previous Champions Trophy meeting, in Cardiff in 2017. The head-to-head record in the competition thus stands at 1-1.
• New Zealand have been Bangladesh’s most frequent opponents in ODIs since 2015. New Zealand have dominated the head-to-head with 17 wins and three defeats in 21 matches.
• Against Pakistan, Young and Latham became the second New Zealand pair to score centuries in the same match in an ICC ODI tournament. The first pair was Ravindra and Conway, who hit hundreds against England in the 2023 ODI World Cup.
• Jaker and Hridoy’s 154-run partnership for the sixth wicket against India was a record stand for Bangladesh. The previous highest partnership for that wicket also involved Jaker, who had added 150 with Mahmudullah in Bangladesh’s previous ODI, against West Indies in December 2024.

Quotes

“Yeah, we’ve got a few plans for Bangladesh, but I think we obviously – we have to wait and see what the wicket does. If it is pretty flat I think it is probably similar stuff to what we’ve been operating in in Karachi. It’s hitting that hard length for a long period of time and then we know they have some destructive players in their line-up as well.”
“(Preparation time) has to be enough. That’s what the tournament gives us. That’s what we are using. Yesterday was a good practice. The Islamabad Club ground has really good facilities. We had a good session. We will have a sharp session today, and we will be ready for tomorrow.”

Liverpool have signed some brilliant players from abroad, with the likes of Fernando Torres and Luis Suarez enjoying their first taste of English football at Anfield.

More recently, the likes of Alisson and Mohamed Salah have transformed the Reds after swapping Roma for Liverpool. However, those at Anfield almost signed Cristiano Ronaldo back in 2003, with the Reds agreeing to pay the superstar just £20,000-a-week.

Ronaldo, as we know, would move to England with Manchester United, starring against Liverpool in the Premier League and becoming a world star under Sir Alex Ferguson.

The Portuguese icon then went to Real Madrid in one of the most high-profile transfers of all time, scoring goals for fun at the Bernabeu.

Eze, Ronaldo, Beckham: The biggest hijacked transfers of all time

Plenty of high profile deals have been dramatic.

ByCharlie Smith Aug 26, 2025

In total, for both Man Utd and Real Madrid, Ronaldo faced Liverpool on 14 occasions in all competitions and had a successful record, scoring three goals and providing two assists.

Games

14

Wins

9

Draws

1

Losses

4

Goals scored

3

Assists

2

Things could have been very different for Ronaldo in England, though, prior to his £12m+ move to Old Trafford.

Liverpool agreed deal to sign Cristiano Ronaldo for £4m

Talking previously to The Athletic, relayed by One Football, former Liverpool assistant manager Phil Thompson shared details on the Reds’ proposed move to sign Ronaldo from Sporting CP.

He stated that Liverpool were set to pay a total fee of just £4m for Ronaldo, who was set to earn £1m-a-year (£20,000-a-week) on Merseyside.

However, with the deal progressing nicely, Thompson and then Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier were left stunned after seeing on Sky Sports that Ronaldo had instead signed for Man Utd.

A case of what could have been for Liverpool with Ronaldo, and Houllier and Thompson ended up signing Harry Kewell from Leeds United instead.

أكد يوسف مسعد، وكيل أعمال اللاعب المغربي محمود بنتايج، أن العلاقة مع إدارة نادي الزمالك لا تشهد أي نزاع شخصي أو قانوني، مشددًا على أن المشكلة الوحيدة تتعلق بعدم التزام النادي ببعض بنود العقد وسداد المستحقات المالية المتأخرة، في الوقت الذي يتمسك فيه اللاعب بالبقاء داخل القلعة البيضاء واحترام تعاقده.

وقال يوسف مسعد، في تصريحات عبر برنامج “اللعيب”، على قناة “mbc masr”: “اليوم لا يوجد نزاع مع إدارة الزمالك، ولكن هناك تطبيق للقانون ولللوائح التي لم يتم الالتزام بها، لا توجد مشكلة مع أي فرد في الزمالك، ولكننا نعمل على أن يتم احترام بنود العقود، فالعقود تبرم من أجل احترامها واليوم اللاعب تلقى جزءا من مستحقاته، ولكن ليس باكملها، مرة أخرى أقول إنه لا توجد مشاكل، ولكننا حريصون على أن يحصل اللاعب على مستحقاته”.

وبسؤاله، هل هناك مفاوضات من النادي الأهلي مع محمود بنتايج؟ أجاب: “لا، لا توجد أي مفاوضات أو اتصالات قد تمت مع إدارة النادي الأهلي، فهو لاعب لنادي الزمالك وهو يحترم جماهيره وملتزم بعقده”.

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وتابع: “عقد محمود بنتايج مع الزمالك 3 سنوات، ولكن هناك مشكلة، أنا حريص ألا يتم تحريف أي أقوال أدلي بها في هذا اللقاء”.

وأضاف: “بنتايج لاعب محترف في مسيرته سواء كان في المغرب، في مصر أو في أوروبا، إذا تحلى بالتعامل النموذجي، فهو لن ينتقل إلى أي نادي آخر، هو ملتزم بعقده مع الزمالك لمدة ثلاث سنوات”.

وشدد: “وما نطلبه من الزمالك فقط هو أن يلتزم وأن يحترم اللاعب، ونادي سانت إتيان ومن خلاله يفي ويلتزم ببنود العقد المبرم مع اللاعب”.

وأكد: “لا يوجد أي شرط جزائي في العقد، اللاعب وقع عقداً لمدة ثلاث سنوات، اليوم نادي الزمالك وحده من يمكنه أخذ قرار بيع أو عدم بيع اللاعب، ولكنه إذا لم يلتزم ببنود العقد فهذا أمر آخر”.

وأردف: “بنتايج سعيد بأنه يلعب في نادي كبير مثل الزمالك، وهو يظهر ذلك في مباريات الدوري المصري، وهو يتحلى بالحرفية، ولكن كل اللاعبين في العالم يفهمون أنهم يرغبون في أن يلعبوا كرة القدم ويتلقون مستحقاتهم المالية، وتلك هي المشكلة، وهي أن نادي الزمالك لم يلتزم بمستحقاته المالية للاعب”.

واختتم: “الزمالك لم يُسدد مستحقات سانت إيتيان أو مستحقاتي، المشكلة التي نواجهها اليوم هي أن نادي الزمالك لا يتحاور ولا يرد على الرسائل، فأرسلت عشرات الرسائل عبر البريد الإلكتروني ولكل أفراد الإدارة وعرضت عليهم أن نتناقش ولم أحصل على أي إجابة، فقد اضطروا أن يردوا على المحامي لأنهم كانوا مجبرين على ذلك، وكنا ننتظر أن يأخذوا خطوة نحونا، والأمر الأساسي هو أن يسعد الجميع وأن يتم إرضاء اللاعب محمود بنتايج”.

“We’re going to witness many unbelievable innings throughout this IPL, but I promise you, by the end of the tournament, this will be in the top five,” Michael Clarke says

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Mar-20253:21

Was Shardul the better choice to stop Ashutosh at the death?

“Incredible.” “Phenomenal.” “This innings will be remembered for a long time.” Just some of the praise former cricketers showered on Ashutosh Sharma after he had wowed them with his 31-ball 66 not out to give Delhi Capitals (DC) an unlikely win over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Monday night in IPL 2025.Speaking on ESPNcricinfo’s T20 Time Out show, Ambati Rayudu, who knows a thing or two about playing pressure innings in the IPL, said, “The most impressive thing is that he was calm, and he was calculative. He was playing good shots. There was no sign of panic. We’ve seen that last year also [when Ashutosh was with Punjab Kings], he’s played some incredible innings.”This guy has calmness under pressure, and I feel he has the game as well. Especially the balls that are pitching up, yorkers, he has that whip. Breaks those wrists and…”Related

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Ashutosh stuns LSG as DC complete one-wicket heist

There’s no question of disagreeing there. Ashutosh, after all, walked out at No. 7 in DC’s chase of LSG’s 209 with the scoreboard reading 65 for 5 in the seventh over. There was support, first from Tristan Stubbs (34 in 22) and then from IPL debutant Vipraj Nigam, who scored 39 in 15 balls and outscored Ashutosh in their seventh-wicket stand. But Ashutosh was the one who completed the job, something he hadn’t always succeeded in doing last season.”I was very normal at that time [with nine wickets gone] and told myself that if he [Mohit Sharma] takes a single, I’ll finish it with a six,” Ashutosh told the DC media team after the game. “I had full confidence in my ability. I really enjoyed being out there, and my hard work paid off.”[The mindset is to] just follow the basics and believe in my ability. I was just following the process and wanted to take the game as deep as possible. My plan was to accelerate in the slog overs and ensure I batted till the 20th over.” He did, finishing the job with a six in the third ball of the last over off Shahbaz Ahmed.”We’re going to witness many unbelievable innings throughout this IPL, but I promise you, by the end of the tournament, this will be in the top five,” JioStar expert Michael Clarke said. “That was a match-winning effort, single-handedly turning the game around. His team was out of the contest, gone, and he stood up on his own. All he needed was the strike – everyone knew he was either going to hit a six or a four. Honestly, you just have to sit back, applaud, and embrace that innings, no matter which team you support. It was phenomenal.”Vipraj Nigam and Ashutosh Sharma added 55 from only 22 balls•Associated Press

At one stage in his innings, Ashutosh was 20 off 20 balls. With two fours. When he finished, with a strike rate of 212.90, he had five sixes and five fours. The bowling – LSG are missing their entire first-choice Indian pace attack because of injuries – wasn’t great, and that might be something that bothers the franchise all season.”Once you’ve done it before, you enter the next season with even greater self-belief. He’s also played another season of domestic cricket, where he has been smashing the ball around and scoring plenty of runs, so he came in full of confidence,” JioStar expert Sunil Gavaskar said. “From the very first ball, he was striking it cleanly from the middle of the bat, sending it deep – these weren’t just occasional sixes clearing the boundary, they were landing in the stands, again and again. This innings will be remembered for a long, long time, not just because of the quality of stroke play, but because of the high-pressure situation.”DC next take on Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on March 30, also in Visakhapatnam.