Segundo informação do portal ‘ge’, Grêmio e Luiz Felipe Scolari estão devidamente acertados no aspecto verbal para que o técnico atualmente com 72 anos de idade dê início a mais uma passagem pelo clube que esteve como treinador pela última vez entre julho de 2014 e maio de 2015.
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Tamanho seria o avanço das tratativas que o técnico estaria se encaminhando para a cidade de Porto Alegre depois de cancelar sua viagem inicialmente prevista para Portugal visando a cumprir os trâmites burocráticos em contrato com duração até o fim de 2022 e já iniciar o trabalho com o plantel na próxima sexta-feira (9).
Assim, a ideia é fazer com que Scolari esteja no banco de reservas do Grêmio no seu jogo 371 pelo clube já no próximo sábado (10) e em um confronto bastante icônico: o clássico diante do Internacional, às 16h30 (de Brasília) na Arena pela 11ª Rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro.
Enquanto o aspecto formal não se concretiza, a equipe será comandada por Thiago Gomes nesta quarta-feira (7) onde a equipe busca sua primeira vitória no Brasileirão frente ao Palmeiras, no Allianz Parque, em jogo marcado para as 19h.
Newcastle United have been through somewhat of an injury crisis this campaign, with numerous key first-team members spending long periods on the sidelines.
The midfield department has been the most depleted after injuries to the likes of Joelinton and Lewis Miley, whilst big-money signing Sandro Tonali has missed the vast majority of the campaign after being suspended for breaching the FA's and Italian Federation's betting rules.
In recent weeks, the Magpies' defence has taken a severe hit after ACL injuries to Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles, which has seen forgotten defender Emil Krafth being handed a rare spell in the starting lineup.
However, the club's problems don't stop there, with goalkeeper Nick Pope still out with a shoulder problem after picking up the issue in the 1-0 victory over Manchester United back in December.
Given everything that has occurred in recent months, boss Eddie Howe is looking to strengthen multiple key areas this summer with the boss looking at one player in particular to potentially add needed depth or push for a starting role.
Newcastle looking at EFL star
Given the injury situation at St James' Park, the club need to invest this summer to help improve their lack of squad depth that has seen the squad look thin on multiple occasions.
According to The Telegraph's Mike McGrath and John Percy, the Magpies are interested in signing Middlesbrough goalkeeper Seny Dieng, with Howe's side not the only side looking at the 29-year-old.
The former QPR 'keeper is believed to have caught the eye of numerous Premier League clubs, including Crystal Palace, while Championship leaders Ipswich Town are also interested.
Dieng would surely jump at the opportunity to move to Newcastle, given their status as an established Premier League side.
Whilst he would likely be playing second fiddle to Pope – an undoubted favourite of Howe – the Senegal international would certainly be pushing him for playing time given his displays in the Championship this season.
Nick Pope
Seny Dieng's stats at Middlesbrough
After joining Michael Carrick's side for a fee in the region of £2m last summer, the "sensational" Dieng, as dubbed by the Second Tier Podcast's Ryan Dilks, has proven himself as one of the best shot-stoppers in the division.
The 29-year-old has achieved a tally of ten clean sheets in his 30 league appearances this season and has been particularly influential for Boro in recent weeks, as they mount a late charge for a play-off place.
Indeed, the goalkeeper has made 69 saves this season, with the former QPR man boasting a 65% save percentage.
Seny Dieng's stats in 2023/24
Statistics
Tally
Appearances
30
Saves
69
Save percentage
65%
Pass completion rate
77%
Clean sheets
10
Stats via FotMob
The Senegalese shot-stopper is just as impressive with the ball at his feet, with Dieng managing to complete 77% of the passes he's attempted in the league this season.
To put that into perspective, Pope has succeded with 73% of his passes, so there is a slight improvement on a player who Les Ferdinand believes "could be pound-for-pound the best signing that they [Newcastle] have made," during Howe's tenure.
With Loris Karius out of contract in the summer and Martin Dubravka now aged 35 and coming to the end of his playing career, the club should look to invest in a younger 'keeper who could potentially push Pope for the starting role, whilst being a solid backup option to have.
The Boro man has proven he's more than capable in England's second tier, with the 29-year-old now coming into his prime and more than deserving of an opportunity to play in the biggest league in world football.
Tottenham are interested in signing Scott McTominay from Manchester United, according to a new report.
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McTominay subject of bids from Fulham
United have rejected offers
Spurs also interested
WHAT HAPPENED?
McTominay has reportedly been placed on the transfer list by United and Duncan Castles, the Sunday Times journalist, now reports that Spurs are interested in a deal to sign the Scotland international. Fulham have seen one bid for the midfielder rejected already this summer and have returned with a new offer of £20 million ($26m), although United are holding out for £40m ($51m).
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Spurs will play in the Europa League next season, but there is said to be rival interest from West Ham as well as Fulham. It remains to be seen if McTominay would be willing to move, but his contract expires next summer, and Spurs may look to drive his price down as a result.
DID YOU KNOW?
McTominay scored 10 goals in all competitions last season for United and represented Scotland at Euro 2024, scoring once at the tournament as his side were eliminated at the group stages.
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WHAT NEXT?
United and Spurs are continuing preparations for the new season. The former will face Liverpool on Sunday, while Spurs play Bayern Munich on Saturday.
The homegrown defender looks set to depart Stamford Bridge despite starring in the second half of last season
Back in August 2021, Thomas Tuchel sprinkled a major surprise into his Chelsea line up for the Blues' Premier League opener against Crystal Palace. Sitting at the heart of his back three was not Thiago Silva, nor was it Kurt Zouma, who both had to settle for a place on the bench.
Instead, Trevoh Chalobah, flanked on either side by Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger, was given the nod. His selection represented the realisation of a lifelong dream. Moving to London from Sierra Leone as a toddler, Chalobah was picked up by Chelsea before his ninth birthday and progressed through the youth ranks, forming part of the young Blues sides that won the 2015-16 UEFA Youth League and FA Youth Cup on two occasions.
How much this debut meant to the centre back became abundantly clear in the second half against the Eagles. Latching onto a crossfield pass from Mateo Kovacic 25 yards out, Chalobah inched forward gingerly before unleashing a rasping drive into the far corner. Vicente Guaita got a hand to it, but it wasn't enough, as the ball nestled into the back of the net.
The enormity of this storybook moment proved too much for Chalobah. After raising his hands to thank the heavens, he covered his face to hide the tears beginning to form and disappeared into Cesar Azpilicueta's embrace, before being ecstatically mobbed by his team-mates.
"I couldn't believe it when the ball went in. I didn't know what to do and I dropped to my knees," he told the after the game. "I was over the moon. I didn't know the ball went in until the crowd cheered. It's a surreal moment."
Debuts simply do not get better than that, and it should have been the start of Chalobah forging his legend at Stamford Bridge. However, the Cobham graduate's Blues career now looks set to end in the most depressing way imaginable.
Omitted
On Monday, it emerged that Chalobah had been omitted from Chelsea's travelling squad for their pre-season tour of the United States. This was not a fitness issue either. Reports confirmed that Chalobah had been told to stay at home as other centre-backs are ahead of him in the pecking order.
Manager Enzo Maresca was quizzed on this snub during his first press conference since taking over in west London and did his best to explain. "The Trevoh situation for me is quite clear, we have Axel [Disasi] there, we have Tosin [Adarabioyo] there, we have Wes [Fofana] who in these two weeks has worked very good and is finally back, we have some very young profiles like Josh Acheampong who is doing fantastic. It’s a sad decision but we have to take the decision," he said.
Chalobah has interpreted his omission as proof that the club are trying to force him out. This will be difficult to take, considering how strongly he finished the 2023-24 season.
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Scintillating end to the campaign
After missing a sizeable chunk of the season through injury, Chalobah's return in the middle of February coincided with Chelsea's best run of results under Mauricio Pochettino. Indeed, of the 13 Premier League games he featured in last season, Chelsea only lost one. And that was the 5-0 hammering at Arsenal, during which Chalobah only appeared as a second-half substitute when the game was already over.
His standout display came against another of Chelsea's London rivals: Tottenham. Ange Postecoglou's side simply could not find a way through at the Bridge, with Chalobah helping to marshall inexperienced right-back Alfie Gilchrist through proceedings en route to a rare clean sheet. He netted the breakthrough goal as well, with his unstoppable header from a deep Conor Gallagher free-kick leaving Guglielmo Vicario with no chance.
Towards the end of the campaign he also showed his versatility. With Malo Gusto and Reece James both sidelined, Chalobah was forced to play right-back. He did not miss a beat in this unfamiliar role either, helping Chelsea secure victories over West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth, which confirmed their return to European football.
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Surplus to requirements
That extended spell in the first team is likely to be Chalobah's final act as a Chelsea player, though. Since then, the centre-back picture has changed pretty drastically, but in purely footballing terms, it's difficult to understand why the 25-year-old is starting the campaign bottom of the pile.
As new boss Marseca alluded to in his press conference, Fofana is finally back from the serious knee injury he suffered 12 months ago, with his last appearance coming all the way back in May 2023. At this stage, the Frenchman has missed a combined 140 games due to various knocks over the past three seasons, meaning he comes into the new campaign as somewhat of an unknown quantity. Although he still may be able to rediscover the form he showed at Leicester City that made him one of the most coveted defenders in the world, it's a big ask for his battered body.
Then there's Tosin, a player who was dropped by mid-table Fulham at various points during his time at Craven Cottage. The shrug-of-the-shoulders reaction that most Cottagers fan had when it was reported he was leaving on a free transfer speaks volumes of how much he has to prove to be considered an elite defender.
Disasi, meanwhile, had a mixed debut season punctuated by errors. At best he is a rough diamond who is best served when playing alongside a more assured presence at the back.
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Hand forced by terrible management
However, like most personnel decisions made by Chelsea since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital completed their takeover, Chalobah's snub has nothing to do with how he has been performing on the pitch. Instead, the Blues' hand has been forced by financial pressure.
We all know the story by now. Homegrown players count as 'pure profit' on the club's books and Chelsea desperately need exactly that as the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) tighten around their neck, thanks solely to the ludicrous spending that began under Boehly and has continued under the reign of seemingly infallible sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley.
In a different reality, Chalobah's performances would surely make him first-choice right-centre-back heading into Marseca's maiden season. But selling the rivals for his spot will not be anywhere near as financially lucrative.
He is far from the first Cobham alum to be discarded in the name of financial necessity, of course. If Chelsea had adopted a different transfer model, one where youth teamers stuck around, they could now be boasting the most 'homegrown' team in the Premier League. Instead, the squad is oversaturated with expensive – and in many cases, underperforming – imports, tied to never-ending contracts.
Leeds United fans have been blessed with some fantastic players in recent years, from the hay-day of Marcelo Bielsa to the present day where Daniel Farke has managed to construct a Championship juggernaut that's hurtling full steam ahead to potential promotion.
It's been a drastic turnaround of fortunes for the Whites who felt beleaguered in the immediate aftermath of relegation, with the re-energised group at Elland Road currently sitting at the top of the second-tier summit.
Yet, that doesn't mean Leeds supporters don't fondly look back to other successful sides when their minds wander – remembering the heroic exploits of icons from years gone by that are very much immortalised in the history books in West Yorkshire.
Having a look back at some of the best that have graced the Elland Road turf across the 21st century, here is what a perfect Leeds footballer could look like…
1 Brain – Pablo Hernandez
Former Leeds winger Pablo Hernandez.
Leeds have been blessed with some outrageously talented footballers in recent years, the sort of maverick who can conjure up a moment of magic in an instant through their sheer class alone.
Pablo Hernandez certainly fits into that mould, with the Spanish midfielder the brain of this ideal footballer as a result.
Hernandez's standout campaign would come during the 2018/19 season, where the slick 5 foot 8 wizard would muster up 24 goals and assists across 39 Championship games.
Leeds would unfortunately go on to crash out in the playoffs at the semi-final stage to Derby County, but Hernandez would later go on to achieve promotion glory anyway.
For his immense ability to just cut open teams at will with clever and intricate passes, alongside never looking nervy donning a Leeds strip when his team needed him to be at the races, Hernandez is still fondly talked about in Leeds quarters to this day.
2 Head – Pontus Jansson
Former Leeds defender Pontus Jansson.
Pontus Jansson might well be more of a forgotten name to those in West Yorkshire now however compared to Hernandez, with the Swedish defender walking out of Leeds on bad terms in 2019 and now finding himself on the books at Malmö FF.
Still, it can't be denied that Jansson used his towering frame to his advantage during his time with the Whites.
The Scandinavian defender was an absolute brute in the Championship under Bielsa, winning 6.3 duels per game on average during his debut season on English soil.
The ex-Brentford man would also score nine goals across 120 Leeds appearances, with a fair few of those coming directly off Jansson's head when rising highest.
3 Vision – Georginio Rutter
Georginio Rutter
The first player on the list that is currently in Farke's electric squad, Georginio Rutter's remarkable redemption arc at Elland Road shows no signs of stopping after initially looking like a £35.5m flop.
It's Rutter's unbelievable displays going forward that have allowed Leeds to overwhelm the fair majority of Championship sides they've tussled with, with the 21-year-old attacker – who failed to score in the second half of last season – onto 18 assists now for this campaign from 40 overall appearances.
Rutter setting up chances for his teammates on a plate means his vision would be very useful for this perfect theoretical footballer, with the standout Whites man also able to turn defences inside out with a sublime set of tricks and flicks in his back pocket alongside being an assist king.
4 Strength – Lucas Radebe
Leeds fans, even if they have moved on to loving the current fortunes of their side, must still feel somewhat sad about how Kalvin Phillips' career has taken a nosedive since he exited Elland Road for Manchester City.
At the peak of his powers donning Leeds white, the homegrown Whites product was an "aggressive" and forceful presence from holding midfield that was hard to bully off the ball, as praised by former England boss Fabio Capello.
Yet, even though Phillips was a steely player for the Whites, the strength of this ideal footballer has to come from Whites icon Lucas Radebe.
Renowned for his "aerial power" according to football journalist Ryan Baldi, Radebe would go on to accumulate 255 appearances for Leeds as a dependable and imposing presence at the back.
Leeds' adoration for their former South African great is seen in the mural dedicated to him that is present in the West Yorkshire city today, alongside Phillips also having one.
5 Hands – Paul Robinson
Ilian Meslier could go on to be remembered as a Whites great in-between the sticks, but Paul Robinson in his prime gets the nod over the current Leeds number one goalkeeper here.
Robinson would go on to have a well-established Premier League career off the back of his promising beginnings at Elland Road, with the ex-Tottenham Hotspur shot-stopper playing 118 games in total for the Whites which even included him scoring against Swindon Town in 2003.
The 41-time England international would pick up ten clean sheets during his peak in the 2002/03 season, before never looking back with a major move to North London in 2004.
6 Legs – Daniel James
Leeds forward Dan James.
Daniel James, unlike his teammate in between the sticks, does make the cut here with his electric burst of "raw pace" – as hailed by former Wales boss Ryan Giggs.
The ex-Manchester United man has terrorised second-tier defences all season long with his darting runs forward, but his main improvement as a footballer under Farke has come in the fact that the end product is also there to not make the ascent forward go to waste.
The Welshman is onto 12 goals and seven assists in the Championship now, and with the Leeds number 20 still only 26 years of age, he should still have the legs to be a nuisance for defences to try and contain for many years to come.
7 Right foot – Mark Viduka
Another blast from the past in this selection of Leeds greats, alongside Robinson as a safe of pair gloves, Mark Viduka's title of still being Leeds' all-time top scorer in the Premier League to this date dictates that his deadly right foot is mentioned.
Bagging 71 goals across four impactful seasons playing for Leeds, the Australian centre-forward was a key player the Whites relied on to get them out of any mess they faced with a crucial strike.
8 Left foot – Ian Harte
While in more recent times supporters have witnessed the genius of Raphinha, Ian Harte was widely known throughout his career for having an unbelievable left foot when stepping up to take free-kicks, even whilst playing in defence.
When peering at his goalscoring statistics at Leeds and elsewhere, you would be mistaken for thinking you were scanning the numbers of a prolific striker.
Harte would find the back of the net an unbelievable 84 times for the various different clubs he lined up for, with 38 of those coming during the late nineties and early 2000s when wearing a Leeds strip.
A look at some of the takeaways from the men’s and women’s Super Smash that ended with Central Stags and Wellington Blaze winning respective titles
Deivarayan Muthu04-Feb-2025
Stags’ youngsters roar
No Doug Bracewell (at the SA20 with Joburg Super Kings). No Ajaz Patel (injury). No Seth Rance (retired). No Josh Clarkson (impending fatherhood). No problem for Stags as they toppled a powerful Canterbury Kings side that included as many as ten players who have played international cricket for New Zealand.For the Stags, it was William Clark, 23, and Curtis Heaphy, 21, who sealed their chase of 136. Toby Findlay, another youngster, sparkled in the final, coming away with 3 for 29 in his four overs, including the big wicket of Daryl Mitchell. Having sussed out that the pitch was two-paced, Findlay used his variations well, often digging the ball into the track to mess with the timing of Kings’ batters. In his first season as a contracted CD player, Findlay emerged as a Super Smash champion and promises more for the future.Blair Tickner, the senior Stags seamer, finished with a chart-topping 16 wickets in nine innings at an average of 18.43 and economy rate of 9.21.Amelia Kerr shone with bat and ball in the Women’s Super Smash•Getty Images
Amelia Kerr at it with ball and bat
Having won the T20 World Cup with New Zealand in 2024, Kerr added the women’s Super Smash trophy to her cabinet. She racked up 441 runs in 12 innings – the highest in the men’s or women’s Super Smash this season – to go with 15 wickets in 11 innings at an economy rate of 6.06. Two of those wickets came in the final where Blaze successfully defended 104 in front of their home crowd.Kerr was also in the thick of the action in the Eliminator against Northern Brave, following up her 29 off 24 balls with 4 for 19. Blaze’s imports from across the Tasman, Hannah Darlington and Maitlan Brown, also played their part in them becoming back-to-back champions in the women’s competition.
Jamieson, Shipley, Sears return to action
Kyle Jamieson, Henry Shipley and Ben Sears, who were injured before the Super Smash, returned to action and hit full tilt in the competition. Having proved his fitness – and form – Sears also made New Zealand’s squad for the upcoming ODI tri-series in Pakistan and the Champions Trophy.Kyle Jamieson made a successful return from injury in the Super Smash•Getty ImagesAs for Jamieson and Shipley, they were part of an all-New Zealand Canterbury attack that troubled a number of batters. Jamieson, who didn’t play any competitive cricket for 10 months prior to the Super Smash, marked his return from back injury, with 2 for 26 against Otago Volts at Molyneux Park. Midway through the Super Smash, Jamieson earned a PSL deal with Quetta Gladiators and continued to operate without any apparent discomfort.In the men’s final, Jamieson burst through Jack Boyle’s defences with a sharp inducker and proceeded to dismiss Dane Cleaver, who had top-scored for Stags, but it was not enough for the Kings to wrest the title. Jamieson ended the tournament with 14 wickets in 12 innings at an excellent economy rate of 5.95.Shipley, who was also working his way back from a back injury, took 12 wickets in eight innings at an economy rate of 8.04. He also made some cameos with the bat in Kings’ run to another final.
Meet Matt Boyle, the breakout star of the tournament
Though New Zealand don’t have the depth of India or England, they have some young talent bubbling through. Twenty-two-year-old Matt Boyle is the latest talent who is already being talked up as a future Black Cap. A tall left-hander who can hit the ball long and far, Boyle emerged as the top run-getter in the men’s Super Smash, with 377 runs in 11 innings at an average of 37.70 and strike rate of 156.43 for Kings. Matt is the younger brother of Jack, who has moved to Central Districts from Canterbury and son of Justin Boyle, who played for both Canterbury and Wellington.Central Stags are Men’s Super Smash champions•Getty ImagesBoyle had also showcased his power for New Zealand XI in December last year, when he clattered an unbeaten 57 off 34 balls against a Sri Lankan attack, which included mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana and slinger Nuwan Thushara, in a ten-over tour game in Lincoln.
Bevon Jacobs watch
After having secured an unexpected IPL deal with Mumbai Indians and having broken into the New Zealand squad, Bevon Jacobs turned up at the Super Smash for Auckand Aces, hitting 263 runs in eight innings at an average of 37.57 and strike rate of 140.64. His unbeaten 90 off 56 balls against Northern Brave in Hamilton was arguably the innings of this season. Having entered the fray at 30 for 3 in the fifth over, Jacobs propelled Aces to 187 for 5. Though Brave chased down the target, Jacobs served a reminder of his raw power and potential.After Aces were knocked out of the Super Smash, Jacobs headed to the UAE to link up with MI Emirates, the affiliate of his IPL side, in the ILT20.
England’s No. 3 on missing out on the World Cup final, and his ambitions to make the 50-over cut
Andrew Miller11-Jan-2023A penny for Dawid Malan’s thoughts, an onlooker from the sidelines at the MCG in November, as a senior England batter marshalled a World Cup-winning run-chase against Pakistan with an unflappable 52 not from 49 balls.The man in question, of course, was Ben Stokes – the Red Adair of England run-chases, air-lifted back into the T20I side after an 18-month absence and proving once again that his big-match temperament is second-to-none.That match situation, however, could have had Malan’s name all over it. A middling target of 138 to aim for, and loss of two early wickets affording the incomer the right and rationale to build cautiously into his work, as would have befitted a man with a proven, former world No.1-ranked, record at No.3 across 44 of his 55 T20I appearances for England.But Malan himself was denied the perfect pay-off. His campaign was curtailed by a groin injury, picked up during England’s tense group-stage win over Sri Lanka, and despite believing he’d done enough to be trusted for a recall in the final against Pakistan, it wasn’t to be.”It was tough,” Malan tells ESPNcricinfo. “Initially we discussed that we were just going to treat the symptoms, but then on the day before the World Cup final, I ended up having a scan which I was not too happy about, because I was felt that I was okay.”I did the fitness test and everything that was required, and I was able to get through everything that was asked of me in a two-and-a-half hour session, with just a bit of throbbing to some extent.”But after the training session, when Jos [Buttler] and Motty [Matthew Mott] called me in, they said ‘look, even though you’ve passed everything, there’s still a risk’.”The issue, Malan adds, came down to the vast dimensions of the MCG, and the dangers of aggravating not only his niggle, but that of Mark Wood too – another key influence whom England opted to do without, despite appearing to overcome a hip flexor problem that had ruled him out of the India semi-final.”If we were playing at a smaller ground like Bangalore, where you are not going to rely on running threes and twos and chasing down balls in the outfield, definitely it would have been worth the risk,” he adds.”But playing the MCG, when every run would have counted in a World Cup final … as a cricketer, you have to put your ego away sometimes, even though you’re gutted at the decision. It’s about winning the World Cup as a team, it isn’t about putting your own personal pride in front of the team. Even though that’s a tough pill to take, it is the right decision. We won the World Cup by not risking two players that were touch-and-go on fitness. The rest is history.”That history now shows that England are the concurrent 50- and 20-over World Cup champions, the first men’s team to achieve such a feat. And while Malan was not involved in the epic 2019 campaign, he has been an integral member of the T20 team in between whiles, including the side that succumbed in the semi-final in the UAE 12 months before the MCG triumph – a campaign that he says came with significantly more expectation than the one just gone.”The disappointment of losing that semi in 2021 was there for everyone to see,” he says, recalling a penultimate-over loss to New Zealand in Abu Dhabi. “With what we had available as a team, we were gutted that we didn’t win the World Cup that year, but I guess expectations probably weren’t as high this time around. We obviously wanted to win, but I didn’t think it would be realistic.”Dawid Malan launches a six over the leg side against South Africa in the summer•Getty ImagesThe reasons for such reticence were myriad. The retirement of Eoin Morgan had bled into a transitional summer in which England failed to win any of their four home white-ball series against India and South Africa, while injuries to key personnel – in particular Jofra Archer and Jonny Bairstow – meant they were far from being the frontrunners that had gone into previous ICC events.”If we played as well as we could, we could definitely win, but after the summer that we had, I didn’t think the pressure was on us as much as a team,” Malan says. “Australia and India were in better form than we were.”But it’s been a long journey, from when Morgs took over in 2015, to where it is now with Jos and Motty as the leaders in the group. I was on the outside initially, watching how they went about their business, but they’ve stuck to their guns for seven years now. Everyone in the country has bought into that, and to win two World Cups in the last couple of years is incredible.”Nevertheless, you get the sense that Malan would have relished a touch more vindication for this own methods in the course of England’s latest trophy-winning campaign. His tally for the tournament finished at 56 runs from 68 balls across three innings, including an ill-paced 35 from 37 that contributed to their rain-affected defeat against Ireland, and a cameo of 3 not out from one ball against New Zealand, after being shunted down to No.8 to make way for the perceived heavier hitters.Despite some eye-popping feats in the course of his England career, including 1000 T20I runs in the space of a record 24 matches, and a 48-ball century against New Zealand in 2019, criticism has been a constant companion for Malan. Specifically, the perception that he tends to be slow out of the blocks.In the course of his T20I career, Malan has made 30 scores of 30 or less, at a strike-rate of less than a run a ball (97.05). Once he’s into his stride, however, few opponents can live with his acceleration – as evidenced by a strike-rate that soars to 165.56 on the 15 occasions that he’s gone past fifty.And it was this point upon which Mike Hussey, England’s batting consultant, chose to dwell when presenting Malan with a cap to mark his 50th appearance during the World Cup. In particular, Hussey zeroed in on his “BASRA”, which is no longer simply a port in Southern Iraq, but now a means of assessing a player by their “batting average [and] strike rate aggregated” – which in Malan’s case is currently a lofty 174.55 (38.84 and 135.71), behind only Kevin Pietersen and Jos Buttler among England players.
“We’re here to win games of cricket, not make the highlights reel. There’s so many people that feel like, ‘oh, you have to hit the ball 130 metres and get on Instagram’. That’s irrelevant.”Dawid Malan
“It was the first time I’d heard of it,” Malan admits. “But when you hear someone like that give you praise like that, it’s an unbelievable feeling and gives you a lot of confidence.”Batting at 3 in T20s is a tricky position,” he adds, “because if you want to be positive and take it on in the first over of the game at 0 for 1, if you get out, you’re 10 for 2, and you’re probably not going to be scoring the 180 that you need to on that specific wicket. Then sometimes you walk in in the last over of the powerplay, or in the eighth over with all the fields out, and there’s a different match-up to what you’re used to.”When you open the batting, you can play the same way every single game, it’s the easiest thing to do, whereas there’s a bit more responsibility when you bat at No. 3. Yes, I found that quite tricky at times, but I’ve had leaders like Morgs and Jos giving me the confidence to just play it as I see it, and that’s massive for me because then I can shut out the criticism.”There’s always criticism, sometimes it’s fair, sometimes it isn’t, but we’re man enough as players to hold our hands up when we get it wrong. Sometimes you feel it’s the same topics over and over, no matter what you do, but all it is, is people looking at stats instead of looking at what’s actually in front of you.”There is, however, one other stat that matters where Malan is concerned. More often than not, he ends up on the winning side – in 33 of his 55 T20I matches, in fact, or 60%, which places him second among England players with 50 or more caps, behind only the Player of the World Cup final (and star pick at the IPL auction), Sam Curran.”We’re here to win games of cricket, not make the highlights reel,” Malan says. “There’s so many people that feel like, ‘oh, you have to hit the ball 130 metres and get on Instagram’. That’s irrelevant. Your team is judged on success. You’re judged on how many games you win as a player, not how many big bombs you hit.”I’d much rather average 20 at a strike rate of 130 and win every game than hit a couple of good sixes at 160, and do nothing else. You don’t win games of cricket like that.”Malan drives through the covers•Getty ImagesHe’ll be getting plenty opportunities to hone his methods in the coming months. Despite a rare period of downtime in December, in which he enjoyed Christmas at home for the first time in five years, Malan is already back on the road. His first stop is a stint at Comilla Victorians in the Bangladesh Premier League, and then – later this week – he embarks on the start of the ILT20 in the UAE, where he will link up with his fellow World Cup winners Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes at Sharjah Warriors, not to mention his Yorkshire team-mate Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Warwickshire’s Chris Benjamin.”We’ve got a group of English guys and a few of the Afghani guys as well, so it’s going to be brilliant,” Malan says. “Any franchise tournament is fantastic. But with so many overseas players allowed in each team, that pushes the standard up so much more.”It’s an exciting time. The IPL investment [in the ILT20] means it’s likely to have the biggest purse for players and attract the biggest names. And I guess that’s ultimately what attracts players to different tournaments, how much they get paid to some extent, not only the brand of cricket and the conditions that you play in. It has the makings of being a fantastic tournament.”It could be another significant year for Malan too, with England’s defence of the 50-over World Cup looming in India in the autumn. And while his ODI career has been restricted to just 12 appearances so far, he would appear to be in the right place at the right time, with Morgan’s retirement and Stokes’ withdrawal from the format creating openings, not just for new players but for experienced ones too. He responded with two centuries in his six matches in 2022, including a Player-of-the-Match performance against Australia in Adelaide, and believes his game is well suited for England’s needs.”It’s a bizarre one,” he says. “You’re good enough to play T20 cricket but not for the 50-over team, but within this group and with players retiring there has been more of an opportunity. Hopefully I’ve taken those opportunities in the last few series, because it’s something I want to be part of, I want to play in that 50-over World Cup, and I’ve had some good chats with Motty and Jos about moving forward.”And while Malan does not seem to harbour similar ambitions to regain his Test place, after the rigours of last winter’s Ashes, he – like many others in the English game – has been a fascinated onlooker as Stokes and Brendon McCullum have set about reviving the team’s fortunes with a heady mix of positive cricket and even more positive reinforcement within the dressing-room.”That’s unbelievable, isn’t it?” he says. “It’s fantastic to see how things have changed around and it just shows you what happens when leaders are confident and back their players to express themselves, instead of worrying about the media and the negative side of it.”I guess that’s what Eoin did in the 50-over cricket. He said ‘these are the players I’ve identified and I back them to the hilt’, and gave them a decent opportunity, whether the press or commentators agreed with it or not. It’s amazing when players feel backed how often they go out and perform.”
What’s changed for Maxwell, and are the Knight Riders wasting Shakib?
Alagappan Muthu18-Apr-20212:38
Brendon McCullum – We should have bowled Chakravarthy against Maxwell
What makes de Villiers a great death-overs batterThere are over 200 players who have faced more than 30 death-overs deliveries over their IPL careers. AB de Villiers stands above all of them. The undisputed No. 1. The phenom. The punisher more than just a finisher with a strike rate of 233.97.How does he do it? How does he come in at the 12th over of a T20 and hit an unbeaten 76? How does he come in at the 39th over of an ODI and score a hundred?Well, for one, there’s his balance. After a shuffle across his stumps and a crouch, he is perfectly still until the ball comes down, which opens up every part of the ground.Second, he tries not to premeditate. Sure, he walks across his crease when he scoops and everything, but for the most part, he just reacts to the ball.”I follow my instincts,” de Villiers said in 2016 after leading a badly, laughably crumbling Royal Challengers into the IPL final. “I try and watch the ball closely. I’ve played the game for many years now and I know my talent will take over if I just watch the ball and enjoy myself out there.”For proof of those words, take a look at ball number 17.5 from the Royal Challengers innings today. It’s from Andre Russell. So it’s quick. He’s also coming around the wicket, so it’s cramping him for room. Plus, there’s the added complication of it being a high full-toss.But de Villiers’ instincts have already kicked in. They tell him to just get low. And to bend to the leg side so he would have room to thrust his hands up from under the ball. And just like that, he conjures a boundary out of nowhere.Instinct. And de Villiers’ is still the best.ESPNcricinfo LtdWhat’s changed for Maxwell?On a pitch where it has never looked easy to time the ball. Glenn Maxwell at one point was 60 off 34. That’s a strike rate of 176.47Royal Challengers bought him with the intention of making him one of their key players. They gave him the No. 4 spot – even if it meant fewer deliveries for de Villiers, arguably their biggest match-winner. He has slotted into the leadership group as well, often seen in discussions with Kohli on the field.All of this is exactly how he plays for Australia. They bat him high up the order. They give him extra responsibility. They get the best out of him.In T20Is, Maxwell has batted at No. 5 or lower in only 19 of his 65 innings. That’s about 29%.In the IPL, he’s been forced to bat at No. 5 or lower in 31 of his 82 innings. That’s 37%.The finisher hype had messed him up in previous seasons of this tournament. Now he’s been given time to shape a whole T20 innings and he’s risen to the challenge. Big time.ESPNcricinfo LtdWhy is Chakravarthy dangerous?A man who taught himself to bowl by watching Sunil Narine videos on YouTube is now keeping Sunil Narine out. How about that?Varun Chakravarthy may well be the Knight Riders’ most important bowler this IPL for two simple reasons: he turns the ball both ways and is hard to read out of the hand.Kohli couldn’t read him. Went for a big shot – aiming for long-on – and was caught at cover instead.Rajat Patidar couldn’t read him. He was too late on a ball that broke his stumps.Even de Villiers didn’t dare attempt anything flash. The Knight Riders wanted to save Chakravarthy for the Royal Challengers talisman. So they took him out of the attack after a double-wicket first over and brought him back on as soon as de Villiers came to the crease.The battle lasted seven balls. Except it could have easily ended in the fifth, with Chakravarthy getting de Villiers’ outside edge, but there was no slip in place.Can India make the most of his talent in what is a T20 World Cup year?Varun Chakravarthy landed two early blows or KKR against RCB•BCCI/IPLAre Knight Riders wasting Shakib?Shakib Al Hasan’s subtle variations in pace and length have led to the downfall of many. And each of them will have wondered “what just happened – I thought I had him!” Left-arm orthodox has never been so funky.But Shakib is a fine batter too. At the 2019 World Cup, having demanded the No. 3 position for Bangladesh, he scored 606 runs at an average of 87 and a strike rate of 96. A top-order slot with time to get into his groove is the best way to maximise on his batting potential but the Knight Riders are a bit too packed up there.Shubman Gill can’t bat anywhere else. Nitish Rana has earned the chance for a longer rope. And Rahul Tripathi is high-impact in the powerplay. Then captain Eoin Morgan wants the No. 4 spot – that’s his in the England team as well. So Shakib is, well, a bit stuck.
Who is Liverpool’s star forward? Is it still Mohamed Salah?
Only in May was the 33-year-old handed many individual awards to surmount his team triumph with Liverpool. For his defining role in Arne Slot’s triumphant debut campaign, Salah has put to rest any doubts that he is one of the greatest players in Premier League history.
But even Salah will one day retire, and his start to the 2025/26 campaign has brought to mind the concerns that he has passed his prime and is part of the problem Slot is wrestling with, Liverpool having lost three in a row this season and lacking any of the fluency and zip on show for most of last season.
Given that the Egyptian King signed a new two-year contract on Merseyside in April, it’s clear that he and FSG feel that this story is not yet over, but sporting director Richard Hughes has nonetheless added quality to Liverpool’s attacking ranks, with Alexander Isak the showpiece.
Why Liverpool signed Alexander Isak
For nine years, Liverpool have boasted Salah as their star goalscorer, but the record-breaking addition of Isak from Newcastle United on transfer deadline day underscores a shifting of the plates at Anfield. The balance of offensive power has swung.
Last season, Isak scored 27 goals across all competitions for Newcastle. He scored what proved the decisive second strike in a 2-1 win over Slot’s Reds at Wembley in March. It was there that he lifted the Carabao Cup.
Many attacking departures this summer led to FSG deciding to break the bank for a striker already established as one of the best in the business. Isak, now, will be expected to produce the goods over many years to spearhead a trophy-laden chapter.
Salah, Liverpool’s adopted son. But he’s getting old, and should he recover that same giddy level of 2024/25, it is sure to be a short-lived thing when viewed against the potential of some of his Liverpool teammates.
Like Isak. The Sweden international is 26 years old and fully settled into his Premier League career. Already, he has been described by pundit Ally McCoist as being “the best all-round centre-forward” in England.
However, he’s not Salah. Instead, Liverpool might find another within their ranks to look more like the natural replacement for the £400k-per-week superstar, albeit not quite positionally.
Slot's own Salah-type signing
When Salah first arrived at Liverpool, he arrived under scrutiny. Scroll through the archives and you will find plenty of criticism when Jurgen Klopp oversaw a £34m purchase of Roma winger Salah, formerly of Chelsea, where he failed to impress.
But nine years later, he is a Liverpool legend, having won more than his share of silverware and scored more than his share of goals.
With Salah now winding down, Hugo Ekitike could step up as the new version of the talisman, with some interesting parallels between the two.
Having joined the club from Eintracht Frankfurt this summer for an initial £69m fee, Liverpool felt they had signed one of the finest young forwards in the business. Indeed, talent scout Jacek Kulig said of the Frenchman during his days with Eintracht Frankfurt: “He could definitely reach world-class striker levels.”
But that’s a big some for a 23-year-old who had previously struggled at a big club. Before moving to Germany, Ekitike had swapped Reims in his homeland for the Paris Saint-Germain superpower, arriving in July 2022 for a €35m (about £30.5m) fee.
But, described as a “goal machine” by Liverpool correspondent David Lynch, Liverpool have landed themselves a far more complete and primed verison.
Four goals were all he scored in the French capital, having played 33 matches. This is somewhat similar to Salah’s return at Chelsea, posting two goals and three assists for the Blues before being sold to Roma.
Liverpool’s scouting team have long known their stuff, though, and Ekitike’s underlying data is a thing to behold. In fact, looking at his performance across the past year, it’s hard to distinguish the up-and-comer from the mighty Isak, which is a towering testament to his quality.
Alexander Isak vs Hugo Ekitike (past 12 months)
Stats (per 90)
Isak
Ekitike
Goals scored
0.76
0.50
Assists
0.21
0.24
Shots taken
3.13
3.65
Shot-creating actions
2.96
3.15
Touches (att pen)
6.16
6.46
Pass completion (%)
75.4
75.0
Progressive passes
3.23
1.96
Progressive carries
2.65
2.78
Successful take-ons
1.38
1.61
Ball recoveries
1.93
2.38
Aerials won
0.89
1.83
Data via FBref
There’s not a lot to separate the two. Isak is the more refined and effective goalscorer, but Ekitike is more complete and aggressive when on the ball, and better with his head besides.
These are rare breeds of centre-forward, and Liverpool now have frontmen with the quality to take the reins from Salah over the next couple of years and lead Slot’s side to more glory. Isak is a product of several years of successful development in the Premier League, but Ekitike knows what it’s like to fall by the wayside at one of the continent’s biggest hitters, and he shares that with Salah.
With five goals and an assist across his first ten matches as a Liverpool striker, Ekitike has started life as a Red on strong footing. Salah did too, breaking the record for goals in a 38-game Premier League campaign when he first returned to English shores.
Whether Ekitike will quite achieve the same degree of success is debatable, to be sure, but the fact remains that Liverpool have pulled off some exceptional business this summer, and while FSG must turn toward identifying a successor on the right wing in the coming windows, Salah’s proverbial heir has been located and welcomed in the form of Ekitike.
He is set for the top.
Liverpool determined to sign Salah upgrade who's 'one of the world's best'
Liverpool’s up-and-down start to the season has caused FSG to glance at the transfer window.
Tottenham Hotspur are now reportedly considering launching a 2026 bid to sign an impressive defender who just scored a Premier League brace.
Carragher name-drops Marco Silva as pressure grows on Frank
Thomas Frank should be pleased that his side showed some resilience to complete their comeback against Newcastle United late on in midweek, but it was ultimately another attacking performance to forget. The Lilywhites found themselves relying on Cristian Romero brace to salvage a point as their frontline once again struggled to create.
The pressure is certainly growing on Frank, who is quickly losing the backing of supporters thanks to his pragmatic style. It remains to be seen whether ENIC pull the plug so early into the manager’s tenure, but that didn’t stop Jamie Carragher from suggesting a manager that he’s always seen heading to Spurs.
The Sky Sports pundit and Liverpool legend said: “I actually think he was the one manager Everton should have stuck with. I’ve always seen Silva at Tottenham, I’m not saying Tottenham as in change Thomas Frank put Marco Silva in.
“The point I’m trying to make is not quite go from Fulham to like you know a Liverpool or Manchester City you think going to sort of compete for the league but sort of that sort of level just belong with it trying to get you know Champions League maybe, you know Aston Villa, that type of team that would almost be the next step for him in the Premier League.”
Of course, if Spurs are to make a decison then it should come before the January transfer window, when they could look to sign a defensive addition.
Tottenham eyeing Van Hecke bid
According to TeamTalk, Tottenham are now eyeing a bid to sign Jan Paul Van Hecke in 2026 following the defender’s impressive start to the campaign for Brighton. Like Romero in midweek, Van Hecke netted an unlikely brace for the Seagulls, highlighting his surprising goalscoring threat in a dramatic 4-3 defeat against Aston Villa.
That said, Van Hecke’s set-piece threat is unlikely to be the main reason for Tottenham’s interest. Instead, their focus will be on his defensive prowess – especially as Frank continues to experiment with an occasional back three.
In Romero, Micky van de Ven and Van Hecke, the Lilywhites would suddenly have a solid trio to choose from in a back three. That, in itself, would go a long way towards turning things around for Frank.
Brighton rarely make things easy for buying clubs, however, and the praise of manager Fabian Hurzeler suggests that the Seagulls will be keen to keep hold of their man.
Fabrizio Romano shares Thomas Frank update amid mounting Tottenham pressure
The reliable journalist has some information.
ByEmilio Galantini Dec 4, 2025
The young manager told reporters last season: “I think it’s very important that we recognise he’s a very young player. He’s 23 and he plays an unbelievable season. He shows great character. I like his character because he’s very straight. He says his opinion, he always has good intentions.”
Tottenham in 'very advanced' talks with £88m Semenyo alternative over Spurs move