Trent Alexander-Arnold paid a touching tribute to his former Liverpool colleague Diogo Jota. The Reds star and his brother Andre Silva tragically passed away in a car accident in Spain on July 3. Alexander-Arnold, who shared a dressing room with Jota for five years at Anfield, bid an emotional goodbye to the Portuguese attacker after starring in Real Madrid's win over Borussia Dortmund.
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Alexander-Arnold paid tribute to Jota
Featured in Madrid's win over Dortmund on Saturday
Madrid will face PSG in Club World Cup semi-final
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Gonzalo Garcia, Fran Garcia and Kylian Mbappe were on target for Los Blancos as they clinched a five-goal thriller against Dortmund to seal a place in the last-four stage of the Club World Cup. After the match, Alexander-Arnold paid a heartwarming tribute to Jota, while claiming that he faced immense difficulty in concentrating on the game.
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WHAT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD SAID
Speaking to DAZN, the English full-back said: "I had to try to perform for the team and help them win the game, no matter how difficult it was. As hard as it was to do it, I had to push myself to focus on what my job and role was. I tried to do it as best as I could, but it was difficult and I am not going to lie about that.
"[Jota] was one of my close friends – and I am sure that's what he would have wanted me to do. I'm sure we would have had a laugh and joke about the assist as well. He was there with me, I am sure. I shared the dressing room with him for five years – amazing memories on and off the pitch. It goes without saying he will never be forgotten by anyone. He will live long in all our memories for the amazing man and the player he was."
He added: "I've been around him, his brother, his family, his amazing wife, his amazing parents and his amazing children. It's truly, truly heartbreaking to wake up to news like that. It's something you never expect."
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
The Liverpool and Portugal forward Jota and his sibling were involved in a tragic accident shortly after midnight on the morning of July 3, 2025. The Lamborghini they were travelling in is said to have suffered a tyre blowout, leading to it careering off the road and ultimately bursting into flames.
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WHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?
Xabi Alonso's side will be back in action on Wednesday as they take on reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup semi-final.
يتطلع نادي مانشستر سيتي الإنجليزي للعودة للمنافسة بشكل قوي الموسم المقبل، بعد الخروج بموسم صفري الموسم الماضي.
وأعلن مانشستر سيتي عن تعاقده مع سفيري نيبان من نادي روزنبورج النرويجي، وأصدر النادي الإنجليزي بيانًا رسميًا بشأن ذلك.
أقرأ أيضاً.. وجهة غير متوقعة لـ نونيز في انتقالات الصيف
ووقع لاعب خط الوسط صاحب الـ18 عاماً عقد انتقاله لصفوف مانشستر سيتي لمدة خمس سنوات، حيث يمتد العقد حتى صيف 2030.
وكان نيبان قد مثل الفريق الأول لنادي روزنبورج في سن الخامسة عشرة، لينضم لملعب الاتحاد كواحد من أبرز المواهب الواعدة في كرة القدم الأوروبية وسجل اللاعب 14 هدفًا وصنع 11 خلال 70 مباراة مع فريقه السابق.
We’re delighted to confirm the signing of Sverre Nypan from Norwegian side Rosenborg 🩵 pic.twitter.com/5ZtbKRG8by — Manchester City (@ManCity) July 17, 2025
وعلق نجم مانشستر سيتي الجديد في تصريحات للموقع الرسمي: “أنا سعيد وفخور للغاية بالانضمام لمانشستر سيتي، إنه حلم لأي لاعب كرة قدم شاب أن يصبح جزءًا من هذا النادي وينضم لهؤلاء المواهب العالمية”.
وأضاف: “مازلت صغيراً جداً ولدي الكثير لأتعلمه، لكن فرصة التدريب مع بيب جوارديولا أفضل مدرب في العالم، ستساعدني على أن أصبح لاعبًا أفضل، هناك رابط بين النرويج وسيتي من خلال هالاند وأوسكار بوب وسعيد لأني أحدث لاعب نرويجي ينضم للنادي”.
وقال هوجو فيانا مدير كرة القدم في مانشستر سيتي حول صفقة نيبان: “هو لاعب مثير للاهتمام ويتابعه النادي منذ فترة طويلة، يملك العديد من الصفات المميزة وسيواصل تطوره”.
وختم: “نؤمن بأنه سيكون صفقة مهمة لمانشستر سيتي في السنوات القادمة وسندعمه في كل خطوة من خطوات تطوره”.
After the schedule tweak, Pakistan will be playing 19 T20Is between now and the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup
ESPNcricinfo staff18-Jul-2023
Pakistan will play New Zealand in 10 T20Is between now and the 2024 World Cup•PCB
Pakistan’s home series of two Test matches and three T20Is against West Indies has been pushed back from January-February 2024 to January 2025, and has been replaced by an away series of five T20Is against New Zealand.With the tweak in the Future Tours Programme, Pakistan will be playing 19 T20Is between now and the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup, to be held in the West Indies and the USA in June 2024, ten of them against New Zealand alone – five away and five at home – and the rest against Netherlands (three), Ireland (two) and England (four).A separate series in New Zealand, of three ODIs and five T20Is, has been pushed back from January 2025 to April 2025. It also means that Pakistan have an entire home season later this year without a single Test in it. They tour Australia for a three-Test series at the end of the year – their first Tests after the current series against Sri Lanka – and then will not play any Tests until August 2024, when they host Bangladesh for two Tests.Pakistan’s T20I tour of New Zealand
Jan 12 – 1st T20I, Auckland Jan 14 – 2nd T20I, Hamilton Jan 17 – 3rd T20I, Dunedin Jan 19 – 4th T20I, Christchurch Jan 21 – 5th T20I, Christchurch
This was on the cards, as reported last month by ESPNcricinfo, since the PSL is slotted for February and March. As things stand, Pakistan will play three Test matches in Australia between December 2023 and January 2024, and the clutter in early 2024 has been reduced somewhat with the five-match T20I series in New Zealand to be held in January. After completing the Tests in Australia, Pakistan will fly directly to Auckland to play the T20Is. In April, after the PSL, the teams will play a reciprocal five-T20I series in Pakistan.The PSL now runs for 34 days. And because of the holy month of Ramadan, the available window is only from February 12 to March 10.Related
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The PCB has also requested the Emirates Cricket Board to pull back their ILT20 by ten days to avoid overlapping with the PSL. It is likely that the PCB will not object to its players signing contracts with ILT20 teams, which it had done in 2023, the inaugural edition of the tournament.The discussions between the PCB and the Emirates Cricket Board were conducted during Najam Sethi’s tenure as PCB chairman, but is expected to stand despite the change of guard at the PCB.Pakistan men’s revised FTP for 2023-2025The 2023-24 season July: Pakistan in Sri Lanka (two Tests) August: Pakistan in Afghanistan (three ODIs) September: ODI Asia Cup in Pakistan and Sri Lanka October-November: ODI World Cup in India December-January: Pakistan in Australia (three Tests) January: Pakistan in New Zealand (five T20Is) April: New Zealand in Pakistan (five T20Is) May: Pakistan in the Netherlands (three T20Is), in Ireland (two T20Is), and in England (four T20Is) June: T20 World Cup in the USA and the West IndiesThe 2024-25 season August: Bangladesh in Pakistan (two Tests) October: England in Pakistan (three Tests) November: Pakistan in Australia (three ODIs and three T20Is) November-December: Pakistan in Zimbabwe (three ODIs and three T20Is) December-January: Pakistan in South Africa (two Tests, three ODIs, three T20Is) January: West Indies in Pakistan (two Tests) February: New Zealand and South Africa in Pakistan (ODI tri-series) February-March: Champions Trophy in Pakistan April: Pakistan in New Zealand (three ODIs and five T20Is) May: Bangladesh in Pakistan (three ODIs and three T20Is)
Dempsey questioned Donovan's absence ahead of the 2014 World Cup, when the forward took a sabbatical one year out from the competition
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Dempsey criticizes Donovan on podcastBrings up 2013 sabbatical, questions former teammateChristian Pulisic's father, Mark, raised similar criticismFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Clint Dempsey criticized former U.S. men's national team member Landon Donovan for his choice to take a sabbatical away from the game in 2013. The move, which many at the time questioned, ultimately cost Donovan a spot on the 2014 World Cup roster, ex-manager Jurgen Klinsmann confirmed in 2024.
Donovan was absent for 144 days, and on his podcast , Dempsey sounded off on his former teammate.
"The analogy I use is you have the opportunity to go plant the crops, harvest the crops, and then you're sitting at the table it's time to eat, and you're showing up when it's time to eat," he said. "It's kind of like, 'Where were you when we were grinding in the sun, putting that stuff out there, the away games, your back against the wall?'
"I don't know what he was dealing with and what he was going through, but to build your teammates' trust and all that, you've got to go through the wars with them, the battles with them. You've got to be able to look and say, 'Hey, they're not going to flake on you. When your back's against the wall and you need to win, they're going to be right there with you.' So I can't say what the situation was, but that's how I looked at that."
The comments, made last week, echo a recent spotlight on Donovan after he had critcized current USMNT star Christian Pulisic for requesting to skip the Gold Cup due to fatigue.
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On a FOX broadcast Sunday, Donovan aimed a dig at Pulisic on-air while Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal were celebrating their EURO Nations League title.
“This is what it means to represent your country,” Donovan said on air. “If you don’t want to take it seriously as a professional soccer player and someone who gets the opportunity to wear the jersey, then don’t come in.”
He added, “I can’t help but think about our guys on vacation, not wanting to play in the Gold Cup. It’s p*ssing me off.”
Pulisic's father, Mark, responded to Donovan on social media Sunday, bringing up the American's 2013 sabbatical as well while telling him to "look in the mirror."
WHAT DEMPSEY ADDED
Dempsey, however, did agree with Donovan on his remarks about Pulisic's absence. The former striker claiming he "doesn't understand" why the AC Milan star would need a break due to fatigue, one year out from the World Cup.
“I’m a big fan of Christian. I think what he’s been able to do for both club and country has been amazing,” Dempsey said on the podcast. “And in terms of American players playing abroad, him and Antonee Robinson have been the most consistent and the top players in terms of flying that flag for us.
“In terms of his situation, I can’t say what it is. I don’t know the ins and outs of it. But in terms of my situation, when I played in Europe and came back, there were times where I was tired. I had to get a PRP injection in my adductor. I had to maybe rest for some of the friendly games so that I could be fit to play in the tournaments."
Dempsey is one of the most decorated players in U.S. history, winning three Gold Cups and helping the Americans finish as a runner-up in the 2009 Confederations Cup to Brazil.
“Whether it was Gold Cup, whether it was Copa [América], whether it was the Confederations Cup, whether it was the World Cup," he said. "I wasn’t gonna miss competitions. That’s just the kind of guy that I always was. So for me, I don’t understand it because that wasn’t my mentality. I always wanted to play in those games."
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The USMNT plays in an international friendly against Switzerland Tuesday, followed by the CONCACAF Gold Cup beginning early next week.
GOAL US and INDIVISA writers look at the Brilliant and Heartbeat kits, and debate where they rank against all-time greats
U.S. soccer dropped two kits this week. They're interesting. One plays it safe, a slight tweak on the generic red, white and blue that has defined the more recent generation of shirts. The other, though, is a bit bolder. Vertical stripes aren't really a thing in soccer these days, but Nike has brought them back on top of a dark shirt. It's different, admittedly fresh – and has brought about quite a bit of discourse in social media as a result.
The U.S. has an interesting history when it comes to kits. There are some classics: the 2014 away kit, the 2012 "Where's Waldo shirt" and the 1994 "denim" jerseys live long in the memory (for better or worse.) But equally, there have been a few duds, the design too often sticking to templates rather than going for something a little more bold and, well, American.
How do the new ones stack up? Are they future classics that will live long in the collective memory? Or is it a question of playing it safe, something ultimately inoffensive?
GOAL US and INDIVISA writers debate the new U.S. kits, and where they rank in the long line of national team shirts.
U.S. SoccerWhere do the Heartbeat and Brilliant kits rate?
Jacob Schneider: The Brilliant kit is a beautiful shirt for the USWNT. It's an upgrade, and simple – which is also what makes it great. Lots of minor great features. The Heartbeat kit? Interesting. Fantastic streetwear, but it's not something you would typically picture on the pitch. It's a VERY welcome change from the current away shirt for the U.S., but would you wear it at a World Cup? It's cool, but with a short shelf life.
Celia Balf: Really like the sentiment behind both kits, especially the stripe look – and with vertical lines. The detail is simple, and emphasizes the crest and accent colors on the collar and arm lines. It also pays homage to 1994 and also the original U.S. Soccer crest that had lots of red vertical stripes. The Brilliant kit is crisp and feels similar to what we’ve seen before. The denim accent detail throughout the jersey is cool, don't love the pop of color on the collar and on the arms. It would be even cleaner with the same pattern throughout, without any outlined detail.
Alex Labidou: The Heartbeat kit seems bold and sleek, especially with its unique color scheme. It would be fresh on or off the pitch. Add it to the must-buy category. The Brilliant kits seems like it's been done before, and it's a slight riff off the 1994 kit. Not horrible, but not memorable either.
Ryan Tolmich: The Brilliant kit is fine, and the pattern on the kit does give it life. The splashes of blue and red on the neckline and sleeves make it pop, too. As for the Heartbeat? Big fan. It's unique, which is what you should generally say about any team's secondary jersey. It's a step in the right direction and, hopefully, a sign of things to come for the kits in 2026.
AdvertisementGettyWhat's your wishlist for the USMNT's World Cup kit?
JS: Just give us the 2012 home kit again – that's literally all you need. Red, white, blue and stop with the tie-dye and splatter paint. Horizontal stripes of some sort and a color scheme that actually looks good on and off the pitch, with a crest on the chest off to the side – none of this front-and-center BS.
CB: We need to see some more stripes! Bring back the 2012 "Where’s Waldo" look, or the 1994 home kit, but without the moving stripes. Over the past few years we’ve seenpatterns that are funky, but not as simple or profound as classic stripes. Didn’t love the paint splatter kit in 2023 and then 2024 was classic, but a bit of a snooze-fest.
AL: Either do something with the 1994 kit style that nods to the classic while being new and fresh, or go SUPER American – basically be the flag across the whole kit. The U.S. is the primary host of the 2026 World Cup, so the team's kit should be indicative of it. Canada and Mexico, of course, should do the same.
RT: Do something fun with it! This kit, for any fan of American soccer, will be iconic given the circumstances – and the 1994 kit has proven that "iconic" doesn't always have to coincide with "eternally fashionable." Do something that separates this kit from any other, something celebrating this moment in time. No plain white shirts, no boring single-color away kits and no safe decisions. Take a swing and, even if it misses, we'll all look back on this in 30 years and remember the moment and how it made us feel.
GettyWhat is the best US Soccer kit of all time?
JS: Call it nostalgia, but the 2014 World Cup away kit is what pops into my head as the greatest. Clint Dempsey was iconic in it, Michael Bradley recorded a memorable celebration in it, and it was the last GREAT tournament for the USMNT. It has a brilliant color scheme, and was a shirt that could be worn on and off the pitch. Just pure excellence.
CB: Easy, 1994 away.
AL: The 1994 kit gets all of the love and rightfully so; it's an all-time banger – not just in the U.S. but in global football. Since we're all well aware of its brilliance, let's go with two kits that don't get as much love as they should – the 2010 World Cup sash, and the 2013 Gold Cup Waldo kits. Both would be standouts of the modern kits for the U.S. team. And the Waldo kit is likely the best women's kit of all time, as well.
RT: It's the Waldos, and it's not particularly close. There was something so iconic about the whole combination, from the red-and-white striped shirt to the blue shorts mimicking an American flag. For a program whose kits often lack a real sense of identity, the Waldos seemed uniquely connected with the country – which should be the goal of all national team kits. All of the world's top countries have a signature kit, and it wouldn't be such a bad thing if red-and-white stripes became the calling card of the U.S. Worth noting: the red-and-blue stripe kit from 2017 was also good, too.
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GettyWhat is the worst U.S. kit of all time?
JS: The 2022 World Cup away kit was just an abomination. Design failure. Can we not bring this up again?
CB: The 2004 home kit.
AL: The 1990 World Cup kit is T-E-R-R-I-B-L-E. It was reminiscent of an Eastern European jersey, and the Americanness of it is very understated – almost as if the designer was trying to hide any sort of U.S. connection. Awful, awful kit. A distant runner-up: the 2022 kit, with its weird neckline pattern, is hideous. Skipped it then and would be glad if it's never seen again.
RT: The 2022 World Cup kit still feels wrong. Designed to look like an American football shirt, it just wasn't one that screamed "U.S. national team." There have been plenty of other boring white kits throughout the years, but that one, in particular, felt like a step backwards as it lacked the creativity and identity that should be staples of a World Cup kit.
Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl has revealed that his side may be missing several players through injury when they face Sunderland on Friday night.
Sheffield Wednesday injury news
The Owls will be looking to right the wrongs of their 4-0 defeat to Burnley last weekend when they welcome the Black Cats to Hillsborough on Friday. A win, and it could keep the Owls’ faint hopes of a top six spot alive, but they will have to do it without one key attacker.
Boost for Rohl as "brilliant" Sheffield Wednesday star returns to training
Wednesday boss Danny Rohl has provided an update on one of his injured players.
ByBrett Worthington Feb 26, 2025
Leading up to this game, Rohl revealed a fresh blow as winger Anthony Musaba suffered an injury setback, meaning he will miss the game against Sunderland and likely a few more.
“At first it looked good; he trained on Sunday (after the Coventry game), but he got a small reaction. Now he has had two rejections,” Rohl said.
“I hope it is this week, then next week, and then before Plymouth he is back. Sometimes at first an issue starts in one part of the body, and then maybe with some different movements it goes into another part. It is a shame, but he is positive, and I think he will be available for the end of the season, maybe the last eight or nine games. We are working on it; he is still positive. It is harder, of course, to have him out of the squad.”
Dominic Iorfa in action for Sheffield Wednesday.
However, in positive news, Rohl did reveal that defender Dominic Iorfa is close to a return, although he won’t be available for the game against Sunderland, but could be back in the matchday squad after the March international break.
Wednesday may have several undisclosed injuries vs Sunderland
But they are not the only players to possibly miss the match on Friday, as Rohl has revealed that Michael Smith is a doubt for the game and there may be many more who are missing through injury.
Smith, who has been dubbed a “game-changer” by former Owls boss Darren Moore, has featured in 31 Championship games this season, scoring eight goals in the process, but Wednesday may have to do without him and many more for the game against Sunderland, as Rohl has revealed it’s been a “tough week” with injuries and “you’ll see” for when it comes to who is available on the night.
As quoted by the Daily Star, Rohl said in his pre-match press conference: “In general, I won’t speak about names. But I can just say that it’s been a tough week for us – and you’ll see tomorrow why… There could be players missing. Michael Smith is one of the question marks.
Apps
31
Starts
11
Minutes per game
42
Goals
8
xG
5.75
Shots per game
1.3
Chance conversion
20%
Assists
4
Big chances created
5
“Ibi was ill during the week, so let’s see on him – today he trained. Ryo has trained for a full week. Some players are coming closer, Dom is coming closer, but we have three or four big question marks this week. We have to find solutions, but I’m convinced the team on the pitch will be on fire.”
Liverpool are reportedly seriously considering making a summer move for Stuttgart star Angelo Stiller as the Reds look to improve their midfield.
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Liverpool interested in Stuttgart's Angelo Stiller
Slot puts Stiller on his list of summer priorities
Stuttgart set to demand close to €60 million
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, and Ryan Gravenberch have all contributed significantly to Liverpool's midfield, which has been the team's backbone in their resounding Premier League title win. However, the latter part of the season has seen the Reds getting overrun through the middle, with fatigue playing a major part.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
German publication Stuttgarter-Nachrichten has now revealed that Liverpool are planning to go hard in for a move for Stiller this summer, as they have been interested in the Stuttgart star. Additionally, Fichajes has claimed that Stiller's 'tactical maturity and his ability to organise the game from the base [of midfield]' has impressed Arne Slot, who has placed him on the list of priorities.
DID YOU KNOW?
As per Stuttgarter-Nachrichten, Stuttgart are set to demand a fee of €60 million ($68m/£51m) for the 24-year-old, with other reports suggesting that Liverpool could be open to paying that fee this summer for Stiller.
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WHAT NEXT FOR STILLER?
Stuttgart are trying to fight an uphill battle to qualify for the Europa Conference League, and Stiller will likely be working to try and focus on that before he decides on what to do with his future this summer.
The deadline has come and gone, with questions left to ponder as to quite what to make of the transfer window from a Celtic perspective.
Yes, the headline may have been the glorious return of former hero Jota – who marked the start of his second spell by sealing the win at Motherwell at the weekend – but has that £8m switch somewhat blinded from an otherwise poor period of business?
There’s no denying the delight at seeing Celtic’s new number seven back at Parkhead, ready to rip Premiership defences to shreds once again, as he did so successfully under Ange Postecoglou.
And yet, there is an argument that the Hoops squad is now weaker than when the window started, having allowed 85-goal sensation, Kyogo Furuhashi, to join struggling Ligue 1 side, Rennes, on a £10m deal.
Celtic'sKyogoFuruhashi celebrates with the trophy after winning the League Cup
That mid-season exit would have been swallowed had an adequate replacement been brought in, yet Brendan Rodgers has been left empty-handed, forced to rely on £9.5m man Adam Idah for the remainder of the season – a player who boasts just six Premiership goals this term.
Kieran Tierney is, of course, set to make his own emotional homecoming in the near future, yet with a January loan switch having been ruled out for the Scotsman, the Hoops were forced to settle for another Premier League talent instead…
What Jeffrey Schlupp brings to Celtic
Jeffrey Schlupp signing on loan from Crystal Palace in the last knockings of deadline day was unlikely to have been on anyone’s transfer bingo card, with the versatile 32-year-old joining on a short-term deal until the end of the season.
A former Premier League winner at Leicester City, the veteran asset does provide a wealth of experience for Rodgers’ side, albeit while having failed to start a single game in all competitions in 2024/25 to date.
Jeffrey Schlupp
As Rodgers stated, Schlupp is “a fantastic guy, someone with real high-level experience and with great attributes including power, pace and versatility”, yet after the excitement surrounding a potential early return for Tierney, this last-gasp move feels like something of a let down.
Not that the Ghanaian should be judged before he’s taken to the field, however, while his ability to operate at left-back or in a more advanced role should certainly make him a useful asset.
With Alex Valle having unfortunately returned to parent club Barcelona to subsequently sign for Cesc Fabregas’ Como, it will likely then be a straight battle between Schlupp and Greg Taylor on the left flank, ahead of Tierney’s return this summer.
Greg Taylor's market value at Celtic
Something of a marmite figure at Parkhead, Taylor now resides in a precarious position in Glasgow.
Market Movers
Currently the first-choice left-back, the 27-year-old will seemingly be aware that he will likely lose that crown in just a matter of months, when Tierney officially signs on a free transfer.
It is perhaps no surprise then that the Scotland international is seemingly contemplating a free transfer switch of his own, having yet to extend his contract which expires in June.
Aston Villa'sLeonBaileyin action with Celtic's Greg Taylor
Rodgers did previously hint that getting the full-back to agree terms was a “priority”, albeit while then admitting in December that he is aware that it is one of Taylor’s “last big contracts”, such is the point in his career.
A straight swap then could occur, in essence, if Tierney arrives and Taylor walks out the door, although it would be of frustration to lose the latter man for nothing, particularly considering his current market value.
Greg Taylor – 24/25 Premiership season in numbers
19 games
0 goals
5 assists
7 big chances created
1.4 key passes*
88% pass accuracy*
1.7 tackles*
0.6 interceptions*
53% total duels won*
14.4x possession lost*
Stats via Sofascore (*per game)
As per Transfermarkt, the former Kilmarnock man – who signed on a £3m deal back in 2019 as Tierney’s replacement – is worth €7m (£6m), thus placing him ahead of even new man, Schlupp, who is deemed to be worth €6m (£5m) at present.
There is perhaps a world in which Rodgers and co should’ve cashed in on Taylor either in January or last summer, in order to try and earn a profit on their initial investment, yet having seen Valle depart and allowed Alexandro Bernabei to move on permanently, the situation is now as it is.
A player capable of whipping in an assist as he did for Luke McCowan against Dundee, while also guilty of lapses like his errant pass in the League Cup final, the £15k-per-week asset remains an enigma.
If he does choose to move on at the end of the campaign, he can look back on his part in a glittering period of domestic dominance under both Postecoglou and Rodgers. As for the club itself, however, they may regret not cashing in on such a servant when they potentially had the chance.
Worse than Trusty: Celtic star just missed his big chance to shine
The Celtic forward endured a frustrating evening against Aston Villa on Wednesday.
MCC also recommended that umpires enforce laws relating to penalty runs for repeated time wasting more strictly, and time drinks breaks better
ESPNcricinfo staff02-Sep-2022
On average, 31.5 minutes were lost on each full day of play in the England-New Zealand Test series•Getty Images
The MCC, through its World Cricket Committee, has called for the ICC to speed up restarts after DRS reviews, and tighten up the DRS process itself, in a bid to address the issue of slow over rates in the game.The MCC, the keeper of the laws of cricket, made the recommendations following research into how much time was lost on each day’s play during New Zealand’s three Tests in England in June. It has also recommended that umpires enforce the laws of the game relating to penalty runs for repeated time wasting more strictly, and time drinks breaks better.The recommendations were made with a specific focus on Test cricket.How to make the DRS quicker The recommendations to streamline DRS processes were twofold: one, to ensure the players don’t inadvertently waste time around reviews, and two, to ensure the umpires do not go through unnecessary steps during the review process.Related
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Full members to play more international cricket in new FTP
Attempts on to bridge gap between women and men's prize money
“In general, [the MCC recommends] ICC playing regulations be reviewed to tighten the parameters around when substitutes are permitted onto the field of play i.e. with gloves, drinks etc,” the MCC’s statement said. “More specifically, when a not-out decision is reviewed by the fielding side (or when an umpire review is made with a not-out soft signal), the fielding team should immediately return to their positions, ready to bowl the next delivery.”Batters should also remain in the proximity and prepare to recommence play. No drinks should be brought onto the field. If the decision is overturned to out, the fielding side will still have time to celebrate.”To speed up DRS reviews, the MCC recommended that the “standard protocol should be cut short as soon as the TV production team is aware that it will be not out. For example, time is often spent trying to discern an inside edge for lbws, only to see that the ball was missing the stumps. As soon as the ball tracking has been loaded, if it will result in a not-out decision, the TV umpire should be informed immediately.”Penalty runs for time wasting Significantly, the MCC wants umpires to more actively enforce the laws of the game that are concerned with time wasting. Law 41.9 and 41.10, which deal with delays by the bowling and batting side respectively, allow the umpire to issue an official warning if they “consider that the progress of an over is unnecessarily slow, or time is being wasted in any other way”, followed by five penalty runs for a repeat offence.Law 41.9 further says: “If the waste of time is during the course of an over, [the umpire will] direct the captain of the fielding side to suspend the bowler immediately from bowling. The bowler thus suspended shall not be allowed to bowl again in that innings.”Drinks to go with the flow of the game, not interrupt it The MCC’s research found that during the Tests, drinks were “taken at scheduled times regardless of what happened in the previous hour e.g. even if wickets/reviews meant drinks had been taken recently.”Ball checks/changes – usually not because they have landed in a pint of beer – is one of five major reasons for delays•PA Images/Getty
To cut down on time lost to this, it said drinks intervals should be adjusted to coincide with other naturally occurring breaks in play. “Drinks intervals should be taken immediately if a wicket falls or a DRS review is made within 15 minutes of their scheduled time, and not re-taken at […] at the next scheduled break.”Where exactly is time lost during a game? The MCC found that on average, 31.5 minutes were lost on each full day of play at the England-New Zealand Test series. Of this, the time taken to reset between overs was the major source of delay, with 20 minutes taken in changing ends four minutes were lost to reviews three minutes lost to ball checks/changes two-and-a-half minutes lost to changing other equipment two minutes to movements behind the bowler and adjusting sightscreensIn comparison, the MCC’s research found, “the average change between overs in Test cricket took 10-15 seconds longer than in County Championship cricket… The average ‘standard’ change of over (without a new bowler or batter) was 55 seconds in Tests and 45 seconds in county cricket.”Breaking down the time lost to the DRS process further, the MCC noted “there were approximately 64 minutes lost during the series to the DRS, which consisted of the following: player discussions where no review was taken (six minutes), player reviews (47 minutes) and umpire reviews (11 minutes).”It took an average of 25 seconds for the fielding side to be ready to bowl the next ball after the DRS had confirmed an umpire’s not-out decision.”Who’s on the World Cricket Committee? Mike Gatting (chair), Jamie Cox, Suzie Bates, Alastair Cook, Kumar Dharmasena, Sourav Ganguly, Tim May, Brendon McCullum, Ramiz Raja, Kumar Sangakkara, Vince van der Bijl and Cricket West Indies president Ricky Skerritt.
Leeds United were not in action in the Championship this weekend as they prepare to take on promotion rivals Burnley at Turf Moor in a huge clash on Monday night.
It has been a good weekend of results for the Whites, however, as Sheffield United were hammered 3-0 by Hull at Bramall Lane and Sunderland conceded in stoppage time to draw 2-2 with Plymouth Argyle.
This means that the West Yorkshire outfit remain top of the Championship table and that will still be the case after Monday’s match, unless Burnley win by at least four goals.
The Whites beat Norwich City 2-0 in their last outing in the second tier, thanks to goals from Manor Solomon and Dan James, and will be hoping for a similarly convincing scoreline against the Clarets.
Despite the terrific position that Leeds are in at the moment in the Championship, Daniel Farke could still look to utilise the January transfer window before it slams shut in just over a week.
In fact, the club have a reported interest in signing a player from a Premier League side to come in and add to their options at the top end of the pitch.
Leeds chasing ambitious Premier League deal
According to TEAMtalk, Leeds are one of a number of clubs eyeing up a swoop to sign Evan Ferguson on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion before the end of the window.
Transfer Focus
The report, firstly, explains how Bayer Leverkusen have joined the race for Aston Villa attacking midfielder Emiliano Buendia, which could blow the Whites out of the running for the Argentina international, who previously worked with Farke at Carrow Road.
It then adds that the West Yorkshire outfit have also already missed out on the chance to sign central defender Andrew Omobamidele from Nottingham Forest, as the Ireland international has completed a move to Strasbourg on loan with an option to make the deal permanent.
Brighton & Hove Albion'sEvanFergusoncelebrates
TEAMtalk reports that the 49ers are, now, chasing an ‘ambitious’ deal to sign Ferguson from the Premier League side on loan, in the hope of not missing out on him in the same way that they look to have with Omobamidele and Buendia.
It is an ambitious attempt by Leeds because there is plenty of interest in the striker from teams in the top flight, with West Ham reportedly keen to sign the £100m-rated forward whilst Bournemouth and Arsenal are also said to be keen on the young marksman.
If the 49ers can convince Brighton to send the forward on loan to the Championship, perhaps with the incentive that he could drop down a level and score goals on a regular basis to boost his confidence in front of goal, then they could land a second impressive Premier League loanee, alongside Manor Solomon.
Manor Solomon's form for Leeds this season
The Tottenham Hotspur loanee joined the Whites in the summer to bolster Farke’s options on the left flank and made a slow start to life in Yorkshire, with a return of zero goals and one assist in his first eight appearances.
It was a difficult start for the Israel international and that may have been down to the fact that his last competitive appearance for Spurs was back in September 2023, which meant that he did not arrive at Elland Road with much match sharpness.
Since that less-than-impressive opening eight matches in the Championship, the 25-year-old dynamo has established himself as a star for the Whites and currently looks undroppable as part of the attacking unit for Farke.
Appearances
21
Starts
12
Goals
5
Big chances created
7
Assists
5
As you can see in the table above, Solomon has offered a threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals for the Whites in the second tier, with ten direct goal contributions in 12 starts.
Two of those goal involvements came in the win over Norwich in midweek, scoring after 30 seconds and assisting Dan James in the second half, and he will be hoping to add to his tally in Monday’s clash with Burnley.
Solomon has, therefore, been a successful Premier League loanee and Leeds could land another one by bringing in Ferguson, who could also thrive alongside the Spurs man.
Why Leeds should sign Evan Ferguson
The 20-year-old striker has failed to break into the starting line-up at Brighton and his recent injury issues may have played a big role in that. He has missed the last seven games with an ankle issue and was out between April and August with an ankle injury last year.
This means that it would be a gamble for Leeds to sign the Irish marksman this month because there is no guarantee that he will be able to overcome his injury issues to become a regular starter in the second half of the season.
However, Ferguson has the potential to be a “phenomenal”, as dubbed by teammate James Milner, player when he is fit and available, which could make the gamble worth it for the Whites.
As you can see in some of the clips above, the young gem can score goals at Premier League level and has an incredible knack for being in the right place at the right time.
The Irish ace has already scored 13 goals in 59 appearances in the top-flight, despite his age, and has more than made the most of the chances that have come his way.
22/23
5.67
6
+0.33
23/24
3.97
6
+2.03
24/25
0.66
1
+0.34
Total
10.29
13
+2.71
As you can see in the table above, Ferguson has consistently been a strong finisher for Brighton in the Premier League, outperforming his xG every season.
This could make him a particularly attractive target for Leeds given that they have scored 51 goals from 55.6 xG in the Championship, which suggests that they could benefit from having a clinical finisher in their squad.
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Solomon could also thrive with a ruthless finisher ahead of him in the team. He has only recorded five assists from seven ‘big chances’ created and Ferguson could boost the winger’s assist tally by making the most of the big chances that the forward can create on a regular basis.
Leeds could, then, have two Premier League loanees with the ability to make a huge impact at the top end of the pitch, propelling the side to promotion.