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Celtic have been dealt a blow in their bid to secure Albian Ajeti a move away from Parkhead in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by the Daily Record, who claim that FC Basel have informed Celtic that they will not be breaking the bank to sign a new centre-forward this month, despite the club receiving around €14.5m (£12m) plus bonuses from the recent sale of Arthur Cabral.

The report goes on to suggest that this could put the breaks on the Swiss side’s interest in Ajeti, with the Super League club’s sporting director, Philipp Kaufmann, hinting that there may be financial obstacles in the way of his move for the out of favour Celtic centre-forward.

Regarding FC Basel’s interest in the 24-year-old, Kaufmann said: “We have our own financial framework. We need a strong striker who attacks the deep spaces and we need to replace Arthur Cabral as a matter of urgency.”

Postecoglou will be fuming

Considering just how poor Ajeti has been since his £5m move to Celtic Park back in August 2020, the news that the centre-forward’s departure from the club could now be off the cards is sure to have left Ange Postecoglou fuming.

Indeed, over his 20 Premiership appearances during his debut campaign, the £2.25m-rated man scored six goals, provided one assist and created no big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of just 0.7 shots and making 0.6 key passes per game.

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These returns saw the 24-year-old earn an extremely disappointing seasonal SofaScore match rating of just 6.85, ranking him as the Hoops’ joint 12th-worst performer in the Scottish top-flight.

Things have not improved over his seven league outings this season, with the £18k-per-week hitman scoring two goals, registering no assists and creating zero big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.3 shots and making 0.4 key passes per fixture.

These metrics have seen the Switzerland international average a SofaScore match rating of just 6.72, ranking him as Postecoglou’s ninth-worst player in the Premiership.

As such, when taking into account his poor returns, his extremely hefty weekly wage and his patchy injury history, it is clear to see why the 56-year-old Bhoys boss would be happy to see the back of Ajeti prior to Monday’s transfer deadline – as well as why the uncertainty surrounding the centre-forward’s switch to Basel will be causing the Greek-Australian a great amount of frustration.

In other news: Contact made: Huge update emerges on late January move, Celtic fans will be elated

Mohammad Asif made a breakthrough for Pakistan when he removed Andrew Strauss, but bad light and rain meant just 12.3 overs were possible on the opening day of the final Test at Lord’s

The Bulletin by Andrew McGlashan26-Aug-2010
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsMohammad Asif was rewarded for a probing spell when he removed Andrew Strauss•Getty ImagesMohammad Asif made an important breakthrough for Pakistan when he removed Andrew Strauss, but bad light and rain meant just 12.3 overs were possible on the opening day of the final Test at Lord’s. It was no surprise that Salman Butt put England into bat and conditions favoured the seamers, but England’s openers had combated the early threat until Asif made his mark.There wasn’t much Strauss could have done about his dismissal as the ball pitched just outside off and swung back into the left hander and hit middle. It continued Strauss’s relatively lean series but on this occasion it was bowling skill rather than a batting error that brought the wicket.Alastair Cook should have gone in the third over of the day when he edged Mohammad Amir to third slip only for Umar Akmal to drop a regulation catch. Pakistan’s fielding improved hugely at The Oval and was a key reason for their victory and this was a worrying return to previous form for the slips.Amir, who began the Test with five wides down the leg side, wasn’t quite at his best and was a touch too wide to make the most of conditions. However, he thought he’d removed Cook caught behind on 9 but the review system proved the ball missed the edge and bat had clipped pad.Asif was metronomic from the start of his spell and beat Cook with a couple of beautiful deliveries which shaped away late before bringing one back into Strauss with perfect results.By then the conditions were becoming an issue despite the floodlights coming on, although Jonathan Trott didn’t have much trouble opening his account with a sweet clip through midwicket which he followed with a positive off drive. A few moments later the players were off and didn’t return.Both teams were unchanged from The Oval with England using the same XI throughout the series and Pakistan resisting the temptation to rush back Umar Gul following his hamstring injury. Gul’s replacement, Wahab Riaz, was an able stand-in with a five-wicket haul on his debut at The Oval.

Mohammad Irfan has entered into a memorandum of understanding with Kolkata Knight Riders, who are awaiting the governing council’s new regulations for international player contracts

Cricinfo staff10-Sep-2010Mohammad Irfan, the Pakistan fast bowler, has entered into a memorandum of understanding with IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders, who are awaiting the governing council’s new regulations for international player contracts. By applying for an no-objection certificate (NOC) from the PCB, Irfan will only strengthen his case should new regulations – and the political climate – allow Pakistan players to participate in the IPL. Irfan’s MOU also contains a clause under which he stands to get $10,000 from Kolkata as compensation, should the stalemate around Pakistan’s involvement in the IPL continue. His proposed contract with the franchise is worth $75,000.”All the formalities of the deal with Kolkata Knight Riders have been finalised, but now I require a NOC from the [Pakistan] board to finalise the deal,” Irfan told . Irfan is currently in England as part of Pakistan’s one-day squad for the five-match ODI series.Irfan impressed Kolkata with his performances on their development tour of Sri Lanka and had been recommended to the franchise by Wasim Akram, Kolkata’s bowling consultant. Nearly seven foot tall, Irfan, who is among the tallest cricketers in the world, said he was looking forward to playing for Kolkata. “I’m very happy to have such a huge opportunity, and playing in the IPL is without doubt a great opportunity to do something big on the international stage.”No Pakistan player was part of the IPL auction in 2009 but it was their absence from the 2010 auction that was more contentious and troubled. The players were cleared to be part of the auction pool but none of the franchises bid for any of them, ostensibly concerned about player availability because of strained ties between the governments of India and Pakistan.”I don’t know about the past,” Irfan said, “but I am following a proper procedure to secure the deal.”

Wolves and every other Premier League club only have hours left to conduct any late business before the 2022 January transfer window closes.

However, it seems as though Wolves fans can forget about seeing their club sign one player in particular that has been mentioned with a move to Molineux in the past few weeks that will be a very familiar face to a lot of Premier League followers.

What’s the news?

In a recent post on BBC Sport’s deadline day live update tracker, journalist Simon Stone had this to say on Wolves’ reported interest in signing Juventus and former Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey.

He said: “There have been rumours of a Wolves move for Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey. Ramsey has been frozen out in Italy and is open to returning to the Premier League. But I have been told Wolves are not one of the clubs expressing an interest.”

Having racked up 371 appearances for Arsenal in which he managed to score 65 goals and provide 65 assists, the 31-year-old joined Juventus in the 2019 summer transfer window.

Since then, the midfielder has made 70 appearances for the Serie A side with six goals and six assists under his belt but has now found himself apparently looking for a new club with Juventus aiming to move him on.

Fans will be gutted

Taking into account the amount of experience the Welshman has in terms of playing in the Premier League and the Champions League as well as winning trophies throughout his career, there will be some Wolves fans out there that will be gutted to hear that their club aren’t looking to bring the midfielder back to England.

After all, this is someone who would not only improve their depth in the centre of the pitch, but add a considerable amount of quality too. He has 40 goals and 51 assists during his Premier League career, suggesting he’d be a big signing for Lage and co.

However, with Wolves having the unflappable midfield duo of Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho in their squad as well as having Leander Dendoncker and Luke Cundle as backup options, there is an argument to suggest that this isn’t the worst news in the world.

With that in mind, the club may be better off looking at other options if they do want to bring a new player in before the deadline.

In other news: “Wouldn’t surprise me..:” Journo drops Wolves deadline day claim, fans surely gushing – opinion

Liverpool have been handed a huge boost ahead of their Champions League quarter-final clash with Benfica.

What’s the latest?

Speaking in his pre-match press conference (via Theo Squires), Jurgen Klopp revealed that he has a fully fit first-team squad to pick from ahead of tonight’s second-leg tie with Benfica – something which the manager himself dubbed as being the “first time” this has been the case since his arrival at Anfield back in 2015.

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Speaking about the current state of his team, the 54-year-old said: “[They are] all fit for the first time.”

Great news for Liverpool

With Liverpool very much being alive in all three of the Premier League title race, the Champions League and the FA Cup – in which the Reds face Manchester City in the semi-final this weekend – the news that, after two years of seemingly endless injury setbacks, Klopp has a fully fit squad to work with ahead of the visit of Benfica this evening is undoubtedly great news for the club.

While the Portuguese side should certainly not be underestimated, with Liverpool having already secured a 3-1 lead in the first leg of the quarter-final, it would not be surprising if Klopp decided to rest a few of his first-team regulars against the Eagles.

Indeed, while the German manager revealed he does not have any fresh injuries to contend with, he did go on to claim in his presser that “the next game [against Manchester City] has no influence on the lineup for [Wednesday] night, but the last game has” – something that would suggest changes are in the offing this evening.

Either way, the fact the 54-year-old has a fully fit squad to pick from will come as a huge boost to Liverpool’s chances of progressing to the last four of the Champions League, as well as their hopes of pipping City to the Premier League title and besting the same opponent in the FA Cup semi-final this weekend.

AND in other news: Liverpool in talks to sign “absolutely crazy” £42m talent, it could be bye-bye Salah

Former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi has been given a further 10 days by the Mumbai Regional Passport Office to reply to its notice as to why his passport should not be cancelled

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Nov-2010Former IPL chairman Lalit Modi has been given a further 10 days by the Mumbai Regional Passport Office (RPO) to reply to its notice on why his passport should not be cancelled.The notice was sent after the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which looks into foreign exchange violations, wrote to India’s external (foreign) affairs ministry on October 5 asking it to revoke Modi’s passport since he had not appeared before the ED to answer allegations of financial irregularities.”The letter [from the RPO], dated November 1, says if no reply is received within the stipulated period, necessary action under section 10(3)(C) will be initiated by this office,” Abdi told PTI on Tuesday. “We received this communication from the passport office today [November 2], which sets out the time frame of 10 days from the date of issue of this letter, whereas the timeframe usually starts from the service of the communication and not from the issuance of the correspondence.”Last week, Modi had sought clarity on several points from the RPO, including the deadline and the basis for the notice. “The passport office has not supplied the documents requested for by Mr Lalit Modi,” Abdi said. “However, they have briefly reproduced contents of communication between ED and the Passport Office.”Modi has been living abroad for the past few months and said he fears for his life, though he denied he was absconding. The ED is examining whether Modi violated the Foreign Exchange Management Act during his time as IPL commissioner. Earlier this month, the directorate issued a blue corner alert for Modi, which makes it mandatory for law-enforcement agencies around the world to detain him wherever they spot him and inform the ED accordingly.

Celtic centre-back Cameron Carter-Vickers could opt for a move to the Premier League over the Hoops this summer, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Carter-Vicker shines for Celtic

The 24-year-old has been an influential performer for Ange Postecoglou’s side this season, having joined on loan from Tottenham last summer.

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Carter-Vickers has often been a rock at the heart of Celtic’s defence, making a total of 28 Scottish Premiership starts and averaging 4.2 aerial duel wins per game.

The Hoops are keen on signing the American permanently this summer but he is not without suitors, acting as a possible stumbling block.

The Latest: PL move likely?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones says that a move to the Premier League would appeal most to Carter-Vickers this summer:

“In terms of Carter-Vickers, the player has not made a decision yet. It sounds to me like he would rather be in the Premier League if possible, but he needs to see what opportunities genuinely open up.”

The Verdict: Potential huge blow

Given the level of performances Carter-Vickers has produced, and the manner in which he has fitted in under Postecoglou, seeing him move elsewhere this summer would be a massive blow.

In fairness to the defender, the lure of the Premier League is often too great to turn down for players, given the quality of football, worldwide popularity of the division and the money on offer.

The hope is that Carter-Vickers sees Celtic as the most sensible option – somewhere where he will be a key starter week in, week out, rather than a potential squad player – and joins permanently at the end of the season.

In other news, a financial expert has made a key Dermot Desmond claim at Celtic. Read more here.

Former Delhi Ranji captain and international umpire Rajan Mehra has died at the age of 77

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Oct-2010Former Delhi Ranji captain and international umpire Rajan Mehra has died at the age of 76. A right-hand batsman and part-time bowler, Rajan played 14 matches scoring 436 runs at an average of 24.22, and taking seven wickets at 32.00. He officiated in two Tests in India, against Sri Lanka in 1986 and against Pakistan in 1987. He also stood in three ODIs between 1982 and 1987.

According to a Manchester City source (via Football Insider), Pep Guardiola was left unimpressed by Jack Grealish following their UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie with Atletico Madrid, with 

The lowdown: A feisty encounter

City became embroiled in a war of attrition with their Spanish counterparts over two legs, with the second clash at the Wanda Metropolitano particularly tension fuelled.

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Following a 1-0 success at the Etihad, the Citizens were able to advance to the semi-finals with a goalless draw in Spain but tensions boiled over in the closing stages.

Whilst warming up as a substitute, Grealish became embroiled in an altercation with Stefan Savic that would appear to have left Guardiola less than pleased…

The latest: Pep’s angry

As per the FI source, the 51-year-old is believed to be ‘unhappy’ with his £100 million record signing being caught up in the antics of Diego Simeone’s side.

It’s claimed that Guardiola ‘does not want any type of ill-discipline or provocative behaviour’ in the Sky Blues squad.

Meanwhile, the report goes on to claim that the 20-cap England ace has ‘complained’ about a lack of the ball in his short City career to date.

The verdict: Unnecessary distraction

Albeit the fracas was almost certainly caused by the ferocious nature of the opposition, it’s perhaps not a surprise that Guardiola, ever the consummate professional would rather his players steer clear of controversy.

In truth, ex-Aston Villa star Grealish has made a rather inauspicious start to life in Manchester, scoring five times and providing three assists in 33 appearances for the club.

This kind of matter will only act as an undue distraction as the 26-year-old attempts to become a regular feature in Guardiola’s side and begin to impact on the big occasions after an FA Cup semi-final goal in vein against Liverpool.

In other news: German source makes exciting transfer claim involving City! Find out more here.

Australia’s captain Ricky Ponting has admitted to having one eye on his legacy as he approaches the final years of a formidable Test career

Andrew Miller in Brisbane22-Nov-2010Australia’s captain Ricky Ponting has admitted to having one eye on his legacy as he approaches the final years of a formidable Test career, but insists that his future as an international cricketer will not be dictated by the outcome of the Ashes.Ponting’s place among Australia’s all-time great batsmen is already guaranteed thanks to his national record of 12250 runs in 148 Test appearances, while his credentials as a leader include a tally of 47 victories in 73 Tests as captain, a win-loss ratio that is second only to Viv Richards and Steve Waugh among men who’ve led their country more than 50 times.In addition, Ponting led his side to consecutive World Cup victories in 2003 and 2007, as well as the first Ashes whitewash since 1920-21. Nevertheless, with England launching their latest tour with ominous purpose, Ponting knows he is in danger of being remembered as the first Australian captain since Billy Murdoch in 1890 to lead his country to three Ashes defeats. Given the status of the rivalry between the two countries, that would be an indelible stain on his CV, regardless of his personal achievements.”Of course I’m worried about a legacy, but if it is how I’m remembered, so be it,” he said. “The reason I play the game and cherish the captaincy so much is that I want to make sure the team are in a better position when I leave than when I started. I want to make sure I’ve got a good group of leaders under me when my time comes to move on and that’s why I spend so much time with the younger group. I’m always the first on the training track and the last one to leave, and most of that time is spent helping the younger guys understand different things about the game. Of course I’m worried about the legacy because I want to leave a great legacy for Australian cricket.”There’s not much more I can do,” he added. “I’ll do everything I can to play well and give the team the best chance to win. That’s all I can do and all I’ve ever been able to do. I’m really excited about what I think this group of players is capable of. If we play to our levels for five days, I think we’ll have the results go our way this time. I’m not worried about the other stuff. How I am as captain or player, people will have different opinions.”For all his bravado, Ponting knows that the buzzards are circling. Since launching the last Ashes with a bloody-minded hundred at Cardiff in July 2009, he has managed just one more hundred in 29 Test innings, and even that effort – a masterful 209 against Pakistan at Hobart last year – relied on him being dropped by Mohammad Amir on 0. He turns 36 on December 19, and goes into the Ashes on the back of three consecutive Test defeats against Pakistan and India. Despite his own desire to push on until the 2013 Ashes in England, he knows – like Allan Border and Steve Waugh before him – that selectorial pressure tends to bear down on ageing Australian captains sooner rather than later.In fact, Ponting was already feeling that pressure in England back in July, when he said in an interview: “I’d probably be looking for a new job if we lose [the Ashes] again”. On the eve of the series, however, he played down those remarks. “I said it as a throwaway line that turned into something a bit more than that,” he explained. “I’m probably the wrong bloke to ask. I’m giving myself the best chance possible. I’ve worked pretty hard on the physical side of my game over the last few months, and I just want to enjoy this series for what it is.”This week is the most exciting week you have as an international player,” he added. “The first Test of the summer is always a big one, and when it’s an Ashes series there’s always a little bit extra on the line. I will enjoy this week as much as possible. Hopefully we have a good game, the boys play well and the next few months go to plan. That’s all I can say.”Despite the pressure, Ponting still retains the support of his team-mates, who believe his desire for revenge will be a major motivating factor. “Without a doubt,” said Simon Katich. “We sensed that [during the Test series] in India, which in the past has probably been a tough place for him, but the way he batted – he didn’t get a hundred, but he got three 70s in four innings and he was in ominous form all those times. There’s no doubt he’s primed for a big summer. We’re all disappointed about what happened in England so hopefully that will be a big spur for us to put the past year behind us.”As for the strategy required to wrest the Ashes back from England’s grasp, Ponting was unequivocal. “We have to play at our best for longer periods – simple as that,” he said. “Every series in the last couple of years we’ve played some really good cricket but not for long enough. India is a good example. By not playing that brand of cricket for long enough, we’ve allowed other teams back into the game and they’ve pinched Test matches we should’ve won. That’s the way I look at it and it’s what we spoke about yesterday. If we don’t play five days’ good cricket, we don’t win. We know what we have to do and we’ll train to give ourselves the best chance at Brisbane.”On a personal note, Ponting fully expects to be targeted by England’s bowlers, especially their tall quicks who have noted a susceptibility to the short ball in recent seasons. But, he pointed out, he’s not the only leader in the firing line in this series. “I don’t think I’m any different to [Andrew] Strauss,” he said. “Captains are always expected to be that way, especially if you’re a top-order batter. You need your top order to score consistent runs, and if you’re doing that as captain, captaincy is a bit easier. I don’t see how it’s different from any other series I’ve played in. I’m always expected to score runs and to lead. There has probably been a bit made of that, but I honestly feel it’s been that way the whole time.”