All posts by h716a5.icu

An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and their attempts to bolster the playing squad before the summer transfer window officially slams shut this week.

What's the latest Rangers transfer news?

According to The 4th Official (via their Patreon page), Gers boss Michael Beale is trying to secure a swoop to sign Leicester City central defender Harry Souttar before the deadline.

The report has claimed that the Light Blues have a 'real' interest in signing the Australia international to improve their options at the heart of the backline.

Read the latest Rangers transfer news HERE…

This comes after The Herald claimed that current Rangers centre-back Leon King is poised to depart Ibrox on loan for the 2023/24 campaign amid interest from clubs in England.

How good is Harry Souttar?

The 6 foot 6 colossus is an aerially dominant central defender who could be a dream replacement for the Gers academy prospect, should the club go through with a deal to send the youngster out on loan this week.

His performances for Leicester in the Premier League and for his country at the World Cup during the 2022/23 campaign suggest that the potential is there for him to be an upgrade on the 19-year-old Scotsman.

Souttar joined the Foxes from Championship side Stoke City in January and showcased his defensive dominance across 12 top-flight appearances as he won 73% of his duels, which included an 86% success rate in aerial battles, and made 2.3 tackles and interceptions per game, as per Sofascore.

The 24-year-old titan earned himself a move to the King Power after his impressive performances for Australia in Qatar, where he averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.97 across four outings and caught the eye with 2.5 tackles and interceptions alongside a duel success rate of 68%.

These statistics show that the towering titan, who was described as a "monster" by journalist Jordan Campbell, is able to make consistent defensive interventions to win possession back for his side and has the physical strength and positional know-how to come out on top in the majority of his contests against opposition players.

Whereas, King averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.89 over 15 Scottish Premiership outings last season.

The teenage talent made 1.6 tackles and interceptions per game and won 58% of his duels, although the academy graduate did lose 51% of his aerial battles.

This came after the Rangers defender lost a whopping 86% of his contests in the air across four appearances during the 2021/22 Premiership campaign.

These statistics indicate that the young gem, who appears set to move on from Ibrox on a temporary basis, is a liability when it comes to dealing with long balls and crosses into the box as opposition players are able to get the better of him far too frequently in those situations.

The Leicester man, on the other hand, has proven himself to be a phenomenal defender when it comes to dealing with those types of threats from other teams, whilst his average performance level at the World Cup also suggests that he could provide more quality than King on a consistent basis.

Therefore, Souttar could be the ideal replacement for the 19-year-old prospect as he is an experienced head – both domestically and internationally – who could be a dominant force at the back for Beale at Ibrox.

Aston Villa are leading the race to sign a new attacking superstar from overseas, and a fresh report has shared details of where the two parties currently stand in negotiations.

What's the latest transfer news at Aston Villa?

Unai Emery had a busy summer transfer window, bringing in a total of five fresh faces, with Moussa Diaby joining permanently from Bayer Leverkusen, Pau Torres from Villarreal, Nicolo Zaniolo and Clement Lenglet both signing on loan and Youri Tielemans on a free transfer from Leicester City.

In terms of outgoings, Cameron Archer, Jaden Philogene-Bidace, Marvelous Nakamba, Keinan Davis, Ashley Young, Wesley, Philippe Coutinho, Morgan Sanson and Viljami Sinisalo all sealed exits on either a temporary or permanent basis, leaving room for the boss to bolster his ranks in January.

One of the players to have been linked with a move a number of times in the past is Sporting CP’s Pedro Goncalves, with the left-winger having previously been the subject of enquiries from the side in the Midlands.

Whilst reports suggested that the top-flight side walked away from a deal for the 25-year-old due to the €80m (£68m) release clause included in his contract, Correio Da Manha have since claimed that the club remain interested in a future swoop for the Portuguese sensation, with further details on the board’s pursuit having now emerged.

Are Aston Villa signing Pedro Goncalves?

According to Portuguese newspaper O Jogo (via Sport Witness), Aston Villa are “particularly” the club in pole position to sign Goncalves, despite him receiving other “approaches” from the Premier League.

NSWE, Monchi and Emery are in “ongoing” contact regarding a deal for the attacker.

Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United are also “attentive” to his situation, though having seen a bid turned down over the summer, the Villa Park outfit appear to be taking a second bite of the cherry.

How many goals has Pedro Goncalves scored?

During his time at Sporting CP, Goncalves has racked up a remarkable 93 contributions (59 goals and 34 assists) in 133 appearances for Ruben Amorim’s side, so should he put pen to paper at Aston Villa in the near future, it would be a massive coup for Emery.

The Jorge Pires client has continued his impressive form this season having so far whipped a total of 24 crosses into the opposition’s box which is more than any of his fellow teammates, alongside having 12 shots himself which is the second-highest tally at the Jose Alvalade Stadium, via FBRef.

The Vidago native, who has been nicknamed the “New Bruno Fernandes” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is also flexible in where he plays having been deployed in six different positions since the start of his career, including three roles in the final third and three in the midfield, so his versatility would be another fantastic attribute for the boss to have at his disposal.

Finally, Goncalves knows what it takes to compete and be successful at the highest level having won four trophies with his current club, not to mention the individual recognition he’s received on the international stage having been named Portugal’s Player of the Season in 2021.

Left-arm seamer has become the latest English player to concentrate on a future in limited-overs cricket

George Dobell27-Feb-2018Reece Topley has become the latest English player to concentrate on a future in limited-overs cricket.Topley, who was 24 last week and has played 10 ODIs and six T20Is for England, has signed a new contract with Hampshire which will see him play white-ball cricket only in 2018.Topley’s decision follows those of Alex Hales and Adil Rashid to concentrate on limited-overs cricket. Unlike them, however, Topley’s decision was largely made for him by persistent injury troubles that have threatened to curtail his career in its infancy.In particular, he has been plagued by a succession of stress fractures that have limited him to five first-class games since the start of the 2015 season. He has claimed just two first-class wickets since joining Hampshire ahead of the 2016 season.While Topley retains Test ambitions – he has always said he wanted to be the first left-arm seamer to claim 100 Test wickets for England – he has accepted that, for now at least, his body is unable to withstand the demands of first-class cricket. And, with a World Cup round the corner, he will hope that a spell of sustained fitness could result in an England recall.His last international appearance came in March 2016 during the World T20, but he hopes that, if he is able to build up the number of overs he can bowl without the demands of red-ball cricket, he might eventually be able to return to the first-class game.”It has been a frustrating time for me as a young bowler,” Topley said. “It is hoped that this proposal will assist me by preventing further injury as my body matures. Going forward, I do hope to return to red-ball cricket and still harbour ambitions of being the first left-arm fast bowler to take 100 Test wickets for England but that remains a long-term goal.””The short-term goal is simply to return to performing for Hampshire and only then perhaps to try and resurrect playing for England where I am still ambitious to add to my 16 caps. I would like to thank Hampshire for their understanding and continued support and cannot wait for the coming season.”Topley is unlikely to be the last of the current crop of players to make such a choice. Increasingly the risk-reward ratio is pushing seam bowlers, in particular, into specialising in limited-overs cricket.Another left-arm fast bowler – Tymal Mills – has already gone down the same path due to persistent injury problems and, while the likes of Mark Wood and Liam Plunkett (both of whom are currently sidelined by injury) have always insisted they want to play Test cricket, the temptation for them to reduce their overs and, as a consequence their exposure to risk, remains.While the England management will be disappointed for Topley and would dearly like to find a left-arm seamer to add variation to their Test attack, they have long-since been persuaded by the benefits of players specialising in formats. Indeed, it is thought the England medical team were fully supportive of this decision.”Reece’s attitude to his rehab and recovery has been outstanding and he deserves for things to go his way this year,” said Hampshire’s director of cricket, Giles White.”Reece’s intentions for red-ball cricket are clear, and the longer-form of the game is still something that is important to him in the future – this move is something that ourselves, Reece and the ECB feel is the best route to take this season, for him to be able to achieve his long-term goals at both domestic and international level.”

An ICC suspension from the final Test against South Africa may be just the start of sanctions for Australia’s captain and vice-captain

Daniel Brettig in Cape Town25-Mar-20183:54

Brettig: Lehmann’s position is extremely close to untenable

An ICC suspension from the final Test against South Africa may be just the start of sanctions for Australia’s captain Steven Smith, who alongside his deputy David Warner faces anything up to a life ban for cheating under Cricket Australia’s code of behaviour.While Australia slid towards their heaviest defeat to South Africa since readmission, the problems raised by another batting surrender were nothing next to the potential ramifications from the ball tampering attempted on the third day of the Test.Smith, Warner and Cameron Bancroft all fell amid the rush of ten Australian wickets for 50 runs to end a match that had long since ceased to be a contest of any recognisable form, so hijacked had the visitors been by the ball-tampering fiasco. Each was roundly booed upon their arrivals at the batting crease, then given still louder rebukes upon their departures, with fans rushing to vantage points either side of the players’ race to deliver invective at close range.As CA’s head of integrity Iain Roy and team performance manager Pat Howard travelled to Cape Town to commence an investigation, the CA Board bowed to pressure from the Australian Sports Commission to strip Smith and Warner of their leadership roles for the remainder of the Newlands Test, following their roles in orchestrating the ball tampering attempt that also involved Bancroft.The focus has sharpened on Smith and Warner, after it was clarified that the lunchtime discussion did not involve the full “leadership group,” which has also featured Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon, but was instead undertaken by “senior players”.The CA chief executive James Sutherland also issued a public apology to Australian followers of the game, with the Board at a delicate point in the multimillion dollar television rights negotiations for the next five years with the Nine, Ten and Seven networks and the pay television network Fox Sports.”To our Australian Cricket Fans, we are sorry,” Sutherland said. “We are sorry that you had to wake up this morning to news from South Africa that our Australian Men’s Cricket team and our Captain admitted to conduct that is outside both the Laws of our game and the Spirit of Cricket. This behaviour calls into question the integrity of the team and Cricket Australia.”The outraged response of the Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who spoke to the CA chairman David Peever the moment he touched down on his return from South Africa, was given further heft by the joint call from the ASC chair John Wylie and chief executive Kate Palmer for Smith and Warner to be stood down immediately from leadership until Roy’s investigation is complete.”The ASC condemns cheating of any form in sport. The ASC expects and requires that Australian teams and athletes demonstrate unimpeachable integrity in representing our country,” the ASC said in a statement. “The Australian cricket team are iconic representatives of our country. The example they set matters a great deal to Australia and to the thousands of young Australians playing or enjoying the sport of cricket and who look up to the national team as role models.”Given the admission by Australian captain Steve Smith, the ASC calls for him to be stood down immediately by Cricket Australia, along with any other members of the team leadership group or coaching staff who had prior awareness of, or involvement in, the plan to tamper with the ball. This can occur while Cricket Australia completes a full investigation.”That investigation will likely feature interviews with Smith, Warner, Bancroft and the Australian coach Darren Lehmann, and will determine how many players and staff will be charged under the code of behaviour. Once Roy has recommended charges, a code of behaviour hearing would be held with an independent commissioner, who would then decide on the guilt or otherwise of the players and staff concerned and the penalties to be imposed.A charge of conduct contrary to the spirit of the game includes the clause “any conduct that is considered ‘unfair play’ under Rule 42 of the Laws of Cricket or against the spirit in which the game of cricket should be played”. The maximum penalty available to the code of conduct commissioner is a life ban from the sport, with factors to be taken into account including “the seriousness of the breach” and “the harm caused by the breach to the interests of cricket”.CA’s decision to stand down Smith and Warner was announced minutes before the start of play on day four. “Following discussions with Steve Smith and David Warner they have agreed to stand down as Captain and Vice-Captain respectively for the remainder of this Test match,” Sutherland said. “This Test match needs to proceed, and in the interim we will continue to investigate this matter with the urgency that it demands.”As I said earlier today, Cricket Australia and Australian cricket fans expect certain standards of conduct from cricketers representing our country, and on this occasion these standards have not been met. All Australians, like us, want answers and we will keep you updated on our findings, as a matter of priority.”The CA chairman David Peever said the appointment of Paine followed an emergency Board meeting. “The Board of Cricket Australia has endorsed Tim Paine to step in as Acting Captain for the remainder of this Test,” he said. “Both Steve and David will take to the field today under Tim’s captaincy. The Board fully supports the process for an immediate investigation into what occurred in Cape Town. We regard this as a matter of the utmost seriousness and urgency. We will ensure we have all information available to make the right decisions for Australian cricket.”The ICC confirmed that the umpires had first been made aware of the possibility of ball tampering by television replays on the big screen at Newlands. The on-field umpires Richard Illingworth and Nigel Llong then spoke to Bancroft and Smith before they, the third umpire Ian Gould, and fourth umpire Allahudien Palekar laid the ball-tampering charges. They did not replace the ball nor award South Africa five penalty runs because they did not believe the ball’s condition had been changed.”The decision made by the leadership group of the Australian team to act in this way is clearly contrary to the spirit of the game, risks causing significant damage to the integrity of the match, the players and the sport itself, and is therefore ‘serious’ in nature,” the ICC chief executive David Richardson said. “As captain, Steve Smith must take full responsibility for the actions of his players and it is appropriate that he be suspended. The game needs to have a hard look at itself. In recent weeks we have seen incidents of ugly sledging, send-offs, dissent against umpires’ decisions, a walk-off, ball tampering, and some ordinary off-field behaviour.”The ICC needs to do more to prevent poor behaviour and better police the spirit of the game, defining more clearly what is expected of players and enforcing the regulations in a consistent fashion. In addition, and most importantly, Member countries need to show more accountability for their teams’ conduct. Winning is important but not at the expense of the spirit of the game which is intrinsic and precious to the sport of cricket. We have to raise the bar across all areas.”The match referee Andy Pycroft said he hoped Bancroft would learn from the episode. “To carry a foreign object on to the field of play with the intention of changing the condition of the ball to gain an unfair advantage over your opponent is against not only the Laws, but the Spirit of the game as well,” he said. “That said, I acknowledge that Cameron has accepted responsibility for his actions by pleading guilty to the charge and apologising publicly. As a young player starting out in international cricket, I hope the lessons learned from this episode will strongly influence the way he plays the game during the rest of his career.”There was no indication, meanwhile, that Smith or Warner were under threat to retain their roles as captains of Rajasthan Royals or Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL. The Twenty20 tournament is due to commence shortly after the conclusion of tour of South Africa.

Leeds United endured quite the summer of ups and downs, with the transfer window resulting in a number of key departures, as well as impressive incomings. Daniel Farke was forced to say goodbye to the likes of Luis Sinisterra, and Tyler Adams, but was at least boosted by the arrival of Joel Piroe, who has hit the ground running at Elland Road.

When it comes to results so far this season, having played five Championship games, the Yorkshire club have looked like a side still trying to recover after their departures, with just two wins to their name, including one in their latest outing against Millwall, in which they impressed to comfortably win 3-0.

Off the pitch, meanwhile, it seems as though the Whites are still trying to get organised, too, which could yet see one particular star offered a new deal and wage increase in an attempt to secure his future at the club, according to reports.

What's the latest Leeds United news?

In an ideal world, Leeds would have kept hold of every single one of their star players during the summer transfer window, but such is the ruthless nature of the transfer window, that turned out to be anything but the case.

One player that the Yorkshire club did manage to keep a hold of, however, is Wilfried Gnonto, who was denied a move in the summer, even after reportedly handing in a transfer request, and refusing to play.

Since the window has slammed shut, the Italian winger has been an important part of Farke's plans, too, and, with that, Leeds are still keen to keep hold of him when January comes around.

According to Pete O'Rourke of Football Insider, Leeds are set to offer Gnonto a new deal before January, which will include a wage increase. As things stand, the winger's current deal is worth a reported £20k per-week, and is set to expire in 2027.

How has Wilfried Gnonto performed this season?

So far this season, like the rest of the Leeds squad, Gnonto has been inconsistent, but has still shown some impressive glimpses. Having started four games, the teenager has one goal to his name, which came in his side's first win of the season against Ipswich. As the campaign goes on, and he potentially seeks to attract future suitors, there's no doubting that Gnonto will hope to have a hand in more goals.

At his best, the winger has earned plenty of praise, including from Gary Neville, who said, via The Daily Mail, last season: "To see someone so mature, so young is very unusual in that position. Sometimes you see potential and talent but watching him so closely, his understanding of where to be, his choice of pass, when to run with it, his awareness of teammates, really good honestly."

It's no surprise, given his talent, that Leeds are doing everything they can to keep hold of Gnonto. They successfully did just that in the summer, and now they'll be asked to repeat that achievement in January. The winger is certainly one to keep an eye on.

Rangers’ underwhelming season continues.

On Sunday, the Light Blues battled to a 3-1 victory over Hearts at Tynecastle, with Václav Černý on target in Edinburgh, while Jamie McCart scored not one but two unfortunate own goals.

That makes it five Premiership wins in a row for Philippe Clement’s team, who are unbeaten in nine league matches since Boxing Day, but this matters very little, considering they remain 13 points adrift Celtic, set for a trophyless campaign, having been ignominiously dumped out of the Scottish Cup by Queen’s Park.

So, all the Light Blues really have to play for is the Europa League, set to face one of Bodø/Glimt, Anderlercht, Fenerbahçe or Twente in the round of 16.

In recent times, Rangers supporters have loved their Europa League Thursdays, getting all the way to the final three seasons ago, and one of the stars of the run to Seville is impressing at another Scottish club, so will they rue letting him go for free?

Rangers' struggles in front of goal

Rangers have now failed to score on five occasions this season, most notably against Queen’s Park in that historic cup defeat, while, despite bagging three at Tynecastle this weekend, they’ve only netted 19 times in 13 Premiership away matches.

So, let’s compare Rangers’ goal-scoring issues to previous campaigns.

Statistics

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

2024/25

Premiership goals scored

80

93

87

54

Premiership away goals scored

40

43

36

19

Premiership matches scored nil

2

2

3

3

Premiership matches scoring 4+

6

8

6

3

Goals-per-game in Europe

1.4

0.8

1.3

1.7

Rangers are currently on course to score 78 goals in this season’s Premiership, their lowest tally for a completed campaign since 2017/18, while their current tally of 19 goals away from home means they’re projected to score just 28 times on the road, their fewest since returning to the top division.

Failure to score in any of their remaining 12 league fixtures would be record-breaking, while they’ve only scored four, or more, on three occasions in the league so far, down from six during the previous campaign.

On the flip side, the Gers have scored 16 goals in eight Europa League matches so far, netting at least once during all of their league phase fixtures, including putting four past both Steaua Bucharest and Nice.

Nevertheless, consistent goalscoring is a clear weakness for this team, so did they make a mistake letting a goalscoring midfielder depart for free?

Ex-Rangers midfielder flying back at former club

Scott Arfield will always go down in history as Steven Gerrard’s first-ever signing as Rangers manager, arriving on a free transfer from Burnley in 2018, and what an excellent edition this proved to be.

He made 233 appearances for the Light Blues, scoring 43 goals and providing 19 assists, winning the Premiership title and a Scottish Cup, also a key member of the side who reached the Europa League Final, featuring in 16 European fixtures that season.

Then manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst described the Canadian international as “really important”, before the midfielder departed to join Major League Soccer outfit Charlotte FC, following the expiration of his contract in 2023.

He spent 12 months in North Carolina, making 33 appearances and scoring three goals, before returning to British football with Bolton Wanderers in EFL League One, albeit he featured just 16 times for the Trotters.

Arfield was then on the move again, re-joining Scottish Championship side Falkirk in January, returning to the club he had departed 15 years earlier.

Where Are They Now

Well, fair to say he had an immediate impact, scoring less than 60 seconds into his second Bairns debut, bagging a hat-trick during a 5-2 victory over Partick Thistle, before scoring again during Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Ayr.

This means, in just two appearances back in Scotland, Arfield has now scored twice as many league goals as Rangers’ Nedim Bajrami has managed all season. The pair both have four goals between them across all competitions this season, yet Bajrami has made double the number of appearances.

Falkirk, who won the League One title unbeaten last season, are currently top of the Championship, seeking a second successive promotion that would take them into the top-flight for the first time since 2010.

Some supporters may have noticed that, whatever club he has been at, Arfield always wears the number 37 shirt, but the heartbreaking story behind this has only recently come to light.

This is a tribute to his former teammate Craig Gowans who, at the age of just 17, was killed back in 2005 when a metal pole he was holding collided with an overhead electricity pylon.

As outlined by Andrew Slaven of the Scottish Football Show, Falkirk had previously retired the number 37 shirt, with Arfield phoning up Gowans’ father asking for permission to wear it, who replied “wear it with pride”, a gesture Slaven describes as ‘really special’.

As well as being classy off the park, Arfield has shown he still has plenty to offer on it, even if at Championship level, emphasising he might just be the exact type of goal-scoring midfielder – and Bajrami upgrade – that Rangers are missing.

Cantwell signed instead: Rangers missed out on star who's now worth £110m

Rangers missed out on signing a player who is now one of the best in the Premier League

ByRoss Kilvington Feb 17, 2025

Ollie Pope’s second century of the season deepened the belief that he is a young batsman to reckon with

ECB Reporters Network11-May-2018
ScorecardOllie Pope celebrates his century•Getty ImagesOllie Pope enhanced his reputation as one of the best young batsmen in the country by scoring his second Specsavers County Championship hundred of the season to lead Surrey’s fightback against Yorkshire at the Kia Oval.England captain Joe Root, leading Yorkshire for only the fourth time after Gary Ballance was struck down by illness, saw Surrey slump to 69 for 4 on a well-grassed pitch.But Pope, who is playing only his tenth first-class match, added an unbeaten 131 to his 145 against Hampshire last month as Surrey recovered to 366 for 7 at stumps on day one.The 20-year-old helped Dean Elgar (61) add 68 for the fifth wicket then counter-attacked with Rikki Clarke in a punishing stand of 129 in 28.2 overs for the seventh wicket as batting conditions improved.Pope played some eye-catching shots through the off side and picked off anything aimed at his pads when Yorkshire’s seamers tried a leg-stump line. He left well too and his only moment of alarm came when he took a single into the covers to reach 50 and would have been run out had Harry Brook’s throw at the non-striker’s end hit the stumps.His second 50 came off 67 balls while Clarke offered made the most of a life on 16 when he was put down at slip by Cheteshwar Pujara. His 71 off 91 balls included ten fours and two sixes, both swiped over mid-wicket off Josh Shaw, and he reached 10,000 first-class runs when he was on 26.The stand was broken when Adam Lyth held on at the second attempt at second slip in Jack Brooks’ first over with the second new ball but Pope and Jade Dernbach punished some wayward bowling before stumps, adding 72 in 11 overs. Pope has faced 194 balls and hit 22 fours.Rikki Clarke has reached 10,000 runs•ESPNcricinfo LtdIt was all in sharp contrast to a difficult morning for Surrey as the Yorkshire seamers shared four top-order wickets. England opener Mark Stoneman’s tough start to the domestic season – he has yet to pass 30 so far – continued when he was lbw half-forward to Tim Bresnan. Rory Burns became Brooks’ 400th first-class wicket, Scott Borthwick played a very loose shot outside off stump and Ben Foakes feathered a thin edge off Steve Patterson.Elgar stood firm though as he passed 50 for the first time since joining Surrey and it was a surprise when he lost his leg stump when Root came on after lunch to bowl his off-breaks. It was Root’s first Championship wicket for 13 months.When Patterson angled the ball across Sam Curran to pick up his second wicket Surrey were 162 for 6 but then Pope and Clarke changed the complexion of the day.

Malinga had earlier said he would not be returning to Sri Lanka until the end of the IPL, where he is serving as Mumbai Indians’ bowling mentor

Madushka Balasuriya 02-May-2018Lasith Malinga’s international future has been put in further doubt after SLC told the 34-year old fast bowler that the only way he could get back into the team was by playing domestic cricket.Malinga was up for selection in Sri Lanka’s domestic Inter-Provincial one-day tournament, which is set to begin on May 2. However, prior to the announcement of squads, he stated that he would not be returning to the island until the end of the IPL, where he is serving as Mumbai Indians’ bowling mentor.”The selectors wanted him back, and he has to play domestic cricket according to them,” SLC President Thilanga Sumathipala said. “We’re playing our white-ball tournament, and 50-over and T20. I’m sure before the next international engagement which is South Africa and then the Asia Cup and so forth, he needs to play T20 games and 50 overs. If Lasith is not playing a domestic tournament, the selectors will have to make a call.”Despite performing well in T20s domestically over the last few months, picking up 17 wickets in 8 matches at an average of 11.35, Malinga was overlooked for the Nidahas Trophy in March. In fact, he hasn’t played for Sri Lanka since last September, having returned from a lengthy injury layoff at the start of 2017.Since then, his ODI form – 10 wickets in 13 ODIs at an average of 62 – has been patchy. He has had a good run in T20s, picking up 12 wickets in six games at 16.50. Malinga believes this, along with his domestic form, warrants a return to the national team starting with Sri Lanka’s home series against South Africa in July.SLC CEO Ashley De Silva assured Malinga was still in the minds of selectors, but said that his future inclusion hinged on the fast bowler proving himself domestically.”He has made himself available for selection and selectors have also picked him to play in one of the provinces,” de Silva said. “He hasn’t given any indication that he would be retiring, neither have the selectors given him an indication that they would not be considering him. So therefore if he performs well domestically he will be considered.”

Sheffield United slipped up on Monday night when Leeds United came to town with the Whites running out as 3-1 victors in the Championship.

But, the ball is firmly in the Blades’ court next match with a trip to Queens Park Rangers giving them a perfect opportunity to bounce back, with third-placed Burnley not playing this coming Saturday owing to the FA Cup.

Chris Wilder will know that even if his team do move up to the Premier League once more, a number of his top talents could still be poached, with that gutting reality happening to the Blades under Paul Heckingbottom before the cursed 2023/24 season got underway as Sander Berge departed.

Sander Berge's time at Sheffield United

This news would have been a bitter pill to swallow, considering Berge had become a real fan’s favourite in South Yorkshire after a £22m move from KRC Genk.

In total, the Norwegian notched up 109 appearances at Bramall Lane across four campaigns, with his most impactful season coming right at the death in terms of goals and assists.

Berge helped himself to a stunning six goals and five assists across 37 league games to steer his side to automatic promotion glory, taking his overall tally to 15 strikes and 12 assists, before a move to Turf Moor then materialised.

But, it was his well-rounded game from the middle of the park that would have really caught the eye of the devoted Bramall Lane masses, with 4.3 duels won per second-tier clash that season when the Nordic ace had to roll his sleeves up and put in some gritty displays.

The ex-United number 8 has since solidified himself as a Premier League calibre star at Fulham, with a current midfield talent in Wilder’s ranks hopeful he can make an impression on the top-flight soon as the 57-year-old’s very own Berge.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Chris Wilder's new version of Sander Berge

Coincidentally, United now have another star taking the Championship by storm having also been purchased from Belgium.

That man was Vinicius Souza who left Lommel S.K. behind in the summer of 2023 for a fresh challenge in England.

Wolverhampton Wanderers were reportedly interested at one stage too, but the South Yorkshire side would win their desired Brazilian who has slotted in perfectly to Championship football this campaign so far.

The 25-year-old might not possess the same flair in terms of providing goals or assists when comparing his overall game to Berge’s, but Souza didn’t look out of his depth completely during United’s bottom-of-the-table top-flight finish.

He won a sizeable 6.1 duels during his debut Premier League season, more than making up for just one goal finding the back of the net.

The £30k-per-week ace still hasn’t come alive with his output in the division below, but he continues to be a brute centrally, with Wilder going as far to say that Souza is a “leader” for his side with his constant full-blooded displays.

Games played

26

Games started

25

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches*

62.0

Accurate passes*

41.2 (88%)

Tackles*

3.2

Ball interceptions*

4.3

Total duels won*

7.0

Looking at the table above, it’s clear Souza prides himself on being dogged and determined with his duels won bumped up to seven in the second tier, but he is also capable of being a classy operator on the ball.

That was seen in United’s devastating 3-1 loss to Leeds – despite the final score being a kick in the teeth – with 32 accurate passes alongside three successful dribbles to try and make something happen from the middle.

Wilder will just hope Souza’s efforts can help his team climb back up to the Premier League like Berge managed, but there will be a concern this tale plays out like the Scandinavian’s did with the South American rumoured to be worth around £30m last summer.

Sheffield United's "super signing" is now looking like Brewster 2.0

Sheffield United fans will feel slightly let down by this buy once lauded as outstanding.

1 ByKelan Sarson Feb 25, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur are a side on a seemingly unstoppable road to success thus far, with Ange Postecoglou their triumphant leader set to lead them back to where they will feel they belong.

His role in turning things around in north London has been nothing short of miraculous, given how devastating last season's failure under Antonio Conte proved to be.

Dejan Kulusevski, who was actually signed by the Italian coach, spoke frankly over the summer regarding just how damaging a year it proved to be: "The months during the World Cup were really bad, I must say, it was really, really bad.

“We trained so hard but there was no energy, it was dark and we were in London. We drove and we drove and really thought we would be prepared when the season started again, but the joy wasn’t there, the desire to play wasn’t there, the energy… everything was down."

So, with the affable Australian now at the helm, there already seems to be a newfound positivity surrounding the club, with almost everyone benefitting from his presence.

However, it could be argued that few have seen such a sharp upturn in form more than Cristian Romero, who has seemingly evolved overnight from a reckless livewire at the back into a reliable stalwart with which their immense new philosophy is built from the foundation he provides.

How good is Cristian Romero?

Having joined from Atalanta, again under Conte's leadership, the £42m expended instantly put a huge weight on his shoulders.

It was expected that the 25-year-old would prove to be an instant hit in N17, as a rock-solid stalwart set to underpin the staunch, often defence-first mindset employed by the coach that had just led them back into the Champions League.

And whilst he did largely impress, there were moments of foolishness that seemingly characterised his play style, with former Spurs boss Tim Sherwood outlining one example back in May: "Ollie Watkins goes and gets a straight ball off the midfield player, and Romero just comes through him.

“There’s absolutely no reason why he should. He’s a liability, this guy. I think he has got a lot of qualities, but he keeps making these rash challenges all over the pitch, and he has done it again today. It looks like he has cost them."

However, being promoted to part of Postecoglou's leadership group has seemingly done wonders for his confidence and composure, with the former Celtic man having lauded the contribution of his defensive ace: "I will tell you what, I wouldn’t like to play against him [Romero].

Most of the boys don’t like to train against him. He’s a real competitor and I love that about him. Whether it’s training or a game, what you see is what you get with Romero.”

Such a notion shows up in the data, with his 7.43 average rating for the current Premier League term a reward for his fine form, further buoyed by a 92% pass accuracy alongside 2.4 tackles, 3.3 clearances and 5.7 ball recoveries per game, via Sofascore.

Why does Cristian Romero need an heir?

Whilst the Argentina international has been ever-present for the Lilywhites this season, and thus it might be questioned why someone so young would even need an heir, it must be remembered that there is always scope for things to go disastrously wrong.

After all, although the centre-back is seemingly far calmer, that does not completely rule out moments of head loss that could see him dismissed and banned for subsequent matches. Postecoglou must account for this.

Not to mention that injury woes have already plagued the World Cup winner on several occasions since his 2021 move, with six different ailments reportedly sustained whilst with the club having seen him miss at least 33 games.

However, arguably the biggest reason for requiring an heir is merely to keep him engaged, ensuring that the £165k-per-week colossus remains focused and playing his best football, with the knowledge that an ample stand-in is waiting to take his spot.

1

Richarlison (Everton)

2

Cristian Romero (Atalanta)

3

Yves Bissouma (Brighton and Hove Albion)

4

Rodrigo Bentancur (Juventus)

5

Destiny Udogie (Udinese)

All stats via Transfermarkt

Although they might have to wait until next year to boast such a perfect replacement, Joe Rodon is slowly gaining vital experience on loan with Leeds United, and could return to north London with a serious point to prove should he maintain his current form.

How good is Joe Rodon?

"Joe [Rodon] belongs to our last row, he had to be there with many clearances, was an aerial threat, even with a little cut under his eyebrow, he was willing to go [on], so he showed warrior mentality," noted Daniel Farke after his side's conclusive 3-0 win over Millwall just last month.

A glowing recommendation for one of two Spurs loanees he tempted over the summer, already it has become clear that the Welshman in particular could play a key role in any promotion aspirations they hold.

After all, his knowledge of the Championship is already phenomenal, but then with recent experience with Rennes in Ligue 1, and with Wales at the international level, it should come as no surprise to already see the 25-year-old dominate.

His 90% pass accuracy is admirable, which this season has been paired with 1.4 interceptions and 2.9 clearances per game, via Sofascore. Clearly boasting a similar adeptness with the ball at his feet, whilst retaining his defensive steel, the similarities with Romero are there to be seen.

Not only this, but his quality possession was further outlined by journalist Paul Abbandonato, who branded him a "Rolls Royce" when previewing the bright future of Welsh football back in 2020.

With his humble beginnings likely not to have produced an inflated ego, but with a clear desire to reach the top that his move from Swansea to the Lilywhites showcased, it is clear that Postecoglou has seemingly inherited the perfect backup for his first-choice centre-back, who is set to boast more than enough quality for such a role, but without upsetting squad harmony should his play time be limited.

Whilst Romero and Micky van de Ven are set to dominate at the back for the foreseeable future, there is no harm in bringing Rodon back into the fold next term, ready to challenge them both for a starting spot and offer much-needed healthy competition without having to break the bank.