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Celtic would reportedly love to complete the signing of an "amazing" player this summer, and the individual in question would "walk" to Parkhead.

Celtic transfer news

There is plenty of transfer talk surrounding the Hoops currently, as they look to conduct some eye-catching business in the summer transfer window. One player who is being linked with a permanent move to Parkhead is Paulo Bernardo, who impressed on loan in 2023/24 and appears to be keen on a longer stint at the club. A latest update has suggested that Celtic are in talks with him over the move.

Replacing the retired Joe Hart is surely one of the most important areas of focus ahead of next season and Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher has emerged as an exciting option for the Scottish Premiership champions. In fact, Brendan Rodgers is believed to be plotting a £10m move for the Irishman, who could jump at the opportunity to be a regular elsewhere, with the world-class Alisson keeping him out of the team at Anfield.

Another rumoured target is FC Lausanne-Sport winger Alvyn Sanches, who Celtic are interested in bringing in alongside both Bernardo and Adam Idah this summer, with the latter potentially making his loan move from Norwich City a permanent one.

Celtic would love to sign Tierney who is set to leave Arsenal

According to a new report from TEAMtalk, Celtic would love to re-sign Kieran Tierney in the summer transfer window, and he would "walk back" to Parkhead. The report does state Arsenal are set to sell the defender but that "the reality is they won’t be able to afford his price tag", however, which could put paid to the transfer coming to fruition.

The idea of the £109,000-a-week Tierney back in a Celtic shirt is something that would likely appeal to so many supporters, considering what a popular figure he was before departing for Arsenal. The fact that he is keen on a return also adds to the feel-good factor, but his current club are unlikely to allow him to leave on the cheap, which is a big issue.

The Scotland international was arguably one of the standout players in the Scottish Premiership at that point, hence earning a move to a club the size of the Gunners in the summer of 2019, and he won five league titles and three Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cups apiece in that time.

Tierney made 170 appearances in that time, and his attacking ability was highlighted by a total of 37 assists in that time, and Arsenal left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko once said of him: "He is an amazing player. Even when I was at City I was watching his games. I think it is good competition for each of us."

Celtic in talks to sign "brilliant" player for just £3.5m

He wants to join.

By
Ben Browning

Jun 6, 2024

It does look as though Celtic will be priced out of bringing the 27-year-old back to Parkhead, however, which is a huge shame, but the hope is that the situation changes and the Hoops are able to somehow regain the services of their popular former defender.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot’s future at Anfield has come into question after his team dropped points in their 3-3 draw with Leeds United in the Premier League on Saturday.

The Dutchman, who won the title in his first season, has lost ten of his 23 matches in all competitions, including six in the top-flight, this term.

On top of that, Mohamed Salah has claimed that his relationship with the manager has broken down after being on the bench for the third straight game against Leeds.

The Salah situation and the poor results this season have put pressure on the former Feyenoord tactician, with the club reportedly looking at potential replacements.

Liverpool have admiration for national team manager

Dave OCKOP reports that Steven Gerrard has been sounded out as a potential interim to come in and steady the ship if FSG decide to part ways with Slot in the coming days or weeks.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

The report claims that Liverpool are also admirers of Germany national team head coach Julian Nagelsmann, previously of Bayern Munich and Hoffenheim.

It adds that the 38-year-old manager is expected to lead his country to the World Cup in America, Canada, and Mexico next summer, though, which means that he will not be available immediately.

Dave OCKOP suggests that the German tactician may be available after the World Cup, though, which is where Gerrard stepping in as an interim option could make sense.

If Liverpool were to eventually bring Nagelsmann in as their long-term replacement for Slot, he would be the perfect appointment to get the best out of Florian Wirtz.

Why Nagelsmann would be perfect for Wirtz

To say that Wirtz has not lived up to expectations in a Liverpool shirt so far would probably be an understatement, as he has yet to deliver a single goal or assist in the Premier League, per Sofascore.

The Reds splashed out £116m to sign the attacking midfielder from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer transfer window, and he has racked up no goals and three assists in 19 appearances in all competitions.

Slot has simply been unable to get the best out of the huge-money signing, who produced 16 goals and 14 assists for Leverkusen last term (Sofascore), but Nagelsmann could come in to get him flying at Anfield.

Wirtz’s form for Germany at international level is proof that he could shine for the Reds if Nagelsmann replaces Slot in the dugout, because he has proven that he can perform in that system.

Caps

27

3rd

Goals

8

1st

Assists

6

2nd

Goals + assists

14

1st

As you can see in the table above, the Liverpool attacking midfielder has been the most impactful attacker of the manager’s reign with the national team, providing more goals and assists combined than any other player.

For further context, Wirtz scored no goals and provided three assists in his first ten caps for Germany before Nagelsmann took the job, which shows that the ex-Bayern boss can get the best out of him.

The 38-year-old boss was once described as the “best young coach in Europe” by reporter Josh Bunting in 2022, and it is still hard to argue with that assessment in the present day.

Mikel Arteta, 43, and Xabi Alonso, 44, are two of the brightest young coaches in the game, managing Arsenal and Real Madrid, yet they have won as many league titles combined (one) as Nagelsmann has, having won the Bundesliga with Bayern, and he is five and six years younger than them.

The German boss won 2.31 points per game during his time with Bayern, per Transfermarkt, whilst Slot has won 2.00 points per game across 79 matches with Liverpool to date.

This suggests that Nagelsmann could come in as an upgrade on the Dutchman as an all-round manager, whilst also being the perfect appointment to get the best out of Wirtz at Anfield.

As bad as Konate: Slot must axe 6/10 Liverpool star who made 0 tackles

Liverpool blew a two-goal lead to draw 3-3 against Leeds United at Elland Road.

ByAngus Sinclair 5 days ago

Therefore, it could be a good move for FSG to bring Gerrard in as an interim appointment with a view to landing Nagelsmann next summer, if they decide that parting ways with Slot is the route that they want to go down in the coming weeks.

England stuck to their “no fear” philosophy and came good to level the series in Pune, testament to faith in their methods as well as the strength in depth they possess in the batting department. Even without Joe Root, who has been rested for this series, and the injured Eoin Morgan and Sam Billings, England powered to a target of 337 on the back of Jonny Bairstow’s hundred and a 52-ball 99 from Ben Stokes.Despite having collapsed in the face of a smaller target in the first ODI, going from 135 without loss after 14.1 overs to 251 all out, England showed no signs of changing their approach. Another century opening stand was followed by Bairstow and Stokes opening up the throttle during a partnership of 175 in 18.5 overs, as England got home with more than six overs to spare.”Obviously we were bitterly disappointed in that first game, with the way that we played the chase, but I think it was pretty clear that we were going to go out with the same intent as we always do,” Stokes told the host broadcaster Star Sports. “We’re really happy that we managed to get over the line quite easily, especially when India set a really challenging total. [The pitch] was probably a bit quicker than the first game, but over the years we’ve set big totals, we’ve chased big totals, so we don’t really fear too much, to be honest, and we go out and we always try and play as positively as we can.”That sentiment was echoed by Bairstow, who followed up 94 from 66 balls in the first match with 124 from 112 to set up a series decider on Sunday, the final encounter of England’s tour of India.”If you actually break the game down only from a couple of days ago, we were way ahead of the game,” he said. “A couple of bits happened and a couple of wickets fell but we were way ahead of that game and that was something that we went away and spoke about and identified. To win that, chase down 337 with six-seven overs left and six wickets in the shed is something that we were really pleased with.”England were forced to make two changes to their batting line-up after the first ODI, with captain Morgan ruled out of the series by a hand injury and Billings missing with a bruised collar bone. Dawid Malan, currently the No. 1-ranked T20I batsman, came in for only his second ODI appearance and alongside Liam Livingstone saw England home after a minor wobble in which they lost 3 for 2 in nine balls.The sight of Livingstone, on debut, striking Bhuvneshwar Kumar for back-to-back sixes having barely taken any time to settle at the crease was again indicative of England’s aggression.”I think that’s the biggest thing, and we’ve spoken about it for a period of time now, that strength in depth in the squad,” Bairstow said. “You’ve seen it many times, people coming in and performing. And also, Morgs has spoken about backing people that are in place in their positions because if you’re in a side and you’re not sure if you’re playing the next game, it can add some anxieties to it. But with the way that Morgs has gone about it, if you’re playing and you’re in possession he’ll give you a proper crack.Having scored his 11th ODI hundred, Bairstow is now behind only Root, Morgan and Marcus Trescothick for England. All of Bairstow’s centuries have come since he moved up to open in 2017, during which time he has formed a formidable opening partnership with Roy.”Well naturally I’d like to have the most ODI hundreds for England. I’m happy. I think that’s the biggest thing since opening the batting. I’ve got 11 [hundreds], I think I’ve opened only 56-57 [56] times so yeah I’m happy with those figures – but they mean nothing if you don’t keep converting them in the future. So, look, I’m happy with how I’m playing cricket at the moment and I’m really enjoying it.”Related

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• Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes decimate India to level series

• Stats – Sixes galore and spin suffers in record-breaking England win

• Hardik Pandya could be in line for a Test return in England

While Bairstow and Roy have now added 13 century opening stands together in ODIs, this was only the second time that Bairstow and Stokes have notched three figures together. They were particularly severe on India’s spinners, Kuldeep Yadav and Krunal Pandya, during a five-over period that went for 87, with Stokes in destructive mood – from 50 off 40 balls, he went 6-6-6-1-6-4-2-6-6-2-4 before tickling a Kumar bouncer behind.”We speak about match-ups in our changing room, and against the opposition, and I took the decision that with the spinners coming on, that was my match-up, to take the risk and just let Jonny keep doing his thing,” Stokes said. “He’s in unbelievable form at the moment so you don’t really need to be talking too much to him. Just let him get on with his business. But it’s all about picking your match-ups.”Bairstow added that his and Stokes’ complementary strengths meant that “people don’t like to bowl at us”.”You can make the obvious comparisons of being right-handed and left-handed,” he said. “Because then all of a sudden if there’s a left-arm orthodox that’s turning it into Ben, then give him the strike because you know the power and how destructive he can be and vice versa.”I think that we complement each other well, like with Jason at the top of the order. But then [Stokes] being the left-hander and scoring in some slightly different areas, you’re making the bowler of think all the time as to where they need to deliver the ball. It’s a good place to be.”

Chelsea are already making their presence known ahead of the January transfer window and could now be set to enact a blockbuster move for Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson, under certain conditions.

The Blues have enjoyed an impressive start to the campaign under Enzo Maresca, despite having to find their way a little at Stamford Bridge, leaving them third in the Premier League standings as the international break unfolds.

With a notably young squad after a summer transfer spend of nearly £300 million, it was never going to be easy for them to adapt, albeit they have managed to create a sense of stability on the pitch and could stake a claim for the title if their current form persists.

Half the battle is being able to sell a vision to new recruits. In the case of Estevao, the young Brazilian has revealed that he had a private conversation with former Chelsea star Thiago Silva before opting to put pen to paper in West London.

He said via Sky Sports: “That’s right, after the last Brazilian Serie A game in 2024. We had a brief conversation, he came and spoke to me, and told me (I would like the club a lot), that the club had an incredible structure. For sure, we are seeing that now that the club has everything I need and an incredible set up, incredible people that work there.

“So yeah, I spoke to him after the game. I was really happy because Thiago Silva is an idol of this club, it was an incredible opportunity. So for the rest of that year I was anticipating it. I watched a lot of Chelsea games so I could see who I would be working with here, and thanks to God it’s all going well here.”

In truth, BlueCo have shown a real penchant for snapping up some of world football’s most elite young talent, and that extends far beyond Estevao.

While Chelsea are frontrunners to sign Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton, they are also reportedly becoming a genuine contender to acquire one of his competitors for a slot in the England starting line-up.

Chelsea keen on Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson

According to Mark Brus in his Daily Briefing via CaughtOffside, Chelsea have laid some groundwork over signing Forest’s Anderson through extensive scouting missions, and could look to act after his excellent start to the top-flight campaign.

Lauded by Thomas Tuchel as “one of the best midfielders in the Premier League”, the 23-year-old has notched a solitary goal and an assist apiece in 14 appearances this term, but his performances at the City Ground have earned rave reviews.

However, they may not be able to complete any move for the Whitley Bay-born star until they sell a player to clear expenditure, and it is unlikely that Enzo Fernández will be sacrificed to make way for the ex-Newcastle United man.

Manchester United are also in pursuit and may be one to watch in the race for his signature, albeit Kobbie Mainoo is an alternative name that could fill any vacant midfield berths at Stamford Bridge.

Conceivably, there could be a few moving parts to this story, but Chelsea's strong interest in Anderson could pave the way for another big-money incoming if Maresca's side feel he is worth the risk. Chelsea are also ready to perform a last-minute hijack to land a Real Madrid star

GOAL analyzes the biggest storylines of the Americans playing abroad this weekend

While MLS is pacing towards the postseason, the European seasons – where most of the U.S. men's national team plays – is still in the early phases.

Despite just a few weeks into the European season, there are numerous storylines to follow.

Weston McKennie, after almost leaving Juventus this summer, has done enough to play his way back into Thiago Motta's setup. Antonee Robinson continues to impress for Fulham. Meanwhile, Folarin Balogun might just be finding some form for Monaco after a slow start.

And further down the European leagues, there's plenty to look out for. This feels like a crucial week for some of the top players in the setup, who don't have long left to impress Mauricio Pochettino ahead of his first camp as the USMNT's head coach.

Here is a look at some of the biggest names and the biggest games ahead of what will be another full weekend of action for Americans Abroad.

GettyWhat's next for McKennie?

How confusing must it be to be McKennie? The USMNT midfielder seems to go through the same cycle every year: Manager tries to exile him, he works his way back into the side, and stays there on the back of a string of strong performances.

The same pattern seems to be forming again here, with the American now starting in the last two matches for Thiago Motta's side. He was excellent in his first start of the year against PSV in the Champions League, and solid in the drab draw with Napoli last weekend. This weekend, he figures to have a bit more room to play against a struggling Genoa side that has won just one of their last five.

After tallying 10 assists in all competitions last year, he has shown that he can be the creative influence that an otherwise static need.

AdvertisementGettyCan Antonee Robinson show he's one of the Premier League's best?

It has suddenly become quite a quiet era for left backs. Once a great position of strength in the Premier League, there are fewer and fewer traditional full backs in England's top flight. Robinson, though, is steadily becoming one of the best at that position. After an impressive campaign for Fulham in which he was named the team's player of the season, he has started this one in equally impressive fashion.

He already has two assists to his name and is in the 99th percentile among full backs in interceptions per 90 minutes, according to . A fixture against Nottingham Forest, and the in-form Callum Hudson-Odoi, should be a real challenge. But he's risen to meet every single one so far.

AFPFolarin Balogun to hit his stride?

Two weeks ago, it was all doom and gloom with Balogun. The striker hadn't scored a goal for Monaco before the international break, and a couple of underwhelming showings for the USMNT, and there was already scattered talk about his questionable fit for Monaco.

Well, goals are the currency of success for strikers, and he's finally off the mark. Balogun took his first of the season well, bagging against Le Havre to draw Monaco level on points with PSG and Marseille atop Ligue 1.

That would seem to be enough to earn him another start, as his side take on Montpellier on Saturday evening. He has already developed a good understanding with Nigerian teenage sensation George Ilenikhena. This weekend, Balogun has further opportunities to show how good he can be.

USA Today SportsGaga Slonina faces a tough opponent

Barnsley have quietly negotiated their way to a solid start in League One. The Yorkshire side are third in the table after seven match weeks. And although the duo of Birmingham and Wrexham is already pulling away atop the league, Barnsley seem to be among the glut of teams that will fight for a spot in the playoffs.

And this week could be a busy one for USMNT goalkeeper Gaga Slonina in goal for the promotion hopefuls. He will face Stockport County, paced by the lethal Louie Barry. A player once lauded by Jude Bellingham, the tricky winger has been a menace thus far this season. He is among the league's top goalscorers and is a lethal finisher on his day. It will, of course, be a team effort to limit the winger. But Slonina will need to be as error free as possible against a real dangerman.

It will be a real test for the goalkeeper, who doesn't have long to impress ahead of the USMNT's first camp with Pochettino.

Coach offers backing to Ollie Pope and Jamie Smith, says tourists aiming “stay tight, keep morale high”

Vithushan Ehantharajah08-Dec-2025

The viral clip of Liverpool’s media manager reacting to Mohammed Salah’s explosive mixed zone interaction on Saturday struck a chord over in Brisbane.Just under 10,210 miles separate Elland Road and the Gabba, where England head coach Brendon McCullum, in the aftermath of a second eight-wicket Ashes defeat, stated he thought the team had trained too much. The sentiments were as far apart as the straight-line distance, but the reaction was still the same: why, oh why, have you gone and said that?The motivation behind McCullum’s comments, which are likely to live in infamy, is far easier to unpick. For this England Test team enjoy the luxury of shelter from the realities of top-level, international sport. A bubble that may be invisible but has long been audible, with the head coach, and, up until his press conference after the second Test, the captain, Ben Stokes, the two prominent voices quipping down missiles headed for their citizens.Related

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McCullum: England 'over-prepared' in second Test build-up

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For England's batters, the heart seems unwilling and the mind unconvinced

Judging by the reactions, McCullum’s latest attempt has only attracted more unfriendly fire. Particularly at him. Though his contract runs until 2027, a deal which takes into account his white-ball head coach role, he will likely be first for the block if things go further south. Depending on how badly it goes – who can rule out 5-0 right now? – he won’t be the only collateral.”When you’re in positions as we are as captain and coach, you wear a lot of that burden,” McCullum said. “You wear a lot of that responsibility and that’s what you sign up for.”Of course, that coddling of their players does not seem helpful right now. In taking away the stresses and strains of Test cricket, England seem to lack the on-field appreciation that this supposed to be hard. It supposed to hurt. The struggle real, even six days into a five-match Test series.You would not wish adversity upon anyone. But in life, one way or another, it comes for us all. What you do wish, above all else, is that the people you care for are equipped to deal with such adversity.The merits of the McCullum and Stokes approach – and, by proxy, managing director Rob Key – are hard to remember at this juncture. But it’s worth trying.For starters, it is worth considering that first summer in 2022, when a team who had won one in 17 successfully pulled off four of their top 15 biggest chases. That included a new best of 378 against India, who also found themselves on the wrong end of the second-highest earlier this year.We can throw in the victory in Hyderabad and, more presciently, the comeback from 2-0 down during the last Ashes series. Ultimately, McCullum has made a home in the intersection of the sports psychology Venn diagram, nestled between what players need to hear and what they want to hear. Suggesting that five days of training leading into the Gabba Test might have been over the top plays on that idea that they wanted it too much.”There’s a fierce determination to succeed in this series, right?” McCullum said. “Sometimes that can get in your own way, clouds your judgement or affects your ability to make the right decisions in the right moments.”It’s a really fine balance between being fiercely driven, competitive and desperate to succeed, and that getting in the way of yourself.”It’s the coaches’ job to find that balance in them as well. I firmly believe it’s not training five days straight in sapping conditions as the answer. We need to keep a little bit in the tank physically, a little bit in the tank emotionally, to be able to allow yourself to embrace the conditions you’re being challenged with.”When you come to Australia, it’s such a stark contrast in each ground you go to and the surfaces you play on, you can’t just have one set preparation. You need to make sure you’re ready for whatever is coming and adapt to it. I didn’t think we were quite good enough at that in this Test with either bat or ball.”McCullum subsequently went on to back Ollie Pope, England’s No. 3 under Stokes and, from 2023 until this tour, their vice-captain. A promising 46 in the first Test at the Optus Stadium, featuring plenty of straight drives that suggested better balance and alignment, was followed by 33, 0 and 26. All four innings ended with wince-inducing dismissals that suggested in-play, in-series regressions despite a lot of hard work in the lead-up. Nevertheless, McCullum – unsurprisingly – is sticking by his man.”I think most people were frenetic outside off stump on this pitch tonight,” he said, which actually makes you wonder why England did not sit on that line during Australia’s mammoth first-innings of 511. “Popey has been number three. He’s done well. He’s averaged 40 odd [40.58] for us. He’s our number three here in Australia.”There was greater support for another Surrey man, Jamie Smith. The newest member of the top seven, the wicketkeeper’s arrival into the team at the start of 2024 was as the best of two worlds, between the glovework of Ben Foakes and the outlandish strokeplay of Jonny Bairstow. Right now, he is falling well short of both.A dropped catch off Travis Head and innings of 0 and 4 were the latest extensions of a batting decline that may be attributed to crouching behind the stumps far more than he is used to. Since the start of the summer, he has kept wicket for 1,375.3 overs across eight Tests. That amounts to around a third of what he has done for his entire first-class career for his county.Having begun the home series with India with scores of 40, 44, 184 not out, 88 and 5, he has averaged 10.14 in the next seven innings.Brendon McCullum speaks to the press•PA Photos/Getty Images

“He’s a flair player, and he likes to approach the game in a simple way,” McCullum said. “He works very hard on his game, but he also has the courage and conviction, when he feels he’s given himself the best chance. It doesn’t guarantee everything but I’m sure he’ll appreciate the conditions in Adelaide with the boundary sizes and the pitch.”That might not be music to the ears of those who feel both are problems to address, particularly Pope. But it will tell them and the rest of the squad – including those yet to see action – that the vibes, at least, remain tight.”One thing we won’t be changing is the language in the dressing room, the way we approach the game and the style we’ve tried to operate with,” McCullum said.”Ultimately, you can’t afford to flinch when come down here. This is not a country to start doubting yourself or to walk away from the challenge. You can’t have a glass jaw when you get to Australia. You’ve got to get up and go on.”The skill level among various players all around the world, there isn’t a stark contrast. It’s those who are able to handle the big moments, able to read conditions quickly and able to adapt, problem-solve situations – they are the ones to excel. If anything, our boys need a freshen up. A few days away wouldn’t be the worst thing.”As the tide goes against them, England will head to the surfers’ paradise of Noosa and try and get back on the board. That they will be joined by journalists and photographers looking for the latest pound of flesh will not deter them from cutting loose and expending the nervous energy that comes with a nine-day lead into the third Test in Adelaide.Typically, McCullum sees the pressure on himself and Stokes as something to savour. After all, it can’t go on like this, can it?”Look, that’s the thing; the captain and I, this is the fun stuff, right? Again, you don’t get to feel sorry for yourselves and both of us stress that. We’re both tough blokes who have been in this kind of pressure in your own careers or your own stages in your own lives. You’ve been in tough situations and there’s only one way to go about it and that’s to have that belief in yourself and trust those around you who you believe in. Make sure you stay tight, keep morale high within the group and keep getting towards what you’re trying to achieve.”If the coach and captain seemed worlds apart on Sunday night in the aftermath of defeat – McCullum chipper, Stokes spent – they will use the coming three-day break to realign themselves before flying to Adelaide on Saturday. The fightback starts here. The hard work, well, that will start at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday.”We’ve been here before, 2-0 down,” said McCullum looking to 2023, “and we came within a bee’s dick of getting ourselves the win, so there’s no point in feeling sorry for yourselves. That ends in all sorts of trouble.”Just pick yourselves up, dust yourselves off, sharpen off a few of the rough areas and keep heading towards the target.”

While it wasn’t the perfect weekend for Manchester City, it wasn’t far off.

The Citizens claimed all three points in what was a relatively routine win over Everton, while Liverpool lost at home to Manchester United.

So, while they are still three points behind Arsenal, Pep Guardiola’s side are now a point clear of the Reds in second place and look set to mount a proper challenge for the Premier League title.

Moreover, with Erling Haaland back to his very best, there is no reason they couldn’t overtake the Gunners, especially when another of Pep’s best signings is playing so well.

Pep's best Man City signings

On top of revolutionising the way the game is played in this country, Guardiola has also signed some of the very best players to grace the Premier League.

Chalkboard

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

For example, while he was already performing at a high level for Tottenham Hotspur, it would be hard to deny that Kyle Walker massively improved during his time in the North West.

During his time with the club, the Burnley ace made 319 appearances, during which he scored six goals, provided 23 assists, averaged 2.33 points per game and won everything there is to win in the club game, including a Champions League and six league titles.

Appearances

319

Starts

286

Minutes

25710′

Goals

6

Assists

23

Points per Game

2.33

Another stalwart of Pep’s best sides has been Rodri, as before his injury problems last season, he was one of the very best players in the world.

After all, the Spaniard is the only defensive midfielder to ever win the Ballon d’Or.

Moving on from defensive players, it’s hard to look past Bernardo Silva when it comes to the iconic manager’s best City signings.

The former AS Monaco dynamo moved to Manchester in the summer of 2017 and has since made an astounding 417 appearances across all competitions, in which he has scored 72 goals, provided 74 assists and dazzled fans all over the country with his mercurial abilities on the ball.

Finally, it would be impossible to talk about some of Guardiola’s best signings and not bring up Haaland.

The former Borussia Dortmund star made his way to the Etihad in the summer of 2022, and to say he has been a successful signing would be a laughable understatement.

Appearances

156

Starts

148

Minutes

12774′

Goals

138

Assists

22

Goal Involvements per Game

1.02

Minutes per Goal Involvement

79.83′

Points per Game

2.12

At the time of writing, the Leeds-born force of nature has scored 138 goals and provided 22 assists in 156 games for the club, totalling 12774 minutes.

In other words, the 25-year-old monster has averaged 1.02 goal involvements per game, or one every 79.83 minutes since joining City.

In all, it would be fair to say that Guardiola has signed more than his fair share of stars over the years, and it looks like he might have just landed his best since Haaland.

Guardiola's best signing since Haaland

Fortunately, there are a few players who could claim this title, from Josko Gvardiol to Savinho, but in this instance, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to look past Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Yes, the Italian international only joined City this summer, but he is already putting in brilliant performances for the club.

And while some may say he lacks the ball-playing ability of Ederson, he more than makes up for it with his shot-stopping, which is surely what matters most with a goalkeeper.

His game-saving abilities were on full show in the match away to Brentford, when he came out on top from a one-on-one situation with Igor Thiago.

Moreover, while it is still early on in his time at the Etihad, the numbers are already showing that he should be in the same conversations with the very best in the league.

For example, he has conceded just two goals, which works out to 0.40 per 90 and puts him just behind David Raya who many would consider to be a part of the best defensive unit in the league, if not the world.

Finally, on top of the promising start to his time in the North West, there are also plenty of examples of him putting in game-saving performances for Paris Saint-Germain and Italy over the years.

For example, in the Champions League semi-finals last season, he prevented 2.09 goals across both legs against Arsenal, which was enough to send the Parisians through and see Italy legend Alessandro Costacurta label him “the best in the world.”

Ultimately, so long as Donnarumma can keep up the form he is already showing this season, and replicate some of his incredible performances of seasons prior, then it might soon be a commonly held opinion that he’s City’s best signing since Haaland.

Man City eye South American star who may follow in Julian Alvarez's footsteps

The Citizens could follow a familiar trend in their latest pursuit.

BySean Markus Clifford Oct 19, 2025

The Plays of the day from the third day of the Mirpur Test between Bangladesh and West Indies

Mohammad Isam in Mirpur15-Nov-2012The reprieveWhen Shakib Al Hasan edged Ravi Rampaul to the wicketkeeper, Bangladesh were set back at 179 for 4. But umpire Bruce Oxenford checked for the no-ball, and the replays showed that Rampaul had overstepped by at least six inches. Shakib was on 26 and he quickly corrected himself by leaving the ball as much as possible when the seamer bowled from around the wicket. He went on to score 89.The shot out of characterNaeem Islam was a picture of calm when he took guard on the second evening. He continued to build on his innings quietly until Sunil Narine was introduced into the attack in the second hour. After defending the first ball, he slogged the next ball over mid-on for a boundary. Naeem’s intention to attack was a surprise given he had been mostly quiet for his previous 99 deliveries.The field placementDarren Sammy was running out of options when West Indies returned after lunch. With Shakib using the arc behind point and third man regularly, the West Indies captain decided to put three fieldsman deep in that area, within ten yards of each other. Soon after that, in the 69th over, Shakib threaded the gap between deep point and square third man.The frustrationIt had happened on the second evening when Tamim Iqbal got out to a “strange shot at a strange time”, by his own admission, when he was batting on 72. Shakib, on 89, would feel a little worse than the opener after he tried to chip Rampaul over Assad Fudadin at extra cover, but only hit it straight to the substitute. Shakib turned around and swished in the air, angry at himself, but there was no one else at fault but him.The private momentNaeem had spent 18 deliveries in the nineties but as soon as Tino Best gave him a freebie, he tickled one to the fine leg boundary and began celebrations in earnest. After a hug from captain Mushfiqur Rahim, Naeem covered his eyes with his forearm, conceivably rubbing off a tear. He quickly flashed a smile at his team-mates who came out of the dressing-room to congratulate him.The long waitVeerasammy Permaul was given a bowl quite late in the West Indies innings, the 31st over, and had to wait even longer for the first wicket. It came in his 22nd over, the 103rd of the Bangladesh innings. Mushfiqur was his first victim, drilling one straight back for an easy caught-and-bowled chance. It was however not his first wicket at this venue as he toured Bangladesh only a month ago for the Sagicor West Indies High Performance team.

Alex Hales made a statement with a rapid 84, while quicks Mark Wood and Sam Curran thwarted Australia’s bold chase as England stepped up their T20 World Cup preparations with a tight eight-run victory in the series opener in Perth.

Finch gets demerit point for inappropriate language

Australia captain Aaron Finch was reprimanded and handed one demerit point after the first T20I for breaching Article 2.3 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which relates to “use of an audible obscenity”. An ICC statement said the incident occurred during the ninth over of England’s innings, with the stump mic picking up what Finch had said.
Finch accepted the sanction handed out by match referee David Boon, so there was no formal hearing.
Four demerit points within a 24-month period equates to a suspension. This is the only demerit point on Finch’s record at present, and it will stay on his record for the next 24 months.

In a record 132-run opening partnership for England against Australia, Hales and the returning Jos Buttler flattened a weakened attack to power the tourists to a huge total.An aggressive Australia, who had dropped Steven Smith, were on pace with David Warner making his second consecutive half-century but England held their nerve through quality death bowling from Wood and Curran.It was a return of international cricket in Perth since the women’s T20 World Cup in February 2020 after an easing of strict Covid-19 measures. The final two games of the series will be played in Canberra starting on Wednesday.Buttler returns with bang, Hales puts hand upAgainst a second-string Australia attack on a fast Optus Stadium pitch, a golden opportunity loomed for Buttler and Hales, who had been given the nod ahead of Phil Salt.Buttler demonstrated his fitness from a nagging calf injury with a blistering assault in the opening over, smashing four boundaries off Cameron Green whose first international match on his home ground started disastrously.In all-out attack mode, Buttler was at his brilliant best with a slew of destructive shots all around the wicket, including consecutive outrageous scoops in the fifth over against exasperated quick Kane Richardson.Hales started slowly, by comparison, before finding his range as the pair smashed 58 runs in the powerplay. There was no lull immediately after with Buttler launching legspinner Mitchell Swepson for consecutive sixes. They notched a century stand within nine overs before Buttler finally fell in the 12th over to Nathan Ellis.Hales then took over in similar fashion to his dominance in the BBL to almost surely cement a spot in England’s T20 World Cup line-up.Ellis fuels late Australia fightbackResting their frontline attack for the sole match of the series in Perth, Australia were perhaps on a hiding to nothing.Captain Aaron Finch had hoped to take advantage of the overcast conditions and smattering of grass, but his inexperienced attack mostly copped a flogging. Green particularly struggled with a slew of half volleys and his confidence spiralled when he bowled a beamer in the 13th over.Australia were staring down the barrel before a late fightback helped limit the damage just a little. An accurate Ellis emerged relatively unscathed earlier in the innings before bowling a superb 19th over to claim Curran and Moeen Ali.Hitting the pitch hard, bowling a clever mix of slower deliveries, the 28-year-old was the clear standout with 3 for 20 from four overs while his fellow bowlers each conceded more than 9.75 runs per over.It further emphasised Ellis’ unlucky omission from Australia’s T20 World Cup squad having performed reliably when called upon.Aaron Finch was run out by a superb throw from Sam Curran•Getty Images

Warner, Stoinis keep Australia on trackFinch was listed to return as opener, but contentiously Green, who is not in Australia’s World Cup squad, remained at the top. The gamble backfired with Green’s horror match continuing when he fell for 1 to Reece Topley in the second over.Finch entered at No. 4 but he had a short stay at the crease after being run out on 12 through brilliant fielding from Curran.Warner continued where he left off against West Indies to keep Australia on track and he was joined by Marcus Stoinis, who returned after a side strain. Pressure had built on Stoinis after a lean period and the emergence of Green but he was in powerful form with a trio of sixes as Australia suddenly were in the box seat.Wood, Curran thwart Australia at the deathBowling with rapid pace, peaking at 154kph/96mph, Wood swung the match in the 15th over with the wickets of Stoinis and Tim David, who failed to score in his first international in his home town.There was drama in the 17th over when Matthew Wade appeared to have impeded Wood in his attempt for a return catch after top-edging into his helmet. England didn’t appeal and Wade then threatened to once again be the hero at the finish.Needing 16 runs off the final over, Wade started with a boundary to inch Australia closer but holed out two balls later as Curran bowled calmly in the clutch to seal victory for England.

تحدث الحكم الدولي، محمود البنا، عن أسباب إعلان قرار اعتزاله مبكرًا، ليضع حدًا لمسيرته التحكيمية التي امتدت لأربعة وعشرين عامًا.

وكان محمود البنا، قد أكد في بيان رسمي نشره عبر صفحته الرسمية على موقع التواصل الاجتماعي “فيسبوك”، أن قرار اعتزاله جاء نتيجة ظروف غير عادلة، طالع التفاصيل

وقال محمود البنا، ضيف برنامج “الكورة مع فايق”، على قناة “إم بي سي مصر”، عن سبب الاعتزال المبكر: “قرار الاعتزال هو الأصعب لأي شخص يعمل في كرة القدم، خاصة للحكم الذي يتحمل الضغط وحده، سواء في التدريب أو العلاج أو مواجهة الجماهير والسوشيال ميديا”.

وتابع: “تحملت كل ذلك لأنني أحب التحكيم وأشعر بالتقدير، لكن حين شعرت بأني لم أعد مقدرًا رغم تاريخي المحلي والدولي، قررت الاعتزال”.

وبسؤاله هل الاعتزال بسبب عدم القدرة على العطاء؟، نفى ذلك تمامًا، مؤكدا أنه ما زال في قمة مستواه، وكان ضمن نخبة حكام “A” في كاف، ومعه محمد معروف وأمين عمر المرشحان لكأس العالم، مضيفًا أن وجوده في هذه النخبة أكبر دليل على جاهزيته.

وذكر أنه تم استبعاده من القائمة الدولية، وبالتالي استبعد تلقائيًا من بطولة أمم إفريقيا 2026، رغم أن أحد مسؤولي كاف أكد له أنه سيكون موجودًا في البطولة.

وكشف أنه عندما صدرت القائمة تفاجأ باختفاء اسمه، وهو ما أدى أيضًا إلى فقدان مصر مقعدًا من مقاعد الحكام في البطولة، بعد أن انخفض العدد من سبعة حكام العام الماضي إلى ستة هذا الموسم، رغم خبرته ومشاركته السابقة في بطولتين لأمم إفريقيا.

وعن أزمته مع أوسكار رويز، رئيس لجنة الحكام، أوضح أن مشكلته بدأت بعد تولي أوسكار رويز مسؤولية التحكيم؛ إذ شعر بأن استبعاده كان شخصيًا، وخلال الفترة التي عمل فيها معه أدار فقط أربع مباريات، وهو ما رآه غير منطقي مقارنة بتاريخه، إذ يعد أكثر حكام جيله إدارة للمباريات (188 مباراة)، وأدار أكبر عدد من لقاءات الأندية الجماهيرية والمباريات الكبرى محليا وإفريقيا.

وأشار إلى أنه عندما تواصل مع لجنة الحكام، أخبروه أن رويز يستبعده دون أسباب واضحة، فتحدث معه ليعرفه بتاريخه وخبرته الدولية، لكن رويز، بحسب حديث البنا، لم يتقبل الحوار، وتكرر الاستبعاد عند بداية الموسم الجديد.

البنا أكد أن استبعاده من القائمة الدولية كان “المسمار الأخير” في قراره، فالقائمة لم تعلن رغم أن كل دول إفريقيا أعلنت قوائمها، وهو يرى أن استبعاده بلا مبرر، خاصة أن معايير اختيار القائمة واضحة: اللياقة البدنية، اللياقة الطبية، المستوى الفني، وفيفا يطلب أفضل سبعة حكام في هذه المعايير، متسائلا: “كيف لا أكون من بين السبعة وأنا الذي أدرت أهم مباريات الموسم مثل السوبر؟”.

ورغم أن رويز أسند له السوبر المصري، يرى البنا أن ذلك لا ينفي استبعاده المتعمد، إذ إن القرار النهائي بيد الاتحاد، الذي، بحسب قوله، منح رويز كل الصلاحيات.

وعن “تجديد الدماء”، رفض البنا مبرر تجديد القائمة، لأن مصر لديها بالفعل حكمان مرشحان لكأس العالم (معروف وأمين عمر)، والقائمة ليست بها أزمة تستدعي الإطاحة بحكم صاحب خبرات ومشاركات كبرى، كما أن التحكيم المصري ممثل في بطولات الكاف بعدد جيد من الحكام.