India offspinner Harbhajan Singh has slammed the MSK Prasad-led selection committee’s decision to drop Karun Nair.On Saturday, Nair was dropped from India’s Test squad for the home series against West Indies. He was left out after spending all five Tests on the England tour on the bench.”This is a mystery that needs to be solved,” Harbhajan, who worked as television commentator on the England tour, told PTI. “How can a person sitting on the bench for three months become so bad that he is not good enough to remain in the squad? Trust me, I am at pains to understand the thinking of this selection committee and the parameters that they are using for selecting national squads.”Nair made his Test debut in 2016 series against England, in which made an unbeaten 303 in the third Test in Chennai. Since then, he has played only three home Tests, against Australia, and none since March 2017. Nair has had a high score of 26 in four innings in Test cricket since his triple-century.Getty Images
After the Australia series, Nair was dropped for the home and away series against Sri Lanka and for the Tests in South Africa. He was named for the one-off Test against Afghanistan, but did not make the playing XI. In July, he travelled with India A to England, where he made two fifties in six first-class innings against England Lions and West Indies A, with a top score of 93.To compound the confusion over Nair’s role in the squad, he was overlooked for the final Test against England this summer even when reinforcements were required; India handed a debut to Andhra batsman Hanuma Vihari, who was not a part of the original squad, at The Oval.”I find different set of rules for different players. There are some who are given a long rope to succeed while for select others they don’t even get one chance to fail. That is not fair,” Harbhajan said. “What if Hanuma Vihari fails in two Test matches against West Indies? Though I would never wish something like that for any player. I wish him [Vihari] all the very best.”But [if Vihari is not able to deliver] you will go back to Nair but will he be battle-ready with confidence for Australia tour [at the end of 2018]?”Harbhajan also questioned whether the team management and the selection committee were on the same page. “If team management did not play Karun for five Tests, then it means that he couldn’t inspire confidence in them.”Well, my question is whether the selectors were able to convince the captain while naming Karun for England series? If not, did they seriously consider the name that team management had in mind. Hope all concerned with team selection undergo course correction before they decide on the [squad for the] Australia tour.”
Eden Park likes to produce a tight game. Six of New Zealand’s last eight ODIs here can certainly lay claim to the tag of a nipper. On the eve of the decider against South Africa (these two have history at the ground) here’s a rundown
Andrew McGlashan in Auckland03-Mar-2017Lost by two wickets v West Indies, 2013Darren Sammy carried West Indies over the line in a low-scorer•Getty ImagesFor all the talk of short boundaries at Eden Park, the bowlers have more than their fair share of moments. Having been put in, New Zealand crashed to 156 all out (98 of the runs coming from the McCullum brothers) as firstly Jason Holder and Ravi Rampaul – plus one of Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor’s mix-ups – then Dwayne Bravo did the damage. But West Indies made heavy weather of the chase as Mitchell McClenaghan took 5 for 58. The innings had barely passed halfway when Holder fell leaving them needing 10 to win with two wickets in hand. Darren Sammy was not taking any chances, clubbing McClenaghan for a six and a four in the space of three balls.Tied v India, 2014Ravindra Jadeja starred in 2014 when India earned a tie•Associated PressA Martin Guptill century had anchored New Zealand towards 314, although India’s bowlers fought back when it looked like 350 was touchable. In turn, they were swiftly out of the blocks but 64 without loss became 79 for 4. MS Dhoni helped rebuild, but when he fell for 50, brilliantly caught by Tim Southee, the game again looked lost at 184 for 6 in the 36th over. However, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja produced a rollicking stand of 85 in nine overs yet when last man Varun Aaron walked in, 29 were needed off 13 balls. Jadeja was given a life in the penultimate over, still 12 off three balls was cutting it fine. A four and six later it was two off one, but he could only drill the next delivery to one of the cluster of in-fielders. All square.Won by one wicket v Australia, 2015Six to win. Job done•Getty ImagesA bizarre game. Australia’s 80 for 1 became 106 for 9 in one of the most dramatic World Cup collapses (for an hour or so, anyway) as Trent Boult curved the ball through the middle order with five wickets in 17 balls. They scrambled to 151, but Brendon McCullum made minced meat of the new ball with 50 off 24 deliveries. When he found mid-off, New Zealand were 78 for 2 in the eighth over. It wasn’t even the dinner break. Then it was over to Mitchell Starc. Either side of the interval he castled Ross Taylor and Grant Elliott with consecutive balls. Still, Kane Williamson and Corey Anderson got New Zealand to within 21 when Anderson slogged to mid-on. In the blink of an eye, and a flash of zing bails, Boult walked in with Starc on a hat-trick and six required. Boult somehow survived, but Williamson wasn’t going to wait to see for how much longer. The next ball he received he drilled Pat Cummins over the short straight boundary. It wasn’t even dark, but everyone needed a lie down.Won by four wickets v South Africa, 2015Grant Elliott soaks it all in after his matchwinning innings in the World Cup semi-final•Getty ImagesDale Steyn. Grant Elliott. Six. That’s almost enough to say, but a magnificent game had many strands. South Africa were threatening to cut loose through AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis when one of the most important showers in New Zealand history blew through and zapped South Africa’s momentum. David Miller’s 18-ball 49 ensured it remained a daunting chase, but New Zealand didn’t feel it was out of sight. It was firmly in view when McCullum plundered 59 off 26 ferocious deliveries in an opening stand of 71 in 6.1 overs. Elliott arrived with consolidation needed and alongside Anderson added 103 in 16.2 overs. It came down to 23 off two overs. After Elliott was dropped, it was 12 off the last (or 11 for the tie which was also good enough for New Zealand) then 10 off 4. Daniel Vettori squirted the most important boundary of his life. Elliott was back on strike with five needed off two. It was back-of-a-length from Steyn. Elliott saw it early. Swung for the hills. Connected.Won by three wickets v Pakistan, 2016Mitchell Santner kept his cool after a chase against Pakistan got a little tight•Getty ImagesSomething a little more mundane this time, but still a frantic finish. New Zealand had appeared to time their chase pretty well needing 41 off the last five but there wasn’t much room for error. Then Anderson was given a reprieve when Billy Bowden didn’t spot an edge off Rahat Ali (Pakistan had used up their review) which was followed by consecutive sixes – 26 off 24 left breathing room and 13 off 18, after Mohammad Amir’s last over went for 13, should have been a cakewalk. Somehow, though, Pakistan pushed it out to six off the final over. Mitchell Santner pricked the tension with a crunching cover drive and after two teasing dot deliveries drilled the winning hit down the ground.Won by six runs v Australia, 2017Australia celebrate after clinging on for victory after Marcus Stoinis’ onslaught•Getty ImagesThis wasn’t looking like a thriller. For the third consecutive time at Eden Park, Australia’s top order had been blown away. From 67 for 6 chasing 287, they would even do well to just make a game of it. Marcus Stoinis, in just his second ODI, was 73 off 84 balls when Cummins, who had 36, was stumped with Australia needing 91 off nine overs. Then Stoinis really started swinging. Three sixes came off the next over from James Neesham. But just defiance, right? Starc came and went: 61 off 42 balls with one wicket in hand. Stoinis’ sixth six brought up a stunning century and three more followed off the next seven deliveries. He then survived a run out chance and a huge appeal for caught behind. Nineteen needed off 24, astonishingly the run rate wasn’t an issue. Two sixes later and the target was in single figures, the stand was worth 52 and Josh Hazlewood hadn’t faced a ball. Queue lengthy field changes. Southee them jammed in a yorker, Stoinis dug it out to Williamson at short mid-on (one of those field changes) but Hazlewood, similarly to Allan Donald in 1999 World Cup semi-final, had charged up the pitch. Williamson collected the ball, wasn’t balanced but somehow managed to back-hand it into the stumps.
Test teams are looking for solidity at the top, and batsmen are comfortable specialising in the format that suits their style
Karthik Krishnaswamy12-Feb-2017January 3, 2017. It is close to half-past noon at the Sydney Cricket Ground when David Warner manoeuvres Wahab Riaz through backward point, runs three, and leaps, fist pumping the air. He has become only the fifth batsman to score a hundred before lunch on the first morning of a Test match.At that point Warner is batting on 100 off 78 balls, and he has hit 17 fours. At the other end, Matt Renshaw, having faced two more balls than his opening partner, has made 21 with two fours.Warner falls in the sixth over after lunch, for 113 off 95 balls. Renshaw bats on until the sixth over of the second morning, when he is dismissed for 184 off 293 balls.Warner, 30, and Renshaw, 20, both bat left-handed and throw right-handed, but the paths they took to the Australian Test team couldn’t have been more different. Warner made his T20 debut for Australia before he had even played first-class cricket. Renshaw had only played 14 first-class matches before making his Test debut, but was – and is – yet to play T20 at any level, international or domestic.At first glance, Renshaw should be the anomaly and Warner the prototype of the Test-match opening batsman in the T20-dominated cricketing landscape they inhabit. This, however, is not so. A majority of the world’s Test line-ups now begin with a pair of opening batsmen who are not part of their country’s first-choice T20 side. Alastair Cook and Haseeb Hameed. Tom Latham and Jeet Raval. Kraigg Brathwaite and Leon Johnson. Stephen Cook and Dean Elgar. Dimuth Karunaratne and Kaushal Silva. Azhar Ali and Sami Aslam.Ten of those 12 have never played T20s for their country. Neither of the other two – Alastair Cook and Latham – has played one since November 2015. Brathwaite – who has been a first-class cricketer since 2009 – and Hameed, like Renshaw, haven’t even played T20s at the domestic level.As a result of this, the way Test teams combat the new ball has changed.Eight of the ten most prolific opening batsmen of this millennium have scored their runs at a strike rate of 50 or more. Four of them – Virender Sehwag, Warner, Chris Gayle and Matthew Hayden – have done so at 60-plus strike rates.KL Rahul is one young batsman who can adapt his style to any format•AFPSehwag, Gayle, Hayden and Tillakaratne Dilshan were thought to have changed Test cricket forever with their aggressive approach at the top of the order. That hasn’t been the case.The generation that has followed them seems to have retreated from “see ball, hit ball” to “see off new ball”. Only two of the ten top run-getters among openers since the start of 2015 – Warner and Martin Guptill – have scored their runs at 50-plus strike rates.Aakash Chopra, the former India opener, suggests teams worldwide are looking for solidity at the top of the order to try and arrest the trend of collapses that has beset Test cricket over the last few years.”I think technique has become slightly compromised a little bit in the recent past,” he says. “The number of collapses is unbelievable – if there’s anything in the pitch, you’ll see a collapse – whether it’s spinning, it’s swinging, whatever. If there is something out of the ordinary, there is an issue. So that fact perhaps explains that teams maybe realise you need openers with better skills.”Given that the skills required to open in Test cricket are so different from those required to open in T20, Chopra says a number of batsmen have realised they might be better off specialising in the format they are best suited to.”I feel the time has come when people have realised that as a Test opener, I’m okay being a Test player, I’m okay not to play T20 cricket. And the people who are playing T20 cricket are perhaps also okay with the fact that they’re only going to play T20. There will still be exceptions; KL Rahul is an exception, because I actually see him as this modern-day batsman who will fit into all three formats.”Someone like M Vijay, I think, has made up his mind, that Test cricket is my first priority, everything else is okay. Same is the case with Tom Latham – he’s again a Test batsman in the Test mould.”Virender Sehwag came to T20 as a fully formed Test batsman, unlike young openers of today•Getty ImagesThere is, concurrently, a parallel universe of openers who only play short-format cricket, containing the likes of Jason Roy, Johnson Charles and Aaron Finch. The few that have crossed over to Test cricket, such as Guptill and Alex Hales, have generally struggled to express themselves. England dropped Hales after he averaged 27.28, and scored at a strike rate of in his first 11 Tests.A group of attacking openers who made eye-catching starts to their Test careers – Adrian Barath, Phillip Hughes, Hamish Rutherford, Shikhar Dhawan – have not made a sustained impact, for one reason or another, and of their generation only Warner and Tamim Iqbal have gone on to establish themselves as regulars.Perhaps this could be because the likes of Sehwag and Gayle came to T20 late in their careers, by which time they were already successful long-format batsmen. Their style of play happened to suit T20 as well. The generation that replaced them had to adjust to T20 before they were fully formed.Chopra expects the next generation to be more comfortable shuttling between formats, and sees Rahul – who has scored hundreds for India in all formats – as a prototype of that new kind of opener.”It’s a process. There will still be exceptions to the rule,” Chopra says. “I keep mentioning KL Rahul because he that modern-day batsman. Sometimes we underestimate evolution, we believe that this is how it should be, but some humans have evolved so much that they say a Test opener can easily be a one-day opener or a T20 opener.”And it doesn’t even have to be a Sehwag. KL Rahul is otherwise a very correct kind of, straightforward kind of batsman.”Chopra says Vijay is similar to Rahul in the sense of having an orthodox technique as well as an ability to hit over the top, but found it more difficult to adjust between formats than Rahul – who arrived later on the scene – has done so far.”Temperamentally, for a while, [Vijay] was shuffling between Test, one-day, T20,” Chopra says. “He wasn’t sure of what he wanted, and therefore he was highly uncertain, but now he’s made up his mind that, okay, he’s solely a Test player.”So it’ll be interesting to see. In five to seven years, you’ll find another new phase coming in. You’ll have batsmen coming in who are equally successful in Test cricket, equally successful in one-day cricket, and will not even have to slog in T20.”
Leeds United are back in action in the Championship once again this evening as they prepare to welcome Norwich City to Elland Road, with the chance to move top of the league with a win.
Sheffield United’s comeback against Swansea on Tuesday night placed them at the top of the second tier, but three points for the Whites tonight would immediately put them back in first place.
Daniel Farke’s side should be high in confidence ahead of this clash with the Canaries after they beat Sheffield Wednesday 3-0 last time out on Sunday.
The West Yorkshire outfit could end the night level on points with Burnley, if they win their match, and only two points ahead of Sunderland if Norwich come to Elland Road and claim three points.
That illustrates how tight it is at the top of the Championship table and that is why Leeds may still be looking at their options in the January transfer window to see if they can improve the squad before the deadline.
The Whites have reportedly set their sights on attacking reinforcements as they have been linked with an interest in a forward who could become the manager’s next Emi Buendia…
Emi Buendia's magic for Farke
Leeds are reportedly battling it out with unnamed clubs from LaLga to land a loan deal for the Aston Villa attacking midfielder, as the Whites boss looks to reunite with the talented playmaker.
Former Norwich star Emi Buendia.
Farke worked with Buendia during his time at Norwich City, signing him from Getafe in the summer of 2018, and won two Championship titles in three seasons with the right-footed magician.
The German head coach lifted the second tier trophy in the 2018/19 and 2020/21 campaigns, with the Argentina international an influential figure in both of those successes due to his ability to score and create goals from an attacking midfield or wide position.
Emi Buendia (Championship)
18/19
20/21
Appearances
38
39
Goals
8
15
Big chances created
7
18
Key passes per game
2.4
3.1
Assists
12
16
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Buendia played a key role in those two promotion-winning seasons by contributing with 23 goals and 28 assists combined.
The 28-year-old star has, therefore, proven that he has the quality to make a consistent impact at the top end of the pitch at Championship level, whilst working under Farke, and that is why he could be a terrific signing for Leeds this month.
If Leeds are unable to strike a deal to sign Buendia, though, due to interest from LaLiga, then the German boss could unearth his new version of the former Norwich sensation by securing a deal to sign someone else.
Leeds in the race to sign Burnley star
According to Belgian outlet Voetbal Nieuws, as relayed by Sport Witness, Leeds are one of a number of clubs lining up a move to sign Burnley attacking midfielder Mike Tresor this month.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The report claims that the 25-year-old wizard is looking to move on from Turf Moor before the end of the January transfer window, as an outing in the FA Cup against Reading earlier this month was his only appearance of the season so far.
It states that the Clarets are also keen to part ways with the Belgian dynamo, who they signed on a permanent deal from Genk last summer after having him on loan in the Premier League last term, but it does not reveal exactly how much they are looking for in return for his services.
Voetbal Nieuws adds that Belgian sides Anderlecht and KAA Gent are also interested in a swoop for the Burnley outcast, whilst Dutch giants Ajax are among the clubs eyeing him up and are said to be Tresor’s preferred destination at this moment in time.
This suggests that this could be a difficult deal for Leeds to get over the line, given the competition for his signature and the fact he plays for a direct rival in the Championship, but it could be one that is well worth pushing for.
Tresor could arrive at Elland Road as Farke’s new version of Argentine magician Buendia. Here’s how they compare…
Why Tresor could be Farke's new Buendia
It is fair to say that Tresor has endured a difficult time in England since his initial move to Turf Moor on loan from Genk in the summer of 2023.
He only started three of his 16 appearances in the Premier League under Vincent Kompany in the 2023/24 campaign and has yet to play in the league under Scott Parker this term.
The 25-year-old gem has, therefore, not had many opportunities to truly showcase his quality in England, with just three starts, and Leeds could offer him a chance to play week-in-week-out to get back to his best on the pitch.
Tresor’s form for Genk in the 2022/23 campaign, before his move to Burnley, suggests that the potential is there for him to be a Buendia-esque talent for Farke if he can hit his stride in the final third again as an attacking midfielder or wide player.
22/23 Pro League
Mike Tresor
Starts
38
Goals
8
Big chances created
22
Key passes per game
2.8
Assists
24
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the Belgian sensation, whose form was praised as being “absolutely sensational” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, provided a regular threat at the top end of the pitch, particularly as a creator.
The Leeds target has the vision and technical ability in the final third to consistently unlock opposition defences to create high-quality chances for his teammates, which could help the likes of Joel Piroe and Mateo Joseph to thrive in the second half of the campaign.
He was directly involved in 32 goals in those 38 games, and that is more than Buendia was ever involved in in one season for Norwich, with 31 in the 2020/21 campaign being his best return, which speaks to his potential to make a huge impact as an attacking force.
Joseph upgrade: Leeds considering bid to sign "powerful" £4m striker
Leeds United are one of the clubs reportedly interested in the striker in January.
By
Dan Emery
Jan 21, 2025
Therefore, Farke could unearth his new version of the Argentine ace, and forget about a swoop for the Aston Villa man, by securing a deal to sign Tresor from Burnley this month, because he has the playmaking and goalscoring tools to emerge as a star for Leeds.
Newcastle United will hope to advance to the fifth round of the FA Cup this weekend, meeting Birmingham City in the Midlands.
Eddie Howe’s side are also battling to lift gold in England’s other top domestic competition, meeting Liverpool at Wembley in March’s final, and it’s all pointing toward a rather exciting business end to the 2024/25 campaign.
It didn’t always feel like it was going to be a barnstorming campaign for the Magpies, who had trundled out of the gates after a disappointing summer of spending.
Newcastle United managerEddieHowecelebrates after the match
But, fronted by the brilliant Alexander Isak, United are poised for a return to European competition and indeed have another shot at silverware, seeking to end a 70-year drought.
Isak is the key.
Alexander Isak's season in numbers
Mention the name Isak to Alan Shearer and you’ll get a stream of effusions about one of the best centre-forwards to have ever graced the Premier League pitch.
After all the ballyhoo, though, Isak truly is one of the finest goalscorers in the business, with Shearer labelling him as a “world-class assassin” during one recent striker-to-striker interview.
Newcastle’s stunning two-legged victory over Arsenal to set up a Carabao Cup final with Liverpool is all the buzz on Tyneside at the moment, but justly so.
Perhaps the biggest testament that could be bestowed upon the Sweden star’s skill set would be that he didn’t score or assist against Arsenal on Tuesday evening but still earned the roaring support of St. James’ Park and beyond, putting in a complete display that many other top strikers fail to produce.
He’s one of a kind, and Newcastle fans treasure the knowledge that he leads their line. However, PIF might never have authorised his sale had things worked out better with Chris Wood, who fell by the wayside in black and white but has since picked himself back up.
Why Newcastle sold Chris Wood
When Howe was anointed as Steve Bruce’s replacement, significant changes were made. It was January 2022. Kieran Trippier and Dan Burn reinforced the backline; Bruno Guimaraes marked a Galactico-esque addition to the midfield.
Newcastle United captain Kieran Trippier.
Newcastle were embroiled in a relegation battle but felt that they could leap from the pit of the Premier League with well-worked investment, and Wood was also targeted to strengthen the striking department.
Burnley’s talisman had been a consistent source of goals under Sean Dyche and was signed for a sizeable £25m fee, but he failed to replicate his solid striking record under Howe’s leadership.
Pundit Tam McManus commented that Wood looked “a bit lost” during his St. James’ Park stay, failing to slot into the frontal position with the kind of fluency that has been evidenced with other English clubs.
Despite reaching double figures in all four of his full Premier League campaigns with the Clarets, Wood only managed to notch five strikes across 39 fixtures for Newcastle, with his target-man-like style not quite working in Howe’s set-up.
The New Zealand native was only ever a stop-gap, and United chiefs will be happy to have convinced Nottingham Forest to pay £15m to take him off their hands.
They will be less chuffed, however, with his success over the past two campaigns.
Chris Wood's incredible campaign
Wood joined Forest on loan in January 2023, with his move turning permanent the following summer. The 33-year-old’s journey at the City Ground has been remarkable, posting 33 goals across just 67 appearances.
Neco Williams and Chris Wood
Last season, the Kiwi striker provided Forest with the perfect focal presence as they fought to stave off relegation from the Premier League, Nuno Espirito Santo replacing Steve Cooper before Christmas.
The Tricky Trees did their job, with Wood scoring 14 goals across 31 top-flight matches. However, few – if any – will have foreseen Wood’s incredible performances this season,
1.
Mohamed Salah
23
21
2.
Erling Haaland
24
19
3.
Alexander Isak
22
17
3=
Chris Wood
24
17
5.
Cole Palmer
24
14
5=
Bryan Mbeumo
24
14
The fact that Wood is scoring as many as Isak in the Premier League bears testament to his experience and success as the spear-point of Nuno’s high-flying Forest side.
Last time out in the Premier League, Forest decimated Brighton & Hove Albion, putting seven past the South Coast side. Naturally, the 6 foot 3 titan claimed a hat-trick.
Digging deeper into the forward’s brilliance, Wood has triumphed with a balanced approach to his shooting, scoring nine Premier League goals with his right foot, six with his head and two with his left, as per Sofascore. This level of protean threat has given Nuno the perfect focal point, capable of scoring from every which way.
Wood actually ranks among the top 10% of centre-forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals scored per 90, as per FBref, highlighting the quality that Newcastle saw in him. He differs greatly from Isak but could have been the perfect foil in a fully functioning Howe system.
With Callum Wilson barely featuring this term as he succumbs to injury problems and approaches the end of his contract and the 21-year-old William Osula, signed from Sheffield United for a £15m fee last summer – yet to start in the English top-flight as he continues to develop – this would have been quite the dimension – perhaps proving the difference-maker in a side that is already riding the crest of a wave.
Wood’s failure to hit the mark on Tyneside doesn’t really matter now that Isak is banging them in for fun, but he earned a big wage at £80k per week and Newcastle lost £10m in straight transfer funding on a player who offered very little.
That said, the new era was bound to have one or two blunders on the market, and the overall success of the strategy has negated the fumble with this one.
Howe may have unearthed his own Nobby Solano in Newcastle's "unsung hero"
Newcastle brushed Arsenal aside over two legs to advance to the final of the Carabao Cup.
da gbg bet： Leeds United are believed to be in talks with one club over the exit of an Elland Road youngster who has the same agent as Ao Tanaka.
Leeds move on youngsters in January window
da poker： The Whites remain without a new addition for Daniel Farke with just days remaining of the January transfer window. Ahead of Saturday’s Championship encounter with Cardiff City at Elland Road, Farke was quizzed on the speculation surrounding any new arrivals.
“The news is that I have to survive one more press conference”, Farke said on Leeds’ transfer plans.
“I spoke quite open with the whole situation – I’m not a big friend of the January window. Options are limited or overpriced. You always need to do something if you have injuries. If you are top of the league and have a really good season.
“To improve a team playing such a good season, bringing someone in could be risky. We will stay awake for the last hour of the window. We will do something if all boxes are ticked. This group is top of the league after 29 games. We need players who have the right quality, character and is affordable. If not, then we stick with what we’ve got.”
The club have moved on a number of fringe youngsters, though, with Joe Gelhardt joining Hull City on loan and Charlie Crew signing for Doncaster Rovers until the end of the season.
Leeds now ready new offer to sign "brilliant" striker who's keen on move
Daniel Farke is on the hunt for offensive reinforcements.
ByBarney Lane Jan 31, 2025
A deal has also been agreed for Sonny Perkins to make his move to Leyton Orient permanent, and it looks as if another youngster could be on the way out before the deadline as Leeds work on a move to sign a new forward.
Leeds in talks over exit for Jeremiah Mullen
According to The Yorkshire Evening Post, Leeds are in talks with Scottish side Dunfermline Athletic over a move to sign defender Jeremiah Mullen.
The 20-year-old moved to Yorkshire back in 2020 from Liverpool and has been a part of Leeds’ academy set-up ever since, however, he is out of contract at the end of the season.
Leeds senior players out of contract in 2025
Junior Firpo
Sam Byram
Josuha Guilavougi
Leeds U21s out of contract in 2025
Rory Mahady
Harry Christy
Jeremiah Mullen
Kris Moore
Joe Richards
Cian Coleman
Daniel Toulson
Joe Snowdon
Max McFadden
Marley Wilson
Amari Miller
A deal is yet to be agreed with Dunfermline for the Scotland U21 international, who actually featured in Farke’s first pre-season as Leeds boss in a friendly with Manchester United.
He has featured on 10 occasions for Leeds in Premier League 2 this season, scoring in a 3-0 win at Tottenham back in September.
Mullen, who shares the same CAA Base agency as Tanaka, had a brief spell on loan in Scotland with Inverness, and a move to Dunfermline, currently in the Scottish Championship, could now be on the cards, making this one to watch in the final days of the window.
Aston Villa have now made contact over the signing of an “impressive” Bundesliga star who is enjoying a fantastic season, according to a report.
Villa could be set for a busy January
There has been a lot of activity at Villa Park in the first two weeks of the January transfer window, with Unai Emery looking to strengthen his squad heading into the second half of the season.
Borussia Dortmund’s Donyell Malen recently became Emery’s first January signing, and the manager has now expressed his happiness about getting a deal done, saying: “We are excited how he can help us and these players. Hopefully we can get his best.”
In terms of outgoings, Jaden Philogene has now completed a permanent move to fellow Premier League side Ipswich Town for a fee of around £20m, which could provide the Villans with important funds to do more transfer business this month.
Aston Villa join race to sign "exciting" new £21m+ striker alongside Malen
The Villans are wasting little time…
ByTom Cunningham Jan 15, 2025
Foot Mercato has now provided an update on a player Villa are targeting, reporting they have asked for information about Mainz’s Anthony Caci, but there is set to be stiff competition for his signature. The former Strasbourg man’s passing ability has particularly caught the eye, and now a whole host of top clubs from across Europe are queuing up for his signature.
Caci is also attracting interest from the likes of Fulham, Valencia, Benfica and Borussia Dortmund, having been impressed by his performances this season, but Mainz are in a strong negotiating position, given that he is contracted until 2027.
However, if the Bundesliga side receive a big offer, they would be willing to consider a sale, indicating that a deal could be there to be done if Villa formalise their interest with an official bid.
Aston Villa’s upcoming Premier League fixtures
Date
Arsenal (a)
January 18th
West Ham United (h)
January 26th
Wolverhampton Wanderers (a)
February 1st
Ipswich Town (h)
February 15th
Chelsea (h)
February 22nd
Caci could be a versatile option for Emery
The report details that the 27-year-old has predominantly played at right-back this season, and he has clearly put in some quality performances, having been nominated for the Bundesliga Player of the Month award back in November.
The Frenchman has amassed four assists in 17 league outings, while also filling in at centre-back, as he has done many times throughout his career, showcasing his versatility by also getting regular minutes at left-back and on the flanks.
Mainz'sAnthonyCaciin action with Borussia Dortmund's Julian RyersonMainz'sAnthonyCaciin action with Borussia Dortmund's Julian Ryerson
As such, the “impressive” Mainz star could be capable of pushing Matty Cash for a starting spot at right-back, but he would also be able to deputise in different positions, which could make him very useful, given that Villa set for a busy second half of the season.
The Villans are yet to make a formal offer for Caci, but it is promising news they have now made contact over a deal, positioning themselves to potentially make a move during the final two weeks of the January transfer window.
da bet sport： Observados durante a edição de 2022 da Taça das Favelas, no Rio de Janeiro, cinco jovens iniciaram nesta semana um processo de observação no Ninho do Urubu, CT do Flamengo.Quatro jogadores são do Muquiço, de Deodoro, que conquistou o campeonato no último dia 8. O quinto atuou pelo CRB Dick, que foi o vice-campeão.
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da prosport bet： Richard Fernandes (atacante), Kayke Alves (goleiro), Juan Diego (meia) e Patrick Tavares (atacante) destacaram-se pelo Muquiço na Taça das Favelas. Do CRB Dick, o clube convidou William Santos (atacante) para o período de avaliação. Os atletas têm idade para atuar no Sub-17.
O Flamengo acompanha de perto todas as edições da Taça das Favelas e tinha observadores trabalhando no campeonato em 2022.
Long gone is the “little brother vs big brother” equation in Bangladesh-England matches. The 2015 World Cup game brought a bit of edge into the contests, and then came the pushing and shoving between players in the end-of-game beeline during the last bilateral series back in 2016. Since then, this fixture has become a ‘proper contest’ although the two sides are playing a bilateral series after a seven-year gap.This is now a battle between the world champions and the team that aspires to be new world champions. Bangladesh have won seven home ODI series in a row after beating India in December. Mehidy Hasan Miraz single-handedly won them two games but it is the nature of the Bangladesh team these days that they have matchwinners all through the XI.Related
Moeen: England 'really looking forward' to thriving in packed Mirpur
Hathurusingha: Overcoming England's pace-bowling challenge will be Bangladesh's biggest test
'Absolutely normal' – Tamim Iqbal on his on-field relationship with Shakib Al Hasan
Tamim Iqbal, who missed the India series through a groin injury, returns to a strong line-up that includes Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah. But these days, Litton Das, Mehidy and Taskin Ahmed are dangerous opponents too.England will have their hands full, but there’s also a lot of respect for this side in Bangladesh. The English players are BPL regulars, and even played plenty of Dhaka Premier League in the past decade. Just like everywhere else in the world, England now have better understanding of conditions, attitudes and cultures, and Bangladesh expects nothing different this time.They will be without Harry Brook and Ben Duckett – who are in New Zealand with the Test side – but they have Will Jacks, James Vince and Mark Wood among their recalls into the ODI side. Rehan Ahmed is another intriguing inclusion, given how the Dhaka pitches tend to assist spinners.It promises to be a great contest between the England and the side, like many others around the world, that wants to be the next England.
Form guide
Bangladesh LWWWL England WLLLL
In the spotlight: Tamim-Shakib and Moeen
Much of the focus will be on how Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan carry themselves in the wake of the BCB president’s revelations that they don’t see eye-to-eye. Tamim has stressed that their on-field relationship is sound, and that’s all that matters. They have been the most successful cricketers for Bangladesh, and both are current captains. But would the opposition let them forget this topic when they are batting together in the middle?There will be a lot riding on how Moeen Ali comes into the game in the middle-order and middle overs. Moeen’s role as vice-captain was essential to England’s T20 World Cup success in Australia and he has the skills to make a difference in the subcontinent, ahead of the ODI World Cup in India in October-November. Moeen’s local knowledge – he was with the Comilla Victorians that lifted their fourth BPL title two weeks ago – will come handy, especially to know when the press the accelerator.
Team news: Taijul, Rehan in focus
Tamim will slot into Anamul Haque’s place. Taijul Islam could play in Ebadot Hossain’s slot as the third specialist spinner.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal (capt), 2 Litton Das, 3 Shakib Al Hasan, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 5 Mahmudullah, 6 Afif Hossain, 7 Towhid Hridoy, 8 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 9 Taskin Ahmed, 10 Taijul Islam, 11 Mustafizur Rahman.England are expected to lean towards picking an extra spin-bowling allrounder in Will Jacks, rather than an extra seamer. They are likely to rotate the quicks over the course of the tour. Rehan Ahmed is likely to get a game at some stage in the series, but missed two days of training this week due to illness.England (possible): 1 Jason Roy, 2 Phil Salt, 3 Dawid Malan, 4 James Vince, 5 Jos Buttler (capt/wk), 6 Will Jacks, 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Sam Curran, 9 Chris Woakes/Mark Wood, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Jofra Archer/Saqib Mahmood.Will Jacks made the trip to Bangladesh during England’s defeat in Wellington•Gareth Copley/Getty Images
Pitch and conditions
The Shere Bangla National Stadium pitch is expected to assist spinners as usual, but the BPL’s knockout phase, couple of weeks ago, saw plenty of runs scored here. The 12pm start time is to avoid heavy dew after sunset.
Stats and trivia
Shakib is six wickets away from becoming the first Bangladesh bowler to take 300 ODI wickets.
Shakib has another milestone on his radar. He and Mushfiqur are 165 and 189 runs away, respectively, from reaching 7,000 ODI runs.
Moeen needs four wickets to complete 100 ODI wickets.
The series will be broadcast live by Sky Sports and on the ECB website after a last-minute deal with the BCB.
Quotes
“They are the world champions. They have one team playing somewhere else, they have another team here. They have mind-blowing depth of talent. We want to see where we are at, and find out the gap that we have to bridge. If we do well in these conditions, it will give us confidence.” “We have lost 8 in the last 10 but we are also the champions of the world and have done well before that. And actually, we haven’t really had our best team for a lot of the time recently.”
India middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer has been ruled out of the ODI series against New Zealand because of a back injury. He has been replaced in the squad by Madhya Pradesh and RCB batter Rajat Patidar.It is learned that Iyer reported a stiff back immediately after the final ODI of the series against Sri Lanka on Sunday. Keeping in mind he is part of the Test squad for the series against Australia in February, BCCI’s medical staff decided to ask him to head to the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru as a precautionary measure. As it stands Iyer, who reached NCA on Monday, is scheduled to rejoin the India squad in Nagpur for a preparatory camp ahead of the first Test against Australia on February 9.Iyer made scores of 28, 28 and 38 batting at No. 4 in India’s 3-0 victory in the ODI series against Sri Lanka. He is India’s second highest run-scorer in ODIs since 2022, after Shubman Gill, scoring 818 at an average of 51.12 and strike rate of 92.95.His replacement in the ODI squad, Patidar, is yet to make his international debut. Patidar, 29, was part of the squad for the ODI series in Bangladesh last December but did not get a game. He has 1648 runs in 51 List A games at an average of 34.33 and strike rate of 97.45.Iyer’s absence could give Suryakumar Yadav the chance of a consistent run in the ODI side. Suryakumar played only the third ODI against Sri Lanka, scoring 4 off 4 balls at No. 6.India’s first ODI against New Zealand is on January 18 in Hyderabad, followed by games in Raipur (January 21) and Indore (January 24).India’s updated ODI squad against New Zealand Rohit Sharma (capt), Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan (wk), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, KS Bharat (wk), Hardik Pandya (vc), Rajat Patidar, Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umran Malik.