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Four Bangladesh batters also scored fifties, with Mahmudullah and Jaker adding an unbeaten 150 for the sixth wicket, but in vain

Mohammad Isam12-Dec-2024Amir Jangoo’s unbeaten 104 and Keacy Carty’s 95 helped West Indies scale a 322-run chase against Bangladesh in St Kitts. They won the series 3-0 after Jangoo became the first West Indian in 46 years to score a century on ODI debut. He guided the side with two rapid partnerships. It is also the fourth time that West Indies successfully chased a 300-plus target in ODIs.Jangoo added 132 runs for the fifth wicket with Carty, and after West Indies lost two wickets in quick succession, he combined with Gudakesh Motie for an unbroken 91-run partnership for the seventh wicket to take them home. Motie remained unbeaten on 44 off 31 balls, hitting three sixes and as many fours. Jangoo’s innings was resplendent with six fours and four sixes.Related

• Litton to lead Bangladesh in West Indies T20I series

• Keacy Carty gets maiden T20I call-up for West Indies' series against Bangladesh

Bangladesh had posted 321 for 5 on the back of four fifties. Mahmudullah and Jaker Ali added 150 runs in an unbroken sixth-wicket stand, a Bangladesh record. Bangladesh also struck 12 sixes in the innings, their second most in ODIs.Brandon King picked up where he had left off in the second ODI, cracking two fours and a six off Nasum Ahmed in the second over of the chase. His innings, however, was cut short in the same over after a mix-up with his opening partner Alick Athanaze over a non-existent run. Athanaze himself did not last long, getting yorked by Nasum in his next over.Keacy Carty was instrumental in the chase•Randy Brooks

Hasan Mahmud then had Shai Hope caught at slip for three before Sherfane Rutherford and Carty stabilised the innings with a 55-run fourth-wicket stand. Taskin Ahmed dealt West Indies a further blow when he dismissed Rutherford for 30.Carty, though, was steady at the other end, already having struck two fours. Afif dropped him on 22 before Carty went after the Bangladesh spinners in the middle overs. He struck Rishad Hossain for consecutive fours in the 18th over, before hammering Mehidy Hasan Miraz for a six and a four in the 21st over. Jangoo hit Nasum for three fours in a short span before lofting Afif for his first six.It was in the 34th over that Bangladesh, perhaps, let the game slip. Jangoo had miscued one off Rishad, only to see substitute fielder Parvez Hossain Emon drop the chance while running back ffrom mid-off. Rishad did dismiss Carty next ball, with Soumya taking a low catch at point, but Jangoo’s miss came back to haunt them.Immediately after Roston Chase’s dismissal, Jangoo slogged Mehidy for his second six, before Motie and Jangoo struck Mahmud for a six each in the 43rd over. They struck one four each in the following over bowled by Taskin, before the pair completed the chase.Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Soumya Sarkar added 136 runs for the third wicket•Randy Brooks

The day could have belonged to Bangladesh given how they batted. After a disastrous start, having lost both Tanzid Hasan and Litton Das in the third over to be reduced to 9 for 2, Soumya and Mehidy resurrected the innings with a 136-run stand for the third wicket. Alzarri Joseph hurried Tanzid with a bouncer with the left-hander top-edging a pull. Litton’s horror run in ODIs continued when he edged a wide one to King at first slip.Mehidy was positive from the outset, hitting five boundaries in the powerplay. Soumya, who was dropped on nought, opened up after the powerplay. He played the upper-cut against Romario Shepherd for a six, before pasting Chase and Motie for a six each in consecutive overs.Shortly after Soumya was dropped for a second time, on 45 by Jangoo, Mehidy struck debutant Jediah Blades for a four a six. Soumya added a four to take 16 runs off the over, before getting two more fours off his next. Soumya was on a roll when he struck Motie for his fourth six, but fell next ball when the left-arm spinner trapped him in front. Soumya’s 73 came at a run a ball, including six fours and four sixes.Six overs after Soumya’s dismissal, Rutherford’s accurate throw from point found Mehidy short at the striker’s end as he fell for 77 off 73 balls. Rutherford then had Afif Hossain caught at the midwicket boundary for 15, as Bangladesh again lost two wickets in quick succession.But Jaker and Mahmudullah dominated the end overs. After having added 96 in the first ODI, they bettered it this time. After Jaker struck his first two fours, Mahmudullah crashed Motie down the ground for his first six, before hitting Chase for his second, over long-off.Jaker joined the party when he slammed Shepherd over cover and then Mahmudullah dragged Rutherford from outside off over square-leg for six. Bangladesh scored 59 runs in the last four overs to push their total past 320, but it was not enough on the day.

عقد رئيس نادي الزمالك، حسين لبيب، جلسة مع المدير الرياضي جون إدوارد، مساء الأحد، لمناقشة أسباب تراجع نتائج الفريق خلال الفترة الأخيرة ببطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

نادي الزمالك فقد 7 نقاط خلال آخر ثلاث مباريات له ببطولة الدوري المصري، حيت تعادل أمام الجونة وغزل المحلة وخسر أمام الأهلي في مباراة القمة.

وتراجع نادي الزمالك إلى المركز الثاني في جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري، برصيد 18 نقطة، بعد مرور 10 جولات، بعدما كان يتصدر ترتيب المسابقة.

طالع | الزمالك على صفيح ساخن.. مفاجأة بشأن مصير فيريرا وبديله

وجاء اجتماع حسين لبيب مع جون إدوارد، لمناقشة كافة أمور الفريق الأول لكرة القدم وأسباب النتائج الأخيرة ببطولة الدوري، وكافة المعوقات التي تسببت في فقدان العديد من النقاط، وكيفية تعديل المسار في المرحلة المقبلة من أجل العودة إلى طريق الانتصارات.

وتم الاتفاق على استمرار الاجتماعات بين رئيس الزمالك والمدير الرياضي، لحين عقد اجتماع مع البلجيكي يانيك فيريرا المدير الفني للفريق فور عودته إلى القاهرة، للوقوف معه على ما حدث في المباريات الأخيرة، واتخاذ القرارات التي تصب في صالح الفريق بما يلبي طموحات الجماهير.

ويستعد الزمالك لمواجهة فريق ديكاداها الصومالي، في مستهل مشواره ببطولة كأس الكونفدرالية للموسم الحالي 2025-2026، ذلك يوم الجمعة 17 أكتوبر، في ذهاب دور الـ 32 من البطولة القارية.

The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner won't be much use to his country next year if he continues to play at a lower level

"Peace has cost you your strength; victory has defeated you," the muscle-bound, arch-villain Bane tells Batman after catching one of his punches in the hit movie 'The Dark Knight Rises'. The time-worn caped crusader continues to fight as hard as he can, but is ultimately left with a broken back at the end of the scene, having succumbed to the most dangerous pitfall of all: complacency.

There was a similar feeling of futility generated by watching Lionel Messi toil in the second half of Inter Miami's Club World Cup last-16 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain last weekend. Even at the ripe old age of 38, Messi was still able to produce dazzling moments of genius, including a beautiful first-time pass for Luis Suarez that should have earned him an assist, but it was nowhere near enough to lay a glove on an opponent operating at the highest possible technical and physical level.

It was sad to see perhaps the greatest player in the history of the sport fighting a battle he was never going to win. "The match was what was expected," Messi admitted to after the 4-0 thrashing. "They’re a great team, winners of the last Champions League, and they’re in really good shape. We tried to do our best, and I think we left a good impression at the Club World Cup."

Is simply leaving a "good impression" the goal now for Messi at this stage of his illustrious career? The diminutive wizard has found peace in Miami, but he's also become complacent, and that's bad news for Argentina one year out from their World Cup defence. However, fresh rumours of a potential return to Barcelona have also surfaced in recent days, which would change everything for Messi and the Albiceleste…

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  Contract uncertainty

  Those rumours were sparked by Esteban Edul, who claimed Messi is considering a move to a more competitive league once his current contract at Inter Miami expires in December, so he can have the best possible preparation for the World Cup. But the truth of the matter may not be that clear-cut.

  Spanish journalist Guillem Ballague has suggested that "nobody knows, least of all, Messi himself" if the Miami captain will even play at the 2026 tournament. "At the moment, he is just taking it game by game, tournament by tournament," Balague added to .

  "If he renews and stays in America, he'll evaluate the situation when he needs to, but for the time being he is just taking things step by step. Everyone involved wants to see him leading Argentina at the World Cup in America in a year's time. But he has not indicated to anyone what his final decision is."

  has since reported that Messi is open to signing an extension with Miami, who are confident that negotiations are heading in the right direction. But if Messi does decide to appear at his sixth World Cup, and he's serious about making a decisive impact, it would make little sense for him to stay in MLS, which is still a long way behind the most competitive leagues in Europe.

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  Club World Cup embarrassment

  That fact was underlined by how Miami, LAFC and the Seattle Sounders fared at the first edition of the expanded Club World Cup. Miami beat Porto 2-1 in the group stage, courtesy of a sublime Messi free-kick, to become the first club in CONCACAF history to defeat a European opponent in an official competition, and the first from America to win a Club World Cup match, while earning draws against Al Ahly and Palmeiras to secure passage to the round of 16.

  That was also a first for any team in MLS history, but LAFC and the Sounders finished bottom of their respective groups without a single win to their name. LAFC's failure was especially disappointing given their favourable draw alongside Chelsea and two very beatable sides in Flamengo and Tunisian outfit Esperance Tunis.

  Miami's humiliating thrashing at the hands of PSG also completely overshadowed their record-breaking achievements. The Sounders only lost 2-0 to Luis Enrique's side in their group clash, but Miami were four goals down by half-time in what turned out to be the mismatch of the tournament so far.

  It would likely have been even worse for Javier Mascherano's side had PSG not taken their foot off the gas after the restart, too, as Luis Enrique made five substitutions before the 70-minute mark. Miami didn't even register a shot until the 50th minute – a deflected effort from Messi – such was PSG's dominance.

  Miami's Club World Cup campaign cannot be painted as a success after such a chastening defeat, and it would be perfectly understandable if it has left Messi contemplating his future.

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  'Isn't the Messi I know'

  Indeed, it was all too much for one of Messi's former colleagues to bear. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who played alongside the Argentina icon at Barcelona in 2009-10, told immediately after the final whistle put Miami out of their misery against PSG: "Messi plays with statues, not team-mates. He's surrounded by players who run as if they were carrying bags of cement."

  Ibrahimovic added: "This isn't the Messi I know. If you put him in a real team, he'd go all-out. There are no coaches, no stars, not even players who understand how to move without the ball. If he were on a real team, any great team, you'd see the real lion. Messi plays alone because he loves the game, because he can still do what 99 percent of players can't. But this isn't the Messi I know."

  Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets complete Miami's contingent of Barcelona legends, with another in Mascherano currently serving as head coach, but they have precious little star quality in their ranks beyond that, and PSG ruthlessly exposed their glaring weaknesses.

  Ibrahimovic is right: Messi is a big fish in a very small pond and he's having to shoulder way too much responsibility. Messi needs to be a key part of a cohesive unit to reach his maximum, with fellow world-class players to bounce off, not a messiah-like figure who is quite literally expected to win games on his own.

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  Unfinished business

  If the "real lion" is to roar again in 2026, Messi has to return to Europe, or more specifically Barcelona. It's certainly difficult to imagine him representing any other European club, especially after his underwhelming two-year stint at PSG.

  There is still a real sense of unfinished business between Barca and Messi, too. La Masia's ultimate academy jewel left Camp Nou without a proper goodbye in 2021 because the Blaugrana couldn't afford to renew his contract after being plunged into an unprecedented financial crisis by former president Josep Maria Bartomeu.

  It was a terribly sad way for Messi's 21-year association with the club to end, not only because the Argentine maestro had smashed the club's all-time scoring record while helping to deliver 10 La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues, but also because he still had so much more to give. There is, though, still time for Barca to put things right.

  New reports in Spain have suggested that Joan Laporta, who was elected as Barca president for a second time shortly after Messi's exit, wants to bring the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner back on an initial six-month contract in January. If Messi leaves Miami at the end of the year, Barca can sign him on a free transfer, so it would be a surprise if the possibility hasn't at least been discussed in the club boardroom.

  Staying within La Liga's wage limits is still a concern for Barca, but Laporta is said to be willing to move heaven and earth to arrange Messi's homecoming so that it coincides with the full reopening of the renovated Camp Nou.

The decision came after Kapil Dev and Sandeep Patil urged the board to help Gaekwad

PTI14-Jul-2024

File photo: Aunshuman Gaekwad, Kapil Dev and Shantha Rangaswamy after a CAC meeting•Annesha Ghosh/ESPNcricinfo

The BCCI has decided to release INR 1 crore for the treatment of former India batter Aunshuman Gaekwad, who is battling blood cancer at a medical facility in London.The BCCI’s decision came after Kapil Dev and Sandeep Patil urged the board to help Gaekwad.”Mr Jay Shah has instructed the BCCI to release INR 1 crore with immediate effect to provide financial assistance to India’s veteran cricketer Mr Anshuman Gaekwad, who is battling cancer,” the BCCI apex council said in a statement.”Shah has also spoken to Mr Gaekwad’s family to take stock of the situation and extend support,” the statement continued. “The board stands by Gaekwad’s family in this hour of crisis and will do whatever is essential for Mr Gaekwad’s quick recovery.”The BCCI will continue to monitor Mr Gaekwad’s progress and is confident that he will come out of this phase strongly.”Gaekwad, 71, played 40 Tests and 15 ODIs for India between 1975 and 1987. Later, he became a selector and then the coach of the national team.

With Everton now mathematically safe from relegation under David Moyes, you would be forgiven from a Toffees perspective to start peaking at the upcoming transfer window, away from merely focusing on May’s upcoming Premier League action.

A new era at Bramley Moore to come could see the Merseysiders enter into a promising, fresh period, with some deadwood allowed to leave in the form of Michael Keane and other out-of-contract personnel, away from just adding in new signings.

One target reportedly on Everton’s agenda was former striker hero Richarlison, but the dramatic move has now been rubbished by the Scotsman in the Goodison Park dugout.

Still, if rumours are to be believed elsewhere that Beto could be on the move, a switch for the Brazilian might well come back up down the line.

Everton's reported interest in Richarlison

Whilst Moyes was dismissive of the potential of a reunion deal, he was still complimentary of the “really good” attacker, meaning the door hasn’t been fully shut.

The South American menace would fire home an impressive 53 strikes for the Toffees from 152 total appearances, before his career fell to the wayside somewhat when moving onto Tottenham Hotspur.

Therefore, with Everton perhaps waving goodbye to striker stalwart Dominic Calvert-Lewin too, a move to bring back such a former potent ace isn’t the wildest suggestion.

But, the Richarlison that terrorised defences at Anfield once upon a time isn’t quite where the Brazilian is right now, with Everton undoubtedly winning when it comes to the £60m deal to offload the 28-year-old, considering he has just a paltry 20 goals for Spurs from 80 often injury-plagued contests.

Consequently – according to Football Transfers – the Spurs number nine’s value now sits at a far lower £22.5m. Amazingly, one top performer back at Goodison Park is now worth more than Richarlison’s updated price-tag, proving his initial £20m valuation to be worthwhile.

The "magic" Everton star now worth more than Richarlison

Everton don’t quite have a red-hot centre-forward like Richarlison currently at their disposal who is hogging the limelight, with the Toffees two top scorers in league action this season that of Iliman N’Diaye and Beto, with the pair on seven and eight goals respectively.

Dwight McNeil does follow just behind on four strikes to play his part, but the ex-Burnley winger’s continued excellence on Merseyside for many a season now has seen his transfer value sensationally soar above Richarlison’s.

After all, the previous weekend in the Premier League saw McNeil return back to the Everton starting XI with a bang, with this sumptuous long-range effort helping his side clinch a 2-2 draw versus Ipswich Town.

But, what usually gets the Everton masses out of their seats is the “magic” – as he was once lauded by football journalist Joe Thomas – forward’s ability to set up a teammate with a golden opportunity, seen in his seven league assists this campaign so far which bumps up his assist count overall to a sizeable 17 from just over a century of appearances.

Matches played

101

Goals scored

15

Assists

17

Value when joining

£20m

Value now

£22.8m

Price increase

£2.8m

He has been held back this season by injury problems, but that hasn’t stopped his price tag from soaring up to £22.8m regardless, representing a £2.8m increase from when he first entered the building back in 2022.

Whilst McNeil is more of a winger option than his South American counterpart, he could be a better attacking option for the Toffees right now than Richarlison, considering the Spurs flop has just four goals in league action this season, like McNeil, despite being a primary centre-forward.

Moreover, any move for their former number seven would feel redundant if Beto does stay put, with the Portuguese attacker on eight for the campaign himself.

McNeil will just hope next season can be an injury-free one on his end away from any new faces entering, meaning he could become an even more influential figure for the Toffees in their brand new stadium.

He's perfect for Delap: Everton open talks to sign "unbelievable" star

Everton have wasted no time in moving for summer targets, already putting in the work to land one star.

1 ByEthan Lamb May 8, 2025

da betano casino： Looking to continue their transfer strategy of welcoming future stars, Chelsea are now reportedly preparing an offer worth £17m to sign a young South American full-back ahead of the summer.

Chelsea aiming to spoil Liverpool's title party

da bet esporte： Level on points with sixth-place Nottingham Forest, Chelsea are playing host to the Premier League champions at the worst possible time. The Reds will enter Stamford Bridge with the pressure eased, celebrations continuing and fresh from the first of four guard of honours. For Chelsea, meanwhile, this is simply a must-win game.

Manager Enzo Maresca is well aware of the importance of victory this Sunday too, having told reporters in his pre-match press conference: “The mood is good and I’ve said for a few weeks now that it’s a matter of how we manage emotions until the end [of the season].

“When we win games, we are happy and when we don’t win, we’re not happy. But it’ll be a race until the end and we need to manage the emotions. In this moment, the main thing is to watch ourselves and be focused on ourselves. This is the main point. For sure, there are more clubs involved [in the top-five race] but for us, it’s important to stay focused on ourselves.”

Related Approach made: Chelsea now ready to splash out £60m to sign "amazing" star

He almost joined Arsenal in January…

Posts ByTom Cunningham May 3, 2025

With games against Newcastle United, Manchester United and most importantly, Nottingham Forest on the final day awaiting Chelsea, it is set to be a frantic few weeks for the Blues. Maresca has arguably been handed the toughest games of his tenure at the most crucial stage of the campaign.

On the pitch, securing Champions League football would signal quite the sigh of relief. Away from the action, meanwhile, it would allow those at Stamford Bridge to get to work in the summer transfer window.

Chelsea preparing £17m Wesley offer

According to Caught Offside, Chelsea are now preparing an offer worth €20m (£17m) to sign Wesley from Flamengo, with talks over a deal set to intensify at the Club World Cup – a competition both sides will be competing in this summer.

As things stand, those negotiations will need to reach a breakthrough regarding the defender’s price-tag, given that Flamengo are reportedly holding out for €35m (£35m), rather than the £17m offer that Chelsea are seemingly preparing.

It should come as no surprise to see Chelsea interested in signing Wesley, given how often they’ve set their sights on South American talent throughout BlueCo’s ownership.

The Blues have already sealed the talented Estevao Willian and could now sign Wesley to go alongside the midfielder. Described as “pacy” by South American football expert Nathan Joyes, the right-back is certainly one to keep an eye on.

The allrounder won’t feature in T20Is against West Indies or New Zealand due to a focus on red-ball cricket this month

Andrew McGlashan09-Feb-20240:56

Is Smith in? Finch names his T20 World Cup starting XI

Cameron Green remains firmly in the thoughts of Australia’s selectors for the T20 World Cup with the upcoming IPL to play a role in how they put together the final squad ahead of the tournament in June.Green has been left out of the two T20I series against West Indies and New Zealand to prioritise red-ball preparation for the Tests against the latter – which will include a Sheffield Shield outing for Western Australia against Tasmania next week – but he could yet feature in the World Cup.He will return to IPL in late March, where he has been traded to Royal Challengers Bangalore from Mumbai Indians, and performances in that competition could still sway the selectors.Related

Behrendorff hopes towering 12-month run translates to T20 World Cup ticket

Ponting: Pant is 'very confident' of playing entire IPL 2024

Neser recalled for New Zealand tour, Renshaw retains reserve batting spot

“Yeah, very firmly,” national selector George Bailey said when asked if Green was still in the frame. “We know he’s going to go to the IPL and getting a big batch of T20 cricket in. It’s a constant conversation with multi-format players, working out the priority at any given time, and making sure they get what they need but he’s certainly one whose name I think, as we are finalising that 15 for the World Cup, will be firmly in the mix.”Green made his mark at the top of the order in T20Is shortly before the previous World Cup in 2022 when he hammered two rapid half-centuries against India. He was then elevated into Australia’s squad when Josh Inglis was injured although only played once in that tournament, in the final match against Afghanistan.He did not feature in any of Australia’s eight T20Is last year with the priority given to Tests and ODIs. Green endured a challenging 2023 across formats after his first IPL stint, struggling for runs in Tests before losing his place at the end of the Ashes and only having a bit-part role in ODIs which included suffering a concussion against South Africa when he’d been earmarked for a run at No. 4.He has since returned to the Test side in a new role at No. 4 amid the post-David Warner batting reshuffle, which has seen Steven Smith move to open. Three innings against West Indies brought a top score of 42 and he’ll get another chance in that position against New Zealand with selectors happy to play the long game.”There’s a skill set there that’s unbelievable across all three formats,” Bailey said. “[We’re] really confident that just continuing to expose him he’ll get better and better and learn more about his game.”But like any player, I don’t think it’s going to be a straight line – there’ll be fluctuations throughout, as there always is. His last two years have been a whirlwind, I imagine, at different times. He’s travelled with the team basically non-stop.Cameron Green made a half-century in the ODI series against West Indies•Cricket Australia/Getty Images”It’s a challenge that all those players do go through, but I guess when you are younger and you get exposed to that, it can be tough. But I’m sure if you ask Cam he wouldn’t have it any other way.”Like for Green, the IPL could play a part in who takes the final pace-bowling slot in the T20 World Cup squad although Nathan Ellis’ skills at the death currently have him at the head of the queue, meaning T20 player of the year Jason Behrendorff has a challenge to get in with Sean Abbott also likely to be squeezed out.Behrendorff will face West Indies but is not part of the New Zealand tour. Ellis was due to feature in both but has been withdrawn from the West Indies games as he continues to recover from a rib injury sustained late in the BBL. Behrendorff has an IPL deal with Mumbai Indians while Ellis is with Punjab Kings. Spencer Johnson, who was one of the big-money signings at the auction, will feature for Gujarat Titans.Behrendorff has developed his death bowling to the extent that he was Australia’s second-most economical bowler in that phase last year, behind Ben Dwarshuis who played just two games, conceding 8.51, while Ellis went for 10.90 although he did send down more than double the number of deliveries.”It’s not necessarily who’s in front, it’s more the roles you are looking for them to fill,” Bailey said. “Working through the what ifs and what skillsets you want to prioritise if something happens to another player, where you’ve got cover and what you need to make sure you have access to.”Nathan’s skills at the death are fantastic, think we have some great new-ball bowlers there. Can’t fault the work that Jason Behrendorff’s done over the past 12-18 months and his ability to add to his game…the ability to be able to now bowl through the middle and at the death is really impressive so he’s another one who is really putting their hand up.”Again, it’s just trying to get that balance of how we can get some information through these next six games and which guys will be getting an opportunity in India in the IPL which we’ll obviously be watching really closely.”

Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are reportedly in talks over extending Clement Lenglet's stay at the Metropolitano Stadium.

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• Atletico wants to extend Lenglet's contract
• French defender been on loan at Atletico
• In talks with Barcelona to finalise deal

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  After three seasons out on loan, the French defender seems to have finally found his groove. As per Mundo Deportivo, the centre-back has impressed the Atletico management, who are keen to retain his services beyond the expiry of his current loan deal this season. A permanent move from Barcelona to the Metropolitano is also being considered.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Lenglet featured in 34 games for Atlético Madrid this season, starting 32 of them. His current loan deal expires on June 30, 2025, making it crucial for Atleti to address his future soon. The club is reportedly considering two main options – extending his loan or negotiating a permanent transfer, provided the Frenchman agrees to a pay cut. With the Club World Cup set to begin on June 15, 2025, Atletico are expected to push for clarity on his situation sooner rather than later. The French defender has been out on loan since 2022, first with Tottenham Hotspur, followed by a stint at Aston Villa, before returning to Spain to join Atletico.

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  Lenglet, who joined Barcelona in 2018, is not the only Atletico player facing an uncertain future. Antoine Griezmann’s contract runs until 2026, meaning he will enter the final year of his deal this summer. Major League Soccer side Los Angeles FC have shown interest in the Frenchman, but that is not set in stone.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ATLETICO MADRID?

  Tottenham's Cristian Romero has also been on Atleti's wish list this summer. Manager Diego Simeone admires the Argentine defender and believes the Europa League winner would be a strong addition to bolster their backline for next season. However, Romero remains under contract with Spurs until June 2027, which could complicate any potential move. Incidentally, the Spanish club are set to kick off their Club World Cup campaign in just over two weeks, with a high-profile opening clash against Paris Saint-Germain.

Arne Slot is well on his way to securing his first Premier League title with Liverpool in his first attempt, currently sitting top of the tree on 67 points after 28 matches played, 13 points ahead of second-place Arsenal who do have one game in hand.

Liverpool are unsurprisingly the league’s top scorers, scoring 66 goals in their 28 games played, taking the most shots per game with 16.6 and averaging 56.7% possession; the fourth highest in the division.

Mohamed Salah has scored a whopping 25 Premier League goals this season, whilst also providing 17 assists and totaling 2,485 minutes played.

Liverpool’s top ten Premier League scorers 2024/25
Player	Goals
Mohamed Salah	25
Luis Diaz	9
Cody Gakpo	8
Diogo Jota	5
Dominik Szoboszlai	5
Darwin Núñez	4
Alexis Mac Allister	3
Curtis Jones	3
Trent Alexander-Arnold	2
Ibrahima Konate	1

Behind Salah, the likes of Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota have all contributed with goals, as has Dominik Szoboszlai in recent weeks, being deployed as a false 9 at times under Slot.

This has left Darwin Nunez’s future in doubt, as he clearly finds himself out of favour.

The Darwin Nunez conundrum for Liverpool

Nunez was signed by Liverpool back in 2022, joining for a club-record fee of around £85m from Benfica.

Since joining the Reds, Nunez has made 132 appearances, scoring 39 goals, providing 22 assists and totalling 7,105 minutes played.

The story of Nunez’s time at Liverpool can largely be put into perspective with his missed chance against Aston Villa.

Whilst he gets himself into very good positions, working hard for the team and constantly offering a threat on the break, his ability to provide that final clinical touch has proven to evade him at times.

This term, he has missed 13 big chances which remarkably is an improvement on last season where he missed a colossal 38 across all competitions.

Some of his misses have been described as “unacceptable” by pundits, and the longer this continues, the more you begin to wonder if Nunez will eventually be replaced, even if it’s by someone from Liverpool’s academy system.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Liverpool's "special" star could replace Nunez

The Reds are currently bringing through a number of highly-rated young forwards at the moment with Jayden Danns perhaps the most exciting from a striker perspective.

However, in the shape of Ben Doak, they have a winger who could also take minutes away from Nunez heading into Slot’s second term.

Liverpool signed Doak from Celtic back in 2022, with the youngster joining for a measly £600,000 compensation fee from the Scottish giants.

The 19-year-old has found himself on loan at Middlesbrough this season, making 24 appearances, scoring three goals, providing seven assists and totalling 1,789 minutes.

Doak can play on both wings, which opens the opportunity for Slot to continue using the likes of Diaz, Szoboszlai, Jota and even Curtis Jones through the middle, looking to exploit his attacking firepower out wide with the likes of Salah and Gakpo.

The Scotland international was described as a “special” young player by Jürgen Klopp, whilst Jones described the Liverpool youngster as a “potential game-changer” when he joined Boro in the summer on loan.

Doak is clearly an extremely talented player, who is expected to make the jump to Premier League football next campaign one way or another.

If Slot is willing to put his trust in the 19-year-old next season, Doak could offer some extra firepower to their attacking line, leaving the door open for Nunez to be sold, which may become more feasible if he remains out of favour under the Dutch manager.

Sold for £15m: Klopp’s Liverpool star is playing like a £100m Salah heir

This former Liverpool star could have been a valuable asset in Arne Slot’s system.

By
Angus Sinclair

Feb 28, 2025

da bet sport： Tottenham Hotspur are no closer to climbing back up the Premier League table after they were beaten 2-0 by London rivals Fulham on Sunday.

da stake casino： Ange Postecoglou’s side remain stuck in 13th place in the division, five points behind Crystal Palace in 12th, after goals from Rodrigo Muniz and former Spurs man Ryan Sessegnon secured all three points for the hosts.

The Lilywhites, as you can see in the clips above, did have chances to take the lead before the second-half strikes from the Fulham pair, as Dominic Solanke missed two big opportunities to find the back of the net.

Tottenham’s £55m signing from Bournemouth last summer failed to step up and put his team in front, which provided the Cottagers with the chance to go on and win the match – and they did.

Solanke was far from the only Spurs player who underperformed on the day against Fulham, however, as Yves Bissouma was hauled off the pitch at half-time after his struggles in the opening 45 minutes.

Spurs' poorest performers against Fulham

Postecoglou decided to go with the Mali international as part of his starting midfield three alongside Archie Gray and Rodrigo Bentancur at Craven Cottage.

Unfortunately, however, the former Brighton & Hove Albion man did not justify his manager’s faith in him with a positive performance on the pitch against the Cottagers.

Instead, Bissouma struggled badly with his play in and out of possession in the opening 45 minutes before he was withdrawn from the action, to be replaced by Lucas Bergvall for the second half.

The central midfielder only completed 82% of his attempted passes in the first half, despite not attempting a single long pass or cross, and did not create a single chance for his teammates. This suggests that he was sloppy in possession without offering any threat to the Fulham goal.

Vs Fulham

Yves Bissouma

Minutes played

45

Touches

17

Ground duels won

2/6

Aerial duels won

0/1

Tackles + interceptions

1

Clearances

0

Fouls committed

2

Possession lost

8

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Bissouma also struggled out of possession throughout his time on the pitch for the Lilywhites, losing five of his seven physical duels.

He made more fouls than tackles and interceptions made combined, which speaks to how much of a liability the midfielder was off the ball, and his play at both ends of the pitch may have contributed to Postecoglou’s decision to take him off the pitch.

Chalkboard

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The 28-year-old dud was not, however, the worst player on the pitch for Tottenham during that first-half display. Winger Brennan Johnson was also taken off after the first 45 minutes, after he put in an even worse performance than Bissouma at Craven Cottage.

Brennan Johnson's performance against Fulham

The Wales international was selected to start on the right side of the front three for Spurs, with Solanke down the middle and Bayern Munich loanee Mathys Tel on the left flank.

It was Johnson’s lack of fluidity in possession that ultimately cost him in the first half, though, as he failed to be effective with the ball at his feet for Tottenham on the wing.

The former Nottingham Forest man was substituted off at the break, with club captain Heung-min Son coming on in his place, after he was unable to cause many, if any, problems for Antonee Robinson.

Johnson ended the first half with zero shots attempted, zero crosses completed, zero long passes completed, and zero chances created for his teammates in his 45 minutes on the pitch. On that evidence, it’s hardly a surprise that he was handed a dismal 3/10 player rating by Football.London at full-time.

Vs Fulham

Brennan Johnson

Minutes played

45

Shots

0

Key passes

0

Dribbles completed

0/2

Crosses completed

0/1

Long passes completed

0/1

Pass accuracy

55%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Welsh forward was completely ineffective at the top end of the pitch and incredibly loose with his passes, which gave Robinson a fairly easy afternoon.

Johnson also struggled to deal with the physicality of the Fulham players, losing four of his six duels, as he put in an even worse performance than Bissouma, who at least completed 82% of his passes and was not expected to make a difference in the final third.

Why Spurs should drop Brennan Johnson

Postecoglou must, now, ruthlessly bin the Welsh attacker from his starting line-up when Spurs are back in action against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge after the international break, by bringing Son or Wilson Odobert back into the side.

Johnson has been in disappointing form of late for the North London outfit, with just two goals and zero assists in his last ten appearances against Premier League level or Europa League opposition.

Both of those goals came in a 4-1 win over relegation-threatened Ipswich Town, who were in League One two seasons ago, which means that the ex-Nottingham Forest man has failed to register a goal or an assist in any of the other nine outings.

The 23-year-old is not a dynamic winger who is likely to progress play with passes or dribbles to make things happen, but he does have excellent positioning and a good feel for when a chance will come his way.

24/25 PL

Johnson (per 90)

Percentile rank vs att. mids & wingers

Non-penalty xG

0.48

Top 2%

Non-penalty goals

0.47

Top 6%

Assists

0.10

Bottom 24%

Expected Assisted Goals

0.08

Bottom 11%

Shot-creating actions

2.20

Bottom 9%

Progressive passes

2.99

Bottom 37%

Progressive carries

2.73

Bottom 38%

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, Johnson is exceptional at finding himself in high-quality goalscoring positions, yet leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to his use of the ball outside of his shooting opportunities.

He ranks incredibly lowly among his positional peers in the Premier League at progressing play and creating chances for his teammates, which was part of the issue with his performance against Fulham.

This is backed up by his return of just two assists, from 1.43 xA, in 26 appearances in the top-flight this season, which shows that he rarely provides his fellow attackers with chances to score.

When Johnson does not get the big chances to score in matches, the former Forest man does not offer much to the side on the right flank and that is why – amid this current dry spell in front of goal – Postecoglou should drop him from the starting line-up.

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