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

While the draw for the 2026 World Cup took centre-stage on Friday, all eyes were back on club football over the weekend as title races across Europe took yet more twists. The gap at the top of the Premier League has been reduced, which is in contrast to La Liga, where Barcelona stretched their lead over Real Madrid.

Bayern Munich remain in control of the Bundesliga title race, but things remain too close to call in both Serie A and Ligue 1 as we approach the midpoint of the campaign. There were also telling results in both Portugal and Scotland over the past couple of days that could prove key to the destination of the title in their respective top-flights.

But who were the biggest winners and losers of the weekend? GOAL has picked out 10 from around the continent…

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  WINNER: Unai Emery

  We begin in the Premier League, where despite claims to the contrary, there may be a title race about to break out. Having drawn two of their previous four games, leaders Arsenal suffered just their second league defeat of the campaign on Saturday as they lost out to Aston Villa following Emiliano Buendia's dramatic, stoppage-time strike. The result allowed Manchester City to close to within two points of the Gunners, while Villa themselves are now three points off the summit following a remarkable turnaround in their fortunes.

  Following a frustrating summer on the transfer front, there was a concern that Unai Emery's squad had gone a little stale. Villa failed to score in any of their opening four league matches of the campaign, and didn't record their first victory until September 28. That win over Fulham, however, began a run of nine victories in 10 games, with only a defeat at Anfield keeping Villa from a perfect record in that time.

  Such a run is testament to the work Emery continues to do at Villa Park. The Spaniard memorably took Villa from the relegation zone to the quarter-finals of the Champions League during his first two years at the club, and if they can maintain their current form for a few months longer, then fans might even start dreaming of making a genuine title challenge. For now, he the ex-Arsenal boss will just be thrilled to have once again got one over his former club, with Emery's record with Villa and Villarreal against the Gunners since departing now read as: Played eight, won four and lost just two.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  LOSER: Mohamed Salah & Liverpool

  Liverpool's season has hit various low points already due to their disastrous Premier League title defence, and though they didn't suffer defeat to Leeds United on Saturday, the fallout from the thrilling 3-3 draw at Elland Road has the potential to rock the Merseysiders to their core.

  For the third-straight game, Mohamed Salah was named among the substitutes by Arne Slot, and for the second successive time away from home, the 'Egyptian King' wasn't even called upon to make an impact from the bench. Salah, who has been criticised of late for not stepping up and speaking out during Liverpool's poor run, chose this moment to speak to reporters, though his comments rather exacerbated the problem.

  "I can’t believe it, I’m very, very disappointed. I have done so much for this club down the years and especially last season," Salah said. "Now I’m sitting on the bench and I don’t know why. It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. That is how I am feeling. I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame.

  "I got a lot of promises in the summer and so far I am on the bench for three games, so I can’t say they keep the promise. I said many times before that I had a good relationship with the manager and all of a sudden, we don’t have any relationship. I don’t know why, but it seems to me, how I see it, that someone doesn’t want me in the club."

  Salah's comments have been perceived by many as him suggesting that, if things do not change drastically, perhaps with Slot being sacked, then he sees no future for himself at Anfield. With Saudi clubs swirling, Salah's Liverpool exit may well end up being swifter and more upsetting than anyone previously thought possible.

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  WINNER: Harry Kane

  Salah wasn't the only superstar named among the substitutes on Saturday, but that was where the similarities between his afternoon and that of Harry Kane ended. Kane found himself on the bench for Bayern Munich's trip to Stuttgart, but was introduced after an hour and made sure to make the most of his short time on the pitch, scoring his second hat-trick of the season.

  "It's something I'm not used to, but I did it a couple of times this season. The boss (Vincent Kompany) wanted to keep me fresh and save energy," Kane explained following his side's 5-0 win that maintained their eight-point gap at the top of the Bundesliga table. “I came on after 60 minutes with a couple of other guys and we were able to exploit the space and get the goals. We had a tough battle in the cup midweek and today we faced one of the best teams in the league away, but we looked stronger in the last half an hour and punished them."

  Kane is now up to 17 goals in 13 league games so far this season, and 28 in 22 across all competitions for a Bayern team who continue to show themselves to be one of the best teams anywhere in Europe, in large part thanks to their outrageously good No.9.

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  WINNER: Ferran Torres

  Kane's future is a hot topic in Barcelona right now, with the England captain reportedly on the Blaugrana's radar as they consider how to replace Robert Lewandowski. Ferran Torres, however, is keen to show the Catalan giants that they have their future No.9 already having continued his good recent form with a first-half hat-trick to take down Real Betis on Saturday.

  Ferran had secured the match ball by the 40th minute in Seville as his goals helped seal a 5-3 win on the road for Hansi Flick's side, and the Spain international is now Barca's top scorer in all competitions this season with 13 goals to his name, six of which have come in his last four games.

  "He is a very intelligent player. He knows how to read spaces very well, and today he did it fantastically," Flick said of Ferran post-match. "His mentality and confidence are excellent. This is the path to follow. He deserves to be in the starting 11. He is always there when he’s needed."

  The task for Ferran now is to go from being a player who is 'always there when he's needed' to first choice at Camp Nou, and he will only do that if he is able to maintain consistent form in front of goal. Saturday, then, was a step in the right direction.

Tottenham Hotspur’s Europa League triumph at the end of the 2024/25 campaign has brought added expectations, after finally ending their 17-year wait for a piece of silverware.

Ange Postecoglou’s triumph in Bilbao ended a generational wait for a trophy, but he was sacked after such victory, handing the responsibility to Thomas Frank in the process.

The Dane was handed a huge sum of money to try and build on the triumph, with the hierarchy backing the new manager after taking the reins ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Over £100m was spent on new additions, which has led to the Lilywhites already making an impact in the Premier League – as seen by their fifth-placed standing after the third international break.

Mohammed Kudus has already hit the ground running, registering one goal and one assist in the league, but the same can’t be said for one of their big-money summer additions.

How Simons compares to other PL midfielders in 2025/26

During the summer transfer window, Spurs forked out a total of £52m for the signature of attacking midfielder Xavi Simons, with the youngster joining the club from RB Leipzig.

The move ended their summer-long pursuit of a new attacking midfielder, with numerous options being targeted before completing a deal for the Dutch international.

Premier League options such as Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze were both considered, but various factors saw the Lilywhites miss out on both of the player’s signatures.

As a result, Simons was the man chosen to fill the void, with such a move generating huge excitement within the fanbase – undoubtedly aided by the sizable transfer fee.

However, a couple of months on from his big-money transfer to North London, the 22-year-old has ultimately failed to deliver, as seen by his tally of just two assists in his first 14 outings.

His underlying stats further showcase his lack of quality, with the youngster being massively outperformed by numerous players also in a single position in England’s top-flight.

He’s only created an average of 1.01 chances per 90, with such a tally ranking him in the bottom 25% of all other midfielders in the league, with right-back Pedro Porro creating more chances in the same time period.

Simons has also been dispossessed an average of 2.1 times per 90, subsequently placing him in the bottom 18% of all players in the division for the same category.

He will certainly need time to settle into life in England after his big-money transfer, but there’s little denying that he’s been a huge disappointment in recent months.

As a result, he could find himself struggling to nail down a starting role in the near future, especially if one player continues his phenomenal development at the club.

The Spurs star who could end Simons’ Spurs career

Over the years, the Spurs faithful have been blessed with countless talents who have operated in the attacking midfield role – subsequently handing the fanbase moments to last a lifetime.

James Maddison was the latest player in the role before his ACL injury, with the Englishman achieving some phenomenal levels during his spell in the first team in North London.

He’s racked up 16 goals and 19 assists in his 75 appearances for the Lilywhites, with his tally of 12 goals in 2024/25 the highest he’s managed after his £40m switch.

Dele was another Englishman who filled such a role in the years prior, with the former first-team star managing to win the PFA Young Player of the Year award on two separate occasions.

However, whilst he failed to match the expectations over a sustained period, Frank could be about to rely on Luca Williams-Barnett during his spell in North London.

The 17-year-old has generated huge excitement over the last couple of months, with the youngster making huge waves within various age categories in the academy.

He’s been starring way above his age group over the last few seasons, with the youngster featuring in the U18s side for the vast majority of the previous campaign.

He ended the year with a staggering 23 goals and nine assists in his 24 outings for the Lilywhites, resulting in a jump up once again – now becoming a key member of the U21 side.

At just 17, he’s arguably made himself one of the age group’s biggest stars, with his numbers from the ongoing season further reflecting his star quality despite his tender age.

Williams-Barnett has made just eight appearances, but it hasn’t stopped him from catching the eye, as seen by his remarkable tally of seven goals and five assists.

Back in September, he registered three goals and an assist in the 6-3 victory over Leicester City – with such a display undoubtedly his best in the 2025/26 campaign to date.

As a result of his performances, the youngster was named in the England U17 World Cup squad, with the midfielder already scoring twice during the ongoing competition.

Williams-Barnett has also made his senior debut during Frank’s tenure, as he was brought on in the 87th minute of the Carabao Cup victory over League One Doncaster Rovers back in September.

His performances across various teams in 2025/26 has led to huge praise being directed his way, with analyst Ben Mattinson labelling him as “one of England’s best talents”.

At just 17, the club will certainly have to manage the expectations placed upon him, but it’s undeniable that the Lilywhites have a phenomenal young prospect on their hands.

It’s unclear what his route to first-team success would be, but the hierarchy need to prepare a plan to allow him to match the potential he currently possesses at present.

As for Simons, he will need to rapidly buck his ideas up after his big-money transfer, with his spell in North London certainly being one to forget in recent months.

His future at the club could be in huge jeopardy in the years ahead, especially if Williams-Barnett is able to continue on his current development path in the youth ranks.

Spurs have another Kane in the making but he's likely to leave like Parrott

Tottenham have to watch from afar as Troy Parrott emerges as a clinical forward on the global stage.

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By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 17, 2025

Rashid helped the Qalandars score 16 off the final over, a task never achieved in PSL history previously

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jun-2021When Rashid Khan walked to the crease on the opening night of the resumption of the PSL, the Lahore Qalandars needed 22 from eight balls. Tim David was facing up to the last two balls of Hasan Ali’s thus-far excellent 19th over, where just one run had been conceded till then. David hit a straight six down the ground to end the over, leaving Rashid with the strike for the last over.Sixteen needed to win – no team in the PSL had ever chased down that many – but still, no big hits on Rashid’s mind.”The plan that I went to the crease with, my mindset was, I am not going to play big shots here because if I did that I could’ve gotten out,” Rashid said post-match. “When I got there I thought I’ll just try and find some gaps here. The bowler was new also. If he bowled in my areas my thinking was just to try and hit gaps.”Related

• Rashid Khan 'broke our back' with five-wicket haul, says Shoaib Malik

• Rashid's heroics and Faulkner seal win for Qalandars

• Win toss and chase – the only certainty in PSL

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Shadab Khan, Islamabad United’s captain, chose to go with Hussain Talat for that last over, a decision that caused surprise at the time – Shadab himself had an over left – and was criticised post-fact of the loss. Spinners don’t often bowl last overs in T20s and the dew played a part in Shadab’s decision not to bowl himself. Shadab said after the game he hadn’t bowled himself out earlier because it would have pitted him against a left-handed batter at the crease but it also later emerged that an injury to Faheem Ashraf forced them into a recalculation.That, and that United do believe Talat is a legitimate death-overs option (he has only bowled at the death 10 innings out of 30 in the PSL and for Pakistan, but more often in the National T20). His first ball, however, a slower offcutter gave Rashid exactly the kind of room outside off stump which he loves, as well as just the start to that final over the Qalandars needed. Rashid lofted it over cover for four and didn’t look back; he repeated the shot next ball and a fortuitous third boundary left them with a simpler task.”I was planning on looking for those gaps, but it so happened I got three boundaries off those first three balls and then we needed four off three. Definitely, in games and situations like this, you have to keep a cool mind. You have to stay relaxed. When you need six sixes, you have to go for it. Here I just needed two proper shots and you win the game.”The cameo sealed the Player-of-the-Match award for Rashid too, his unbeaten, five-ball 15 the cherry on top of bowling figures of 4-0-9-1. Rashid had initially signed on for just a two-game contract when the season began in February-March, before joining up with Afghanistan for international duty and then to the T20 Blast with Sussex. He chose instead to extend his contract and stay on with Qalandars.”It really was a team effort for us tonight, everyone took responsibility for the game. One guy doesn’t win you a game. The most important spell was [James] Faulkner at the top, Haris [Rauf] bowled really well through the middle, then Sohail [Akhtar] took responsibility with the bat, and Mohammad Hafeez and Ben Dunk. In T20s, you don’t win with one guy, the entire team has to do their bits collectively for it.”

It’s been an incredible week to be an Arsenal fan.

On Sunday, Mikel Arteta’s side demolished Tottenham Hotspur in the North London Derby to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League.

And then, if that wasn’t enough, the Gunners brushed aside the excellent Bayern Munich to go top of the Champions League table.

There were sensational performances across the pitch for Arsenal, including from someone who is becoming something of a hybrid between Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka.

Eze & Saka's performances vs Bayern

While the likes of Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber are getting most of the praise following Wednesday night, and rightly so, Saka also put in a performance to be proud of.

Now, it’s true that he didn’t get on the scoresheet himself, but he did provide the assist for the opening goal and was a constant threat throughout his time on the pitch.

At certain points, he had to deal with three Bayern players on his own, but still managed to create two big chances, complete three of four crosses, take one shot on target and recover the ball twice.

It’s clear that the Hale End superstar is still not quite at his very best, but even without a goal to his name, he’s impacting games in a big way.

Likewise, Eze didn’t score a fourth goal in two games, but once again showed why he is one of the best number tens around against the German giants.

It was just before the visitors scored that he helped create a chance with some tidy footwork, only for him to just overhit the pass into Saka.

Then in the second half, every time he had the ball at his feet, he was looking to do something positive.

It was this mindset that saw him play an excellent ball over the top for Gabriel Martinelli to knock around Manuel Neuer and secure all three points.

Overall, Saka and Eze weren’t necessarily the best players on the pitch against Bayern, but they put in strong performances, and now it looks like Arsenal have a player who is becoming a hybrid of both.

Arsenal's Saka & Eze hybrid

With Saka undoubtedly being Arsenal’s most important player and Eze proving to be one of their best signings from the summer, a player would have to be pretty special to be described as a hybrid of the two.

Chalkboard

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

Fortunately, despite certain sections of the fanbase clearly thinking otherwise in the summer, Noni Madueke has proven himself to be just that.

Now, nobody is saying the former Chelsea ace is as good as his compatriots, but he certainly shares some similarities with them.

For example, like the former Palace star, he is someone who can make something happen from nothing.

Granted, that hasn’t necessarily translated into a goal or assist this season, but he is such a direct attacker that, with the ball at his feet, he can make opposition defenders panic.

Moreover, like the 27-year-old, given his ability to make something of nothing, Arteta seems to have given him more freedom to try things on the ball.

Arsenal writer Adam Keys perhaps put it best when, after his goal against Bayern, he described the 23-year-old as an “agent of chaos,” which is just the sort of player the North Londoners have been missing in recent years.

Expected Assists

0.26

0.27

Progressive Passes Received

12.9

12.4

Key Passes

2.29

2.21

Live Passes

32.9

33.5

Tackles Won

0.57

0.58

Successful Take-On %

42.1%

40.5%

Carries

26.9

29.5

Now, when it comes to Saka, the similarities come down to their left-footedness, their close control, and the fact that FBref ranked the Hale Ender as the sixth-most similar attacking midfielder or winger to Madueke in Europe’s top five leagues.

The best way to understand how they came to this conclusion is to look at the underlying metrics they rank closely in, metrics like expected assists, key passes, tackles won, successful take-on percentage and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, while his signing was not universally celebrated across the fanbase, Madueke has proven himself to be a more than useful player for Arsenal, and the fact that he shares so many traits with Saka and Eze can only be a good thing.

As good as Rice: Arsenal star has proven he's one of the best "in the world"

The outrageous Arsenal star was as good as Declan Rice in the Champions League victory over Bayern Munich.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 27, 2025

Jude Bellingham joined an elite club including Lionel Messi & David Beckham as Adidas dropped a signature Predator boot for the Real Madrid star.

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Adidas revealed "Belligold" bootsBlack and gold combination lends a premium lookSet to debut them against Celta Vigo Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Adidas recently launched Bellingham's first-ever signature Predator boot, solidifying his place among football's biggest names. The newly unveiled boots, named 'Belligold', showcase a sleek black and gold design, complete with Bellingham's signature on the side. The luxurious colour scheme not only speaks to his growing influence on and off the pitch but also adds a modern touch to the long-standing Adidas Predator legacy. Bellingham’s new boots place him alongside fellow global stars such as Mohamed Salah and Son Heung-min, who also boast their own signature Adidas boots.

AdvertisementWATCH THE CLIPWHAT BELLINGHAM SAID

"Growing up as a kid I could never have imagined a day where I'd have my own signature Predator," Bellingham said.

"It really is a dream come true. The boot really reflects who I am as a player while also capturing my style away from the pitch. I can't wait to wear it for the first time and see how it performs. It makes it even more special to see my very own Gazelle sneaker and second Originals clothing drop launching alongside it."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

To make the boots even more personal, Adidas has incorporated Bellingham’s trademark goal celebration – his arms outstretched – into the insole of the Predator boots. Earlier, reported that his decision to trademark his name and secure his image rights has already earned him around £2.5 million. This new signature boot deal with Adidas, combined with his growing brand, is expected to add even more to his ever-expanding global portfolio.

Former Arsenal star Emmanuel Petit has accused Manchester United players of "hiding" behind Erik ten Hag after a difficult start to the new season.

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• Man Utd have lost two out of four PL games
• Petit believes Ten Hag is being made the scapegoat
• Red Devils showing signs of recovery after international break

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  United were beaten by Brighton and Liverpool in consecutive Premier League matches which put the Dutch manager under the spotlight once again. However, after the international break, there are signs of recovery as they have picked up two consecutive victories, including a a resounding 7-0 win in the Carabao Cup against Barnsley.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  INEOS have shown patience with Ten Hag despite an eighth-place finish in the league standings last campaign and also backed the manager with crucial summer signings. Petit believes that it is now time for the players to pull up their socks and turn up for their manager.

• WHAT PETIT SAID

  In an interview with BetMGM, Petit said: "I don’t agree with all of the criticism around Erik ten Hag. I actually look at the players there and think they are hiding behind him. I don’t like it. These are players with real pedigree and they hide behind him instead of fronting up and doing a job for the team."

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013, United have tried their luck with four permanent managers and three interim coaches. However, their efforts have been in vain as the glory days of Old Trafford remain out of reach. Although Petit agreed that frequent managerial changes do make the job difficult, he urged the players to take more responsibility to turn around the fortunes of the club.

  “It’s so hard for a club when they keep changing managers as much as Manchester United have," Petit admitted.

  "It’s such a pity to see the club in the state it’s in. The Premier League needs Manchester United back at its best and it starts with the players. Yes, the manager is responsible for a lot of things and so are the board for getting it right in the transfer market, but at the end of the day it’s the responsibility of the players on the pitch and they haven’t been good enough for some time now.”

The leader of South Africa’s bowling attack talks about the team’s philosophy, and how he approaches his own bowling

Firdose Moonda04-Nov-2024Kagiso Rabada doesn’t get too excited about being the most lethal bowler in the 300-wickets club, or about his other records, because all he wants to do is play for South Africa.”Every kid dreams of playing for South Africa and that was my dream,” Rabada says from Chattogram, where South Africa won their first series in the subcontinent since the start of his career. “My dream was to represent South Africa and to be the best and to be a part of winning South African cricket teams. Along the way, you don’t really think about stats.”Except one number: 0.That’s how many times South Africa have won a World Cup, and like so many who have gone before him, Rabada says it’s what he most wants to achieve. “I just want to win the World Cup. That’s literally my dream. So, hopefully, I don’t have any other metrics really.”Rabada was part of South Africa’s disastrous 2019 ODI World Cup campaign and the much better 2023 one, in which they reached the semi-finals. He has also played in four T20 World Cups, and experienced exiting after the group stage three times before South Africa pulled off an eight-match unbeaten run to reach this year’s final. He described the current group of players as having found a “sweet spot” between experience and youth without being haunted by the ghosts of greats gone by.Related

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'Worth the hours, worth the sacrifice' – SA savour subcontinent high after a decade's wait

South Africa's batting close to finding the 'sweet spot' again

When Dean Elgar played his final Test earlier this year, he was the last player of a South Africa side that had been ranked No. 1 in Tests. His exit may also have been the last in a steady stream of big-name retirements that began with Mark Boucher in 2012. Back then Rabada was a schoolkid with stars in his eyes. Three years later, he was an international, in the side in place of an injured Morne Morkel, and playing a Test alongside Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander. Three years after that, in March 2018, as the other three struggled with fitness concerns, he found himself the leader of the attack in a home series against Australia, which South Africa won 3-1.Throughout, Rabada has had the opportunity to play alongside a range of bowlers, from the ones he idolised to ones he grew up with. It is with this current generation that he feels the most settled.”Those guys [Steyn, Philander, Morkel] were my heroes growing up and I played with them. And now I’m playing with guys I played with at school, so there’s more familiarity because we grew up together – played against each other at school, played together at the provincial level, at Under-19…”Rabada went to school with Ryan Rickelton and Wiaan Mulder, who is three years his junior. He won the 2014 U-19 World Cup under the leadership of Aiden Markram. Lungi Ngidi and Kyle Verreynne were among the top performers in the national schools weeks in 2013 and 2014. All of them now represent the country. “We play for each other,” Rabada says.After he won the Player-of-the-Series award in Bangladesh for his 14 wickets at an average of nine, Rabada first showered praise on the batters for giving the bowlers over 500 runs to work with in Chattogram. And even though their coach, Shukri Conrad, wasn’t convinced about enforcing the follow-on, Markram, the captain, was certain that Rabada, who had taken a five-for in the first innings, was fresh enough to have another go at Bangladesh. As it turned out, South Africa’s spinners did the job the second time round, but the point holds that Markram would likely have batted again if he did not believe the leader of his attack could do the job, which speaks to Rabada’s continued importance to the side and the significance of managing his workload.”Pace is important but you need the skill with the pace. When you combine the two, you can become very lethal. The older you get, the harder you have to work”•Matthew Lewis/ICC/Getty ImagesThis year Rabada was rested from white-ball series in the UAE to focus on Test preparation, and he will similarly sit out the four-match T20I series against India to get ready for the home Test summer.By his own admission, more of that needs to happen to prolong his time at the top level. “I’m not getting any younger, and with the amount of cricket that’s being played, you have to think about it in terms of finding periods when you’re going to rest in order to be the most effective you can be.”But he does not put his success down to that alone. “It speaks to hard work,” he says.Over the last few years Rabada’s work has been less about speed and more about skill. He regularly swings and reverse-swings the ball, and always seems to know when to bowl with the most intensity. He identifies the new ball and periods just before or after a break as being times when he has to be particularly switched on.”Pace is important but you need the skill with the pace. When you combine the two, you can become very lethal. In Test cricket, you have to maintain the pace, but when it’s not there, you obviously have to be a bit crafty because, especially in the subcontinent, it’s hot. Obviously you want to really make an impact with the new ball. It’s about being consistent with it and bowling at a good pace. The older you get, the harder you have to work. You won’t get away with what you got away with when you were younger.”If Rabada sounds older than his 29 years, that’s because in Test cricket terms, he probably is – with 66 caps across nine years, he is the most experienced player in the side. In that time, while he has experienced highs like beating Australia home and away, he has also seen South Africa go from No. 1 to No. 7 on the rankings.”Of course, there were times where I was like, ‘Man, what’s going on here?’ But then in the morning, you wake up and you just have to front up. People go through that on the daily, but as players, we have a spotlight on us. Everyone’s going to comment on whatever we do. There have been times in my career when I’ve been disappointed, but it becomes worth it when you do achieve what you want to achieve.”Some would say being back at No.1 on the ICC’s rankings for Test bowlers, having occupied that spot for most of 2018 and 2019, is one kind of achievement, but it’s not Rabada’s favourite one. “If I was No. 5 or No. 3 and we’re winning, then I’m really happy. If I’m No. 1, I’m even more happy, but as long as we’re winning – that’s the major thing for me. It’s not about being No.1 the world, it’s all about the process and being obsessed with that. I know it sounds so cliché, but cliché is a kind of reality.”He acknowledges that his numbers do have some effect on him in that “they motivate me, but I’m not fixated on them”. Then he goes back to his original mantra: that as long as the team is winning, that means more than anything else, and there are still a few big things he wants them to win. “I’m happy with it [the No. 1 Test bowling ranking], but I’m not going to think about it too much. The work continues.”

da apostebet： A previously undiagnosed injury is now set to leave one Newcastle United star sidelined for the majority of December in a frustrating blow for Eddie Howe.

Howe demands fresh "consistency" ahead of Tottenham clash

da fezbet： It’s been one step forward and two steps back for Newcastle all season, but their convincing victory over Everton may yet be the turning point for their campaign. The Magpies brushed the Toffees’ aside to bounce back from Champions League defeat, but Howe is now demanding more “consistency” from his side.

Any change in fortunes would certainly be well-timed ahead of the January transfer window, too. Those at St James’ Park endured a chaotic summer window, before eventually adding reinforcements to Howe’s squad, but are still targeting a number of fresh faces to end unfinished business.

That could yet include a move for James Trafford. The England international chose Manchester City in the summer, but has since been forced to watch on from the bench following Gianluigi Donnarumma’s arrival. Now, he’s reportedly been allowed to leave the club in January, with Newcastle among his admirers.

The goalkeeper position has been a hot topic of debate in Tyneside as of late and the availability of Trafford, plus Pope’s recent injury may yet see Newcastle make their move.

Newcastle learn extent of Nick Pope injury

As reported by Sky Sports’ Keith Downie, Newcastle are now set to be without Pope until Boxing Day at the earliest after a specialist diagnosed his groin injury.

It’s frustrating news for Howe, who told reporters in the build-up to his side’s game against Tottenham that Newcastle were still trying to get a “proper diagnosis”.

Without the towering goalkeeper, Newcastle will turn towards summer signing Aaron Ramsdale. Whether he can make a claim to become their No.1 on a permanent basis remains to be seen, however.

Related European club reach "verbal agreement" to sign "excellent" Newcastle attacker in 2026

The Magpies now have a decision to make.

Posts ByTom Cunningham Dec 2, 2025

Despite Pope’s recent mistakes, Howe was quick to describe the 33-year-old as “outstanding” after the Marseille game, but will now be forced to kick on without him.

As the fixtures come thick and fast, and Newcastle seek consistency, the absence of one of their most experienced men couldn’t have been timed much worse.

Better than Anderson: £70m "monster" is now open to joining Newcastle

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da bet vitoria： Uma situação, no mínimo, curiosa ocorreu nesta semana envolvendo o Ceará e a montagem de planejamento feita pelo clube pensando na temporada 2022 com relação ao sistema ofensivo da equipe treinada por Tiago Nunes.

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da lvbet： >As últimas do mercado da bola; Confira!

Isso porque, segundo informação da jornalista Nadja Mauad, o Vozão tem interesse no atacante Iury Castilho, nome que defendeu a equipe do CSA na última temporada, mas que tem seus direitos ligados ao Portimonense-POR.

Apesar da ligação contratual, a tendência é que ele seja novamente negociado pelos portugueses com a intenção de valorizá-lo para uma futura venda. A tendência, no entanto, é que exista certa concorrência para o Alvinegro no negócio, pois equipes como Vasco e Coritiba também analisam a mesma oportunidade.

Porém, o que o Ceará poderia não imaginar é que uma situação envolvendo o Al-Qadisiyah-ARA, clube onde até recentemente o atacante Leandro Carvalho atuava por empréstimo após passagem pelo América-MG, decidiu pela rescisão antecipada do acordo que tinha validade até maio de 2022.

Desta forma, o plantel volta a contar com Leandro como uma opção ofensiva. Ao menos, até que fique claro por parte da atual comissão técnica não contar com o atleta de 26 anos de idade que fez 15 partidas e dois gols na equipe saudita.