All posts by h716a5.icu

Saini replaces Siraj in India B while Gaurav Yadav comes in for Malik in India C

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Aug-2024Mohammed Siraj and Umran Malik have been ruled out of the first round of the Duleep Trophy because of illness. Navdeep Saini has replaced Siraj in the India B squad, while Gaurav Yadav has come in for Malik in the India C squad.Ravindra Jadeja, meanwhile, has also been released from the India B squad, though no reason has been provided for the update. No replacement has been named for him either.Gaurav, a 32-year-old fast bowler originally from Madhya Pradesh, switched to Puducherry before the last domestic season. He made headlines when he picked up 41 wickets in the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy, second on the overall list, in just 11 bowling innings at an average of 14.58, with five five-wicket hauls and a ten-wicket match haul to stun Delhi in the opening round.Before that, too, he was a consistent wicket-taker with the red ball, with a tally of 24 in 2022-23, 23 in 2021-22, and 23 in 2019-20. Overall, he has played 37 first-class matches for 141 wickets since making his debut in the format in November 2012.Related

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Gaurav Yadav – the Bisoni Kalan farm boy who 'made a name' in Ranji cricket

Pant to make red-ball comeback with Duleep Trophy; Shami not picked

The injury-prone Saini, who played two Tests on India’s tour of Australia in 2020-21, has been given a chance to come back on the selectors’ radar ahead of the Test season. He was part of two India A four-day games last season – one against England Lions at home and one in South Africa in December – but he failed to pick up more than one wicket in any of the four innings he bowled in.Nitish Kumar Reddy’s participation will continue to be subject to fitness, a BCCI statement said, as he continues to recover after a sports hernia surgery.The first round of the Duleep Trophy will be played simultaneously in Anantapur and Bengaluru from September 5.Originally a zonal competition featuring teams from five (and later six) zones, the format of the Duleep Trophy has changed often in the past few seasons, and will be a four-team contest this time. Since the second round will clash with the home Test series against Bangladesh starting September 19, the players who are picked for the Tests will be replaced.Revised squads for Duleep Trophy first roundIndia A: Shubman Gill (capt), Mayank Agarwal, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel (wk), KL Rahul, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Tanush Kotian, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Khaleel Ahmed, Avesh Khan, Vidwath Kaverappa, Kumar Kushagra, Shaswat Rawat.India B: Abhimanyu Easwaran (capt), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (wk), Musheer Khan, Nitish Kumar Reddy (subject to fitness), Washington Sundar, Navdeep Saini, Yash Dayal, Mukesh Kumar, Rahul Chahar, R Sai Kishore, Mohit Awasthi, N Jagadeesan (wk)India C: Ruturaj Gaikwad (capt), Sai Sudharsan, Rajat Patidar, Abishek Porel (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, B Indrajith, Hrithik Shokeen, Manav Suthar, Gaurav Yadav, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Anshul Khamboj, Himanshu Chauhan, Mayank Markande, Aryan Juyal (wk), Sandeep WarrierIndia D: Shreyas Iyer (capt), Atharva Taide, Yash Dubey, Devdutt Padikkal, Ishan Kishan (wk), Ricky Bhui, Saransh Jain, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Aditya Thakare, Harshit Rana, Tushar Deshpande, Akash Sengupta, KS Bharat (wk), Saurabh Kumar

What a hectic transfer window it has been so far for Newcastle United. The Magpies have been embroiled in a crazy transfer saga with Liverpool surrounding Alexander Isak and Eintracht Frankfurt star Hugo Ekitike, which is yet to come to a conclusion.

Indeed, the exact makeup of Eddie Howe’s squad next season is still not clear, and with a few players out of the door, which will soon include Leeds-bound Sean Longstaff, he may have to rely on youngsters if signings are not made soon.

This has previously not been an issue for the Englishman, with Lewis Miley rising through the ranks to become an important player.

The Magpies seem set to add another young talent to their squad in the coming days.

Newcastle’s pursuit of young talent

Signing an exciting young player and thinking ahead to the future is something the Magpies have done before. Young Australian winger Garang Kuol joined the club in 2023 and has since gained experience on various loan spells.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Well, perhaps the North East giants are about to repeat the masterclass. They are said to have ‘won the race’ to sign South Korean talent Park Seung-soo, having agreed a deal for the youngster.

That is being reported by website Football Asian, who claim he will be in Newcastle this week to ‘complete a medical’ ahead of the move. What makes this acquisition so impressive for the Magpies is the fact that they beat off fierce competition to sign Park.

Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, French side Marseille, as well as RB Salzburg and FC Midtjylland, were all interested, but Newcastle won what was described as a ‘year-long pursuit’ of the winger.

Why Park would be a good signing

Despite being just 18 years of age, Park has clearly made a huge impression playing for his club, Suwon Bluewings, where he has become an important player. Korean football expert Ross Davis described him as an “exciting” talent, which Newcastle seem to agree with.

The teenager, who is an international for South Korea at under-20 level, has played 28 times in professional football so far. He has one goal and three assists, all of which came last year in the K League 2 for Suwon, the club whose academy he graduated from.

One of the biggest benefits of Park’s game is the fact that he can play on both the left and right flanks. That certainly gives Howe options if he chooses to integrate him into the squad straight away. It also makes him an attractive prospect for sides looking to bring him in on loan, if that is the route Newcastle choose to take.

Howe would surely be hoping that Park can have an impact on the first team just like Miley did. The 19-year-old, who is a boyhood Geordie, has struggled with injuries in recent months, but has still made an impactful start to his Newcastle career.

Miley, who is from Stanley, just south of St James’ Park, has played 46 games for Newcastle so far, scoring three goals and grabbing four assists. One of his standout moments was this magical assist for Isak against Chelsea last season.

It is that sort of magic that Howe would surely want Park to recreate in the long run. In many ways, the Magpies boss might want him to become the second coming of Miley, in the sense of a young player stepping up in the first team.

Well, if his numbers via Sofascore from the 2024 K League 2 are anything to go by, he has the ability. Not only did he contribute to an average of 0.5 goals each game, but he averaged 2.2 key passes and 5.4 successful dribbles per 90 minutes.

Minutes played

586

41.9

Goals and assists

4

0.5

Key passes

14

2.2

Dribbles completed

35

5.4

Tackles and interceptions

5

0.8

Expected goal involvements

4.34xGI

0.67xGI

Described as a “lanky dribbler” by Davis, and standing at over six feet, the physical tools might well be there in the long run for Park to succeed in the Premier League. It certainly seems like he has the technical ability to do so.

Howe would surely love to have another exciting young talent stepping up in the same way Miley did, who can be a huge benefit for Newcastle in the short and long term. Park certainly has the tools to do that.

Isak heir: Newcastle in talks to sign "exceptional" £40m Ekitike alternative

Newcastle are still on the hunt for a striker this summer

ByJoe Nuttall Jul 17, 2025

Find out about the draft order, prices, retention picks and availability issues

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Aug-2024When will the draft take place?It all happens on September 1. The WBBL draft will take place first, starting at 3pm AEST, followed straight after by the BBL draft.What order do the teams pick in?This was determined by a weighted lottery a few months ago, based on last season’s finishing positions. In the WBBL, Hobart Hurricanes came out with pick No. 1 and Perth Scorchers last with pick No. 8. In the BBL, Melbourne Stars will have first pick and Sydney Sixers the eighth one.Related

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'Tall Paul' Walter could make BBL return to Brisbane Heat

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There are four rounds in all. Round one involves Platinum players only; round two Platinum and Gold; round three Gold and Silver; and round four Silver and Bronze.In the BBL, Adelaide Strikers and Sydney Thunder have traded their second-round picks as part of Wes Agar’s move to Thunder. So, in that round, Strikers have pick 11 and Thunder pick 13. In the WBBL, Strikers have traded picks 19 and 30 to Melbourne Renegades, getting picks 22 and 27 in returnThe third round (gold and silver) of each draft goes in reverse order. So, in the WBBL, Scorchers will have consecutive picks at 16 and 17 and in the BBL Sixers will have the same.The round one WBBL order reads: 1 Hobart Hurricanes, 2 Sydney Sixers, 3 Melbourne Renegades, 4 Melbourne Stars, 5 Sydney Thunder, 6 Adelaide Strikers, 7 Brisbane Heat, 8 Perth ScorchersThe round one BBL order reads: 1 Melbourne Stars, 2 Melbourne Renegades, 3 Sydney Thunder, 4 Hobart Hurricanes, 5 Adelaide Strikers, 6 Brisbane Heat, 7 Perth Scorchers, 8 Sydney Sixers.Cricket AustraliaHow many overseas players will be drafted?Each team will need to draft a minimum of two overseas players on top of their pre-signed names, meaning they can pass in only one round. The new mechanism was introduced this season to allow clubs in both competitions to sign one player before the draft and on multi-year deals if they wish. All the clubs have already taken advantage of this option.During the draft itself, the clubs will need to nominate which round their pre-signed overseas players are allocated to, based on the value of their contract. While many of them will be Platinum – the highest paid – that won’t be case for all. Renegades, for example, have already confirmed that Tim Seifert won’t be a Platinum pick. It’s also understood that in the WBBL, Brisbane Heat allrounder Nadine de Klerk will go in one of the lower bands.Clubs can sign a fourth overseas player during the draft if wanted, but they would be considered a replacement player. A maximum of three can be fielded in an XI.Replacement players can also be signed after the draft but have to come from those who have nominated, unless the tournament technical committee approves them under special circumstances, as happened with Nat Sciver-Brunt last season.Full list of pre-signed playersAdelaide Strikers: Smriti Mandhana, Ollie Pope
Brisbane Heat: Nadine de Klerk, Colin Munro
Hobart Hurricanes: Lizelle Lee, Chris Jordan
Melbourne Renegades: Hayley Matthews, Tim Seifert
Melbourne Stars: Marizanne Kapp, Tom Curran
Perth Scorchers: Sophie Devine, Finn Allen
Sydney Sixers: Amelia Kerr, Akeal Hosein
Sydney Thunder: Chamari Athapaththu, Sam BillingsCricket AustraliaSo how much are the players paid?There are four price bands. These figures are in Australian dollars.WBBL
Platinum: $110,000 (depending on availability)
Gold: $90,000
Silver: $65,000
Bronze: up to $40,000BBL
Platinum: $360,000-$420,000 (depending on availability)
Gold: $300,000
Silver: $200,000
Bronze: up to $100,000Can players be retained by their previous team?Yes, each club gets one retention pick. The basic example of a player who can be retained is one who played for the club the previous season. But there are other ways players qualify for retention. If they were signed last year but did not play (such as Danni Wyatt at Scorchers), they can be retained this year. When a club confirms which round their pre-signed player places into, that classes as their pick in that round and therefore they can’t then also use their retention.What is player availability like?Both competitions have now been reduced to 40-game regular seasons, with the WBBL’s new structure coming into effect this year after the BBL in 2023-24. There’s more of a squeeze on the WBBL this year while the BBL faces its usual headwinds from rival T20 leagues (SA20 and ILT20) and international cricket.The WBBL starts just seven days after the T20 World Cup finishes. There’s also various bilateral cricket at either end of the competition. India are due to play New Zealand straight after the World Cup while South Africa face England, which overlaps with the finals. England players selected for that tour will leave the WBBL but some South Africans, including Marizanne Kapp, will be available throughout and miss the T20Is.In the BBL, it’s even more of jigsaw puzzle although most of the pre-signed players have committed to a full season including the finals (that is a requirement for the 2025-26 season onwards, but optional for this one). Last season’s finals were decimated by an exodus of players to the UAE. However, some that are signed in the draft itself will again likely leave early with a host of them stating availability of six to nine games.The fixture congestion has been amplified for this season because the ILT20 has moved forward to make room for the Champions Trophy in February and will start on January 11, two days after the SA20 starts.When do the competitions take place?The WBBL runs from October 27 to December 1 and the BBL from December 15 to January 27.

Both teams endured collapses but Stallions’ 8 for 26 was too big a slump in the end

Danyal Rasool15-Sep-2024Zahid Mahmood’s five-for led Markhors to a crushing 126-run win over Stallions. Chasing 232 – the lowest target of the tournament by some distance – Stallions collapsed from the relative security to 79 for 2, losing their remaining eight wickets for 26. Iftikhar Ahmed and Salman Agha’s middle order half-centuries got Markhors past the 200-mark in the first innings, with a clinical bowling performance preserving their perfect record.The tournament looked set to get its first chasing winners when Shan Masood and Babar Azam were coasting through the opening powerplay. Babar dismantled Shahnawaz Dahani with five boundaries in his only over to underscore Stallions’ dominance at that stage, bringing up the team fifty inside nine overs. But when Masood tried to cut away a Naseem Shah delivery that kept a shade low and ended up dragging it into his stumps, the game swiftly turned.A charged Naseem gave his Test captain a send-off that Masood did not appreciate, but the momentum had swung on a dime. Tayyab Tahir and Babar fell either side of the 15th over, and suddenly the spin of Mahmood and Salman began to stifle the Stallions’ gallop. Captain Mohammad Haris was dispatched shortly after, and Stallions were in a free fall. The last eight wickets fell in just 53 balls, as what looked like a straightforward chase an hour earlier turned into a comprehensive defeat.With every side batting first winning so far, it was little surprise Markhors’ captain Mohammad Rizwan opted to bat first at the toss. But Markhors were beset by regular early wickets as Jahandad Khan, who took 4 for 49, removed Fakhar Zaman for 20. Rizwan got a start but never really got going, and Markhors were teetering at 38 for 3 before three successive half-century partnerships got Markhors out of that tight spot. However, the blistering finish that has characterised first innings across this competition would never materialise as Mehran Mumtaz and Jahandad ran through the lower-middle order, with the last five wickets falling for just 10 runs.Markhors did look short at the time, but their bowlers would ensure they didn’t have much to worry about.

Everton’s summer rebuild is gathering pace. The £27.6m signing of Thierno Barry from Villarreal has handed David Moyes a towering centre-forward to lead the line, one capable of dominating defences with his aerial prowess, strength, and movement.

But with both Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom returning to their parent clubs, Everton’s attack is short of width and creativity.

Moyes now needs a player who can stretch defences, beat his man, and crucially, supply the service Barry will thrive on.

Everton open talks to sign Harrison and Lindstrom replacement

That search has led them to one of La Liga’s standout performers, whose skillset may be the perfect match for their new No. 9.

According to reports, Everton have already made first contact.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Via TEAMtalk, Everton have started talks with Real Sociedad over a potential deal for 24-year-old Japanese international Takefusa Kubo.

The former Real Madrid prospect is open to a new challenge, and the Premier League is believed to be a major draw.

Kubo is currently under contract at Sociedad until June 2029, with a release clause reportedly around £50m.

Everton are not the only side interested. Clubs from the Bundesliga and La Liga are also monitoring the situation, but the Toffees are hopeful that the promise of regular minutes and a key role under Moyes could help sway the player.

Kubo joined Sociedad permanently in 2022 and wasted no time making an impression. In his first full season, he was named the club’s Player of the Season, showcasing his ability to both score and create from wide areas.

Zinedine Zidane, who played a role in his development at Real Madrid, once called him “a very interesting player for the present and the future.”

Meanwhile, former Mallorca CEO Maheta Molango, reflecting on Kubo’s two loan spells at the club, praised his character and focus:

“I was very impressed by Kubo when I met him. He’s super humble, super down to earth. His talent is obvious, but the reason why he will one day be a football superstar is his head. He sees things that other people don’t see, the ability to see a pass and pick a long ball. His intelligence is outstanding.”

Why Kubo could be Barry’s perfect supply line

Kubo’s profile fits exactly what Everton lack. A right-footed winger who prefers starting from the right, he thrives in one-on-one situations, cutting inside to create chances or drive at goal.

He combines dribbling flair with precision delivery, making him a natural partner for a striker like Barry.

In 2024/25, Kubo played 36 games, scoring five goals and assisting several more.

According to FBref, he completed 75 take-ons, created 45 chances, produced 14 shots on target, and made 129 touches in the opposition box.

His crossing numbers are particularly impressive, averaging 3.32 per 90, ranking him in the 86th percentile among wingers in Europe’s top leagues.

For Barry, who stands at 6 foot 5 and thrives on service, those numbers are gold.

Last season, the French forward scored 11 goals from an expected goals (xG) tally of 11.7 and added four assists.

The same data reveals that he ranks among the top percentiles for runs in behind and crosses received and won nearly two-thirds of his aerial duels in the penalty area.

Barry’s combination of size, mobility, and sharp movement inside the box is exactly the kind of profile that can elevate a creator like Kubo. And in turn, Kubo’s ability to beat his marker and pick a final ball could help Barry explode in the Premier League.

Moyes’ system traditionally relies on wide players who work hard defensively but also deliver early, accurate service. Kubo ticks those boxes but adds a level of technical quality that Everton have lacked on the flanks.

With Calvert-Lewin gone, Barry now leads the line. And if Everton can land Kubo, they may have finally found the perfect partner to supply him, creating a dangerous duo built on power, and cutting edge in the final third.

Everton could hijack move to sign hulking £42m striker who'd be Lukaku 2.0

Everton will be keen on signing another striker this summer

ByRoss Kilvington Jul 22, 2025

Jude Bellingham is edging closer to making his return to the Real Madrid team after stepping up his recovery from injury.

Bellingham recovery acceleratingCould return to full Madrid training imminentlyLos Blancos stars on international dutyFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The English midfielder had been carrying a shoulder injury for over a year following a dislocation against Rayo Vallecano in November 2023, but following the Club World Cup, he underwent surgery to fix the long-term issue. Bellingham has since followed a "special recovery plan" to help get him ready for the new season as soon as possible, and it looks like it might be paying off. Initial reports suggested he would be out until the end of October, but he may well return sooner than expected.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

According to , Bellingham is preparing to return to the training pitch on Monday and will make the first significant step back towards pulling on the famous white jersey again. Despite this speedy progress, Madrid are insistent that they will not take any risks with his fitness. explained that there is a "zero risk" policy when it comes to Bellingham's fitness and Los Blancos will be hoping to navigate the opening months of the season without their star midfielder.

DID YOU KNOW?

With Bellingham out for at least another month, he will miss the club's opening La Liga fixtures and a couple of Champions League clashes. With the first El Clasico of the season scheduled for the end of October, Bellingham will be in a race to be fit for a potential title deciding fixture.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR MADRID?

With most of their squad away on international duty, Madrid will only have their full squad back in training later this week. They will then have a couple of days to prepare for next weekend's clash against Real Sociedad.

Manchester City are looking to mount a Premier League title challenge this term, and Pep Guardiola has personally requested a signing that would make headlines across Europe, per a report.

Manchester City continue squad refresh ahead of new campaign

Despite being involved in the Club World Cup, the Citizens have only been able to enjoy a short break and now find themselves firmly in preparatory mode for the new campaign.

Last week, James Trafford became Manchester City’s sixth summer signing for £27 million, marking his return to the Etihad Stadium from Burnley, where he will likely assume the number one jersey between the sticks.

Speaking after his arrival, Micah Richards believes Ederson will be a hard act to follow for Trafford once he settles into life under Guardiola’s way of playing, which requires elite-level distribution.

He stated: “We keep talking about tactics and systems and all that sort of thing, Ederson with his feet, he’s the best I’ve ever seen in the Premier League with his feet without doubt.”

“Trafford, he’s a really good shotstoppper, isn’t he and with his feet, he can do it, I’ve seen clips but he’s not just as elegant as Ederson and it takes a little bit longer. Ederson takes a touch and bang! Obviously, he’s got a lot to live up to but in terms of shotstopping, he’s really good, he’s got my backing.”

Man City’s summer arrivals so far – name and club signed from

Sverre Nypan

Rosenborg

James Trafford

Burnley

Rayan Ait-Nouri

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Rayan Cherki

Lyon

Marcus Bettenelli

Chelsea

Tijjani Reijnders

AC Milan

Guardiola continues to build his squad and could look to add West Ham United’s Lucas Paqueta at Manchester City after he was cleared of any wrongdoing for alleged spot-fixing.

With overtaking their domestic rivals to claim the title firmly on the Citizens’ radar, they are now ready to go all out to bring in a world-renowned winger this summer.

Man City set to go all out for AC Milan star Rafael Leao

According to reports in Spain, Manchester City are set to go all out to sign AC Milan winger Rafael Leao, who has been personally requested by Guardiola as he looks to add another dimension to his attack.

After identifying the Portugal international as a high-profile solution on the Citizens’ left-hand side, the outlet claims that an £87 million bid could be put forward to try and tempt him away from San Siro.

Dubbed “extraordinary” by Max Allegri after AC Milan’s recent 4-2 friendly victory over Liverpool, Leao registered 12 goals and 13 assists in 50 appearances across all competitions.

Viewed as someone who could add an extra level of ‘explosiveness’ at the Etihad Stadium, the 27-year-old hasn’t publicly expressed his desire to seek a new challenge, though one wonders whether he would be tempted if an official offer were to materialise.

Either way, Manchester City seem intent to build a side capable of mounting a serious title challenge and Leao joining would be a major step on the right track.

Gambhir also said he was not thinking about the team’s “transition and that kind of stuff”

S Sudarshanan11-Nov-20241:32

Gambhir: Rohit and Kohli ‘are still very hungry’

Gautam Gambhir has backed the senior batting duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the lead up to the five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia, which has gained a lot more significance for the WTC final qualification after India’s 3-0 loss to New Zealand at home. Questions around their form gained momentum after both batters scored only one half-century each in ten innings combined against New Zealand and Bangladesh in the current home season.While Rohit tallied 133 runs in those ten innings with only one score of over 25 to average a mere 13.30, Kohli fared marginally better with 192 runs in as many outings, for an average of 21.33. The fact that India lost a Test series at home for the first time in 12 years, and were whitewashed 3-0 for the first time at home, added to the chatter.”Not at all,” Gambhir shot back at the press conference when asked if there were any concerns around the form of the duo. “I have got no concerns whatever over Virat and Rohit. I think they are incredibly tough men. They’ve achieved a lot for Indian cricket, and they will continue to achieve a lot in future as well. I think for me at the most important thing is that they still working really hard, they are still passionate, they still want to achieve a lot more and that is something which is very important. The hunger in that dressing room is incredibly important for me and for the entire group as well. I feel there’s a lot of hunger, especially after what has happened in the last series.”Related

Border-Gavaskar Trophy: What India and Australia can expect at the five venues

Gambhir: Rahul can open if Rohit misses first Test

Jurel, Prasidh thump Test door but opener conundrum persists

Rohit 'more comfortable' with match simulation than tour game

Questions around Kohli have been a lot louder compared to those around Rohit, who started the year with two Test centuries, against England in Rajkot and Dharamsala. Kohli had missed that entire series against England and scored his last Test century 16 months ago, in the West Indies. In the last five years, Kohli’s batting graph has seen a significant dip with only two hundreds to his name from 60 innings, at an average of under 32, which has taken his overall Test average down from nearly 55 in November 2019 to 47.83.Since Kohli is 36 and Rohit 37, there have also been raised questions around the inevitable transition of the India Test team. With R Ashwin 38 and Ravindra Jadeja turning 36 next month, Gambhir was asked how he was looking at this phase as the coach, especially since he was part of the earlier cycle of change as a player when the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and others retired.”Look, honestly I’m not even thinking that the team is in transition and that kind of stuff,” Gambhir said. “The only thing that is there at the moment in my mind is we go to Australia to play five Test matches. And I’ve said it that there are some incredibly tough people in that dressing room who have to achieve a lot of good things in the future as well. So you guys can keep talking about the transition and all that stuff. For me, I think they’re still very hungry and till the time they’re very hungry, I’m sure that they’ve got a lot of fire to achieve a lot of success for the nation.1:48

Gambhir: ‘I knew it was going to be a highly difficult job’

“And you should never doubt their passion for the country. So I feel that transition or no transition, those things can happen, and those things will keep happening in Indian cricket, but at the moment it’s the five Test matches that are important.”Looking back, Gambhir accepted India were “outplayed” by New Zealand but were not looking at the WTC scenarios, and banking on the experience in the squad to tackle the challenges of winning a series in Australia.”I am not going to sit here and defend [the loss against New Zealand]; I think we were outplayed in all the three departments,” Gambhir said. “They were more professional and we accept that. And I think the criticism what we are receiving, we take it with both hands and we keep moving forward, keep getting better every day. Three Test matches before, we had an incredible Test match in Kanpur [against Bangladesh]. So I know that we haven’t played our best cricket, but it doesn’t change that Australia is a new series and we go out there thinking that we’re going to definitely try and win that series.”The first and foremost challenge is obviously the conditions. In these ten days, if we can get good, proper preparation before the start of the series, I think we are going to be in a really good shape. And we’ve got a lot of experienced players who’ve been to Australia a lot many times. Their experience will come in handy for the young players as well. These ten days are going to be very crucial but come 22nd morning, I think we should be absolutely ready to fire from ball one.”

Celtic may be in the market to add another centre-forward to their squad before the summer transfer window officially slams shut at the start of next month.

It is fair to say that Adam Idah has not had the best start to the Scottish Premiership season as the main number nine for Brendan Rodgers, particularly given his performance against St Mirren.

The Ireland international, as shown in the graphic above, missed three ‘big chances’ and lost the majority of his duels in the 1-0 win on the opening day.

Idah then failed to deliver a goal or an assist in the 2-0 win over Aberdeen in the second match of the league season, despite starting up front once again.

The Ireland international is still looking to prove that he has what it takes to be starting number nine for Celtic this season, after being in and out of the team at points last term.

With his current struggles in mind, the Scottish giants may view their failed pursuit of Danish forward Mathias Kvistgaarden as a bit of a blunder in hindsight.

Celtic's Mathias Kvistgaarden blunder

Back in the summer of 2023, Celtic were reportedly interested in the then-21-year-old number nine from Brondby to bolster Rodgers’ options at the top end of the pitch in his first window back at the club.

They did not heavily pursue a move for him in that window, though, but were reportedly in talks with the Danish outfit in January 2024 to discuss a deal for him.

Celtic were tentatively linked with Kvistgaarden again in the summer of that year, before they reportedly made contact with Brondby once again to talk about a move for the versatile forward in January of the current year.

Despite all of those links and supposed talks, it was eventually Norwich City that landed the striker this summer for a fee of £6.9m, after they activated a little-known release clause, despite a fee of £12m having been mooted.

The post from talent scout Jacek Kulig, from before the end of last season, shows that Kvistgaarden steadily improved throughout his time with Brondby, developing into a sublime goalscorer.

Appearances

29

Goals

17

Minutes per goal

119

Conversion rate

22%

Big chances created

5

Assists

5

As you can see in the table above, the Denmark international delivered 23 goals and assists in 29 league appearances for his former club in the 2024/25 campaign, which shows that he can make a consistent impact in the final third.

Whilst it remains to be seen how well he will do for Norwich, Idah’s former club, in the Championship, he does seem to be the kind of ruthless and prolific striker that the Hoops are currently lacking.

This is why missing out on a deal for him after three or four transfer windows of reportedly serious interest in him could be viewed as a blunder by the club.

Celtic, though, could avenge their howler with Kvistgaarden by winning the race to sign another reported transfer target from Brondby, Clement Bischoff.

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The Hoops have been touted with an interest in the £6m-rated winger this summer, and they should not allow him to slip through their fingers like they did with the now-Norwich star.

Why Celtic should sign Clement Bischoff

Bischoff is an incredibly exciting young talent whom the Premiership champions should be looking to bring to Parkhead before the end of the window, if the initial report on their interest was accurate.

As explained, Celtic were interested in Kvistgaarden for multiple years and transfer windows and were unable to get a deal over the line before he exploded in the 2024/25 campaign and then went elsewhere, to the Canaries.

Bischoff has not quite had the explosive season that his former teammate had last year, yet, which is why this could be the perfect time for the Hoops to snap him up.

If they wait, as they did with Kvistgaarden after their interest in 2023 and 2024, then the Danish winger could have his breakout year this season and then become unattainable due to interest from Europe’s top leagues, or high-spending teams in the Championship like Norwich.

U23 scout Antonio Mango described him as an “explosive” and “flamboyant” star with pace and technical ability, which suggests that he has the potential to be a fan favourite at Parkhead as a forward who can get supporters off their seats with his direct play.

His form at the start of the current campaign suggests that he is starting to turn his exciting potential into consistently impressive displays, which makes him an even more attractive target for Celtic.

Appearances

39

8

Key passes

51

24

Big chances created

10

5

Key passes per 90

2.0

3.8

Assists

5

2

Goals

2

1

Successful dribbles per 90

1.9

2.0

As you can see in the table above, Bischoff is already showing signs of huge progression early on in the current campaign, with already half as many ‘big chances’ created as he managed in the whole of last season.

These statistics, aided by his move from left wing-back to left wing, show that he is on course to deliver far more at the top end of the pitch, in terms of goals, key passes, ‘big chances’ created, and dribbles.

This is why it is so important that the Hoops make a serious move for him in the current transfer window, because if he continues to improve at his current rate, then he may be beyond the club’s reach this time next year.

Therefore, Celtic can avenge their blunder with Brondby’s last superstar, Kvistgaarden, by paying the £6m fee that it may take to snap Bischoff up before September’s deadline to bolster Rodgers’ squad.

Celtic could land big Idah upgrade in swoop for "magnificent" £7m striker

Celtic may find a big upgrade on Adam Idah by swooping to sign this £7m-rated forward.

ByDan Emery Aug 14, 2025

UEFA has officially confirmed the venues for the 2027 Champions League finals, with Madrid and Warsaw set to stage the men's and women's showpiece events. Atletico's Estadio Metropolitano will host the men's final, returning to the stadium where Liverpool lifted the trophy in 2019, while Poland's Stadion Narodowy in Warsaw has been selected for the women's final.

Estadio Metropolitano to host 2027 men's UCL finalStadion Narodowy confirmed for women's finalUEFA also award 2026 Super Cup hosting rights to SalzburgFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The men's Champions League final in 2027 will be held at Atletico Madrid's Estadio Metropolitano after Milan's San Siro lost the rights amid ongoing renovation plans. Atletico's 70,000-capacity stadium previously hosted the 2019 final, when Liverpool defeated Tottenham 2-0. It will be the sixth time the Spanish capital has staged the competition's biggest game.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Warsaw's Stadion Narodowy will be the venue for the 2027 Women's Champions League final, marking a major moment for Polish football. UEFA confirmed the decisions following its executive meeting in Albania.

DID YOU KNOW?

This season's Champions League final will be played at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, with London also due to host future editions. The committee also announced Salzburg as the host city for the 2026 UEFA Super Cup.

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AFPWHAT NEXT?

The new Champions League league phase begins on September 16, kicking off another season of Europe's biggest club competition. The tournament will culminate in a final at the Puskas Arena in Budapest on May 30, 2026. This year's Women's Champions League final will be held at the Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo.