The defending champions started their season successfully with Lance Morris also taking four wickets
AAP24-Sep-2023Josh Philippe carried his outstanding domestic one-day form from last season into a new campaign as he starred in Western Australia’s four-wicket win over Queensland in Brisbane.The player of the 2022-23 tournament, the 26-year-old Phillipe, who made three ODI and 10 T20I appearances for Australia in 2021, scored a match-high 90 off 88 balls at Allan Border Field.WA reached their target of 239 with 9.4 overs to spare as they made a successful start to their bid for a third straight one-day domestic cup, despite having six players away on international duty and others on the injury list, but narrow missed the bonus point when Cooper Connolly and Nick Hobson fell in consecutive balls at the end of the 40th over.They lost opener D’Arcy Short for a first-ball duck and Cameron Bancroft for 10, but Philippe’s third-wicket stand of 90 off 80 balls with Sam Whiteman (62 off 52) took the game away from Queensland.Philippe, who scored a century for Australia A against their New Zealand counterparts in a first-class game earlier this month, and totaled 40 runs across three one-day games, struck 10 fours and a six.A late flurry of fours from Perth Scorchrers’ 2022-23 BBL final hero Connolly and a steady hand from captain Ashton Turner carried them to the verge of victory.Queensland paid the price for not turning several starts into more substantial scores as they were dismissed for 238 with 22 balls remaining.Four of their top seven scored at least 36 and the other three got to double figures, but no one made more than Ben McDermott’s 52 off 69 balls. They were well placed at 102 for 1 in the 20th over, but lost 3-19.Paceman Lance Morris was expensive and wayward early but made a successful return from a back issue, as he smashed through the bottom half of the order, with Queensland losing 5 for 40.Australian T20I and ODI representative McDermott, who has returned to Queensland from Tasmania, was run out backing up too far after bowler AJ Tye deflected a Matt Renshaw straight drive on to the stumps.Max Bryant, Michael Neser and Sam Heazlett were the other batters who perished after being well set.Philippe provided the spark at the start of the WA chase, but was happy to play second fiddle when Whiteman tore into the Queensland bowlers.Whiteman, who has returned from a stint with English county Northamptonshire, took 14 off four balls from Neser, including a ramp for six over fine leg before he switched to around the wicket and got him to chop the ball onto his stumps.
Royal Challengers Bangalore have not yet renewed their contracts with director of cricket operations Mike Hesson and head coach Sanjay Bangar following a sixth-place finish in IPL 2023, a development that could signal a major revamp at the franchise.The contracts are usually up for renewal around September, ESPNcricinfo has learned, but the franchise management is deliberating changes to its coaching staff. It could not be confirmed whether RCB have informed Hesson and Bangar, both of whom did not respond to a query from ESPNcricinfo.”Their contract with RCB is still intact,” RCB said in a statement. “The team is still under the process of review. We will come back if any announcement on the changes in the team.”Related
Middle-order woe leaves RCB empty-handed again
Langer takes over from Flower at LSG
Chahal on parting ways with RCB: 'I did not receive any phone call, no one even spoke to me'
Hesson came on board in August 2019 following a revamp of the coaching staff after their last-placed finish that year, while Bangar began his tenure ahead of the 2022 season, after Simon Katich parted ways with the franchise.Under Hesson, RCB finished fourth in the league in 2020 and lost the Eliminator to Sunrisers Hyderabad; third in 2021 and lost the Eliminator to Kolkata Knight Riders; fourth in IPL 2022 before winning the Eliminator and then losing Qualifier 2 to Rajasthan Royals; and failed to qualify for the playoffs in IPL 2023.RCB have made it to three IPL finals – in 2009 , 2011 and 2016 – but are yet to win an IPL title.RCB could become the second franchise to make changes to its team management since IPL 2023, after Lucknow Super Giants replaced Andy Flower with Justin Langer as their head coach.If RCB part ways with Hesson, it could also mean a revamp of the support staff of the RCB women’s team. Hesson was also director of cricket for the team during the inaugural Women’s Premier League, where they finished fourth among five teams, with two wins and six losses.
غادر لوكا مودريتش لاعب خط وسط ريال مدريد السابق صفوف الفريق، ومع ذلك، أشارت تقارير صحفية إلى أن رحلته لم تنته بعد مع الملكي.
وبحسب “ديفنسا سنترال” الإسبانية فإن فلورنتينو بيريز رئيس ريال مدريد يرحب بحفاوة بعودة لاعب خط الوسط الأسطوري لمنصب إداري في المستقبل.
اقرأ أيضاً.. فالفيردي عن “قيادة” ريال مدريد في الموسم الجديد: حلم كل طفل
وأعرب مودريتش عن رغبته لبيريز بأن يصبح مدربًا في المستقبل، ورد رئيس ريال مدريد أنه في حال قرر الكرواتي ذلك سيتشرف به النادي وببداية مسيرته التدريبية في أكاديمية الشباب.
ويعد هذا المسار هو نفسه الذي سلكه العديد من أساطير النادي مثل راؤول جونزاليس وجوتي وزين الدين زيدان وألفارو أريبلوا ومدرب ريال مدريد الحالي تشابي ألونسو.
وكان لوكا مودريتش قد اختتم مسيرته مع ريال مدريد هذا الصيف، حيث انضم لصفوف ميلان في صفقة انتقال حر.
ورحل مودريتش عن ريال مدريد بعد أن أصبح اللاعب الأكثر تتويجاً بالألقاب في تاريخ النادي، حيث حقق 28 لقبًا وأصبح كذلك اللاعب المحبوب لدى الجماهير.
وترك لوكا مودريتش رسالة للجماهير بأسلوبه الهادئ والمتواضع المعهود والتي لخصت مسيرته ببراعة: “لا تبكوا لأن الأمر انتهى، ابتسموا لأنه حدث”.
Jermaine Pennant believes Manchester United would've been relegated this season if it weren't for the brilliance of captain Bruno Fernandes.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Fernandes shone again in win over Athletic Club
Pennant insists he's saved Man Utd this season
Ex-winger claims Red Devils could've gone down
Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱
WHAT HAPPENED?
The former Liverpool winger claimed United would've been "fighting it out with Ipswich" at the bottom of the Premier League table had it not been for the performances of Fernandes this season. Pennant made the bold statement during a talkSPORT segment discussing the Red Devils' domestic struggles, 3-0 Europa League win over Athletic Club and Fernandes, who he believes elevates a significantly below-par United team.
Advertisement
AFP
THE BIGGER PICTURE
United have endured a turbulent season, marked by inconsistency in the Premier League despite a strong Europa League campaign which now sees them just 90 minutes away from the final. Ruben Amorim has struggled to find a consistent winning formula, with the team often lacking creativity and defensive stability. However, Fernandes' impact this term – and since joining the club in January 2020 – has been undeniable, with the Portuguese playmaker consistently providing goals, assists, and a driving force in midfield.
WHAT JERMAINE PENNANT SAID
Asked where United would be without Fernandes, Pennant said on talkSPORT: "I think relegated. I genuinely think they'd be back fighting out with Ipswich."
Former Tottenham midfielder, Jamie O'Hara, added: "Without him they're just a disaster. Maybe he's starting to get the credit he probably deserves because of the performances. He's a great player. He is top. When I watch him play and he's just like… he is unbelievable. He's one of them players that you just want to have in your team.
"And I know he can moan. I know he throws his arms up in the air. That's because he's had garbage around him for ages. He has stepped up this season for them. He must be standing there sometimes thinking, 'what am I doing playing with these?'"
AFP
WHAT NEXT FOR BRUNO FERNANDES?
Fernandes, who scored twice in Thursday night's win over Athletic Club, and his United team-mates are now preparing for the second leg of their Europa League semi-final at Old Trafford next week as they aim to secure a place in the final, potentially against Premier League rivals Spurs. Before that tie, though, Amorim's men face a trip to Brentford this weekend as they attempt to finish their miserable top-flight campaign on a high.
Everything you need to know about Quilindschy Hartman's salary details playing for Feyenoord
Dutch fullback Quilindschy Hartman joined Feyenoord's youth academy from Excelsior in 2010. After spending over a decade developing in the youth system, Hartman finally earned his opportunity to play for Feyenoord’s first team in 2022.
Since his promotion to the senior squad, Hartman has impressed at left-back, providing defensive stability and regularly contributing in the attacking third.
In 2023, following a strong debut season, the Dutchman signed a contract extension with the Eredivisie club, keeping him in Rotterdam until 2026.
Under his current contract, Hartman earns a substantial salary for his role in the first team.
But exactly how much does he earn?
GOAL delved into the numbers with Capology and found out!
*
Quilindschy Hartman's wages at Feyenoord in numbers
Under his current contract with Feyenoord, Hartman receives €13,846 weekly, totaling €720,000 annually.
Player
Nationality
Weekly wages in Euros
Annual wages in Euros
Quilindschy Hartman
Dutch
€13,846
€720,000
AdvertisementAFPTop earners at Feyenoord
Justin Bijlow is the top earner at Feyenoord, with Calvin Stengs and David Hancko in second and third positions.
Ramiz Zerrouki and Igor Paixao are fourth and fifth in the earnings list.
Player
Nationality
Weekly wages in Euros
Annual wages in Euros
Justin Bijlow
Dutch
€56,538
€2,940,000
Calvin Stengs
Dutch
€47,115
€2,450,000
David Hancko
Serbian
€45,192
€2,350,000
Ramiz Zerrouki
Algerian
€33,846
€1,760,000
Igor Paixao
Brazilian
€33,846
€1,760,000
Highest-paid players in Eredivisie
Jordan Henderson, previously with Liverpool, earns the highest salary in the Eredivisie. Sergino Dest from PSV follows. Daniele Rugani, an Italian player, ranks third, with Ajax's Brian Brobbey and Steven Berghuis in fourth and fifth.
Player
Club
Weekly wages in Euros
Annual wages in Euros
Jordan Henderson
Ajax
€90,000
€4,680,000
Sergino Dest
PSV
€75,385
€3,920,000
Daniele Rugani
Ajax
€75,385
€3,920,000
Brian Brobbey
Ajax
€57,692
€3,000,000
Steven Berghuis
Ajax
€56,731
€2,950,000
AFPHighest paid players in the world
Eredivisie player salaries are significant but lower than those of top global footballers, with none in the highest ranks.
The top five earners are in the Saudi Pro League, with Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr having the highest salary.
Karim Benzema, formerly of Real Madrid, is second, followed by Riyad Mahrez, previously with Manchester City and now at Al-Ahli, in third.
Sadio Mane and Kalidou Koulibaly, both from Senegal, are in fourth and fifth places, respectively.
Mitchell Santner plays key role as Worcestershire cruise to victory with 2.2 overs to spare
ECB Reporters Network20-Jun-2023Jos Buttler hit his highest Vitality Blast score of the summer but it proved in vain as Lancashire Lightning crashed to a seven-wicket setback against Worcestershire Rapids at New Road.England’s white-ball captain rescued his side from 38 for 4 by smashing 74 off 54 balls with two sixes and five fours. He clearly has a liking for the Rapids attack as his only other fifty in the competition this summer came against them at Blackpool.But Lightning were restricted to 164 for 8 with former England T20 player Pat Brown claiming three more wickets to take his tally for the campaign to 19. He received excellent support from Mitchell Santner and the New Zealand allrounder then clubbed his way to 49 off 27 balls as Worcestershire triumphed with 14 balls to spare.Jack Haynes showed his class in helping Santner add 81 in eight overs and he then pressed his foot on the accelerator in making a decisive 63 from 43 balls.The Rapids have now moved level on 12 points with Lancashire and they have a game in hand.Lancashire skipper Liam Livingstone opted to bat after the toss but his side ran into early trouble. Phil Salt smashed the second ball of the innings from Dillon Pennington over the midwicket boundary but it was his only scoring stroke. He went for another legside hit later in the over and skied a catch to Usama Mir at cover.Santner shared the new ball and also made a breakthrough as Luke Wells attempted a reverse sweep and was lbw. Pennington failed to hold onto a return catch from Dane Vilas but it did not prove a costly miss as Pat Brown struck twice in the final over of the powerplay.Vilas pulled Brown straight into the hands of midwicket and the next delivery accounted for Daryl Mitchell as he nicked a ball of extra bounce through to keeper Ben Cox.Lancashire were perched uneasily on 38 for 4 but Buttler and Rob Jones batted sensibly to lead a recovery. At first they were content to work the ball around against the Rapids spinners but gradually accelerated.Butler followed up his half-century in Lancashire’s win over Worcestershire at Southport by completing a 40-ball fifty with his fifth boundary, a delightful late cut at Brown’s expense.Jones opened his shoulder to clear the long off boundary against Brett D’Oliveira. But Santner broke a 98-run stand when Jones attempted a reverse sweep and only found the hands of Ed Pollock on the cover boundary.Josh Tongue then dismissed Buttler and Livingstone in an action-packed penultimate over. Butler’s fine knock ended on 74 when he holed out to cover and then Livingstone, who surprisingly held himself back until there were only 10 balls remaining, smashed his opening two deliveries for maximums.After a no-ball, Livingstone carved the third legitimate ball he faced to cover. And there was time for Brown to pick up his third wicket as Luke Wood found long-on.Jones held onto a diving catch at cover to dismiss D’Oliveira in Jack Blatherwick’s first over but Santner and Haynes took the game away from the Lightning during a stand of 81 in eight overs.Santner was particularly aggressive, striking Livingstone and Wells for maximums and there were also five fours in his 49 before he backed away to try and cut Wood and only feathered through to Buttler.Haynes then took over the mantle of chief aggressor and a regal cover drive off Tom Hartley enabled him to complete his half century. With Adam Hose also in good nick, the Rapids were on the verge of victory when Haynes holed out to backward square leg of Blatherwick.
Chelsea had another busy January transfer window, but instead of plenty of incomings, it was very departure-focused, with Cesare Casadei being sold, and six players being loaned out, with Axel Disasi, João Félix, Renato Veiga, Carney Chukwuemeka, Ben Chillwell and Caleb Wiley all heading out the door.
The Blues have spent heavily in the past, but in order to do so, they have always been relatively good at extracting good fees for their own players, whether it is youth academy products, top talents who have just tipped over their prime, or even players who have struggled for form.
Chelsea have the highest net spend in the past five seasons, with a -€924.86m (-£773.8m), making some big sales in order to fund their squad rebuild, signing the most talented youngsters from around the world, looking to kick-start their new era.
But as we mentioned, this isn’t necessarily a new thing, as Chelsea have always been good at making timely sales to reinvest their funds. However, with this, of course, comes the odd mistake of selling someone who goes on to become a world beater, and there are a few examples of that for the South West London club.
Chelsea's biggest mistakes when selling players
One of the biggest transfer mistakes in Chelsea’s history was letting Kevin De Bruyne leave to join Wolfsburg in Germany back in 2014, after signing the Belgian from Genk in 2012. The reported fee he was sold for was around £16.7m, after only making nine appearances for the Blues.
However, just 18 months later, Manchester City then purchased De Bruyne for a fee of around £54.5m, becoming the second-highest fee paid by a British club at the time. The 33-year-old has gone on to win six Premier League titles, making 406 appearances, scoring 104 goals, providing 173 assists and totalling 30,006 minutes played.
Another player the Blues sold in 2018 for a fee of around £35m, was Thibaut Courtois, who joined Real Madrid that summer. The Belgian shot-stopper made 154 appearances for Chelsea, keeping 58 clean sheets and conceding 152 goals.
1
Eden Hazard
£89m
Real Madrid
2019
2
Kai Havertz
£65m
Arsenal
2023
3
Oscar
£60m
Shanghai SIPG
2017
4
Alvaro Morata
£58.3m
Atletico Madrid
2020
5
Diego Costa
£57m
Atletico Madrid
2017
6
Mason Mount
£55m
Man Utd
2023
7
David Luiz
£50m
PSG
2014
8
Nemanja Matic
£40m
Man Utd
2017
9
Juan Mata
£37.1m
Man Utd
2014
=10
Ian Maatsen
£35m
Aston Villa
2024
=10
Thibaut Courtois
£35m
Real Madrid
2018
The 32-year-old has gone on to become one of the best goalkeepers in the world, whilst Chelsea are struggling to decide on their number one, with Robert Sanchez currently in error-stricken form, and a host of other young options yet to fully prove themselves.
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
The biggest blunder Chelsea have made
There is one more sale that could perhaps be the worst in their history, which came in 2016, as the Blues let go of a player for a fee of around £15m, who then returned to haunt them in the Premier League from 2017 onwards.
It is, of course, Mohamed Salah who joined Chelsea from Basel in 2014 for a fee of around £11m, going on to make just 19 appearances for the Blues, scoring two goals, providing three assists and totalling 882 minutes. Due to his lack of playing time, the Egyptian went on a few loans to Serie A, before moving on a permanent deal to Roma in 2016.
But much like the De Bruyne case, just one year after leaving Chelsea on a permanent deal, Liverpool decided to sneak in, completing the £34.3m signing of Salah. The rest is history as the Egyptian has gone on to make 382 appearances for the Reds, scoring 236 goals and providing 105 assists, becoming a Premier League legend.
Where Are They Now
Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.
When comparing Salah to Chelsea’s two right-wing options this season, Noni Madueke and Pedro Neto, you can see the 32-year-old is, unsurprisingly, simply on another level, doubling their goal and assist output, having the best goals/shot ratio, still producing the most creative actions with key passes and shot-creating actions, whilst being the primary goalscorer for his side.
Goals
0.81
0.36
0.27
Assists
0.55
0.31
0.11
xG
0.78
0.48
0.09
xAG
0.43
0.22
0.21
Progressive Carries
4.35
6.73
5.95
Progressive Passes
4.32
3.21
1.98
Shots Total
3.60
4.04
2.10
Goals/Shot
0.16
0.09
0.13
Key Passes
2.23
1.51
1.67
Shot-Creating Actions
4.69
3.71
3.49
Successful Take-Ons
1.47
1.70
1.75
Even in the few areas that Salah doesn’t rank top, such as progressive carries (topped by Madueke), shots per 90 (topped by Madueke) and successful take-ons (topped by both Chelsea wingers), the margins are extremely close, whereas many of the areas Salah dominates in, he is clear of the others.
The decision to sell him is compounded by the fact that Salah is outscoring every single Chelsea player this season too, even Cole Palmer, who has been a revelation for the Blues.
Palmer has netted 39 goals in 71 appearances since joining Chelsea in 2023. Over the same time frame, Salah has scored 50 goals in 77 outings, currently leading the Premier League for both goals and assists throughout 2024/25.
His ex-Liverpool coach, Jürgen Klopp, labelled Salah an “all-time great” when praising his “absolutely exceptional” goal tally, and naming him one of the best players he has ever coached. The complexion of Klopp’s great Liverpool attack, including Salah, Sadio Mané and Roberto Firmino could have been very different had the Blues never let go of the Egypt international.
With Enzo Maresca at Chelsea, the wingers have very important roles, looking to help the team defend when in deeper areas, allowing the fullbacks to shift more centrally, but then having to stretch the pitch high and wide when they are on the ball, looking to isolate fullbacks in 1v1 scenarios, and provide goals and assists for the team.
Madueke has shown he has the ability to score goals for Chelsea from wide areas, arriving in the box on time, but Salah has clearly become the master of providing G/A (goals + assists) from wide areas, which ultimately begs the question as to how different things would be if he stayed at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea's most expensive sales of all time
A look at the record departures from Stamford Bridge.
da bet7： Arne Slot’s Liverpool project is built atop the foundation paved by Jurgen Klopp in his last hurrah.
da dobrowin： That’s not to say that the Dutch tactician has been riding on his predecessor’s coattails; far from it. Slot has taken a talented Liverpool side and shaped it toward his vision.
He’s done it with aplomb. The Reds are eight points clear at the top of the Premier League and await Newcastle United in next month’s Carabao Cup final. They have been drawn against Paris Saint-Germain for the Champions League’s last 16 too.
And all this having barely touched the transfer market. In fact, Federico Chiesa from Juventus for £12.5m stands as the only first-team addition since the summer 2023 market. Giorgi Mamardashvili signed last summer but has stayed with Valencia on loan.
Much of this boils down to Liverpool’s midfield rebuild. Klopp’s last hurrah, he pieced a malfunctioned engine room back together, with FSG opting for several parts instead of the attractive option named Jude Bellingham.
When Liverpool missed out on Jude Bellingham
There was a point, about two years ago, when Liverpool held onto hopes of bringing Bellingham to Anfield. Spanish sources revealed in December 2022 that Real Madrid were the favourites but that Liverpool held the financial advantage. Fans waited with bated breath.
Bellingham signed for Los Blancos in a deal worth £115m, leaving Borussia Dortmund having established himself as one of the brightest young talents in the business.
Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham
Toward the end of the 2023/24 season, Joleon Lescott claimed that the robust midfielder is “the best player in the world.” Whether this is actually true is open to question, but there’s no doubt that Bellingham is in the world-class bracket.
He has lifted La Liga and Champions League titles and has racked up 57 goal contributions from 77 matches. According to CIES Football Observatory’s player valuation model, Bellingham is currently valued at £225m, making him the second-most valuable player in the world, behind only Manchester City’s Erling Haaland at £244m.
Carlo Ancelotti has described Bellingham as “a gift for football” but Liverpool ultimately hit the jackpot in investing in the aggregate. Had the Three Lions superstar been signed and resources have been exhausted, it’s unlikely that Liverpool’s midfield, maybe still comprised of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho, would be serving up a title challenge.
Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Ryan Gravenberch are title-chasing Liverpool’s main options, while Wataru Endo surprised a few in helping Klopp’s team toward a resurgent 2023/24 campaign, winning the Carabao Cup too.
However, there’s another Reds midfielder who’s proving himself to be an unsung hero in Slot’s midfield, and he cost absolutely nothing.
Arne Slot's unsung hero at Liverpool
Curtis Jones has always been just outside the limelight.
Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones celebrates
A dynamic midfielder with a technical gift and selfless intelligence, he’s been a valuable asset to the Merseysiders since emerging from the academy.
His introductory goal against Everton in the 2020 FA Cup third round when he was only 18 to seal passage to the next phase illustrated the latest Merseyside sensation to come through the gates.
His ball-playing style aligns neatly with Slot’s own footballing ideology, but injuries and suspensions have kept him from nailing down a regular starting berth.
In fact, the regularity of suspension and fitness blows across his senior career so far might have proved detrimental to many up-and-comers, but his determination and self-belief have instead seen him go from strength to strength.
Below, you will see how Jones’ technical qualities have been shifted to accommodate Slot’s more control-focused system. This, for sure, serves as an accurate barometer of the nuanced tweaks away from Klopp’s set-up.
Curtis Jones in the Premier League (23/24 vs 24/25)
Stats (per 90)
23/24
24/25
Goals
0.08
0.26
Assists
0.08
0.26
Shot-creating actions
2.78
2.33
Touches
70.57
62.96
Pass completion
91.1%
93.9%
Passes attempted
59.85
52.36
Progressive passes
5.71
5.43
Progressive carries
2.39
1.12
Successful take-ons
1.16
0.78
Ball recoveries
5.55
4.39
Tackles + interceptions
2.62
2.41
Stats via FBref
Under Slot’s wing, Jones is effectively moving around less, touching less of the ball while maintaining his expertise in playing the ball. Speaking warmly of his midfielder in November, the Dutch coach hailed his all-round ability: “He has an incredibly hard work rate and we trust him in defence. He is complete. For him now, it is all about consistency.”
Praised for his “truly special” style of play by one analyst, Jones’ knack for impressing across the different central roles serves as another string to the bow. As per Transfermarkt, he has featured 14 times in an advanced role this year, 11 dead in the centre and has played four matches in a deeper-sat position, making long stroking passes to build the fluency of Slot’s team.
Jude Bellingham for England
His glue-like quality allows those around him to flourish, and brings the best out of them. In fact, he might even have some intriguing similarities to the aforementioned Bellingham, with FBref recording the Real Madrid Galactico as Jones’ most comparable midfielder when crunching numbers across the past 365 days.
Bellingham ranks among the top 2% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals and assists, the top 17% for shot-creating actions, the top 7% for touches, and the top 6% for tackles and interceptions made per 90, as per FBref.
He’s the footballing paragon of midfield completeness, transcending the position and becoming a unique talent unto himself. Jones, we have to admit, isn’t operating at the same level, but he does carry a stylistic semblance and this is a treat for a Reds side blessed with such dynamic and balanced midfield proportions.
The Sky Sports pundits see something Bellingham-esque in Jones’ skill set, with Jamie Carragher remarking that he has “a bit of everything” in his game.
Indeed, Jones needs to keep his head down and prove himself worthy among his fellow midfielders. According to Football Transfers, the England international’s transfer value has skyrocketed from about £15m to £44m in just a matter of months, perfectly illustrating his progress under new Liverpool management.
Bellingham’s a showman, yes, but he’s also a warrior and a thoroughbred workhorse. Jones doesn’t quite encapsulate the same sweeping gamut, but he’s a top player in his own right, and so undervalued within this title-charging Liverpool team.
Left in 2015: Liverpool's £4m flop is outscoring Darwin Nunez in 24/25
It highlights the non-clinical edge of Darwin Nunez’s game.
As the final steps in their road back from injury to the Indian team, KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer are now taking part in match simulations at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. This process will culminate in a couple of practice games for them, as they make their way back from a thigh (Rahul) and back (Iyer) injury.Rahul and Iyer are expected to take part in this training all through this week, which will give the national selectors clarity on how they are shaping up in a match environment before they sit down to pick India’s Asia Cup squad, which is expected to be out by August 20.”We have a few guys coming back from injuries in any case,” head coach Rahul Dravid had said in Florida after the fifth and final T20I against West Indies on Sunday. “We are going to have to give them opportunities to play [in the Asia Cup]. I haven’t really thought about the Asia Cup at this stage. We have a one-week camp in Bengaluru from August 23. We’ll be assembling there as a one-day team. We will take it as it comes.”Late last month, the BCCI issued a media statement confirming Iyer and Rahul’s return to batting in the nets and fitness drills. ESPNcricinfo understands the delay in Asia Cup squad announcement is to give selectors more of a chance to assess the duo, and give them the best chance to feature in the tournament which in many ways is a dry run for the World Cup in October-November.India’s Asia Cup contingent and reserves will undergo a week-long conditioning camp in Bengaluru from August 23-29 prior to leaving for Sri Lanka for the tournament, where India will open their campaign on September 2 against Pakistan.
Asia Cup squad = World Cup squad?
The selectors are keen on the Asia Cup being an unofficial hard stop as far as team selection for the World Cup goes, but it’s likely there could be an exception or two made, given India also play Australia in three ODIs prior to the World Cup campaign. As things stand, the BCCI must announce a preliminary World Cup squad by September 5, but can make changes to the squad as late as September 27, the day of the third and final ODI against Australia.Rahul and Iyer are among four players who are in line for comebacks. The other two, Jasprit Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna, are part of the Ireland tour party for the three T20Is from August 18-23.If fully fit, Rahul is India’s first-choice wicketkeeper in ODIs and will likely slot into the middle order along with Iyer, who has a formidable record at No. 4. In Iyer’s absence, the selectors have experimented with a number of options, including Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson and Axar Patel during the recently concluded ODI series in the Caribbean.Iyer hasn’t played any competitive cricket since the fourth Border-Gavaskar Test against Australia this March. He underwent a back surgery in London subsequently, which forced him to miss the entire IPL season. He was in line to return for the Ireland T20Is, but this had been pushed back after the NCA staff felt he needed a longer rehabilitation window.Rahul, meanwhile, pulled up towards the end stages of IPL 2023, when he tore a tendon in his right thigh while fielding. Like Iyer, Rahul too underwent surgery in the UK and has been in rehab at the NCA for the past two months.
Prasidh Krishna, Jasprit Bumrah all set for Ireland gig
Prasidh and Bumrah had been had been put through similar match simulation exercises by the NCA staff late last month as their final lap of preparation before the squad selection for Ireland. On Sunday, Prasidh played for Mysuru Warriors in the Maharaja T20 Cup, his first top-level game in almost a year.Both players have now linked up with the squad leaving for Ireland.
An Aston Villa update has surfaced on the possibility of Marcus Rashford joining Unai Emery beyond this campaign, with Manchester United hatching an intriguing plan for the £300,000-per-week winger.
Marcus Rashford earns Aston Villa praise after promising start
After falling down the pecking order at Old Trafford, with Ruben Amorim even criticising Rashford’s commitment, the big-name Englishman has so far displayed flashes of his best form since joining the club on loan in January.
Aston Villa now very keen on summer move for £41m "beast" to replace Duran
Unai Emery has his eye on a new striker.
ByDominic Lund Feb 20, 2025
Rashford made his debut for Villa in a centre-forward role in the FA Cup against Tottenham, and impressed after coming off the bench during Villa’s 1-1 draw with Ipswich in the Premier League. The 27-year-old was then handed his first start in their 2-2 draw against Liverpool earlier this week, standing out as their best performer on the night by virtue of his average match rating, according to WhoScored.
While he is yet to register his first goal or assist under Emery, his direct and exciting displays indicate that it is only a matter of time.
“Marcus Rashford and Asensio, we watched their skill and how they helped us and will help us again in the next months in the different competitions we will face,” said Emery on Rashford.
“We are in a new way after the changes we did. We are demanding because we still need to improve due to some tactical issues and how we want to compete in the Premier League.”
Meanwhile, his teammate Morgan Rogers has also explained what a joy it is to have Rashford at Villa.
“It pushes us along, we want to take what we can from the experienced players in the squad,” said Rogers on Rashford.
“It’s massive to have people like that in the building, and hopefully we can just push each other. The second goal was important, we played well, but we hadn’t killed the game off.”
Aston Villa handed update on Marcus Rashford signing permanently
Villa have a £40m option-to-buy Rashford at the end of his loan deal, but according to reporter Jacque Talbot, the prospects of NSWE triggering it are slim amid United’s own summer transfer plans.
Marcus Rashford
It is thought that Villa’s financial issues mean there is uncertainty surrounding Rashford’s long-term future, and as things stand, it is more likely that he returns to Manchester.
That is because United are hatching their own transfer plan for the forward, with Talbot claiming Amorim’s side are planning to use Rashford as a makeweight in potential swap deal talks to sign Bayern Munich midfielder Aleksandar Pavlović.
Villa take on Chelsea today in the Premier League, and it is likely that Emery will utilise the attacker at some point as he looks to get the very best out of his new arrival during his brief stay in Birmingham.