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Exiled Afghanistan women players to men's team: 'Please be the voice of the girls'

by csb10.top Uncategorized

Don’t ban the Afghanistan men’s side from playing international cricket but do expect them to do more for the women and girls who don’t have the same rights they do. That’s the opinion of two formerly contracted Afghanistan women’s players living in exile in Australia.Firooza Amiri and Benafsha Hashimi fled Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover in 2021 and have narrated their story of escape to a new life on ESPNcricinfo’s Powerplay podcast. Both women continue to play club cricket in Australia, with hopes of representing their country someday even though that will not be possible until the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) put up a women’s team. Under Taliban rule, the ACB cannot do that because of the country’s laws, which forbid women from playing sport, studying and working.Given that Afghanistan are ICC Full Members, and that one of the conditions of that status is to have a women’s side, there has been debate over whether or not to sanction the Afghanistan’s men’s team. Both Australia and England refuse to play bilateral series against them in protest, but continue to play them at ICC events, while the other nine Full Members engage with Afghanistan, sometimes amid growing calls to boycott them. South Africa are the most recent and relevant example, given they were isolated from the 1970s to 1990s for the country’s race-based Apartheid system. While the country’s sports minister, Gayton McKenzie, recently cited gender discrimination as a reason not to play Afghanistan, Cricket South Africa believes punishing the men’s players for a situation beyond their control will not force change. Amiri and Hashimi hold similar views but it is important to know that some of the other players are known to feel differently.Related

  • Afghanistan women's players soak up World Cup experience

  • Human Rights Watch asks ICC to suspend Afghanistan's membership

  • England-Afghanistan to go ahead despite ECB speaking out over 'gender apartheid'

  • Pressure mounts on ICC amid Afghanistan women's fundraising drive

  • Powerplay: More than just a match for Afghanistan Women's XI

“The Afghanistan men’s team brings a kind of hope. They are role models for us. I don’t want to say I’m not supporting them at all,” Amiri told ESPNcricinfo in May 2024, when we first interviewed her. “But when I cannot play for Afghanistan, what’s more heartbreaking is when you see the men can do something and the women cannot do it – which is absolutely wrong. Everything men can do, women can do as well.”Hashimi, whom ESPNcricinfo spoke to last November, has similar feelings watching the men’s team. “I can say 50-50. I was happy because my team has played very well and Afghanistan got to the semi-finals [of the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup] which is quite good for us because we haven’t been there but on the other side I was just hopeless. We have a really great men’s team but we never focus on a women’s team and it is a bit difficult to talk about. So I was happy and I was sad too. It’s a difficult feeling to describe: men having more opportunity than girls.”Australia, where Amiri and Hashimi live, refuse to play Afghanistan in bilateral cricket. This has caused Amiri to wonder whether selective shunning of the men’s team is worthwhile. “If it has an impact on our team, that we can put pressure on the Afghanistan Cricket Board to make a women’s team, then we will be happy, but only if it’s a way we can start playing cricket.”2:52

Mel Jones: Afghan women’s love for the game blew me away

Though she considered the thought of a ban, Amiri recognises that the Afghanistan men’s team has made rapid progress and its success could be more of a statement than a ban. “They are in a good position at the moment in the world and if they start supporting us, they’ll have a big impact on our team. They can be very, very helpful for us and for all the women. If women can start playing sport, women can start studying as well. It can be a pathway.”If they start supporting us, it’s going to be a way for all women. If they can hear my voice from here: Afghanistan, national players, please, please be the voice of the girls at the moment. Please do more for us. Start doing something for women. You are the voice of Afghanistan. They are the most famous people at the moment. They can be the voice of millions and millions of girls.”

Despite her plea, Amiri recognised that the men’s players may be risking their own safety if they speak out. “I know that there were always some challenges for them as well. Some of their families are still in Afghanistan. We don’t want you to be in danger.”We interviewed Amiri in November again, by which time she had also taken in Afghanistan’s semi-final showing at the T20 World Cup in June, and it had been announced that an Afghan Women’s XI will play against a Cricket Without Borders side at the Junction Oval in Melbourne on January 30, the same day as the Women’s Ashes Test starts.”The Afghanistan men’s team went on a very long journey as well. It’s never been easy for all of us. We all came through one journey and obviously because they are men, they had more opportunities than us as we are women, but they’ve come a long way. They are playing really well and they are achieving so much for Afghanistan. This is what we want too. We want to make Afghanistan proud as a men’s and women’s national team, and I could say our goals are the same.”We don’t want to make another problem by stopping them or keep talking about stopping them from playing cricket. Now we have our base, we want to play for the Afghan XI. We want to make a better future for Afghanistan women inside Afghanistan and make a change in cricket.”Firooza Amiri: ‘We want to make Afghanistan proud as a men’s and women’s national team, and I could say our goals are the same’•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

In the months since ESPNcricinfo spoke to the two players, things have regressed further in Afghanistan, with the Taliban closing down institutes for women training as nurses and midwives, effectively blocking women’s last remaining avenue to higher education in the country and putting women with medical issues at significant risk – women are not allowed to consult with male medics in Afghanistan without having a male guardian present. This prompted some of the first public reactions from the men’s team, with Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and Rahmanullah Gurbaz posting on social media in support of women’s education.ESPNcricinfo also spoke to Mel Jones, who was instrumental in helping the female Afghanistan cricketers leave the country and settle in Australia. Jones agrees that campaigning for a women’s team is not as simple as banning the men’s side, but has asked the cricketing community to play its part in keeping the story of the Afghanistan women’s team alive.”It is one of the most complex pieces I’ve seen,” Jones said. “There’s nothing black and white about this at all… but I do think there’s a question around leadership. People take on positions of leadership to lead, and it’s not to say that you have to make a black and white decision about things but I think you have to stand up and be a voice and lean into some tough situations. And this is a really tough situation.Rashid Khan, in December, put out a social media post supporting women’s education in Afghanistan•ICC via Getty Images

“I think the frustration has been the lack of conversation around it. And so here’s this amazing group of women who are trying to rebuild their lives and still connect to cricket. And they’ve hardly had a conversation with our leaders right across the world. And that’s the most frustrating thing for me. We might still get to the same point and decisions that we are now regardless of those conversations. But give these women their due. Give them space… that’s probably the one piece that I would say we’ve been really bad at over the last three or four years: it’s that people turn their back on that conversation. And I would hope that if we’d learn anything from this, is that if something like this happens again, whether it’s a different country or a different group of people, if it’s a men’s team somewhere or something like that, that we just don’t turn our back on people and hope that silence will make it go away, because it just doesn’t.”Episode 2 of the ESPNcricinfo Powerplay podcast will look at where Amiri and Hashimi find themselves now as well as the practicalities and challenges of the Afghan women in exile playing as a team.

Paterson, Bavuma and Stubbs put SA in driver's seat

by h79snht.top Uncategorized

Sri Lanka lost their last six wickets for 67 runs and face a 221-run deficit, which threatens to get out of hand

Firdose Moonda07-Dec-2024

Dane Paterson completed his first five-for in Test cricket•AFP/Getty Images

Stumps South Africa 358 and 191 for 3 (Markram 55, Bavuma 48*, Stubbs 36*, Jayasuriya 2-75) lead Sri Lanka 328 (Nissanka 89, Kamindu 48, Mathews 44, Chandimal 44, Paterson 5-71, Maharaj 2-65, Jansen 2-100) by 221 runsTemba Bavuma and Tristan Stubbs shared an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 82 and South Africa pulled away from Sri Lanka on the third day at St George’s Park. They extended their lead to 221 after taking a slim 30-run advantage from the first innings, having bowling Sri Lanka out for 328 earlier in the day.South Africa’s strong performance came on the back of Dane Paterson’s first Test five-for and Aiden Markram half-century, which set up their second innings. Bavuma is two runs away from a fourth successive fifty-plus score in the series, in which he has already collected more than 300 runs. Despite not playing any competitive cricket for two months before this series as he recovered from an elbow injury, Bavuma is seeing the ball better than anyone else and has added a more aggressive style to his strokeplay.Related

Nissanka 2.0 – quiet, disciplined, and just a little greedy

Verreynne explodes before SA turn on the slow burn

Ten wickets fell on the third day – the most in the Test so far – but conditions were still well suited to batting under blue skies. Sri Lanka’s seam attack still found some movement and there was also a hint of turn for Prabath Jayasuriya, which will likely please South Africa more than their visitors. With the surface expected to start deteriorating in dry conditions from day four, Keshav Maharaj could come into play later on. Before that, Sri Lanka will look for seven wickets with the knowledge that the highest successful chase at this ground is 271, and that South Africa are 50 runs away from that mark. But they will take heart from the glimpses of spin, especially as it has already brought some success.Sri Lanka’s first threat came through spin when Jayasuriya foxed Tony de Zorzi with one that curved through the bat-pad gap as he looked to drive and ended a 55-run first-wicket stand. De Zorzi’s series ended with a disappointing total of 40 runs from four innings, having come into it on the back of registering 177 in Bangladesh.Aiden Markram made 55 off 75 balls•Associated Press

Markram, his opening partner, fared better despite edging Asitha Fernando’s second delivery. The chance fell short of second slip. Markram looked increasingly confident as his innings grew but never fully comfortable. He approached fifty when he slashed at a short, wide Vishwa delivery and edged past gully for four and got there with a gorgeous cover drive which re-asserted his control. Importantly for him, it was his first fifty in 12 completed innings across formats. He only lasted six more balls before he edged a flashing cover drive off Vishwa and was caught one-handed by a diving Kusal Mendis, whose powers of anticipation were on full display.Ryan Rickelton started with the same watchfulness as his first innings but could not continue to another century. He missed a Jayasuriya ball that skidded on to hit him in front of middle stump and had to go for 24.Stubbs and Bavuma, who reunited after notching up second-innings hundreds in Durban, absorbed pressure for the next eight overs. Only 13 runs were scored. Sri Lanka reviewed an lbw shout against Stubbs off Asitha when Stubbs left a ball that seemed to be going down leg. Ball-tracking confirmed that that was the case. Bavuma edged Kumara through the vacant slip area for his first boundary but then he pulled Jayasuriya in front of square and launched him over long-off, both times for six. Stubbs, as expected, was the more adventurous partner and played his shots even as the day grew long. A moment of fortune favoured Stubbs in the third-last over of the day as he attempted a reverse scoop and bottom-edged it between Mendis and first slip.Tristan Stubbs wasn’t afraid of reverse scooping late in the day•Associated Press

Things went South Africa’s way almost from the get-go when Marco Jansen broke things open with the old ball in the 10th over of the morning. He got a delivery to kick up off the surface to a well-set Angelo Mathews, who gloved as he tried to fend it off. Kyle Verreynne took the catch in front of his face.After conceding just 24 runs in the first 13 overs of the day, South Africa took the new ball as soon as it became available and it brought immediate reward. Kamindu Mendis, who had earlier been put down by de Zorzi at short leg, nicked off third ball as Jansen got extra bounce. Jansen then rapped Kusal Mendis on the glove first up and could have had him out twice in the space of four overs.Kusal offered his first chance off the third ball he faced, when he was unsure about leaving a ball down leg and got bat on it. Verreynne had to dive full stretch to his left and got fingertips on it but will likely mark that down as a tough ask. The next opportunity was more straightforward. Kusal got a thick outside edge to first slip but Markam, at second, dived across David Bedingham and dropped it. Kusal then sent a healthy edge to the right of Stubbs at gully off Paterson, who took over from Jansen and would go on to have the last say.Dane Paterson took three wickets in the 89th over•AFP/Getty Images

After bowling two excellent spells on the second day, Paterson continued to find late movement and maintained tight lines, and he reaped the benefits. Dhananjaya de Silva edged the first ball of his second over, where matters hit fast-forward. Two balls later, Kusal left a delivery that nipped back into him and dislodged the bails, and two after that, Lahiru Kumara was stunningly caught by Jansen’s outstretched left hand at gully. Sri Lanka went from a reasonably comfortable 297 for 5 to 298 for 8, and South Africa were 60 runs ahead.Jayasuriya ate into that lead with three well-placed fours to drag the innings into the second session where Paterson continued in search of a five-for. He thought he had it when he hit Jayasuriya on the full on the pad and convinced Bavuma to review but ball-tracking returned an umpire’s call verdict on leg stump.In his next over, Paterson got a regulation dismissal when Vishwa Fernando edged him to Verreynne. A pumped-up Paterson brought out the baby-cradle celebration for his newborn child. Five balls later, Jayasuriya stepped far out of his crease to a tossed-up ball from Maharaj, and was stumped. Sri Lanka’s innings ended 25 minutes into the second session, with South Africa 30 runs in the lead.

Man City ace involved in bitter row with neighbours after adding unauthorised development to £2m mansion

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Manchester City's summer signing Marcus Bettinelli has become involved in a bitter row with neighbours over adding an unauthorised development to his £2 million mansion. The incident happened just weeks after the goalkeeper chopped down 40-foot trees in front of his luxurious residence in Cobham, Surrey. Bettinelli moved to City from Chelsea during the transfer window.

  • Man City goalkeeper in trouble
  • Accused of illegal constructions by neighbours
  • Bettinelli joined City from Chelsea this summer
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  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    According to , Bettinelli constructed a parking bay over a grass verge in front of his mansion, without taking the necessary permissions. The building of the parking bay has landed him in a row with neighbours, who have challenged the unauthorised groundwork. The City star, on the other hand, claimed that he was well within his rights to construct the parking bay, as it comes within the boundary of his property. 

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    WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

    The first objector wrote a letter, which read: "Parking on a verge is completely against the character of this estate and against its development guidelines. There are no parking bays on verges anywhere on the estate. It is an erosion of green landscape, replaced by tarmac. The property already has parking for multiple vehicles, having converted its entire garden to hardstanding. An additional parking bay is unnecessary."

    A second objector wrote: "The additional parking space introduces a visually intrusive expanse of tarmac, eroding the landscaped frontages that define the road and makes the street scene less attractive. If approved, this application would set a precedent for other properties to remove green frontages for additional parking, resulting in cumulative erosion of the estate's character and streetscape."

    A third one added: "Providing an on-street parking layby in an area where there are none and the large houses all around have ample space in their front gardens for all cars, is unnecessary."

  • THE BIGGER PICTURE

    The Cityzens finally parted ways with their cult hero goalkeeper Scott Carson this summer as the veteran star left the club after six years. Bettinelli was brought in as the club's third goalkeeper, replacing Carson, from Chelsea in the summer. 

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    WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER CITY?

    Pep Guardiola's side, who lost their last two Premier League games against Tottenham and Brighton, will aim to bounce back in the Manchester derby as they take on rivals United next Sunday at home.

Man Utd eye £38m move for rising star who was worth just £600k last summer

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Manchester United are now showing an interest in signing a “strong” £38 million defender who has been watched live in action by club scouts, according to a recent report.

Despite the delay in the signing of Bryan Mbeumo, it has been a productive transfer window for the Red Devils so far, as they have added creativity and goals to a team lacking in both. But with still over a month of the window left, United are still looking to be active in the market.

He'd be amazing with Cunha: Man Utd to discuss deal to sign £60m "monster"

Manchester United are reportedly considering a move to sign a star who would be amazing with Matheus Cunha.

ByDan Emery Jul 28, 2025

According to Caught Offside, Man United are now in a race with Tottenham Hotspur to sign Aleksander Mitrovic from Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal. The Serbia international joined the Saudi side in August 2023, and to no surprise, he has continued his excellent goal-scoring exploits. The forward scored 28 goals in 28 league games in his first campaign and then followed that up with 19 goals in 23 league games last season.

Mitrovic is the latest striker to be linked with a move to Old Trafford, as they search for a new number nine after the disappointments of Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee, who both struggled to make a big impact in front of goal.

Interest in Mitrovic comes after it was confirmed that United maintains an interest in signing Jean-Philippe Mateta from Crystal Palace. The Red Devils are currently not interested in signing Nicolas Jackson and Ollie Watkins due to their price tags.

Man Utd eyeing Italian defender

Addressing United’s forward line looks to be a top priority for Ruben Amorim, but the Portuguese is also looking at how he can improve his defence. According to Tuttomercatoweb, relayed by Sport Witness, Man United are among the teams interested in signing Pietro Comuzzo from Fiorentina.

The 20-year-old, who played 33 times in Serie A last season, has now caught the eye of not just United, but Sunderland and Nottingham Forest as well. These three sides from England are showing “strong interest”, but as of yet no one has placed an offer for the centre-back.

Comuzzo, who joined Fiorentina at a young age, is under contract at the Italian side until 2029, and it’s been previously reported that Fiorentina value the young centre-back in the region of £38 million, which is no surprise given his Transfermarkt value skyrocketed from €700k (£600k) to €25m (£21.6m) last season.

The Red Devils may hold an advantage in the race to sign Comuzzo, as it’s already been reported that United sent scouts to watch him live in action earlier this season.

Apps

33

Starts

24

Clean sheets

6

Interceptions per game

0.9

Tackles per game

1.3

Dribbled past per game

0.2

Goals

1

Touches per game

47.4

Passes per game (accuracy)

32.5 (86%)

New Fiorentina manager Stefano Pioli spoke around two weeks ago about Comuzzo, and while he didn’t commit to his future, he did label the Italian a “strong” defender: “Comuzzo? He is a strong player; he is here to play for his place and be a starter.”

Bigger talent than Diarra: Sunderland enquire over "crazy" £21m star

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Sunderland supporters will be trying to hold back their excitement ahead of the new Premier League season finally kicking off.

There’s no guarantee in place that signings galore will improve your chances of staying afloat in the tricky division, with Ipswich Town picking up 14 total purchases last season and still managing to fall through the relegation trapdoor.

But, the star-studded quality of signing Sunderland is managing to attract makes being giddy quite hard to contain, with the standout £20m purchase of Enzo Le Fee getting the ball rolling this summer, whilst a £30m deal for Habib Diarra to join from Strasbourg edges ever nearer to completion.

Reinildo is also set to join the Stadium of Light ranks after allowing his Atletico Madrid contract to expire, with plenty more notable names being tipped to call Wearside their fresh home shortly.

Atletico Madrid'sReinildoMandava before the match

Transfer latest at Sunderland

Most Sunderland supporters would have been initially apprehensive about all the business being conducted in this hectic transfer window, considering the window opened with both Jobe Bellingham and Tommy Watson deserting the Stadium of Light.

Now, however, the mood has flipped, with the likes of Georgian superstar Georges Mikautadze being tipped to join Le Bris’ enthused ranks alongside those already named, on top of an alleged £17m bid being lodged by the Black Cats to snap up Nantes attacker Matthis Abline.

The most intriguing purchase of them all could soon come in the form of Almeria goal-machine Luis Suarez moving to England, with reports from Spain now suggesting that Sunderland have enquired about landing the explosive attacker.

Such a deal would result in the Black Cats having to fork out £21m, with the La Liga 2 side upping their transfer valuation off the back of Suarez’s impressive 2024/25 offering.

It could even be argued that snapping up the clinical Colombian would see the newly promoted side land an even bigger talent than Diarra, despite the Senegal international costing Sunderland a club-record £30m to snap up.

Why Suarez could be a bigger talent than Diarra

After all, whilst Diarra was able to boast four goals and five assists from the midfield areas last season for Liam Rosenior’s men, Suarez’s numbers up top for Almeria in another demanding European setting are an even more majestic sight to take in.

Transfer Focus

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

Indeed, the “crazy” South American – as he was once labelled by talent scout Jacek Kulig – would take La Liga 2 by storm with his devastating goalscoring prowess.

That was seen in him collecting 27 of his bumper 31 strikes in the second division, away from also netting four of those efforts in the challenging Copa Del Rey when facing off against opponents from La Liga.

Suarez’s league numbers for Almeria (24/25)

Stat – per 90 mins*

Suarez

Games played

41

Goals scored

27

Scoring frequency

135 mins

Assists

8

Big chances missed

27

Stats by Sofascore

Staggeringly, Suarez would also chip in with eight assists across his 41 La Liga 2 outings, which is three more assists than Diarra managed in the heart of Strasbourg’s midfield, with the hope that the dangerous Almeria marksman can offer up similarly deadly displays when leaping up to the Premier League.

He could instantly displace Wilson Isidor on his arrival, therefore, considering the Frenchman blew hot and cold last campaign with just 13 Championship goals next to his name, away from Suarez wreaking havoc in the Spanish second division.

On the contrary, it doesn’t feel as set in stone that Diarra would instantly dive into Le Bris’ XI – irrespective of his lofty price tag – with Dan Neil already at the Frenchman’s disposal centrally who collected five goal contributions himself last season in league action, alongside Le Bris also possessing the star-quality of Le Fee who could kick on even more up a division.

Whilst Diarra will no doubt go on to be a success story under the ex-Lorient manager’s wing if Le Fee’s trajectory is anything to go off of, it does appear as if Suarez could really burst into life even more as a terrifying goalscorer on Wearside, with his blistering introduction into the English game perhaps helping the Black Cats to maintain their fraught Premier League status.

Better signing than Diarra: Sunderland now targeting "fantastic" £18m star

Sunderland’s rapid summer business is showing no signs of slowing down as a new target now appears on their shopping list.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jul 1, 2025

UAE's Muhammad Usman retires from international cricket

by h79snht.top Uncategorized

The left-handed middle-order batter represented UAE in 38 ODIs and 47 T20Is

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jun-2024

Muhammad Usman’s UAE career spanned from 2016 to 2022•Emirates Cricket Board

UAE batter Muhammad Usman has announced his retirement from international cricket. The Lahore-born middle-order batter represented UAE in 85 international games – 38 ODIs and 47 T20Is – across six years.Usman made his T20I debut in February 2016 against Netherlands followed by his ODI debut against Scotland a few months later. Overall, he scored 1008 runs at 31.50 in 38 ODIs including one century and four half-centuries while in 47 T20Is he finished with 891 runs, with three fifties. He was also part of the Asia Cup squad in 2016 where he top scored for UAE with 176 runs in seven games.Usman was born in Lahore and played five first-class and 58 List-A matches. His 1517 List-A runs came at an average of 34.47 and included nine fifties and a century. He last played an ODI and T20I in February 2022 against Oman and Nepal respectively.The 38-year-old expressed his gratitude and hoped to continue being part of cricket post-retirement.”It has been an incredible journey with the UAE cricket team and the cricket board,” Usman was quoted via a press release. “I would like to thank everyone who played a role in my journey including my team-mates, coaches and other support staff. I feel blessed and proud that I got the opportunity of representing UAE for 85 international matches.”I am looking forward to the next chapter in my life as I want to remain associated with the sport. I want to wish the UAE team and the players the very best in what is a very exciting time for the game in the country.”

Newcastle make surprise approach for 45 y/o coach who has won nine trophies

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Newcastle United have been a force to be reckoned with since Eddie Howe arrived in the north-east, but could that be about to change following recent developments?

Newcastle United aim to establish themselves among Premier League elite

Undoubtedly, Newcastle’s focus has shifted significantly in the last few years as PIF aim to bring them in line with the Premier League elite on and off the pitch.

Recruitment has been an avenue where the Magpies have excelled in recent seasons, and Eddie Howe deserves major credit for creating far more success stories than underwhelming signings on Tyneside.

The 47-year-old has placed Newcastle in an encouraging position to secure Champions League qualification this term, while their lengthy trophy drought also came to an end after a heroic EFL Cup victory over Liverpool in March.

Now, the question is how his side plan to take their incredible rise over the last few years even further. Looking towards the summer window, Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo has become the Magpies’ number-one target, and he could be available for in excess of £60 million.

Girona’s Angel Herrera could also arrive at St James’ Park, though Newcastle will also need to deal with any PSR-related discrepancies to avoid coming into conflict with regulations.

Newcastle racing to sign "powerful" £13m striker who's "like Sergio Aguero"

The Magpies are now set to battle it out for a striker, who’s been likened to Manchester City legend Sergio Aguero.

By
Dominic Lund

May 8, 2025

Stretching ambition levels to the limit has to be the aim for Howe and company. The Englishman has earned the right to take the club forward, but there will always be lingering questions over what the future could hold beyond his reign.

In surprise fashion, Newcastle have now reportedly made an approach for a manager who has a habit of winning silverware on a regular basis.

Newcastle approach former Barcelona boss Xavi

According to Football Transfers, Newcastle have made an approach for former Barcelona boss Xavi to gauge whether he would be interested in becoming the club’s next manager.

The 45-year-old is said to be enthused by the prospect of coaching in the north-east, while the initial contact has come from an internal source that believes Xavi has a global appeal and gravitational pull that Howe doesn’t possess.

Xavi’s trophy-laden spell in management – nine trophies in total

Barcelona

La Liga x1, Supercopa de Espana x1

Al-Sadd

Qatar Stars League x1, Qatar Cup x2, Sheikh Jassim Cup x1, Emir of Qatar Cup x2, Qatari Stars Cup x1

That said, there is an acknowledgment that relieving Howe of his duties would cause an unwanted level of controversy at this moment in time.

Xavi is open to taking on a high-profile project, and his approach is believed to align with the long-term vision the Magpies are looking to roadmap.

Nevertheless, it feels as if any notion of Howe departing for pastures new is some way off, which is a testament to the job he has carried out since arriving in 2021.

He embarrassed Onana: Man City make enquiry to sign "amazing" £19m star

by h79snht.top Uncategorized

Looking to find their Kevin de Bruyne replacement, Manchester City have now reportedly made their first enquiry to sign an in-demand star who’s available for a bargain price this summer.

Man City's frustrating Saints stalemate

With Southampton rock bottom of the Premier League by some distance and already relegated, Manchester City and a returning Erling Haaland looked likelier than ever to put on the ultimate goals show on Saturday. But that proved to be anything but the case.

What the travelling fans got instead was a frustrating stalemate as Southampton secured a point against the odds to move beyond Derby County’s points record – much to the relief of those around St Mary’s. Man City defender Ruben Dias failed to hide that frustration in his post-match press conference too, choosing to criticise Southampton’s defensive approach.

The stalemate will do the confidence of Pep Guardiola’s side no favours as they enter the FA Cup final against an in-form Crystal Palace side, who will do more than just try to play against the Citizens.

Meanwhile, as Wembley awaits, so does De Bruyne’s fast-approaching farewell. Likely to be an emotional goodbye, the Belgian has just three games remaining of a Manchester City career which has seen him win everything there is to win at the club.

Big Rico Lewis upgrade: Man City agree personal terms with young target

Manchester City are closing in on a star who could be a big upgrade on Rico Lewis.

ByDan Emery May 12, 2025

Just how those at the Etihad replace their star man remains to be seen. Names such as Florian Wirtz have already threatened to steal the headlines, but he could yet choose Bayern Munich over the Premier League. He’s not the only target, however, with one Ligue 1 talent now emerging as a serious option.

Man City make contact to sign Cherki

According to Le Parisien, as relayed by Get French Football News, Manchester City have now made their first enquiry to sign Rayan Cherki from Lyon this summer. The attacking midfielder has impressed many throughout the current campaign and will reportedly be allowed to leave Lyon for just €22.5m (£19m) in the coming months.

Rayan Cherki

The Frenchman may already have some fans of his talent at the Etihad after he embarrassed Andre Onana in Lyon’s 2-2 draw against Manchester United in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie. Even though Lyon eventually crashed out in dramatic fashion against the Red Devils, it was often the Cherki show across both legs.

Onana’s mistake allowed Cherki to follow up with a chipped effort to equalise late on for his side ahead of what turned out to be a frantic and heartbreaking second leg.

Nonetheless, even without a Europa League semi-final, the 21-year-old has found himself at the centre of praise from the likes of football talent scout Jacek Kulig, who described Cherki’s campaign as “amazing” back in April. Now, after impressing, he could be on his way to Manchester City this summer.

He's way better than Delap: Chelsea line up move for "phenomenal" striker

by rastrear-estafeta.com Uncategorized

Enzo Maresca has made it desperately obvious that he wants a new striker at Chelsea this summer, constantly targeting a new talisman after taking the reins 12 months ago.

The Italian has been working tirelessly to land a new forward, potentially having the chance to end his hunt during the upcoming transfer window – aiding their Premier League title ambitions.

Nicolas Jackson has been the Blues’ main option at the top end of the pitch in 2024/25, but has struggled with injuries as of late, massively restricting his progress in the final third.

Chelsea'sNicolasJacksonreacts after sustaining an injury

The Senegalese international has scored 10 league goals to date, but could’ve certainly had more had he not missed six games through injury between February and April.

Despite his impressive goalscoring record, it’s evident that the boss wants another option ahead of 2025/26, leading to countless attackers being touted with a switch to Stamford Bridge in the coming months.

The latest on Chelsea’s hunt for a new striker

Victor Osimhen was a player firmly on Chelsea’s radar last summer, but the club were unable to secure a deal to land him from Napoli – subsequently joining Galatasaray on loan for the current season.

However, with such a deal coming to an end, the Blues have once again been touted with a switch for the Nigerian, with Manchester United and Nottingham Forest also in the race for his signature.

Galatasaray's VictorOsimhenreacts

It would be a hefty sum if they were to sign the 26-year-old, potentially leading to a move for another striker target in the form of Strasbourg forward Emanuel Emegha, according to TBR.

The report claims that the Dutchman, who plies his trade for the Blues’ sister club, has been on their radar and has impressed the staff behind the scenes at the Bridge.

It also goes on to state that he would provide an added body to Maresca in the final third, potentially nailing a regular role in the side given his record of 14 goals in 28 games this season.

Why Chelsea’s latest target would be better than Delap

Another player who’s been firmly on their radar to bolster the striker department is Ipswich Town talisman Liam Delap, who appears to be a man in demand this summer.

The 22-year-old, who’s scored 12 goals in the Premier League this year, has a £30m relegation release clause in his contract – coming into effect after the Tractor Boys dropped back into the Championship.

The Blues aren’t the only side in the race for his signature, with Manchester United, Everton, Newcastle United and Liverpool also credited with an interest in recent days.

However, despite the interest in Delap ahead of the upcoming window, they may be better off pursuing a deal for Emegha, with the sister club potentially playing a key role in their pursuit.

When comparing the pair’s respective stats from the 2024/25 campaign, the Strasbourg star has managed to dominate the Ipswich forward in numerous key areas – showing why the Blues must prioritise a deal for his services.

Games played

26

33

Goals scored

14

12

Shot-on-target accuracy

57%

43%

Pass accuracy

81%

61%

Shots on target

1.4

1

Carries into penalty area

1.3

1

Aerials won

44%

43%

Emegha, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has scored more goals to date, whilst also notching a higher shot-on-target accuracy rate – showcasing his clinical nature in the final third.

He’s also managed to complete more of the passes he’s attempted, whilst coming out on top in more of the aerial battles he’s entered – handing Maresca that focal point which he’s craved since arriving at the club.

Given the fact that he currently plays for Strasbourg, a cost-effective deal could likely be agreed, offering a cheaper alternative to Delap – but one that would be a better fit for the team, as seen by the stats produced.

If the club are to keep progressing next season, a new talisman desperately needs to be their priority on any shortlist, with Emegha the man who could take responsibility and thrive at the top end of the pitch.

Imagine him & Estevao: Chelsea plot to sign £38m star in the "Palmer mould"

Chelsea are hoping to add another young star to their squad, following the capture of Estevao

ByJoe Nuttall May 1, 2025

New Zealand caught short as Sri Lanka take fielding to a new dimension

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

It’s the difference in the sides’ performances in the field that has created the gulf between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle

Madushka Balasuriya28-Sep-2024Where New Zealand succumbed, Sri Lanka soared. Nowhere was this more true than in the field. Sure, you can wax lyrical about Kamindu Mendis – sorry, we need to mention him as often as we can now – and go on about Prabath Jayasuriya’s latest big haul in Galle. But the reality is that the difference in this game has by and large been because of the sides’ performance in the field.We have already talked about New Zealand’s fielding mishaps across this second Test, with batting coach Luke Ronchi unable to reflect on Sri Lanka’s dominance on day two without harking back to the missed opportunities of the opening day.But it was only on day three that those errors were broadcast in a genuinely cold, harsh light.Related

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Peiris, Jayasuriya ravage New Zealand on 13-wicket day

Dhananjaya de Silva’s catalogue of catches alone might be enough to put New Zealand’s efforts to shame. Low near the ankles? Check. Plucked overhead? Check. Caught on the rebound? Check. Swiftly by his side? Done. So effective was his catching that it was almost contagious, as Pathum Nissanka later grabbed two smart chances at short leg, not to mention Dinesh Chandimal’s excellent running grab over his shoulder.”I thought it was just one of those days where they caught very well,” Tom Blundell offered at the end of Saturday’s play. “I thought the way that they caught and the way that they fielded was pretty outstanding most of the time.”To compound matters, New Zealand decided to put their own bizarro spin on things. Within 105 minutes on Saturday morning, any faint hopes of rescuing a result almost entirely evaporated as New Zealand, for all intents and purposes, lost the plot.

“We went into that first innings with the same mindset [as in the second innings] as a batting unit. It just didn’t really work out, I guess”Tom Blundell

While batting in Galle day three onwards is usually not the most straightforward affair, the extent of New Zealand’s capitulation was startling. Their 88 all out was the fourth-lowest total at the ground and the second-lowest by a side in the second innings in Galle. It was also New Zealand’s 19th-lowest Test total ever, but the innings deficit of 514 was only second to the 570 they conceded to Pakistan 22 years ago.Such was the extent of the trauma, you wouldn’t be surprised to learn of some of their batters falling into the black hole, finding the fourth dimension cube, screaming into the void but in vain, as the growing helplessness of the inevitable outcome slowly engulfs them. Think Matthew McConaughey in but tears.Batter after batter after batter poked, prodded, and edged, time and again. You might as well have removed the scoreboard entirely and just replaced it with a neon sign broadcasting “c de Silva b Jayasuriya”. Five times that happened over the course of the innings, the joint-highest for a bowler-fielder pairing in a Test innings.Kane Williamson and Devon Conway gave us a glimpse of what could have been for New Zealand•AFP/Getty Images”Obviously the first innings wasn’t ideal,” Blundell said. “You know, things happen pretty quickly over here and if you look at the Sri Lankan outfit, they’re a very good team. The way their spinners operate, they’re very good in their conditions.”We went into that first innings with the same mindset as a batting unit. It just didn’t really work out, I guess.”Not only did it not work out, so insufficient was New Zealand’s effort, that in the end it was No. 9 Mitchell Santner, with a 51-ball 29, that offered the most resistance. His stand of 20 with last man Will O’Rourke was the highest of the innings.At this point, those that had driven down to Galle to enjoy a weekend of Test cricket were already planning out their newly freed-up Sundays. That was until New Zealand finally woke up. A 97-run second-wicket stand between Kane Williamson and Devon Conway, off just 108 deliveries, headlined New Zealand’s second offering and you might just about have a glimpse into what might have been.Sure, they lost wickets in a clump after that too, but a yet-to-be-dislodged partnership of 78 off 84 deliveries between Blundell and Glenn Phillips lends even more credence to this one simple fact: New Zealand are better than this, it’s just a shame we haven’t been privy to it.

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