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It’s understood Azhar felt the appointment of Sarfaraz Ahmed in a role that aligned closely with his own responsibilities led him to feel his position had become untenable

Danyal Rasool19-Nov-2025

Azhar Ali has resigned from his position at the PCB as selector and head of youth development, ending a 12-month stint in that role. The departure, which was not publicly announced by either Azhar or the board, has been confirmed by ESPNcricinfo.ESPNcricinfo has learned Azhar’s departure came after an extended period of simmering differences in outlook between the former Pakistan captain and the board. Matters eventually came to a head after Sarfaraz Ahmed was reportedly appointed – though, again, not officially confirmed by the board – as the head of Pakistan Shaheens and Under-19 sides, with his remit extending to the organising and managing of tours, as well as conducting training camps.It is understood Azhar felt the appointment of Sarfaraz in a role that aligned closely with his own set of responsibilities led him to feel his position had become untenable. He sent in his letter of resignation earlier this week, which the PCB accepted.Azhar, who captained Pakistan in Tests and ODIs, was first brought into the PCB as a member of the selection panel for Pakistan’s men’s national side in October 2024. A month later, he had the role of youth development head tacked on, one which was publicly announced by the PCB at the time.The official announcement of his appointment on the PCB’s website stated that he had been “tasked with shaping the future of Pakistan cricket by designing and implementing comprehensive youth cricket strategies, establishing robust grassroots cricket structures and talent pathways, collaborating with regional cricket associations to strengthen age-group programmes, educating emerging cricketers under the PCB’s Pathways Programme, and organising seminars and clinics to build awareness of off-field development essentials for aspiring players”.The next major assignment for a Pakistan age-group side comes at the 2026 Under-19 World Cup, which runs from January 15 to February 6, and will take place in Zimbabwe and Namibia. Co-hosts Zimbabwe, Scotland and England are in Pakistan’s group at the competition, which Pakistan have won twice – in 2004 and 2006.

As we approached 2025, the fear was that Liverpool would lose their talisman, an all-time great in the form of Mohamed Salah, on a free transfer.

Well, the Egyptian signed a new deal and closed out an enthralling individual season for the Reds. He led Arne Slot’s team to title glory, taking home the Premier League title back in May.

The foundations Slot had built during his maiden campaign in English football were remarkable but it’s all petered out in frantic fashion throughout the ongoing term.

A year on from uncertainty surrounding Salah’s future, a different sense of uncertainty lingers heading into 2026.

This time around it feels unlikely that he’ll be staying around at Anfield for much longer. It’s a sad end for one of the Premier League’s modern-day greats.

Why Mohamed Salah could leave Liverpool

The winger had an enthralling 2024/25 season, ending the year with a whopping 34 goals and 23 assists in 52 outings. However, this term has not been a pretty one for the Egyptian who has only bagged five times in 19 appearances for Liverpool.

Slot’s side have been in a rotten run and Salah’s poor form has coincided with that. He’s been so poor, however, that the Dutchman has taken the decision to select him on the bench across the last three games. As Salah himself said post-game, it’s unheard of.

However, there lies the problem. What Salah said after the game. He launched a stunning attack on Slot after Liverpool drew 3-3 with Leeds and it has thrown his immediate future in Merseyside into doubt.

“I’m very disappointed, Salah began. “I’ve done so much for this club – everyone can see that – over years, especially last season, sitting on the bench I don’t know why. It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. That’s how I feel it.”

The forward continued: “It’s very clear that someone wants me to get all the blame. Club promised me a lot in summer. So far I I’m on bench three games, so can’t say they have kept those promises.

“I say many times I had a good relationship with the manager and all of a sudden we don’t have any relationship, I don’t know why. It seems like someone does not want me in the club.

“But again this club, I always support it. my kids will always support it. I love the club so much and I will always do. I called my mum yesterday because I knew I wasn’t going to start and told my mum and dad to the Brighton game [next Saturday].”

The latest on Mohamed Salah's future at Liverpool

It’s thought that one of Salah’s main suitors continues to be Saudi Arabia and it would not be a surprise if he heads off to the Middle East before too long.

That’s because he’s now been totally excluded from the matchday squad for Liverpool’s clash with Inter Milan in the week.

According to Football FanCast sources, Richard Hughes and Co met after Salah made those comments and while it initially looked like he could just miss the clash with Inter, he has officially been removed from selection for a ‘short period’.

Sources suggest that the decision has been taken in consultation with manager Slot in the best interests of the player, the squad and the club. It’s thought that the boss has given the decision his full support.

Whether that means that Salah will miss Liverpool’s next league game against Brighton next Saturday remains to be seen but considering the attacker is due to head off to AFCON after that, it’s likely this is the last we’ll see of him in a Liverpool shirt, at least this year.

What the future holds in the long term is currently unknown but it’s certainly not looking good for either player or manager right now.

Gallery: How Salah interacted with Liverpool teammates in training on Monday

Mo Salah is unhappy with life at Liverpool right now.

ByFFC Staff 4 days ago

Liverpool are waiting for this nightmare to end, rediscovering the form of last season under Arne Slot’s wing that led to the Premier League title and a summer of sweeping changes.

The signings made this summer were completed after meticulous research, but, nonetheless, the Reds have been dismal this year, lacking identity and inspiration. Even in victory have Liverpool given their opponents plenty of optimism.

It’s worth noting that Liverpool were far better defensively than has so often been the case this term, but this has done little to calm the anxieties of supporters who have been forced to accept a bleak new norm.

Among the bitter pills swallowed has been the form of captain Virgil van Dijk, the centre-back very much at the core of Liverpool’s problems this season and lacking solutions so often provided across his illustrious career at the club.

Virgil van Dijk's drop-off this season

Liverpool’s monster has been made mortal by the tailspin of Slot’s system this season. Ibrahima Konate’s struggles have no doubt been exacerbated by the slow recession of Van Dijk’s indomitability.

He is 34 years old, 35 at the end of the season. It is only natural that the Netherlands skipper should begin to wind down. However, it presents Michael Edwards and sporting director Richard Hughes with quite the conundrum as Konate edges toward the expiry of his £70k-per-week contract.

Liverpool signed Giovanni Leoni from Parma for about £27m this summer, but the 18-year-old Italian tore his ACL on his debut against Southampton and is not expected back until the start of next season.

The Italian would have offered a much-needed dimension over the past few months, allowing Slot to enforce more rotation, with Konate having started each of his side’s Premier League fixtures this season despite his rut. Van Dijk is now foundering beside him.

Change is needed, and with the winter transfer window approaching, it’s clear that Liverpool need a centre-back.

Liverpool targeting centre-back this January

As per TEAMtalk, Liverpool are set to table a bid for Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi this winter, having reopened direct communications this week with the player’s agents after fumbling a deal to sign him in August.

Guehi is out of contract at Selhurst Park at the end of the season, and while Liverpool had a clean shot at the 25-year-old at the start of the season, notably even agreeing personal terms with the player, rival interest is now sure to be thick, with Bayern Munich and Real Madrid considered suitors.

Sources suggest FSG are willing to offer around £25m for Guehi’s signature in January, paying something of a premium for one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League.

What Guehi would bring to Liverpool

Guehi could well be plying his craft for Liverpool right now, but it wasn’t to be as sporting director Richard Hughes gambled and left it late, Palace barring the door at the eleventh hour after failing to find a replacement.

It’s a real shame. Guehi is a seasoned Premier League star who just keeps on evolving. He has been hailed as a “monster in defence” by Palace reporter Bobby Manzi, but he is so much more.

As per data-driven site FBref, Guehi ranks among the top 7% of central defenders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for through balls, the top 6% for assists and shot-creating actions, and the top 15% for tackles won per 90.

If Liverpool succeed in completing a deal for the two-footed centre-half this winter, it could carry the weight of that one-time signing of Van Dijk, who joined from Southampton midway through the 2017/18 season for a £75m fee.

Van Dijk needs no introduction. He is one of the greatest defenders in Premier League history, a titan of the game.

He dovetailed into Jurgen Klopp’s exciting team and reinforced it with steel. He was the mortar which filled in the cracks and created a superteam.

Big boots to fill, but Guehi has been extensively profiled and could emulate the Netherlands man by arriving at the season’s midpoint, providing that dearly desired relief.

After such incredible success in recent years, it is staggering that Liverpool have plummeted so far beneath their expected level. This borders on a crisis, and one signing won’t stop the rot for good, but Guehi has the combative, confident defensive style to help put the Reds back on track, with his quality in the build-up something that Konate simply doesn’t possess.

It’s Van Dijk-esque, and given that Guehi would be arriving in January after previous attempts to sign him, this could have the much-needed echoes of that euphoric deal.

Fewer touches than Alisson & only 2 passes: Liverpool flop must be dropped

Arne Slot has a huge call to make about one player after his showing for Liverpool last night.

2 ByEthan Lamb Dec 4, 2025

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Nesta quarta-feira, a Câmara dos Vereadores do município do Rio de Janeiro irá realizar a primeira audiência pública referente ao projeto do Vasco de reformar São Januário. A audiência pública avaliará o potencial construtivo relativo ao projeto do clube, que, se aprovado, possibilitará ao clube arrecadar dinheiro para a reforma do estádio. O estádio de São Januário não foi repassado à SAF durante o processo de venda do futebol do Gigante da Colina.

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A reforma do novo estádio de São Januário tem planejamento para receber um público de 48 mil pessoas. No entanto, o projeto prevê a possibilidade de ajustes e mudanças feitas pelo Vasco, desde que sejam aprovados pela Prefeitura. O projeto de reforma foi desenvolvido pelo arquiteto Sérgio Dias, durante a gestão do presidente Alexandre Campello, e foi apresentado pelo Vasco em parceria com a WTorre.

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A audiência pública contará com a presença de Pedrinho, presidente do clube associativo, assim como de Jorge Luiz de Souza Arraes pela Secretaria Municipal de Coordenação Governamental, Thiago Ramos Dias, Subsecretário Executivo da Secretaria Municipal de Desenvolvimento Urbano e Econômico e o presidente da Comlurb, Flavio Lopes.

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A reforma de São Januário está orçada em R$ 506 milhões. O Vasco espera arrecadar R$ 500 milhões através da lei do potencial construtivo. O que se tem no projeto de lei é um valor que seja compatível com o que a Prefeitura está “dando” ao Vasco. Com isso, a obra se torna viável para o clube. O Vasco também pretende realizar a venda dos naming rights de São Januário para captar mais recursos e aumentar o orçamento da reforma do estádio.

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Young striker Etta Eyong has revealed it would be 'a dream' to one day play for Chelsea. The Cameroonian forward is hot property on the European market after making a stunning start to life with Levante following his summer arrival from Villarreal. La Liga pair Real Madrid and Barcelona have been credited with an interest in Eyong, who is tipped to secure a move in January.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  La Liga pair keen on Eyong

  Eyong has made a fine start to the Liga season having scored six goals and provided three assists in his opening 12 league outings. In his nine showings for Levante, Eyong has scored five times, which includes a consolation goal in a 4-1 loss to league leaders Real Madrid in September.

  Real Madrid, who top La Liga after the opening 11 matches, are among those keen on signing the 22-year-old in January, with rivals Barcelona also reportedly interested in the young striker. Barcelona are looking into potential strikers to replace ageing No. 9 Robert Lewandowski and have also been linked with a high-profile move for Atletico Madrid star Julian Alvarez.

  However, the duo will face further competition for Eyong's services with the player himself admitting that it would be a dream to one day play for Chelsea. The Blues brought in forwards Joao Pedro and Liam Delap from Brighton and Ipswich, respectively, over the summer.

  Chelsea, though, are no strangers to splashing the cash on young up and coming stars who they feel they can develop into world beaters and potentially sell at a high price.

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• 'Chelsea was the English team I probably watched the most'

  Eyong's revelation will have pricked Chelsea ears with the forward referencing Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto'o's respective stints at Stamford Bridge as a reason to follow the west London side.

  Drogba is considered a Blues legend having helped the club to the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup across two stints in the capital. Cameroonian hero Eto'o meanwhile spent just a solitary season at the club, but Eyong is keen to follow in the duo's footsteps.

  "Growing up, Chelsea was the English team I probably watched the most because of Drogba, and Eto'o was there was a year as well," Eyong told GiveMeSport. "Chelsea have often signed incredible African players. There are so many big clubs in England, but as for [joining] Chelsea, why not? It would be a dream for me to play for Chelsea."

• Getty Images Sport
  

  'I am maybe a little like Kane in style'

  While Eyong admitted to following Drogba and Eto'o, he also revealed he studied both Harry Kane and Luis Suarez while growing up. Kane has been tearing up the Bundesliga following his move to Bayern, while Suarez is fondly remembered by both Liverpool and Barcelona fans following the Uruguayan's respective spells at the European pair.

  And having started his career as a midfielder, Eyong believes that he is most like Kane in style, stating: "I am maybe a little like Kane in style. It's important to watch what other strikers are doing. I've seen a lot of Kane and looked in particular at how he approaches one-vs-ones and the runs he makes off the ball. I think you can learn just as much from what Kane does off the ball, or out of possession, as when he’s scoring goals.

  "Like Kane, I have a lot of power and passion and can connect play from deeper areas. He’s good with his head and feet which makes him a complete player, and that's what I aspire to be. We aren’t built exactly the same way, but I think we approach the game with a similar philosophy."

  And on Suarez's influence, he added: "I also enjoy watching Luis Suarez, who has always been a clinical finisher. I saw a lot of him when he was at Liverpool. He wasn't just skillful, but also direct and clever with his movement. I don't think there are many players with a bigger football brain than Suarez. All the best strikers are capable of improvising not just finishing."

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• Levante face rivals Valencia later this month

  While Eyong was unable to add to his goal haul at Atletico Madrid on Saturday evening as Levante fell to a 3-1 loss, he'll look to bolster his impressive goal tally when Levante face rivals Valencia after the international break.

  Saturday's defeat in Madrid means Levante sit just above the relegation zone on nine points from the opening 12 league games of the season.

Where his colleagues tried to force the situation, he batted with seemingly no preconceived ideas and made a landmark hundred away from home

Alagappan Muthu30-Sep-20241:08

Manjrekar: Mominul’s ‘old-school batting’ worked well for Bangladesh

There was one good thing that came out of the wet outfield at Green Park. Mominul Haque got his birthday off. He spent Sunday at the Bangladesh team hotel being spoiled rotten by his team-mates.Respite is the very last thing that comes on a tour of India these days. Especially for a batter. Mominul could attest to that after he began his tour with a first-ball duck before getting worked over by one of the greatest spin bowlers of our time.Related

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• Rohit Sharma and the sixes that woke up a dead game

There is a pattern to his career so far. At home, he averages 48.57, the best of any Bangladeshi batter in history (min five games played). Away from home, he averages 27.39 with 60% of his innings ending before the 30-run mark. This is part of the reason why Mominul struggles to feature in the same conversation as some of the great players from his country. He has the game – particularly the concentration levels required to face high quality bowling – but an asterisk has always accompanied his numbers.Bangladesh are staring at an incomprehensible situation in Kanpur. With a great deal of help from the rain, they’d been able to see off three days of a Test match in India with only three wickets lost. On the fourth, they lost seven wickets for only 126 runs. India rubbed that in their face when they then amassed 285 in just 34.4 overs. A game that was shuffling towards a draw is now bursting with life.Mominul Haque made a statement with his sweeps•Associated PressMominul finds himself at the centre of it. He had hoped not to, with Bangladesh sending out a nightwatch when the openers were unable to negotiate the 40-odd minutes there were until stumps. But R Ashwin took care of Hasan Mahmud and he had to represent, which, if his 107 in the first innings was any indication, he can.His back-foot play, all through the innings, was both impressive and crucial. It helped him survive India’s unerringly accurate spinners. As much as Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja tried to tempt him forward, he knew he didn’t need to succumb. The slowness of the pitch gave him an advantage and he took it gleefully.Against the quicks, Mominul on the backfoot was not just a pain but a threat. He used to have a problem against the short ball, used to be hurried by it. It was an area that needed work and based on recent evidence it seems he’s put that in and then some. On the tour of Pakistan, he messed with Naseem Shah’s attempts to bounce him out. Here, he kept carving India’s quicks over point and third man every time they gave him an opportunity.Mominul’s century was his second away from home; he has 13 Test hundreds in all•Associated PressAccording to ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball data, Mominul only scored 35 of his runs off the back foot but he scored them at a strike rate of 112.90, which suggests that, more often than not, he took that option knowing he’d be able to score runs.”Cricket is a game of runs,” Mehidy Hasan Miraz said at the press conference on Monday. “You have to score and batters make mistakes with wrong shot selection. Sourav [Mominul] was good with his shot selection. He played a good innings after a while. His commitment and temperament were very good and that’s why he scored runs.”Other Bangladesh batters tried to throw the Indian bowlers off their discipline. Litton Das succeeded for a while before India forced him away from the shots that were working for him. Shakib Al Hasan, in possibly his last Test match, ran at the bowlers to see what would happen. Only Mominul seemed to bat without preconceived ideas. He did have his plans of attack – whenever Ashwin or Jadeja tossed it up a little too straight, he was quick to go down and sweep them – but they were more like guidelines. Up until playing the shot that got him runs, it seemed as if he had the blankest mind of all the Bangladesh batters. That’s where good decisions come from. Bangladesh are going to need a lot more of that on Tuesday.”Anything is possible in Test cricket,” Mehidy said. “It’s not like we have lost already. We have won matches like this and lost as well. So it’s an opportunity for us, for those batters remaining. The wicket is good and it will be challenging for us but if we can get a good partnership up top and our batters bat with responsibility for a session it will be a positive sign for us. We still have tomorrow’s day so we are not trying to think about it [losing].”

تنبأ الذكاء الاصطناعي اليوم الخميس بالفائز ببطولة كأس العالم العام المقبل 2026، والتي سوف تقام في كندا والولايات المتحدة الأمريكية والمكسيك.

ويترقب عشاق كرة القدم بطولة كأس العالم، والتي من المرجح أن تشهد منافسة كبيرة بين العديد من المنتخبات.

ونقلت صحيفة “ماركا” تنبؤ الحاسوب العملاق بشبكة “أوبتا” والذي يعمل بالذكاء الاصطناعي، بطل كأس العالم المقبل، حيث جاء منتخب إسبانيا على رأس المرشحين.

إسبانيا تمتلك منتخبًا قويًا للغاية، وقد تمكن لاروخا من الحصول على لقب اليورو في ألمانيا العام الماضي عن جدارة واستحقاق.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ترامب يحسم موقفه من حضور قرعة كأس العالم 2026

وكشف حاسوب “أوبتا” عن منتخب إسبانيا كمرشح أول للحصول على كأس العالم بنسبة 17%، بينما جاء منتخب فرنسا في المركز الثاني بنسبة 14.1% ، في حين تواجد منتخب إنجلترا في المركز الثالث بقائمة المرشحين للحصول على البطولة بنسبة 11.8%.

وبالنسبة لحامل اللقب، منتخب الأرجنتين والحاصل على كأس العالم عام 2022 في قطر، فقد جاء في المركز الرابع من ضمن المرشحين للحصول على كأس العالم وبنسبة 8.7، بينما في المركز الخامس يتواجد منتخب ألمانيا بنسبة 7.1%.

أما منتخب البرازيل والذي يدربه كارلو أنشيلوتي، فقد جاء في المركز السابع بنسبة 5.1%، وعلى الجانب الآخر يتواجد منتخب البرتغال بقيادة الأسطورة كريستيانو رونالدو في المركز السادس بنسبة 6.6%.

ويأمل منتخب البرتغال في الحصول على كأس العالم، من أجل رونالدو والذي سيخوض آخر منافسة كروية كبرى على الأرجح في مسيرته مع بلاده.

وشهدت التوقعات حضورًا عربيًا بتواجد منتخب المغرب، والذي حصل على نسبة 1.3% من بين المرشحين للحصول على كأس العالم، حيث قدم أسود الأطلس بطولة مميزة في النسخة الماضية واحتلوا المركز الرابع.

كما تواجد منتخب السنغال في قائمة المرشحين للحصول على كأس العالم وبنسبة 0.6%.

Samson, who was traded in, is understood to open the innings for the team

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Nov-20256:53

Samson-Mhatre CSK’s new opening pair?

Ruturaj Gaikwad will continue to be Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) captain for IPL 2026. In a social-media post, the franchise wrote, “Lead the way, captain Ruturaj Gaikwad,” ending the speculations that Sanju Samson could be the captain.CSK had traded in Samson from Rajasthan Royals in exchange for Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran. He comes with plenty of captaincy experience in the IPL but will not lead the franchise. It is understood, though, that he will open the innings.

LEAD THE WAY, CAPTAIN RUTURAJ GAIKWAD!#WhistlePodu pic.twitter.com/EawvX5k2yI

— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) November 15, 2025