Tottenham have hardly been in contact over a move for one of their summer targets in recent weeks, despite reports of a deal being broadly agreed.

Spurs aiming for late top-four push

Ange Postecoglou's first season at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is looking likely to result in a return to Champions League football, with Spurs currently nine points clear of Manchester United and occupying what is likely to be a fifth Champions League spot for English teams come the end of the campaign.

A 1-1 draw with West Ham dented their hopes of leapfrogging Aston Villa into fourth, and despite knowing that they face the top three sides between now and the end of the season, Ange will be hoping a strong end to the Premier League campaign will see them take fourth spot.

The Run in for Tottenham
Matchday	Opponent (Home/Away)
31	Nottingham Forest (H)
32	Newcastle United (A)
33 – TBD	Man City (H)
34	Arsenal (H)
35	Liverpool (A)
36	Burnley (H)
37	Sheffield United (A)
38	Newcastle United (A)

No Spurs contact in recent weeks despite striker rumours

One man currently left in the dark over his future is loanee Timo Werner. The former Chelsea striker was signed on loan in January, in a deal that contains an option to sign the 28-year-old on a permanent deal for around 17m euros this summer.

However, that option has to be exercised before the beginning of EURO 2024 (June 14th), giving Tottenham a hard deadline before which to make a decision on the German.

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Werner has impressed since his arrival, and grabbed an assist against the Hammers, teeing up Brennan Johnson for the opening goal. Speaking on potentially signing the German permanently, Postecoglou was in no rush but sounded positive about the prospect.

"In terms of his future, like most players, the decisions will be made at the appropriate time," said the Tottenham boss. "I think he's been a great signing. He's been a really important part of our structure and I think he can also improve."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the divide, Marco Rose has also spoken on the prospect of the deal being done: "We are not in contact, but of course I am following his development. He starts scoring again, this is a result of being comfortable and feeling good. He should keep riding the wave. Basically, he is one of our players, but Tottenham obviously have the opportunity to sign him completely."

Despite this, Sport Witness claim that though the player 'definitely wants' the move to north London, there has been 'no contact’ between Spurs and Leipzig in recent weeks to communicate longer-term plans.

One theory that they put forward is that Spurs may be wanting a discount on the deal, something which seems unlikely given his renaissance in north London. Of course, it needs little more than a single call to activate the pre-agreed deal, so a lack of contact isn't something to be massively concerned about.

But with reports that Tottenham want to sign another striker and a winger this summer, could they be having second thoughts about making Werner's deal permanent?

It's been a season of real ups and downs for Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League this year.

New boss Ange Postecoglou led them to a seriously impressive ten-game unbeaten streak at the start of the campaign, but his side have lost four games on the bounce ahead of the match against Burnley.

Now, in the Lilywhites' defence, they have come up against Newcastle United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool in those games.

However, there will be no excuse if they drop more points at home to the Clarets, especially with Champions League qualification still a faint possibility.

With that in mind, the former Celtic boss is likely to alter his team somewhat in order to help them rediscover their winning ways, and so here are the four changes he could make from the side that lost at Anfield on Sunday.

1 GK – Guglielmo Vicario

The first name on the teamsheet and the man between the sticks will come as no surprise, as summer signing Guglielmo Vicario has generally been great this year, and he's started 100% of league games thus far.

Being outmuscled by opposing players on set-pieces is still a concern, but the Italian's shot-stopping has been good enough to negate that drawback, and six clean sheets in his first campaign isn't too bad either.

2 RB – Pedro Porro

Keeping his place on the right of the back four is 24-year-old Spaniard Pedro Porro.

The three-capped international has started 91% of league games this season, and in his 32 appearances thus far, he's scored one goal and provided seven assists.

3 CB – Cristian Romero

Starting alongside the Spaniard will be World Cup winner and fan favourite Cristian Romero.

The Argentinian centre-back is often described as reckless, but his immense passion is what helps to set him apart from other players, and aside from a few moments here and there, he's been relatively reliable this season, picking up just six yellow cards and one red in 31 games.

Moreover, he's looked to be more of a goal threat in recent games and probably should have had more than one against Arsenal a couple of weeks ago.

4 CB – Micky van de Ven

His defensive partner, Micky van de Ven, will be alongside Romero.

Despite arriving from Wolfsburg in the summer as a relative unknown to most Premier League fans, the Dutch centre-back has quickly built a reputation for himself as one of the best in the division, in no small part thanks to his seriously rapid pace.

The 23-year-old officially became the quickest player in Premier League history in February when he registered a top speed of 37.38 km/h against Brentford.

5 LB – Oliver Skipp

Now, the fans probably won't be thrilled with this one, but given the lack of genuine options, bar continuing with Emerson Royal, Oliver Skipp may have to be the makeshift solution at left-back, having replaced the Brazilian on the hour mark last time out.

Postecoglou has hinted that could now be a more permanent change, having admitted that Emerson is "not really a left-back" – something which has been seen amid a torrid spell in recent weeks for the former Barcelona man, earning a 3/10 for his shocking display against Liverpool and a 4/10 for his showing against Chelsea.

It's far from ideal, but it's hard to see Skipp doing much worse?

6 CM – Yves Bissouma

The first midfielder in the team is Yves Bissouma, who, in spite of his lacklustre form this year, keeps his place in the starting lineup.

The former Brighton & Hove Albion star has undoubtedly been disappointing this season, but against Liverpool, he wasn't the worst central midfielder, and if Postecoglou wants to get the Mali international back to his best, he's going to have to play games.

7 CM – Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg

The second change to the team – after Skipp's introduction – comes in central midfield.

After a poor showing from Pape Matar Sarr and Rodrigo Bentancur on Sunday, for which they both received 5/10 ratings from football.london's Rob Guest, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg should start.

The Dane might not be the most exciting player, but he can help add a bit more stability to the base of the Lilywhite's midfield.

According to FBref, he ranks in the top 10% of midfielders in Europe's top five leagues for interceptions and clearances per 90, which will be necessary considering the player starting ahead of him on the pitch.

8 AM – James Maddison

The third change to the team sees James Maddison come in to start as the most attacking of Spurs' three midfielders.

The Englishman hasn't been in the best of form since his return from injury, scoring just once and providing two assists in 15 games, but when he came off the bench on Sunday, he looked lively.

He took three shots – one of which was blocked – completed two long balls and produced an expected goals figure of 0.20 in just 29 minutes.

Moreover, it's similar to the Bissouma situation: If Postecoglou wants to get the best out of the "incredible" ace, as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, he's going to have to play him more often, and a game against relegation-threatened Burnley might be the perfect opportunity to start him.

9 RW – Brennan Johnson

There is another change on the right, as Brennan Johnson comes over from the left wing to take Dejan Kulusevski's place.

The Swedish international is an incredibly talented winger, but he didn't show that against Liverpool, putting in a 4/10 display in which he failed to take even a single shot and produced a shockingly low expected assists figure of just 0.01.

Meanwhile, Johnson managed to nab himself an assist, and while he wasn't miles better, his move to the right allows Ange to make another change in the attack.

10 ST – Richarlison

The fourth and final personnel change comes at the sharp end of the pitch, as Richarlison comes into the side and starts as the number nine.

The "fantastic" Brazilian, as described by Postecoglou, has had something of an underrated season this year, scoring 12 goals and providing four assists in 1737 minutes of first-team football, meaning he is averaging a goal involvement every 108 minutes.

He might not be a world-class striker, but he's proven this season that, when given the chance, he can be deadly.

RB Leipzig have moved quickly to replace Benjamin Sesko, agreeing a €25 million deal for Brazilian forward Romulo Cardoso from Goztepe.

• Leipzig agree on €25m deal for Romulo
• Arrives as Sesko replacement after £74m sale
• 23-year-old scored 17 goals last season

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  RB Leipzig have secured their new No.9 after reaching an agreement with Turkish club Goztepe to sign Romulo in a deal worth €25m (£22m/$29m), as reported by Fabrizio Romano. The package includes a €20m fixed fee, €5m in add-ons and a sell-on clause. The Bundesliga club had been in talks with Goztepe for some time, with Romulo always at the top of their list to replace Sesko following his £74m (€85m/$100m) transfer.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Romulo has been a standout in Turkey, scoring 17 goals and providing 10 assists in 33 appearances last season across all competitions. He first joined Goztepe on loan from Athletico Paranaense before making the move permanent in early 2025. The club will look to register the Brazilian in time for Saturday’s DFB-Pokal clash against Sandhausen, but if that is not possible, he is expected to be available for next Friday’s Bundesliga opener against Bayern Munich.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Benjamin Sesko is the second most expensive sale in RB Leipzig’s history after Josko Gvardiol, who joined Manchester City in a reported €90m deal in 2023. The German club has been one of the biggest exporters to the Premier League in recent years, with Timo Werner (Chelsea), Naby Keita (Liverpool), Christopher Nkunku (Chelsea), and Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool) among the other major names to make the big-money move from Leipzig to England.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR RB LEIPZIG?

  Amid the sales, Leipzig continue to rebuild, with the club also pursuing Fabio Silva and Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott as they brace for the possible departure of Xavi Simons, who is attracting serious attention from Premier League clubs. The Bundesliga club finished seventh this season and will not play European football, so it will aim to bounce back, and Romulo’s arrival is seen as a key step in that process.

He has put his lean run of scores down to being too eager to cash in on flat pitches, and has learnt form his mistake

Daniel Brettig03-Dec-2020Going to the New South Wales north coast enclave of Byron Bay to find yourself is usually the preserve of musicians, or perhaps a few Superannuated early retirees. Joe Burns, though, may be the first Australian opening batsman to take this road by way of preparation for a Test series.Following a decidedly underwhelming Adelaide block of early season Sheffield Shield games in which he tallied scores of 7, 29, 0, 10 and 11 for Queensland, Burns appeared exceedingly vulnerable to losing his place opposite David Warner to the burgeoning talent of Will Pucovski. But now Warner is likely to be sidelined for at least the first Test against India due to a groin strain, Burns’ Byron Bay escape and return to the fundamentals of opening the batting have shored up his mindset for what is likely to be the commission as senior opener.The Adelaide experience was not a happy one for Burns but it was also an informative one. Confident both in himself and the fact the games were being played with a Kookaburra ball rather than the more bowler-friendly Dukes, he now admits he went out searching for runs rather than simply concentrating on occupation of the crease. Pucovski, by contrast, was largely set on survival, and two double centuries flowed as a result.ALSO READ: Will Pucovski – I’ve put in a mountain of work, I’m ready for Test debut”It’s been a little bit frustrating for me personally. I think back to the back end of last season, the Shield games we played we were playing on green tops with Dukes balls and I felt like it was the best I’ve ever batted in my career,” Burns said ahead of his warm-up match for Australia A against the Indians in Sydney. “I got to Adelaide and was licking my lips, seeing some flat wickets and hoping to make plenty of runs but just found ways to get out.”I was probably just chasing the game a little bit too much after a lay-off during the winter. So the lesson from that is to be a little bit more patient, let the game come and go from there. I feel like my skills are in a good spot, it’s just a decision-making thing and I’m looking forward to the challenge of playing against India.”In a usual season, Burns would have played as many as six Shield games by early December in a range of venues before the Tests began, but the unique nature of 2020-21 was such that he found himself with the chance for what was almost a second pre-season after commencing the summer proper.”The last few weeks I actually got a chance to go away, I was just doing a lot of work by myself,” Burns said. “Fortunately, I was training at some regional clubs and our batting coach from Queensland Adam Hollioake was coming down, we were just training all day. And the key thing I was working on was just patience. It’s just probably when you see a flat wicket and feel like you’re batting well, from the end of last season. you want to get out there and dominate, but as an opening batter sometimes dominating can be batting six, seven or eight hours and getting rewards at the back end of the day.”So I’ve faced thousands of balls and just tried to face each ball like it’s my first one. The real basics of the game – if you do the basics well, you can’t go too far wrong.”Those basics will most probably need to be applied without Warner, although prior to his injury he was one of several key voices around the Australian team to vouch for Burns’ value, and the contributions he had made at the top to blunt the new ball and make life easier for Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith and Travis Head to name three.1:08

Don’t need to break something that’s working – Warner

“Me and Davey, first of all we know our games really well and I think our games complement each other,” Burns said. “When we are batting together I feel like we read the game really well, we know when there’s opportunities to take it to bowling attacks but we also realise when there are key moments and we have to knuckle down. What we’ve always done really well and what we’re proud of doing is winning a lot of key moments for the team”Sometimes it’s the first session of a Test match, sometimes the 20 minutes after a lunch break and identifying when key bowlers are on. At the same time I know when he is getting bogged down by a bowler and there’s opportunity for me to score off them.”Weeks like this, the training in the nets together, the Australia A game batting together, provides an opportunity to form those new relationships, especially with young guys who we haven’t all had a great chance to bat a lot with to get to a point where me and Davey get to the crease and are so confident in each other’s games that we can bounce off each other.”This is not to say Burns cannot function without Warner. On the contrary, one of his best innings arrived on the opening day of a Test match in Canberra against Sri Lanka in early 2019 during the 34-year-old’s Newlands ban, when the fall of three early wickets left Burns to usher Head to his first century.”Dave’s such a world class player it’s always a nice luxury to have him at the other end, but at the same time I’ve always said I try to take as much responsibility myself as possible as well,” Burns said. “The game where Dave got out early, I really wanted to perform in those games, and now that he’s out injured or potentially not playing, it’s a great opportunity to play a senior role.”But it’s a huge role to fill if Dave’s not available, and it’s not only one person, but it’s the responsibility of a few guys to step into that position. We’ll make sure we are prepared for a really tough battle, in particular as opening batters; that first session, that first hour, it’s going to be crucial to the game and crucial to keeping the momentum of their bowling attack out. If we can start well it’s going to go a long way to winning the series.”Burns faced India in his first Test series back in 2014, but was quick to note a key contrast. This time he will be doing the hard work for others to benefit from, where six years ago it was the other way around. “It was a little bit different back then,” he said. “I was batting at No. 6, I think one game we won the toss and batted and I didn’t bat until day two.”

Richardson has opted to stay in Adelaide with his wife and newborn son

Alex Malcolm18-Nov-2020

Kane Richardson is his delivery stride•Getty Images

Perth Scorchers fast bowler Andrew Tye has been called up to Australia’s ODI and T20 squads as cover for Kane Richardson, who has elected to stay home in Adelaide to be with his wife and newborn son.Cricket Australia undertook a mass airlift of players from around the country on Tuesday after a small Covid outbreak in Adelaide’s northern suburbs forced heavy restrictions to be imposed in the city.A raft of Australia’s ODI, T20, and Test squad members who had recently travelled from Adelaide to their home states were forced to fly to Sydney early to avoid being stuck in quarantine in their home states, while the Adelaide Strikers flew to Coffs Harbour in New South Wales at short-notice to prepare for the upcoming BBL.Richardson, who opted out of the IPL and missed a couple of Shield matches due to the birth of his son, chose to stay at home in Adelaide with his family, forcing the selectors to call up Tye who has recently returned from the UAE.”It was a difficult decision for Kane to make but one which has the complete support of the selectors and the entire playing squad,” national selector Trevor Hohns said.”Kane wanted to remain in Adelaide with Nyki and their newborn son. We will always support our players and their families; even more so given the challenging environment we are in.”We will miss what he brings to the team but completely understand and support his decision.”Andrew Tye could play for Australia after a gap of almost two years•Getty Images

Tye was part of Australia’s tour of the UK this year and was also part of the Rajasthan Royals squad in the IPL. He played just one match in the IPL and it was his only professional match in the last 12 months after requiring elbow surgery in November last year, though he did play three matches for his Perth Premier club Scarborough in late February and early March. Tye lost his Western Australia domestic contract during the winter but is still seen by Australia’s selectors as one of the best short-format bowlers in the country, giving him the nod ahead of Nathan Coulter-Nile and James Pattinson, who both played key roles in Mumbai Indians’ IPL title.”AJ is incredibly skilled in both forms of the short game. He impressed in the UK with his high work ethic and his positive energy around the squad,” Hohns said. “He is a great player to be able to call on.”Western Australian batsmen D’Arcy Short and Josh Philippe have also been called on to train with Australia’s limited-overs group in Sydney next week despite both being left out of the initial squads.Short flew to Sydney on Tuesday with fellow Western Australian Cameron Green as a precaution after both had been in Adelaide for the Sheffield Shield earlier in the month. Philippe is currently in hotel quarantine in Sydney following his return from the IPL in the UAE.Short and Philippe will join their respective BBL teams, Hobart Hurricanes and Sydney Sixers, ahead of the start of the BBL on December 10.

Big Picture: Unbeaten sides, solid bowling units

Two unbeaten sides. Two stories of significant progress over two years will culminate with the final of the Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.It might only be edition number two, but India have asserted themselves as the team to beat in this competition. They have outclassed every team in their path to the finals, and have looked stronger than the title-winning squad in 2023 with two capped internationals under Shafali Verma.Niki Prasad’s team has exhibited skills that might well mistake them for being a senior side, be it ball striking and power hitting with bat, accuracy and discipline with ball or athleticism and catching efficiency in the field. West Indies, Malaysia, Scotland and Bangladesh were brushed aside without sweat. Sri Lanka (in the group stage) and England (in the semi-finals) had their moments, but were unable to press the advantage across 40 overs, and India eventually prevailed comfortably.Related

• Van Wyk, Botha outclass Australia as South Africa reach maiden final

• Jemma Botha: If you don't have nerves in a semi … you're not human

• Sisodia and Kamalini lead the way as defending champs India cruise into final

India’s pathway to prepare for the tournament also trumps most sides, many of whom had never travelled overseas before the World Cup. They won the U-19 Women’s Asia Cup in December 2024, with all games played at the Bayumeas Oval in Kuala Lumpur, the venue for each of India’s World Cup fixtures as well as the semi-final and final. Prior to that, two Under-19 sides played a triangular series in Pune that also featured South Africa, their opponents for the final.That South Africa’s story in World Cups has moved from falling short of finals to falling short in finals might be considered progress in itself.Under captain Kayla Reyneke, one of seven players in the squad playing in their second edition, South Africa have shown significant progress after failing to go beyond the Super Six at home in 2023. They outclassed Australia in Friday’s semi-final, which was effectively their first experience of a full game in the tournament. Their previous wins were secured in severely reduced games, largely due to rain against New Zealand, Nigeria and Ireland, and Samoa’s 16 all out. Still they got the job done emphatically.After two consecutive senior women’s T20 World Cup final appearances in as many years, and just as many heartbreaks, South Africa have set their sights on the Under-19 women’s team to bring home a first women’s title, just as India did in 2023.

Form guide

India WWWWW (last five completed games, most recent first)
South Africa WWWWW

In the spotlight: G Trisha and Jemma Botha

Power-hitting takes time to evolve. It’s unlikely to be seen at the women’s Under-19 level. Try telling G Trisha and Jemma Botha that. Both, in their second edition of the tournament, are now promoted to open the batting. They both also have the power game that could decide the fate of the final.Jemma Botha scored 37 off 24 balls in the semi-final•ICC via Getty Images

Trisha is the tournament’s leading run-scorer and is likely to remain so regardless of what happens in the final after striking the first hundred in the competition, against Scotland. It’s not just the 265 runs though, it’s the strike rate of 149.71 that stands out.Botha might have been competing for similar honours had South Africa’s batters batted more than the 26.5 overs they did in the entire tournament leading up to the semi-final. Her 37 off 24 with five fours and two sixes at a strike rate of 154 in the semi-final against Australia gave South Africa a crucial head start that proved to be decisive in what could have been a tricky chase.

Team news

Both teams are likely to stick with the same XIs from their respective semi-finals.India (probable): 1 G Trisha, 2 G Kamalini (wk), 3 Sanika Chalke, 4 Nikki Prasad (capt), 5 Ishwari Awasare, 6 Mithila Vinod, 7 Aayushi Shukla, 8 VJ Joshitha, 9 Shabnam Shakil, 10 Parunika Sisodia, 11 Vaishnavi SharmaSouth Africa (probable): 1 Jemma Botha, 2 Simone Lourens, 3 Kayla Reyneke (capt), 4 Karabo Meso (wk), 5 Fay Cowling, 6 Mieke van Voorst, 7 Seshnie Naidu, 8 Luyanda Nzuza, 9 Ashleigh van Wyk, 10 Monalisa Legodi, 11 Nthabiseng Nini

Pitch and conditions: Spin to win

The Bayumeas Oval in Kuala Lumpur has two surfaces prepared with soil imported from Darwin, Australia, and another two with local red soil. Matches have been played on both pitches in the tournament, with the red-soil pitches offering more turn, like the game between India and Sri Lanka. The Australian soil pitches (numbers 2 and 3) have been conducive for run-scoring and yet sporting, like pitch No. 2 was for Friday’s semi-final. Pitch No. 3 will be used for the final, and should play similarly.Regardless of the pitch, India’s three left-arm spinners have been outstanding, having taken 35 wickets between them, including all eight in the semi-final. South Africa will need to find a way to score down the ground against them, given the success that Aayushi Shukla, Parunika Sisodia and Vaishnavi Sharma have had against batters sweeping. South Africa’s batters are the second-best team after India against spin, averaging 20.3.South Africa’s spinners also accounted for six of the eight Australian wickets in the first semi-final, with Reyneke (10) leading their wicket-takers list at an average of 5.50.While rain has been around all tournament, more so in Johor and Kuching than in Kuala Lumpur, the forecast for Sunday’s final is clear with temperatures reaching a high of 32 degreesCelsius and humidity around 60%. There is a reserve day for the final.

Stats and trivia

• Together, G Trisha and G Kamalini have scored approximately 75% of India’s total runs. Sanika Chalke is the only other batter to have faced more than 20 balls, leaving the middle order largely untested.
• South Africa’s pace bowlers, led by Nthabiseng Nini, have picked 16 wickets at an average of 5.60, the best among all teams in the tournament.
• India’s left-arm spinners Vaishavi Sharma (15) and Aayushi Shukla (12) lead the wickets tally for the tournament.

Celtic and Brendan Rodgers are eyeing up an audacious move for a free agent to kickstart their summer transfer business, it has been revealed.

Joe Hart saying goodbye to Celtic

Joe Hart will play his last game of professional football this weekend as Celtic take on Rangers in the Scottish Cup final. The ex-England goalkeeper revealed back in February that he would be hanging up his gloves at the end of the season, and could yet still crown his swansong with a domestic double in Celtic colours.

Though his arrival was initially treated with scepticism, Hart quickly grew into a fan favourite at Celtic Park and was evidently emotional as his side lifted the Scottish Premiership trophy against St Mirren, bidding farewell to the Celtic supporters.

"Guys, I have never felt professionally that special before in my entire life. Myself, my family, from the bottom of my heart, I absolutely adore every single one of you, everyone associated with this football club.

“It’s such a special place. I was asked yesterday, how do you explain this to people? I don’t want to explain this to anyone, this is not a club that needs explaining, this is a club that speaks for itself.

“You guys are absolutely phenomenal. It’s part of you, you have made me feel so special and humble.

“I absolutely love it, thank you so much for having me."

The hunt to replace him is already well underway, with a whole host of shot-stoppers having been linked with the vacancy in Glasgow. Now though, a new name has entered the fray, and it may be the most ambitious target yet.

Celtic eye up free agent

That comes courtesy of The Daily Mail, who report that the Bhoys are throwing their hat in the ring for Koen Casteels, whose £66,000-per-week contract with Wolfsburg ends this summer.

Celtic working to seal early signing who'd be perfect for Rodgers

The Hoops have been linked with a deal to sign the colossus in the summer window.

ByDan Emery May 21, 2024

The left-footed goalkeeper is keen to move onto a new challenge after over 250 appearances for Wolfsburg, and has already held talks with Anderlecht over a potential return to Belgium. Celtic are keen too though, and can offer Champions League football to the Belgian international, something that the Pro League outfit cannot.

And The Mail claim that the Hoops have added Casteels "to a list of potential replacements" which also includes Asmir Begovic, Alex McCarthy and Ugurcan Cakir.

Casteels could be a different calibre of shot-stopper though, and such were his performances back in 2021 that he was compared to Manuel Neuer as the best goalkeeper in the German top flight by his then-manager Mark van Bommel.

"Koen has improved every year. He's moved up another level. With Manuel [Neuer] he’s the best goalkeeper in the Bundesliga," claimed the Dutch coach at the beginning of the 2021-22 season.

Koen Casteels vs Hart: by the numbers

2021-22

2022-23

2023-24

Joe Hart 23/24

Appearances

28

34

25

37

Save %

68.6%

70.1%

67.8%

70.1%

Saves per 90

2.71

2.97

3.12

1.68

Goals prevented

2

-1.1

-0.6

N/A

Clean sheets

10

12

4

13

In the years since his form has wavered slightly, but he is still a top shot-stopper and would be a mammoth addition to Celtic's ranks. However, he may need to take a paycut to make a move happen, with Celtic unlikely to be able to afford anything like the £66,000-a-week he took home in Wolfsburg.

The Australia Test captain believes he pushed himself a bit too hard during winter training

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Oct-2020In his drive to be as fit as possible for the summer, Australia’s Test captain Tim Paine has left himself nursing some hamstring tendonitis but confirmed he will be available for Tasmania’s opening Sheffield Shield match in Adelaide next week.Paine, who has spent the winter in Hobart amid the Covid-19 restrictions, revealed he had actually lost a bit too much weight during his fitness push and had been given “free rein” over his eating in recent weeks ahead of the start of the domestic season.”I did a bit too much running there at one point and I’m carrying a bit of hamstring tendonitis as a result,” he told Captain’s Call on . “Think I’m getting a bit old, but just tried to get myself very fit and probably ended up going a bit too far and losing a bit too much weight so the last month or so I’ve been given a bit of a free rein which has been lovely.”Paine is one of a group of Australia’s Test players who will feature in the opening rounds of the Shield which will be played in a hub alongside the likes of Joe Burns, Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head, Matthew Wade, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon.”I’m heading over to Adelaide next week,” he said. “Everyone is looking forward to it, getting back on the park for their states and especially for our Test players to be able to prepare with three or four Shield games before such a big series [against India] which I’ll be really important for us.”Confirmation of the schedule for India’s visit is still awaited but it will involve four Tests from mid-December to mid-January with the series expected to start in Adelaide. With the Afghanistan Test postponed they will be Paine’s only international outings of the season and when he might play again remains uncertain with the fate of Australia’s scheduled tour to South Africa in February still up in the air.The members of Australia’s limited-overs squad that toured England and did not head to the IPL completed their quarantine period in Adelaide on Friday. The New South Wales players have a little longer to prepare for the Sheffield Shield with the defending champions not beginning their campaign until October 22 against Victoria and they will head to Adelaide on October 18.”We are hoping Nathan [Lyon] can play all those games, he’ll be keen for some cricket after not playing in the UK,” New South Wales coach Phil Jaques said. “I think Starcy will want to play a couple of games as well leading into the Tests so we’ll see how many we get from those guys. Whatever we get is always a bonus, we always prepare as if we aren’t going to have them and then when we do it’s great to have them back.”

da brdice： A week ago the shock news that Mauricio Pochettino would be leaving Chelsea was announced.

da prosport bet： There had been uncertainty surrounding the Argentine's future at Stamford Bridge but it was a rather successful end to the campaign for the Blues.

Pochettino had steered the west London club to five straight wins to close out the season but that was not enough to keep him in the job.

The two parties parted ways mutually and we are now reportedly edging closer to finding a successor.

The latest on Chelsea's manager hunt

The Athletic's David Ornstein reported late on Sunday evening that Chelsea's managerial search had now been narrowed down to two names.

The highly-coveted signature of Kieran McKenna is no longer in the frame, with the hunt being narrowed down to Leicester's Enzo Maresca – who was Pep Guardiola's number two at Manchester City – and Brentford's Thomas Frank.

Maresca now seems to be closing in on a move, with the Blues advancing in talks to hire the Foxes tactician, as per Fabrizio Romano.

However, there has been another name in the conversation. According to a journalist for TEAMtalk, that is Sporting boss Ruben Amorim.

The claim states: 'There was uncertainty over his ideals and if they would suit Chelsea. However, I'm assured he was in the conversation and would be open to a chat with Chelsea'.

Amorim's name has been the centre of attention on English shores this summer. He was initially the frontrunner for the West Ham and Liverpool jobs before he ruled himself out of contention for the former following a meeting in London. The Reds then opted for Arne Slot to replace Jurgen Klopp.

Why Amorim would be better than Maresca and Frank

Uncertainties surrounding Amorim's ideals and philosophies are perhaps understandable. After all, his style of football would make for a rather radical change.

Chelsea have played with a three-man defence in the past but that is the formation the young Portuguese coach has operated with in Lisbon. Pochettino tended to focus on a four-man backline.

The Blues could adapt to that but with a focus on playing down the flanks, rather than the middle, it might not suit some of their elite technicians such as Enzo Fernandez, Connor Gallagher and Cole Palmer. Indeed, Amorim prefers his wingers to hug the touchline, something that Palmer certainly doesn't do, drifting inside to score or create from central areas.

That being said, his credentials are far more attractive than both Maresca and Frank.

The former has learnt a lot of his coaching philosophies from the great Guardiola, something that helped him achieve promotion with Leicester, but he has just one full season of senior first-team managerial experience under his belt.

That, of course, didn't matter for someone like Mikel Arteta but Chelsea could do with some stability and someone that knows what they're doing. Frank is also an interesting proposition but like Maresca, his only notable triumph to date has come via earning promotion from the Championship.

Frank has done well to stabilise Brentford as an established Premier League side but he hasn't really been able to take them to the next level, finishing safely above the drop zone but down in 16th.

Amorim vs Maresca & Frank

Stat

Amorim

Maresca

Frank

Win %

69%

62%

40%

Goals per game

2.1

2.2

1.6

Points per game

2.26

2.01

1.57

Trophies won

6

1

1

Avg possession in 23/24

59.1%

62.2%

44.9%

Age

39

44

50

Data via Transfermarkt & WhoScored.

Amorim, on the other hand, has earned plenty of plaudits for his "incredible" work – as it was noted by reporter Zach Lowy – on the continent.

The 39-year-old is one of the best young coaches in Europe and after guiding Sporting to title glory this season has now won Portugal's top-flight on two occasions. Add in three League Cup triumphs too and this is clearly a boss who knows how to win trophies.

Further boasting more points per game and having also managed in Europe's premier competitions, this should be an attractive option for Chelsea in the face of some surprising candidates to replace Pochettino.

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Posts ByTom Lever May 23, 2024

تمكن فريقا الزمالك والبنك الأهلي من تسجيل هدفين في 3 دقائق خلال اللقاء الجاري الآن ضمن منافسات مسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

ويلتقي الزمالك مع البنك الأهلي، على استاد السلام، في الجولة الافتتاحية من مسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز موسم 2024 – 2025.

طالع..فيديو | ناصر ماهر يسجل هدف الزمالك الأول أمام البنك الأهلي

وسجل محمد هلال هدف تعادل البنك الأهلي في الدقيقة 50، من عمر المباراة من ركلة جزاء تحصل عليها ياو أنور.

وفي الدقيقة 53 سجل ناصر منسي، هدف الزمالك الثاني من كرة رأسية بعد عرضية رائعة من ناصر ماهر.

وكان ناصر ماهر قد أحرز هدف الزمالك الأول، بعد عرضية من عبد الله السعيد قابلها ماهر بتسديدة داخل الشباك في الدقيقة 38.

يذكر أن الموسم الماضي من بطولة الدوري احتل الزمالك المركز الثالث برصيد 60 نقطة، جمعها من خلال الفوز في 17 لقاء وتعادل 9 مرات وخسر 8 مواجهات.

ويشهد هذا الموسم تغييرًا في شكل ونظام بطولة الدوري المصري، حيث سيُلعب من دور واحد، على أن يتم تقسيم الدور الثاني لمجموعتي حسم اللقب والهروب من الهبوط، بواقع 9 فرق في كل منهما، ليصبح عدد مباريات كل فريق 25 مباراة بدلًا من 34. هدف تعادل البنك الأهلي أمام الزمالك

  هدف الزمالك الثاني أمام البنك الأهلي