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Messi and Jordi Alba miss first training session in Austin ahead of Wednesday’s All-Star Game

Mescherano suggested that Messi restEstevez confirmed minute restrictionsThe match will be played at Q2 StadiumFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

At the first training session for the MLS All-Stars on Monday, two major names were missing: Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba. The match is set to take place on Wednesday at Q2 Stadium in Austin against the Liga MX All-Stars, but uncertainty remains over whether Inter Miami’s two stars – especially Messi – will take the field, as he has recently carried a heavy workload with his club.

MLS All-Star coach Nicolás Estevez was cautious when asked about Messi’s potential participation, saying, “That’s a question for his club. I just coach and use the players I’m given. I hope so – I’m very optimistic and I hope he can be there."

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Estevez outlined how playing time will be managed for players taking part in Wednesday’s game. There’s still no clarity on how many minutes Messi will get – if any – especially after Javier Mascherano suggested the Miami star should be rested.

"The idea will always be to prioritize the player's well-being, to take care of their fitness and health," Estevez said, noting that the MLS regular season returns with games just two days after the ASG. "Those who play on Friday will be limited to 30 minutes, and those who play on Saturday will have a 45-minute limit. There are players scheduled to play on Saturday who are dealing with some discomfort, so we’ll be cautious."

Getty Images SportWHAT ESTEVEZ SAID

The Spanish coach understands the responsibility that comes with leading the MLS All-Stars.

"We have to understand the match load these players are carrying, so we have a huge responsibility to take care of their health," he said. "Today we had active recovery on the field. We want them to compete but also to have fun – football is about interactions, and I want to bring them together in the positions they’ll play in the match. They’ve come in with great mindset, excitement, and the will to win."

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Getty Images SportDID YOU KNOW?

While the MLS All-Star Game has been held since 1996, the format and opponents have evolved over the years. Since 2021, Liga MX has become a regular rival in the showcase match, setting up a direct clash between the two leagues.

Gibson spoiled Sciver-Brunt’s WBBL season debut at the WACA

Tristan Lavalette05-Nov-2023

Danielle Gibson spoiled Nat Sciver-Brunt’s WBBL season debut with clutch batting to lift Adelaide Strikers over Perth Scorchers in a last-ball thriller at the WACA.Strikers appeared to be cruising for much of their chase of 166, but were still left needing 12 runs off the final over. Gibson hit a four off the first delivery bowled by teenaged quick Chloe Ainsworth and levelled the scores with a six over deep midwicket on the fourth delivery.But a dot ball heightened the nerves, leaving one to win off the final ball, until Gibson calmly smashed another four through cover as Strikers finally prevailed in a chase they appeared to have in the bag for much of the innings.They started quickly with Katie Mack dominating the strike and providing a flier despite the early wicket of opener Laura Wolvaardt.Scorchers were left frustrated when Strikers captain Tahlia McGrath survived an lbw shout on 3 from legspinner Alana King that would have been overturned if they had reviewed the decision. Mack and McGrath feasted on wayward bowling with young speedsters Ainsworth and Stella Campbell being particularly expensive.Scorchers turned to offspinner Amy Edgar, whose knack of taking invaluable wickets continued when she had McGrath caught at mid-off on 30. Mack was unconventional, but effective and combined well with Bridget Patterson in a 78-run partnership for the third wicket. But Strikers stumbled late with Mack brilliantly run out by captain Sophie Devine in the penultimate over before Gibson’s heroics.With both teams entering with 4-2 records, Strikers notched a pivotal victory at the season’s halfway point after overcoming an uncharacteristically sloppy effort in the field marked by dropped three catches, including Sciver-Brunt on 27.Scorchers elected to bat in good batting conditions and all eyes were on Sciver-Brunt who was a controversial late signing after not nominating for the overseas player draft. She started off with 53 off 33 balls and helped Scorchers overcome a mid-innings stutter. Sciver-Brunt, who has not played since blasting an ODI century against Sri Lanka in September, showed no rust with clean hitting on a ground where she made her Test debut almost a decade ago.Sciver-Brunt’s inclusion forced a reshuffle in the line-up with Devine back to her customary position partnering Beth Mooney at the top after starting the season at No. 4. But Mooney was out for a duck in the first over when quick Megan Schutt had her caught at short third in superb field placement.Emerging batter Maddy Darke held her spot in the team and justified the faith with several attractive strokes.Having used the scoop to good effect, Darke failed to connect on another such attempt and was bowled by legspinner Amanda-Jade Wellington. Devine rode her luck having been dropped on 19 and 22, but was unable to make Strikers pay the price. She was bowled on 28 by McGrath in a decision confirmed by the third umpire amid confusion over whether wicketkeeper Patterson had knocked off the bails.Sciver-Brunt and Amy Jones quickly got Scorchers back on track with a free-wheeling 72-run partnership. They scurried between the wickets to apply pressure on flagging Strikers fielders before unleashing a slew of boundaries.But Jones on 33 was lured out of the crease by Wellington to be stumped as Strikers fought back in the back-end of the innings largely through Schutt’s unnerving accuracy. Sciver-Brunt reached her half-century in style with a boundary in the final over of the innings much to the delight of a record WACA crowd of 3400 fans for a WBBL match.But the Scorchers faithful was less enthused when Gibson stepped up under pressure as the shadows creeped onto the ground.

Big Picture: Can Bangladesh spring a surprise?

The defending champions have been upset by Afghanistan. Australia haven’t looked like Australia of World Cups past. Pakistan seem lacking too. And the South African juggernaut fell apart against Netherlands. Of all the pre-tournament favourites, only India and New Zealand have played like favourites. The latter have made it four wins in four, and now India are looking to do the same, against Bangladesh in Pune.Bangladesh may have a favourable 3-1 ODI record against India in the last 12 months – most recently winning their Super Four encounter in the Asia Cup last month – but beating India in India is easier said than done.The hosts have played with plenty of main-character energy in their first three fixtures, scoring convincing victories against Australia, Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were tested to varying degrees in all those games – reduced to 2 for 3 in the chase against Australia; Afghanistan setting a target of 273; and Babar Azam and Mohammed Rizwan building a solid platform – but in the end it wasn’t even close.India’s outstanding bowling attack, led by Jasprit Bumrah, has taken 28 out of a possible 30 wickets so far, while they have lost only nine wickets in three chases and never more than four in a game. Rohit Sharma’s ultra-aggressive approach has been the highlight of their batting performances and he’s got another batting-friendly surface waiting for him in Pune.Related

• Chandika Hathurusinghe hoping World Cup upsets inspire Bangladesh against 'scary' India

• Rohit Sharma's bold new batting template has changed his ODI game – and India's

Bangladesh’s only win against India in the ODI World Cup was 16 years ago – in Trinidad in 2007. Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim were just starting their careers then, and they have played India three times on the biggest stage since, losing quite convincingly on each occasion.This Bangladesh squad has enough experience and young talent in their ranks to stretch India, but their current form isn’t promising. Mushfiqur has scored two fifties in three matches so far but the rest have struggled with consistency. Najmul Hossain Shanto and Litton Das had one good knock each. Rookie Tanzid Hasan hasn’t had much impact. Towhid Hridoy, who scored 500 runs before the World Cup this year, is batting lower than his usual No. 5 position. Mehidy Hasan Miraz also hasn’t been effective.Shakib suffered a quadriceps injury last week but could play – as per their coach, Bangladesh are awaiting results of a scan done on match eve before taking the final decision.* With Bangladesh looking to lengthen their batting by having Mahmudullah at No. 8, Mahedi Hasan and Nasum Ahmed, both of whom played a part in the Asia Cup win against India, are unlikely to make the XI.Whether Bangladesh runs India close or not could come down to how their fast bowlers fare. Mustafizur Rahman aside, the others have been off-colour. Shoriful Islam has been expensive at times and Taskin Ahmed is not the force he was earlier this year. If these three, or Hasan Mahmud and Tanzim Hasan, can fire it will give Bangladesh a stronger foothold in the contest.Kuldeep Yadav took eight wickets in a Test the last time he played Bangladesh•AFP/Getty Images

Form guide

India WWWLW (last five ODIs, most recent first)Bangladesh LLWLL

In the spotlight: Kuldeep Yadav and Najmul Hossain Shanto

Kuldeep Yadav has five wickets from three games and his economy of 3.9 in 30 overs is testament to the control he’s offered during the middle overs. He revealed recently that increasing his pace has allowed him to bowl better in the last 12 months. Bangladesh’s most recent memory of Kuldeep is his eight-wicket haul in the Chattogram Test late last year – India will be hoping for more of the same from him.After his unbeaten fifty against Afghanistan, Najmul Hossain Shanto‘s low scores against England and New Zealand have had an impact on Bangladesh’s top-order returns. His free-flowing batting has been a huge boost to Bangladesh in 2023 and they desperately need him back among the runs.

Team news: Bangladesh to gamble with extra bowler?

India are unlikely to change their winning combination. The small ground dimensions and flat pitch could mean that Shardul Thakur is likely to keep his spot ahead of R Ashwin.India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Shreyas Iyer, 5 KL Rahul (wk), 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Shardul Thakur, 9 Jasprit Bumrah, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Mohammed SirajIf Bangladesh can play Shakib, they will. They could be tempted to promote Mehidy Hasan Miraz to open with Litton and Mushfiqur could also bat higher in the order. The question is whether Bangladesh will look to strengthen their bowling by sacrificing some batting depth.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tanzid Hasan, 2 Litton Das, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 4 Shakib Al Hasan (capt), 5 Towhid Hridoy, 6 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 7 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 8 Mahmudullah, 9 Taskin Ahmed, 10 Shoriful Islam, 11 Mustafizur Rahman

Pitch and conditions: High scores in Pune?

Since 2017, teams batting first have posted 300-plus totals in three out of five ODIs in Pune, though this will be the first international at this venue in nine months. There was some drizzle on the eve of the match but the forecast is for sunshine on match day.

Stats and trivia: A 25-year wait ends

• This is Bangladesh’s first ODI against India in India in 25 years. From those who played their previous ODI against India at the Wankhede in 1998, Minhajul Abedin is the current chief selector, Khaled Mahmud is the team director, and Athar Ali Khan is a TV commentator.
• Virat Kohli has an average 67.25 and strike rate of 101.25 in 15 ODIs against Bangladesh, with four centuries.
• Shakib, Taskin and Mustafizur all have five-wicket hauls against India in ODIs.

Quotes

“He had a good batting session yesterday. He did a bit of running between the wickets as well. We are waiting for the result of the scan we did today. We haven’t tried his bowling yet. We will assess him tomorrow morning, and make a decision. If he is not ready to play, we won’t risk it. If he is ready, there’s a chance of him playing tomorrow.”

“When you enter a World Cup, every team will pose you a challenge. So, from our perspective, I don’t think we’ll take anyone lightly.”

Legendary Barcelona defender heaped praise on both Ousmane Dembele and Lamine Yamal and spoke his mind on who he would pick to win the Ballon d'Or.

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• Pique praises Dembele & Yamal
• Ex-defender chose the teenager ahead of the Frenchman for 2025 Ballon d'Or
• Clarified that he would be just as happy if the PSG star won the award

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Former Barca defender Pique was the latest to chime in on the 2025 Ballon d'Or debate. The legendary centre-back praised the top two candidates — Yamal and Dembele — but ultimately picked the teenage sensation to lift the prestigious individual accolade.c

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  Yamal had a sensational season for club and country, scoring 21 goals and chipping in with a whopping 25 assists in 62 games. He showed incredible quality in the Champions League knockout games, and played a starring role for the Catalans as they beat arch-rivals Real Madrid to the La Liga, Copa del Rey, and Supercopa de Espana trophies.

  Dembele, meanwhile, enjoyed his best season to date, scoring 33 goals in 49 games while playing in a new false nine role under PSG head coach Luis Enrique. The Frenchman was awarded the Champions League Player of the Season award for his immense contributions that helped Les Parisiens end their quest for a maiden UCL title. Both players have been hailed by the press, pundits, and players and have become the frontrunners to win the Ballon d'Or this year.

• WHAT GERARD PIQUE SAID

  Speaking at the event this week (h/t MARCA), Pique said: "I played with both of them (Dembele and Yamal). I had the opportunity to share a dressing room with Ousmane and Lamine. They're both incredible people. I love them both very much. Ousmane was like a brother to me because, when he arrived, you already know what he's like. And Lamine too, I think he's very, very talented, very special.

  "I would prefer Lamine because he's now at Barca and also in the King's League. He has a team, so I would like Lamine to win it. He's very, very young, very talented, and I think he's very special. But I also really like Ousmane, and if he wins it in the end, I'll be happy for him."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR YAMAL AND DEMBELE?

  Yamal will return to pre-season duties with Barcelona in mid-July, while Dembele has already flown to the United States to participate in the Club World Cup with PSG. Luis Enrique's side will clash against Atletico Madrid in their opening game of the tournament on Sunday.

A high-profile figure at Celtic would “love” the idea of moving to another club in the near future, according to a new claim from former Everton CEO Keith Wyness.

Latest Celtic news

The Hoops sealed a superb 5-1 win at home to Aberdeen on Tuesday night, as they continue their unassailable march to yet another Scottish Premiership title.

Rangers have fizzled out throughout the campaign, not putting up much of a fight and sacking manager Phillipe Clement, and it feels like a matter of until Celtic are crowned champions, ahead of Saturday’s trip to St Mirren.

For Brendan Rodgers, this is a second successful spell in charge at Parkhead, winning the title in his first season back in the dugout, and looking to make it two in a row in May.

The Northern Irishman is highly thought of at Celtic, which is no surprise, given the success and quality of football he has brought to the club, but supporters will know that there is always the risk of losing him, as was the case when he joined Leicester City first time around.

High-profile Celtic ace backed for exit

Speaking to Football Insider, Wyness said that Rodgers would “love” to quit Celtic and leave for a bigger club such as Bayern Munich, casting doubt over his future.

“It’s always surprised me that he’s not come to the top. Everyone says he’s very bright, very hardworking and innovative. People in football have always had a high opinion of him, but that hasn’t matched his level of success. He was harshly treated at Liverpool and didn’t go on to great success elsewhere.

“He’s still got time and I think his next appointment could be the one. I think other clubs will be looking at him now. Clubs like Bayern Munich, who have fallen down the ladder a bit, could even look at someone like him. I think he’d love to move on from Celtic now if he gets a bigger offer.”

As mentioned, there may be a feeling that Celtic could lose Rodgers, considering he has managed Liverpool in the past and may always be keeping half an eye on a European giant coming calling again.

The 51-year-old has won three Scottish Premiership titles and Scottish Cups apiece, as well as four Scottish League Cups, so he is a proven winner, and it’s fair to say there are far less accomplished coaches scattered throughout Europe’s traditional ‘big five’ leagues.

There was unrest when Rodgers departed for Leicester, however, and the same could easily happen again if he departs in the near future, with supporters potentially feeling like he is merely treating the club as a stepping stone.

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Feb 28, 2025

Whether Wyness proves to be correct remains to be seen, but once the current season reaches its conclusion, it will be interesting to see if Rodgers’ head is turned by possible interest from elsewhere. Hopefully, he will remain at Celtic for a long time, and in fairness, he seems happy currently, given the success coming his way.

After losing Edu Gaspar at the end of 2024, Arsenal are still on the search for a new full-time sporting director at the Emirates Stadium.

The Brazilian resigned from his Gunners role to take up a position alongside Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, who also owns Olympiacos and Rio Ave.

The man tasked to fill in for Edu on an interim basis is Jason Ayto, who first joined Arsenal back in 2014 as a scout. But who could the Gunners bring in on a full-time basis as their new sporting director to work closely with manager Mikel Arteta?

Recent reports have claimed that Arsenal are starting to whittle down their options, with a March appointment thought to be likely:

Here, we’ve looked at a number of names the Gunners could target.

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ByRoss Kilvington Nov 5, 2024 1 Roberto Olabe Real Sociedad

There were claims late in 2024 that Arsenal were in advanced talks to bring Roberto Olabe to north London.

The Real Sociedad sporting director is on course to leave the club at the end of the current season after joining back in 2018. During that time, he played a part in signing Alexander Isak, who is now starring at Newcastle United, and Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard, who was on loan at Sociedad from Real Madrid.

2 Tomas Rosicky Sparta Prague

Former Arsenal midfielder Tomas Rosicky has also been linked with a return to north London to fill the gap left by Edu. Currently at Sparta Prague, Rosicky is thought to be a leading candidate after working with the side following his retirement in 2017.

He has overseen Adam Hlozek’s move to Bayer Leverkusen and Tomas Cvancara’s transfer to Borussia Monchengladbach – two big-money exits for Sparta Prague, who have gradually been improving in Europe in recent years.

3 Luis Campos PSG

Arteta has reportedly asked Paris Saint-Germain chief Luis Campos to move to Arsenal, with the 60-year-old seemingly open to leaving the French giants.

Formerly on the books of Real Madrid as a scout and Monaco as a sporting director, Campos helped secure deals for Bernardo Silva, Fabinho, Anthony Martial and James Rodriguez as young players, all of whom went on to enjoy successful careers.

4 Andrea Berta Unattached

Rumours have begun to swirl around the potential appointment of Andrea Berta, who was at Atletico Madrid until January. As per Football.london, Spanish sources had claimed that an agreement was close between the two parties.

Berta worked his way from the scouting department to the sporting director role in Madrid, during which time Los Colchoneros reached two Champions League finals, with Atleti winning the Europa League following Berta’s promotion to sporting director.

5 Thiago Scuro Monaco

Thiago Scuro emerged as one of the early candidates to come in for Edu, with the Monaco man moving to the Ligue 1 side as their sporting director in 2023 from RB Leipzig.

Since then, Scuro has helped Monaco make some shrewd moves in the transfer market, bringing in Folarin Balogun from Arsenal, as well as adding the likes of Denis Zakaria, Wilfried Singo and Thilo Kehrer to the French side.

6 Simon Rolfes Bayer Leverkusen

Arsenal were reportedly offered Simon Rolfes’ services following Edu’s departure, with the former Bayer Leverkusen midfielder doing a solid job behind the scenes since 2022.

The German assisted Xabi Alonso in building the history-making squad that finished the 2023/24 campaign unbeaten domestically, with Leverkusen winning their first Bundesliga title.

7 Monchi Aston Villa

Someone who has already rejected Arsenal’s sporting director role in the past is Monchi. Now at Aston Villa, Monchi snubbed the Gunners back in 2019 in order to return to Sevilla, and he has struck up a great partnership with Unai Emery, firstly in Spain and now at Villa Park.

Arsenal may have recently contacted Monchi after attempting to sign Ollie Watkins, and who knows, the 56-year-old director could be on their radar again.

8 Jason Ayto Arsenal

Ayto, the current interim sporting director, is another candidate for the full-time sporting director role at the Emirates Stadium. That’s according to recent claims from football.london, with Ayto working behind the scenes on targets which include Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi.

However, Ayto and Arsenal’s failure to sign a new striker in January may not have done him many favours.

9 Per Mertesacker Arsenal

Another potential option who is already on the payroll at Arsenal is Per Mertesacker.

The former towering Gunners defender is currently overseeing the club’s academy and reports after Edu’s departure claimed that Mertesacker is “highly appreciated” by Arsenal. A former teammate of Arteta, Mertesacker could slot in well, albeit in a largely different role to his current position.

10 Dan Ashworth Warwickshire County Cricket Club

Dan Ashworth’s time at Man Utd was short and not so sweet, departing after just five months at Old Trafford, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Red Devils spending more time chasing him than having the former FA man on the books.

However, after successful stints with Brighton and Newcastle, Arsenal could look at offering him another role in football, as he is now currently advising Warwickshire County Cricket Club.

Micah Richards left Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer in stitches with his take on Tottenham's season without Bundesliga title winner Harry Kane.

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Kane won Bundesliga with Bayern MunichSpurs into Europa League finalRichards has hilarious take around Tottenham formFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Kane has won the Bundesliga with Bayern this season, while Spurs are into the Europa League final, and, as is tradition on The Rest is Football podcast, Micah Richards was asked if Tottenham are better off without their former captain. The ex-Manchester City man left his co-presenters, Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer, in stitches with his response.

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Having initially tried to see both sides of the argument, Richards was cajoled off the fence by Shearer, and he gave an X-rated reply. Kane scored 268 goals at Spurs, becoming their all-time record goalscorer, so few fans will likely disagree with Richards, especially when one considers that they are currently 17th in the Premier League table under Ange Postecoglou.

WHAT MICAH RICHARDS SAID

Richards said: "So, Harry's gone and won his trophy. Yes. Fair play to him. Buzzing for him. But what if Spurs go and win the Europa League? That would say they're a better team without Harry Kane. Harry Kane's better off and so are Spurs."

He added: "They finished fifth last season, didn't they? Spurs had loads of injuries. Yeah. So, if they go win a trophy this season, I would say it's a fair deal."

Pressed on an answer by Alan Shearer, he jokingly shouted: "Are they f*ck", leaving his co-hosts beside themselves.

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Spurs face Aston Villa on Friday evening before taking on Manchester United in next week's Europa League final. Kane will likely be watching on, hoping his old side can follow his lead by ending their own 17-year trophy drought.

Chris Wilder will be hoping he can add a third promotion to his Sheffield United CV come the end of the Championship season, as the Blades continue to flirt with the idea of being automatically promoted via the top two positions.

Of course, there will be many twists and turns ahead in the race to return to the Premier League with the Blades already aware that no teams in the tricky division can be underestimated, having been handed a 3-0 reality check courtesy of Hull City last time out at Bramall Lane – before bouncing back away to Derby County.

The Blades boss will just be praying all the new signings in through the door click on the way to a heroic return to the top-flight being clinched, with one of his fresh recruits in Tom Cannon putting in an underwhelming showing in that shock Tigers loss.

Cannon's importance to United

A lot will be expected of the former Stoke City loanee as he becomes more acclimatised to his new surroundings, with his debut handed to him against Hull a matter of days after joining.

Therefore, it shouldn’t come as a great shock that Cannon was a little rusty-looking as he tried to get up to speed with his teammates in the heat of the moment.

Indeed, the hyped-up striker would only touch the ball a slim 20 times across the course of the 90 minutes, with just one shot also registered on target from the attacker who has previously fired home nine league strikes for the Potters.

Everyone associated with the Blades will have to be patient and hope Cannon – who did pick up the assist for Ben Brereton against the Rams – goes on to show off this same ice-cold goalscoring edge in South Yorkshire, with a lot of pressure on his back already to live up to his hefty £10m price tag.

Whilst Cannon attempts to fit in, another Blades first-teamer has adjusted to the Championship this season swimmingly, as a new more forward-thinking role in Wilder’s XI has gone down a treat.

The Blades star who is worth more than Cannon

The player in question here is Gustavo Hamer, who has stood out for Wilder’s men all season long, even when recent conversations have been dominated by frantic transfer talk.

The ex-Coventry City man has picked up a mightily impressive 11 goal contributions from 27 league games, with that amount actually bettering Cannon’s count for the campaign who has ten in contrast.

Hamer could be as key as Cannon, therefore, in United tasting promotion success by the end of the season, with the “beautiful” attacking midfielder – as he was labelled by football journalist Josh Bunting – wanting to get back up to the top-flight having been instantly relegated last campaign when departing the Sky Blues.

On top of that, if the Blades were to cash in on Hamer down the line for whatever reason, United would be able to gain more money for the 27-year-old than they forked out on Cannon, with the £30k-per-week gem worth around the £12.5m region, according to Transfermarkt.

Date

Transfer value

Now

£12.5m

June 2023

£6.6m

May 2022

£2.5m

June 2021

£1.6m

October 2020

£1.2m

Sourced by Transfermarkt

As can be seen looking at the table above, Hamer was once worth just £1.2m when initially joining the English game, only to now be worth a far more handsome amount.

United will be glad that they gambled on his services when they did, therefore, with a hope their risky move for Cannon pays off too as his £10m value also potentially rises.

Regardless of any comparative values, Wilder will know that both Hamer and Cannon linking up to devastating effect could give them a big edge in the ongoing automatic promotion race.

Their next McBurnie: Sheffield United in the race to land "heroic" talent

Sheffield United could strike gold snapping up this new recruit.

ByKelan Sarson Jan 28, 2025

كشف أحمد دياب رئيس رابطة الأندية، كواليس أزمة مباراة القمة بين الأهلي والزمالك والتي شهدت انسحاب القلعة الحمراء اعتراضًا على عدم تعيين حكام أجانب لإدارة اللقاء.

وقال أحمد دياب في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة اون أي: “لا لم أجامل الأهلي، والرابطة اشتغلت على تقدير الظروف وطبقًا لمواد اللائحة، والشيء الوحيد هو أن أمامنا هدف وهو الكرة المصرية وأن نصل بها للمكانة التي نتمناها”.

وبسؤاله من المسؤول عن أزمة مباراة 11 مارس وانسحاب الأهلي أمام الزمالك؟، أجاب: “إنها ظروف استثنائية وغير طبيعية، وهي بالفعل حالة طارئة، والقضية الآن منظورة أمام المحكمة الرياضية الدولية، وأنا بصفتي ممثلًا لرابطة الأندية، لا أستطيع مناقشة تفاصيلها، ولا أتهرب من السؤال، لكن بعد صدور القرار، سأوضح كافة الحيثيات”.

 أحمد دياب يوضح حقيقة الخلاف مع هاني أبو ريدة.. ونظام الدوري للموسم المقبل

وبسؤاله هل تشعر أنك تتحمل جزءًا من المسؤولية أم الاتحاد؟، أوضح: “لا أحد في المنظومة يمكنه القول إنه غير مسؤول عن جزء من الأزمة، وهذه هي طريقتي وأسلوبي؛ طالما نعمل في العمل العام، فإن أي ظرف يتحمله الجميع، والدوري هذا العام كان استثنائيًا، وعندما نُعد جدول المرحلة الأولى، لا يمكننا إعداد جدول المرحلة الثانية إلا بعد انتهاء مباريات المرحلة الأولى”.

وأكمل: “البعض زعم أن قرعة المرحلة الثانية أُجريت ليلًا دون حضور ممثلي الأندية، لكن الحقيقة أنه لم تكن هناك قرعة من الأساس، والدوري أُجريت له قرعة واحدة علنية بحضور ممثلي الأندية الثمانية عشر، وكانت مُذاعة، وشملت الموسم بأكمله”.

وبشأن لماذا لم نكن نعلم أن القرعة أوقعت الأهلي والزمالك في هذا الموعد في الدور الثاني؟، أجاب: “لأن نظام الدوري يعتمد على إجراء القرعة بالأرقام، وبعد انتهاء المرحلة الأولى، كانت آخر مباراة بين بتروجيت وغزل المحلة، وكنا في شهر رمضان”.

طالع | أحمد دياب يحسم جدل المادة 63 في لائحة الدوري.. ويصرح: شاهدنا حدثًا غاب عن الكرة المصرية

وأشار: “المباراة انتهت في الثانية عشرة إلا ثلث ليلًا، وعملت الرابطة على تسكين الأرقام على الأندية وفقًا للمراكز، وتم إعلان الجدول الساعة الثانية بعد منتصف الليل، حيث عملت إدارة المسابقات على تسكين الاستادات وإعداد الجدول في اليوم نفسه”.

وبسؤاله لماذا كانت أول مباراة بعد خمسة أيام فقط من إعلان جدول الدور الثاني؟، أوضح: “لأن الموسم كان مرتبطًا بموعد نهائي في 30 مايو، ولأن المنتخب المصري كان لديه ارتباطات في مارس، ولذلك كان لا بد من إقامة جولة قبل هذا الموعد”.

وواصل: “لو لم نلعب هذه الجولة، لما انتهى الدوري حتى الآن، ولما استطاع الأهلي السفر لكأس العالم للأندية، ولذا كان اختيار هذا التوقيت هو الأنسب لإنهاء الدوري في الموعد المحدد”.

واختتم: “بناءً على تسكين الأرقام وفقًا للقرعة التي أُجريت في بداية الموسم، جاءت مباراة الأهلي والزمالك بعد خمسة أيام من إعلان الجدول، ووفقًا للائحة يجب طلب حكام أجانب قبل المباراة بأربعة عشر يومًا، وتقدم الأهلي والرابطة بطلب لاستقدام حكام أجانب من اتحاد الكرة، لكن الاتحاد رد بأن الوقت لن يسمح بذلك”.

Hayley Jensen took two wickets in a three-run final over to drag the game into overtime

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Oct-2022

Sophie Devine started and ended the Super Over with sixes as New Zealand hunted down 16 to seal the series and break West Indies’ hearts in the fourth T20I in North Sound. Devine faced all but one ball in the Super Over, bowled by West Indies captain Hayley Matthews, and ushered New Zealand home under pressure.How did it even come down to a Super Over? West Indies were cruising 52 for 2 in the tenth over chasing 112. Wicketkeeper-batter Rashada Williams’ run-out triggered a collapse as the hosts lost their last seven wickets for 59 runs to level the scores in regular time. Hayley Jensen, who was also recently in action in the Caribbean for Trinbago Knight Riders Women, took the wickets of Chedean Nation and Afy Fletcher in a three-run final over to drag the game into overtime.Super Overs are a familiar territory for Devine. She has hit 87 runs off 26 balls in Super Overs being dismissed. Devine had also contributed handsomely with the ball by removing West Indies’ top three.ESPNcricinfo LtdMuch like Devine, Matthews had played a role with both bat and ball – she even did the dual job in the Super Over. She helped West Indies score 15 in the Super Over, bowled by Jensen, but her all-round effort went in vain.After having been asked to bat, New Zealand had lost both Devine and Suzie Bates early. However, Amelia Kerr’s unbeaten 49 off 47 balls hauled them to 111. Amelia and previous match-winner Maddy Green (14 off 13 balls) were the only New Zealand batters to strike at over 100. Fletcher was the pick of the bowlers for West Indies, returning 2 for 16 in her four overs.Amelia’s sister Jess and Jensen picked up two wickets each to assist Devine pull off a stunning win.The fifth – and final T20I – will be played at the same venue on Thursday.