Despite admitting Liverpool are favourites, Kylian Mbappe believes Arsenal will go one step further this season and claim the Premier League title.
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ECB eager to end club-versus-country dilemmas with new FTP in the pipeline
Valkerie Baynes03-Sep-2024
Many of England’s leading players will be involved in the WBBL in October and November•Getty Images
England players will miss the latter stages of the WBBL, due to a clash with their tour of South Africa.To avoid a repetition of the situation which occurred earlier this year, when the end of the WPL overlapped with England Women’s arrival in New Zealand for a bilateral series, causing players to have to choose between club and country, the ECB has told players that they are expected in South Africa, if selected, on certain dates regardless of any overlap with WBBL games.The ECB informed players and their agents of the requirements before they entered the WBBL draft, which was held last weekend.”If a player is selected in the T20 squad, we’re expecting them into South Africa on November 17 and if they’re named in the ODI squad we’re expecting them into South Africa on the 27th,” Jonathan Finch, Director of England Women’s Cricket, told ESPNcricinfo. “That’s been reflected in everyone’s availability when they’ve gone into the draft.”This year’s WBBL starts on October 27 and there will be 11 regular-season matches remaining out of a total of 40 from November 17 before the knockout stages. England are due to play the first of three T20Is in South Africa on November 24, followed by three ODIs from December 4 and a Test starting on December 15.England had seven players signed in the WBBL draft, with Danni Wyatt-Hodge joining Hobart Hurricanes, Sophie Ecclestone retained by Sydney Sixers, and Heather Knight retained by Sydney Thunder, all at platinum level, worth up to $A110,000 (£56,000) depending on availability.Alice Capsey will join Melbourne Renegades from cross-town rivals Stars and Amy Jones returns to Perth Scorchers, both on gold $A90,000 (£46,000) deals. Hollie Armitage and Georgia Adams, who will both tour Ireland from this week while England’s senior squad prepares for next month’s T20 World Cup, joined the Sixers and Thunder respectively in the bronze price bracket for $A40,000 (£20,000).Sophie Ecclestone has been retained by Sydney Sixers for this year’s WBBL•Cricket Australia via Getty Images
The ECB took similar stance during last year’s WBBL with Bess Heath and Danielle Gibson both missing the final to join England’s squad in Mumbai for a T20I series against India starting four days later.The WPL announced their 2024 fixtures in January with the March 17 final falling two days before England’s first of five T20Is in New Zealand on March 19. New Zealand Cricket had confirmed the tour schedule, which also included three ODIs, the previous July and turned down an ECB request to move the dates.Knight, England’s captain, and seam bowler Lauren Bell opted out of their WPL deals to join the New Zealand tour from the outset, while Nat Sciver-Brunt, Wyatt-Hodge, Capsey and Ecclestone linked up with the squad for the fourth and fifth T20Is. Armitage, meanwhile, earned her only England cap to date in the third T20I before she and Linsey Smith made way for the WPL contingent.With the current Women’s Future Tours Program ending in 2025 and the next edition being worked on now, Finch is confident major clashes can be avoided in future.”What we have to get better at is having indicative dates when the tournaments are taking place,” he said. “That’s difficult because you’ve got broadcast complexities and all that kind of thing, but I think if we can get that pretty much nailed on, we shouldn’t have that problem.”I’ve got a responsibility to England and we think that’s fair – five or seven days out from a start of a tour – to come in, really focus in on what we’re trying to do from that tour and go from there.”Now where we’re looking at our FTP for after the next 50-over World Cup and I think everyone is sensitive to not wanting to have any clashes. Even if we don’t have the exact dates of the WBBL for instance, or the WPL, we have some indication of when they are so we can work out what that looks like.”Related
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A problem national boards have faced is that the WPL in particular offers leading players a chance to make life-changing amounts of money for the first time in their careers. Sciver-Brunt was the joint-highest-earning overseas player in the inaugural WPL player auction when she went to Mumbai Indians for £320,000.Finch conceded that denying a player the chance to earn that sort of salary, especially later in their careers, was difficult. As a result, there would be some scope for discussion with players on an individual basis, and he said bringing England Women’s international match fees into line with those of their male counterparts also went some way towards easing the tension.”You know when you sign a central contract that you’re signing a contract that says, ‘my main focus is England,’ so that’s the starting point,” he said. “It’s not an exact science, things change – workloads over a period of time – as to whether we would want to have players exposed to that depending on what the lead-up looks like, but when you sign a central contract, that’s what you’re buying into.”I think we’re still in a space where we can manipulate or cultivate times of the year where it’s not going to have a massive impact.”The ECB is also in talks with the England Women’s Player Partnership, which has a number of current players on its committee, about introducing multi-year central contracts, which Finch said would give some players a greater level of security while protecting the ECB’s resources.”You’ve got a welfare perspective for players so the thing that was sticking out for the New Zealand one was I wasn’t willing for a player to get on a plane at the end of their competition, fly in and play within 24 hours,” he said.”People might say, ‘that’s not your choice to make.’ Well, I think it is. We’ve got a responsibility to ensure that we’re not asking too much of them and that’s why we put that period of time leading into a series. Not only does it give you time to get the players up and running for that series, it also allows you to build in a bit of decompression time if you need to. That’s something that I’m quite strong on.”The panacea will be that our players are available without worrying about whether they’re available for the whole tournament or not. I’m never going to take that [case-by-case discussion] away but we’re hopeful that we won’t get to that point.”
Sri Lanka lost seven wickets for 22 runs and could score just two in the Super Over
Hemant Brar30-Jul-20244:05
Takeaways – Suryakumar the captain as funky as the batter
India won the Super OverIn one of the most bizarre finishes to a T20I, India beat Sri Lanka in the Super Over to complete a 3-0 whitewash in Pallekele.For the majority of the match, Sri Lanka outplayed India in all three departments but they had a great fall towards the end. They needed just nine from the last two overs with six wickets in hand. Rinku Singh, who had never bowled previously in T20Is, sent down the 19th over, conceded just three runs, and picked up two wickets.That left Sri Lanka needing six from six balls. Mohammed Siraj had an over left but Suryakumar Yadav decided to bring himself on as the ball was turning a mile. He, too, was bowling for the first time in T20Is. Moreover, India were behind the over-rate and could have only four fielders outside the 30-yard circle. But Suryakumar gave away just five runs, apart from picking up two wickets, to tie the game.Related
Washington: I had no idea I had to bowl the Super Over
Sri Lanka's latest collapse a chef's kiss on their incompetence
Washington Sundar started the Super Over with a wide. But a single later, he had Kusal Perera and Pathum Nissanka caught at the boundary off successive deliveries. With India needing only three from their Super Over, Suryakumar swept Maheesh Theekshana’s first ball towards short fine leg, where Asitha Fernando let the ball through his hands for four.Earlier, the match started an hour late because of rain. Sri Lanka sent India in after winning the toss and restricted them to 137 for 9 on a fresh pitch that assisted both seamers and spinners. Making their effort even more impressive was the fact that Matheesha Pathirana did not bowl a single over in the innings. The fast bowler hurt his right shoulder while stopping a ball in the seventh over and walked off the field. He returned towards the end of the innings but did not bowl.Nissanka and Kusal Mendis then gave Sri Lanka a start of 58 in 8.5 overs. Kusal Perera’s 46 off just 34 balls took them closer but just like the first two T20Is, their middle order collapsed – no one scored even 5 – to hand India the match.Rinku Singh and Suryakumar Yadav were two unlikely heroes with the ball•AFP/Getty Images
Theekshana, seamers derail IndiaIndia made four changes to their XI, making sure everyone in the squad got at least one match. Shubman Gill, who missed the previous game with neck spasms, started cautiously against debutant Chamindu Wickramasinghe. From the other end, Yashasvi Jaiswal tried to take on Theekshana and hit the spinners for two fours in three balls. But Theekshana trapped him lbw on the very next ball as the batter missed a sweep.In the next over, Sanju Samson miscued Wickramasinghe to sweeper cover for his second duck in as many games. Rinku, promoted to No. 4, lasted just two balls and became Theekshana’s second victim. He tried to go inside out over covers but the turn and slowness of the wicket did him in; Pathirana took a good catch running to his right from mid-on. Asitha Fernando dealt India another blow in the last over of the powerplay when Suryakumar played a sweep from well outside off straight down the throat of fine leg.Gill, Parag stage recoveryWith India 30 for 4 inside six overs, Gill and Shivam Dube tried to stabilise the innings. But the duo could add only a run-a-ball 18 as Ramesh Mendis had Dube caught behind, with Kusal Mendis pouching the catch on the second attempt.Gill and Riyan Parag took India past 50 in the ninth over. Two overs later, Parag ended a 33-ball boundary drought with a four off Ramesh Mendis. Soon after, he launched Wanindu Hasaranga over deep midwicket for two sixes in three balls as the spinner erred on the fuller side.Parag and Gill added 54 off 40 balls before Hasaranga dismissed both in the same over. Gill was the first to go. He came down the ground only to be beaten by the turn and be stumped. Three balls later, Parag mishit a half-tracker into the hands of deep midwicket. At 105 for 7 in the 16th over, India were in danger of getting bowled out.Washington’s late cameoPlaying his first match of the series, Washington showed his worth with bat at No. 8. He hit two fours and a six in his 18-ball 25 and added 32 off 24 balls for the eighth wicket along with Ravi Bishnoi. Thanks to their partnership, India scored 35 in the last five overs and reached a respectable 137 for 9. In the absence of Pathirana, the Sri Lanka spinners bowled 14 overs for combined figures of 6 for 107.Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis started well for Sri Lanka in their chase•AFP/Getty Images
Nissanka, Mendis set the platformNissanka and Kusal Mendis started slowly, scoring just four runs in the first two overs. Nissanka then broke the shackles with three fours off Khaleel Ahmed in the third over. Two overs later, he reverse-pulled Washington through cover-point for yet another boundary.India knew they needed wickets, so Suryakumar gave Mohammed Siraj a third over in the powerplay. He did produce a chance, inducing the outside edge of Kusal Mendis’ bat, but Samson was wrong-footed behind the stumps and dropped it. To make it sting even more, Kusal Mendis swept Bishnoi for back-to-back fours in the next over.Still, India did not let Sri Lanka run away with the game. They finally got a breakthrough in the ninth over, when Nissanka chipped Bishnoi to wide long-on.Perera’s effort in vainSri Lanka were 61 for 1 after ten overs, the target still 77 runs away. But Kusal Perera took the aggressive route and hit five fours in the next five overs. That brought down the equation to 30 needed from 30 balls. India had won from the exactly same situation in the T20 World Cup final, but on Tuesday night, they were without Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya, their heroes from that game.While Bishnoi had Kusal Mendis lbw, and Washington dismissed Hasaranga and Charith Asalanka off successive balls, Sri Lanka were still the favourites; they required only 21 from 18 balls. Khaleel then bowled an 11-ball over, which included five wides, to tilt the scale further in Sri Lanka’s favour. But the hosts were in for a rude shock.
June is nearly upon us, yet Glasgow Rangers still don’t have a permanent manager. Philippe Clement was sacked 96 days ago, and ahead of the most important in the club’s recent history, the onus is on the board to bring the right man to Ibrox.
Whenever there is a managerial vacancy, plenty of names have been linked with a move to Glasgow.
At the start of the month, Marco Rose and Danny Rohl were named potential Rangers managers, yet the links died down after a few days.
Steven Gerrard’s name has been mentioned over the past few months regarding a potential return to Scotland.
Between 2018 and 2021, the former Liverpool captain took over a shambles of a club and returned them to the summit of Scottish football within three years.
Recent news suggests that he wont be the next manager of the club, however, leaving Russell Martin and Davide Ancelotti as the leading candidates.
Whatever happens, getting someone in swiftly should be the main priority for the board. With pre-season set to start in a few weeks, plus the prospect of Champions League qualifiers in mid-July, the longer the wait goes on, the worse it could turn out for the Light Blues.
With Gerrard now out of the frame, it appears as though Ancelotti is the frontrunner for the vacant role.
The Italian has held talks with the board and is currently a free agent, having not joined his dad, Carlo, on his adventure with the Brazil national side.
“Davide is thinking [about] what to do for the future,” said the elder Ancelotti. He’s in talks with other clubs as he tries to be first coach, and he knows if he doesn’t find the opportunity, he will be here with me.”
Having assisted his dad at clubs such as Real Madrid, Napoli, Bayern Munich and Everton, Davide has a plethora of experience in a coaching capacity.
Tavernier would love him: Rangers in talks to hire "sought-after" manager
95 days after Philippe Clement’s sacked as Rangers manager, they could finally be closing in on a successor, one who could be a dream for Tavernier.
By
Ben Gray
May 29, 2025
The younger Ancelotti was the brains behind Madrid’s tactical approach, which saw them win two La Liga titles and two Champions League trophies between 2021 and 2024.
A fluid approach to the game, which means his team can play across multiple formations at will, is certainly a positive.
The caveat being that he hasn’t managed a side on his own. While the pressures of Ibrox may be slightly different to those at the Bernabeu, the desire to win every game remains the same.
Should he win the race and get the job, it would be an almighty gamble for the board, no doubt about that. Is there a better option currently available, however?
Now, a new name has entered the fray. According to the Herald journalist, Stephen McGowan, Rangers have now reportedly held talks with former Ajax boss Francesco Farioli.
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The Italian left the Dutch side following their Eredivisie collapse, which saw them lose the league title to PSV Eindhoven, despite being nine points clear with five matches left.
He dragged Ajax from fifth the previous season to the brink of the title, while securing a return to Champions League football for 2025/26.
Farioli reportedly blamed a difference in ‘visions and timeframes’ from the Ajax board as to why he quit the role after just a single season in the Netherlands.
When Giovanni van Bronckhorst was sacked in November 2022, the former Nice manager was sounded out to be his replacement. In the end, it was Michael Beale who eventually took over the role. Might things be different three years later?
Of course, fingers will be pointed following Ajax’s major collapse over the final five matches of the season. Considering that the Dutch giants endured their worst season in living memory just a year ago, however, getting that far was certainly a step forward.
Journalist Lars Jesse praised the 36-year-old after he left the club, saying: “Francesco Farioli has achieved something unique at Ajax. After years of incompetence, uncertainty, and misery, he brought back calm and structure.”
|
Francesco Fariloi’s managerial statistics |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Club |
Date appointed |
Games in charge |
Points per game |
|
Ajax |
July 1, 2024 |
54 |
2.09 |
|
Nice |
July 1, 2023 |
38 |
1.68 |
|
Alanyaspor |
December 31, 2021 |
48 |
1.54 |
|
Karagümrük |
March 22, 2021 |
27 |
1.52 |
|
Via Transfermarkt |
|||
During the 2023/24 season, Ajax lost eight league games, scored 74 goals and conceded a staggering 61 times.
A year later, they may have scored four fewer goals throughout the campaign, but the club lost just four times and conceded 32 goals, a major improvement.
Farioli tends to utilise an attacking 4-3-3 system, which could be a wonderful fit for some of the current Ibrox squad. He will also be keen on signing his own targets for the club during the transfer window.
Across his 54 matches in charge of the Dutch side, Farioli’s side scored 115 goals – 2.1 per game – while he accumulated 2.09 points per game.
This focus on dynamic attacking football would certainly win over the Ibrox faithful, who have had to endure Clement’s distinct lack of style. Despite his tender years, the Italian manager has managed an impressive 167 senior games throughout his managerial career to date.
Coming so close to success with Ajax will hurt, but it might give him the confidence that he can lead a fallen giant back to its previous glories.
In that regard, taking on the role of Rangers manager would suit him nicely. A total cultural reset is required at Ibrox this summer, and only by bringing in someone who is able to provide a fresh start will that happen.
Much will depend on whether Farioli wishes to jump straight back into a hot seat so soon after his Ajax departure. If so, then the board must be doing everything it can to convince him that Rangers are the right choice.
Like any managerial appointment, bringing Farioli will be a big gamble – although considering his recent experienced in a top job at an elite club, he would certainly be less of a gamble than Ancelotti.
A great Cerny replacement: Rangers looking to sign "incredible" new forward
Rangers could sign an impressive replacement for Vaclav Cerny.
By
Ben Gray
May 30, 2025
This summer is a huge one for Ruben Amorim as Manchester United manager, needing to complete a huge overhaul of the squad if they are to compete at the top end of the Premier League next season.
His side have failed to deliver in the league throughout 2024/25, currently sitting in 15th position with just three outings remaining in the current campaign.
However, the Red Devils still have an opportunity to end the year with a trophy, potentially winning the Europa League against fellow English top-flight side Tottenham Hotspur.
Their tally of just 42 goals in their 35 league matches is the fifth-lowest in the division, highlighting the real need for attacking reinforcements throughout the off-season.
The hierarchy have already wasted no time in planning for the summer, with numerous attacking stars already emerging on their radar to help bolster Amorim’s front line.
Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee have been United’s main options in forward areas throughout 2024/25, but that could be about to change with a move for Matheus Cunha.
The Wolves talisman has notched 15 goals and six assists in the league this campaign, leading to the Red Devils entering talks to trigger the Brazilian’s £62.5m release clause.
However, he could be joined at Old Trafford by Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen, with Foot Mercato claiming the hierarchy are also in talks with his representatives over a summer switch.
It also goes on to state that the forward is also keen on a deal to move to the North West this summer, with parent side Napoli demanding €75m (£64m) for his signature.
Further into the report, it claims the Red Devils are the only English side willing to match his £200k-per-week demands, opening the door to a switch should the talks progress in the right direction.
Amad Diallo has been a shining light for United in what has been a dismal season for the club, often producing the goods for Amorim’s side within the attacking areas.
The Ivorian has registered ten combined goals and assists since the 40-year-old back in November, missing a huge chunk of action due to his ankle issue, which sidelined him for just under three months.
The 22-year-old scored in stoppage time of the 4-3 defeat against Brentford last weekend, registering his first effort after returning from injury – hoping to play a huge role in the Europa League in the coming weeks.
Amad has often played in a central role behind the striker, potentially being partnered by Cunha in such a position and aiding Osimhen in the final third at Old Trafford.
When delving into his stats from this campaign, the 26-year-old has greatly impressed on loan at Galatasaray, highlighting the threat he will pose should he complete a switch to England.
Osimhen, who’s been labelled “one of the best strikers in the world” by former Nigerian footballer Oghenekaro Etebo, has registered 24 goals in his 27 Süper Lig outings – sitting as the division’s top scorer.
His underlying stats have been just as impressive, averaging a staggering 7.3 shots taken per 90, along with 3.4 shots on target per 90 – having all the tools to impress in attacking areas for Amorim’s side.
|
Victor Osimhen’s stats for Galatasaray (2024/25) |
|
|---|---|
|
Statistics (per 90) |
Tally |
|
Games played |
27 |
|
Goals scored |
24 |
|
Shots taken |
7.3 |
|
Shots on target per 90 |
3.4 |
|
Shot-creating actions |
3.8 |
|
Progressive carries |
1.8 |
|
Aerials won |
4.3 |
|
Aerial success |
64% |
|
Stats via FBref |
|
He’s also won 4.3 aerial duels per 90, along with 1.8 progressive carries completed per 90, offering the side an all-round option at the top end of the pitch in their quest to qualify for the Champions League next year.
Whilst talks over a deal to take him to the Theatre of Dreams are still in their early stages, it would be an excellent transfer that would bolster the options at Amorim’s disposal.
£64m would be an expensive addition for the club given the current cost-cutting operation in place, but it’s one that would be worthwhile, potentially being the most important signing they could make in the coming months.
Shades of Pogba: Man Utd eager to sign £20m "freak of nature" this summer
Manchester United are interested in signing a £20m star who has shades of Paul Pogba.
By
Dan Emery
May 5, 2025
Manchester United extended their winless run in the Premier League to five matches after their 1-1 draw with Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday.
The Red Devils did move up to 14th in the table with their point, though their position in the league is rather irrelevant at this point in the campaign, after a late equaliser from Rasmus Hojlund.
Ruben Amorim’s side held 62% of the ball and created 2.52 xG worth of chances, to Bournemouth’s 0.53 xG, but failed to make the most of their opportunities at the top end of the pitch.
This shows that there were positives for the Portuguese coach to take away from the match, as his team were dominant and created enough chances to win, but he needs to find a way to improve the effectiveness of his players at both ends of the park.
That could be by coaching them on the training pitch ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, or it could be by improving the squad in the summer transfer window.
One player who may not have furthered his chances of earning a move to Old Trafford, however, is Dean Huijsen after a lacklustre performance on Sunday.
Dean Huijsen's performance against Man Utd
The 20-year-old central defender is a reported transfer target for the Red Devils ahead of the summer transfer window, with a release clause of £55m, but did not show his best self against Amorim’s team.
As aforementioned, Manchester United created 2.52 xG worth of chances against Huijsen and his defensive teammates, which suggests that they found it relatively easy to break down the Bournemouth backline to create high-quality opportunities.
Vs Man Utd
Dean Huijsen
Minutes
90
Clearances
8
Blocks
2
Tackles + interceptions
0
Ground duels won
0/2
Aerial duels won
2/2
Pass accuracy
71%
Long passes completed
1/11
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the Spanish defender was dominant aerially and positioned himself well to make clearances, but left a bit to be desired with the timing and strength of his challenges on the ground.
Huijsen was also wasteful with the ball at his feet, completing 9% of his attempted long passes, and United may not have been impressed by his lack of quality in possession.
It would be a bit of a gamble for the Red Devils to sign the Bournemouth star because he is still very young, at the age of 20, and had only played 14 top-flight matches prior to the start of this season.
United may opt to go for a centre-back with a bit more experience, who can make an instant impact, and they are reportedly looking at a 24-year-old defender who could be an even better signing than Huijsen.
Man Utd plot bid to sign Serie A defender
According to InterLive, Manchester United are interested in a potential swoop to sign Inter central defender Yann Bisseck in the upcoming summer transfer window.
The report claims that the Premier League giants are keen on both Bisseck and Netherlands international Denzel Dumfries from the Italian side, as Amorim looks to improve the strength of his defensive options ahead of next season.
It states that Inter, whilst they are not actively looking to cash in on either player, are open to offers for their stars and would consider any big-money bids that come in for them.
InterLive reports that Manchester United are preparing a bid to sign Bisseck for a fee of £51m, as they plot a swoop to sign the German central defender in the coming weeks.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
However, the outlet does not reveal whether or not that amount of money would be enough to tempt the reigning Serie A champions to part ways with the 24-year-old colossus.
Hopefully, United can push ahead to wrap up a deal for the Inter titan in the summer transfer window because he could be an even better signing than Huijsen to bolster Amorim’s defence.
Why Bisseck could be an even better signing than Huijsen
The Red Devils should attempt to sign Bisseck ahead of the Bournemouth star because he has the potential to offer even more to the team at the heart of the defence.
He would come in with more experience than the Cherries defender because this is his fourth season of regular first-team football, compared to Huijsen’s second.
The 24-year-old titan, who was dubbed a “monster” by a performance consultant on X, has played 61 times for Inter in all competitions since the start of last season, which means that he already has plenty of experience playing for a huge European club, even winning a major league title last term.
As you can see in the chart above, Bisseck has offered more to Inter than Huijsen has to Bournemouth with his use of the ball, with more progressive carries and passes, along with a great pass success rate, per 90 at league level this term.
The German colossus, who can progress play consistently to build attacks for his side from a centre-back position, also has some strong defensive attributes that could make him even better than the Spaniard at Old Trafford.
24/25 season
Huijsen (Premier League)
Bisseck (Serie A)
Appearances
28
23
Goals
2
2
Dribbled past per game
0.4x
0.1x
Duel success rate
56%
63%
Aerial duel success rate
60%
74%
Fouls committed per game
1.0
0.5
Pass accuracy
84%
92%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Bisseck is far more dominant in his duels, particularly in the air, and this means that he could deal with the likes of Erling Haaland and Kai Havertz more effectively in the big games.
These statistics show that the Inter star has the qualities, in and out of possession, to be an excellent addition to Amorim’s squad because he can combine progressive actions on the ball with defensive strength and reliability, rarely being dribbled past or beaten in duels by opposition players.
Amorim must surely drop 4/10 Man Utd dud who lost the ball every 4 touches
Manchester United managed to salvage a point away at AFC Bournemouth courtesy of Rasmus Hojlund.
ByKelan Sarson Apr 27, 2025
Therefore, the Red Devils must push to get a deal done for the £51m-rated star ahead of a move for Huijsen, as he could offer more to the team in the here and now.
Sheffield United have completed a free deal for Patrick Bamford following his departure from Leeds United earlier this season, with the striker signing a short-term contract until January 2026.
The Blades are desperately attempting to turn their season around following a miserable start which saw Chris Wilder return to replace Ruben Selles just three months after he left the club.
Now as low as 22nd and far from the promotion hopes that they had in mind, those at Bramall Lane suddenly find themselves in an early, unexpected relegation scrap which they’ll be looking to turn on its head after the international break.
Saturday’s 0-0 draw against Queens Park Rangers at least stopped the rot and handed the Blades their first clean sheet in four games, but they must find a way to turn a draw into all three points in a crucial clash against rivals Sheffield Wednesday on 23 November.
Speaking to reporters after the QPR stalemate, Wilder admitted his frustration afrer what he felt was a performance worthy of three points.
Goals were once again the problem for Sheffield United, but the arrival of Bamford could help put an end to their unexpected woes in the Championship.
As reported by The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath, Sheffield United opened talks to sign Bamford just this week, and things have moved quickly as the Blades announced an agreement on Thursday morning.
The former Leeds forward has been a free agent since leaving Elland Road in August, but now seemingly has the chance to make a return to the Championship on a prove-it deal lasting just a few months.
If Wilder is looking for goals then getting the best out of Bamford will give him exactly that. The 32-year-old has stolen headlines in the Premier League at his best and has as many as 69 Championship goals to his name throughout his career.
Previously dubbed “fantastic” by Leeds boss Daniel Farke, Bamford has the perfect opportunity to get the latter stages of his career back on track by joining Sheffield United. And he could even get the perfect chance to impress on his debut in the derby if he proves his fitness in time to face Sheffield Wednesday.
While West Ham United have certainly signed some real talents over the last few years, they’ve unfortunately made more than their fair share of poor signings.
For example, the likes of Andy Irving, Mads Hermanssen, and Gianluca Scamacca are either failing to make the grade or have already failed, and that’s just from the last few summers.
Yet, perhaps the most disappointing addition the East Londoners have made in recent years is Niclas Füllkrug.
Fortunately, it looks like the German could be moving on sooner rather than later, although West Ham should make sure they get rid of another flop at the same time, someone former manager David Moyes was particularly excited about.
When West Ham splashed £27m on Füllkrug last summer, there was a fair deal of excitement from some in the fanbase, as while he was certainly on the older side, he had just come off a stellar season for Borussia Dortmund in which he reached the Champions League final and chalked up 15 goals and provided ten assists in 43 appearances.
As if that wasn’t enough, he had also just spent the summer playing for Germany in the Euros.
Unfortunately, even those with the lowest of expectations for the veteran striker have since been disappointed with his efforts in East London.
In his first campaign with the club, injuries limited him to just 20 appearances, totalling 877 minutes, in which he scored just three goals and provided two assists.
This season has not been much better, as before his current injury, the 32-year-old had failed to score a single goal or provide a single assist in seven appearances, totalling 385 minutes.
|
Füllkrug’s West Ham career |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Season |
24/25 |
25/26 |
|
Appearances |
20 |
7 |
|
Minutes |
877′ |
385′ |
|
Goals |
3 |
0 |
|
Assists |
2 |
0 |
|
Goal Involvements per Match |
0.25 |
0.00 |
|
Minutes per Goal Involvement |
175.4′ |
N/A |
|
All Stats via Transfermarkt |
||
So, with the former Dortmund star being both woefully ineffective and injury-prone, most fans weren’t too upset when news broke of his desire to leave the club in the winter window.
It now looks like such a move will occur, with several Bundesliga sides readying offers to take him off the Hammers’ hands.
Füllkrug will probably end up doing alright back in Germany, but his departure would be best for all parties involved, which is also the case for another West Ham dud Moyes once thought would be a success.
Aside from Füllkrug, the West Ham player most in need of being sold in the winter window is, unfortunately, James Ward-Prowse.
First Impressions
What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast’s ‘First Impressions’ series has everything you need.
The expectations around the Englishman’s £30m move in the summer of 2023 were even higher than for the German’s arrival, with then-manager Moyes highlighting his “leadership qualities” as a reason why he could become a “big voice” in the dressing room.
Now, to his credit, the former Southampton captain didn’t have the worst of starts during his time in the capital and actually ended his first campaign with a reasonable enough tally of seven goals and 12 assists in 51 appearances.
However, the wheels very quickly came off the following season as new manager Julen Lopetegui didn’t fancy him in his midfield and sent him away on loan to Nottingham Forest.
Unfortunately, Nuno, who was in charge of the Tricky Trees, also quickly realised he did not want the Englishman in the heart of his midfield and barely gave him any game time.
So, the Irons recalled the 31-year-old, and under Graham Potter, he once again became an important part of a team.
However, whether it was age, poor form or something else entirely, the former Saints star came back and looked miles off it and continues to look off the pace into this season.
He simply didn’t have the physicality or athleticism to do the defensive work required of a central midfielder, and he also became far more ineffective going forward.
So when Nuno was appointed manager in September, it was not a surprise to see the Portsmouth-born ace left out of the squad entirely.
Since the Portuguese manager has been in the dugout, the 11-capped international has not even featured in a match-day squad, and it is therefore fair to say his time at the London Stadium is well and truly over.
Therefore, like with Füllkrug, West Ham should sell Ward-Prowse as soon as possible.
West Ham star with "KDB-type quality" looks like Nuno's new Gibbs-White
The incredible talent could play a massive role in helping Nuno keep West Ham United in the Premier League this season.
By
Jack Salveson Holmes
Nov 11, 2025
The South Africa captain smashed records at the Women’s World Cup and showed off a new aggressive side of her game
Firdose Moonda03-Nov-20252:48
Wolvaardt: Reaching three finals shows we’re doing something right
If you didn’t know Laura Wolvaardt was special, there’s a clever South African television advert that could tell you.A person sits on a couch with their face covered by a cricket magazine. Quinton de Kock is on the cover. A voice asks, “Who is the youngest person to score an ODI century for South Africa?” The person reveals themselves as Wolvaardt, complete with a smug grin. “Sorry, Quinny, it’s me,” she says and flings the magazine to one side.At 17 years and 105 days old, in August 2016, Wolvaardt raised her bat to a hundred against Ireland. Though she broke the record set by Johmari Logtenberg in 2007, the person best-known in South African circles for holding it was a male player, especially as women’s cricket was not even been televised when Wolvaardt broke the record. That man was Quinton de Kock. He was the youngest South African man to score an ODI century and he did it in November 2013, when he was 20 years and 326 days old. Sorry Quinny, it was never you.Related
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Wolvaardt is one of several female sportspeople to feature in the campaign which serves to remind South Africans that women are pioneers in things like becoming the first South African to win The Open (Ashleigh Buhai, if you were wondering) or the first senior football side to get out of the group stage of a World Cup (the women’s team, Banyana Banyana). Though gender comparison is often futile, in a world where competitive sport is only emerging from the shadows of patriarchy, it makes a point: women are worthy. And Wolvaardt has always been seen in that light.Laura Wolvaardt kept fighting in the final even as wickets fell at the other end•ICC/Getty ImagesAs a teenage prodigy, who was also a straight-A student, a wannabe doctor and an occasional musician, she entered the scene as a high-achiever. Two hundreds in the first 15 months of her ODI career promised great things, not least because her batting was so easy on the eye. Comparisons with Aiden Markram’s cover drive were meant to flatter Markram, not the other way around.There was, at one stage, a suggestion that she batted too slowly – with a strike rate of under 60 in her first year in ODIs and around 70 until the 2022 World Cup – but she played significant amounts of T20 cricket and improved. By the time she was made captain after the 2023 T20 World Cup, the only person concerned about whether she could juggle that role with her batting was Wolvaardt herself. She soon answered her own question about her capability.Wolvaardt had scored a century in her seventh innings as captain and six in the space of two years. Before this World Cup, Wolvaardt averaged 56.40 in ODIs and 40.37 in T20Is with a strike-rate of 122.30 as captain.Still, there were things missing in her game. Wolvaardt remained predominantly an off-side player and while she could find gaps on the ground, she seldom went over the top. In fact, in 110 ODIs before the Women’s World Cup 2025, she’d only hit 11 sixes. In 2025, she felt her ODI game struggled, with one hundred in eight matches in the same time that her opening partner Tazmin Brits scored five. And then, the World Cup started slowly for her with scores of 5 and 14 against England and New Zealand before she started to get going.Laura Wolvaardt showed off her on-side play as the tournament went on•ICC/Getty ImagesA 70 against India set South Africa up for a successful chase, and scores of 60 not out and 90 against Sri Lanka and Pakistan could easily have been much more. Her innings against Sri Lanka only ended because South Africa’s target was reached but Wolvaardt got those runs in 47 balls and her most productive shot was the on-drive. Things were changing.Then came the two games of her life. Wolvaardt’s 169 against England in the semi-final was an innings that showed a whole new side to her. She hit sixes over midwicket – four in the innings in fact – and displayed an element of power-hitting that has never previously been associated with her. Then, in the final, her valiant 101 came off 98 balls, a strike-rate of over 100 and she was going quicker through most of it. With some support, the story could have been different for South Africa.Instead, it’s different only for Wolvaardt. No other player has scored more runs than her in a single edition of the ODI World Cup. She was already South Africa’s leading ODI run-scorer but reached the 5000 run mark at this tournament and is sixth on the all-time list. At the rate she is going, the smart money would be on her to finish on top, considering she is likely to play longer than Smriti Mandhana, who is three years older.Despite the disappointment of defeat, she could recognise that she has evolved. “My ODI cricket has come a long way in this tournament. To win games, you’ve got to be nice and positive and nice and aggressive and I’ve really tried to explore that a bit in this tournament,” she said afterwards. “It hasn’t been my best year in ODI cricket. It was maybe a bit too conservative or one-dimensional, so I’m really happy with the different options that I was able to bring in throughout this tournament. I scored quite a lot of leg-side runs and a few leg-side boundaries, which is something I’ve been working on: to open up different spaces, because they stack that offside and dot me up there. In T20 cricket, it’s an option that I use, but not necessarily in ODI cricket, so I’m happy I was able to bring some of that in.”Laura Wolvaardt kept the chase alive with a stunning century•ICC/Getty ImagesShe also made her presence felt in the field, where she took the most outfield catches at this tournament, including the one-handed stunner at extra cover to dismiss Lea Tahuhu – an early candidate for catch of the tournament. With numbers and actions like all the above, Wolvaardt showed she is both an ever-evolving athlete and an astute professional but also that there is real heart behind both those qualities.Her emotional range has gone from none on public display when South Africa lost the T20 World Cup final last year, to a little in the form of some tears and a few sad smiles when they lost the final in Navi Mumbai. But unlike many of her team-mates, she didn’t break.Whether that is a front from someone who wants to put on a brave face, or the genuine and mature understanding of someone who is aware the world has not ended because a match was lost, is still unknown. For South Africa, it’s just leadership and it’s of the kind that could be crucial in keeping this team together. “Laura has shown a great deal of fortitude,” Mandla Mashimbyi, South Africa’s coach said. “And in terms of her talent and in terms of how she led the team, she’s also grown in this tournament. Going forward, this team will be even better, will be even stronger, even tighter. I’ve got no doubt, in the next World Cup, we’ll give it a good go.”Mashimbyi is not the only one who believes South Africa will come back, because that is in the DNA of the nation, which excels across sporting codes. But there is also fatigue. Reaching final after final after final and finishing empty-handed is draining and there may be a sense that South African cricket is becoming the sporting code that cries wolf.One of the few people who can change that is Wolvaardt and because they already know she’s special, her perspective is something critics will keep in mind. “I’m really proud that we’re able to reach three in a row. It shows that we’re doing something right domestically and from a squad perspective, consistency-wise,” Wolvaardt said. “Hopefully we can keep reaching finals and one day we can win one.”
Southampton chiefs have made a new manager decision which involves current interim boss Tonda Eckert.
Eckert looking to make it three wins in a row for Southampton
Following the sacking of Will Still at the beginning of the month, the Saints and Sport Republic are yet to appoint a new permanent manager.
A number of candidates have been linked with the St Mary’s vacancy, with Eckert impressing on a temporary basis, winning back-to-back Championship games to steer the club clear of the bottom three.
With the international break now finished, attention once again turns back to club action, with Southampton set to travel to Charlton Athletic on Saturday lunchtime.
As we know, the Saints are no closer to appointing Still’s long-term successor, meaning Eckert looks set to be given the chance to make it three victories in a row.
1.FC Koln U17
Assistant manager
2013-2016
RB Salzburg YL
Assistant manager
2016-2017
RB Leipzig YL
Assistant manager
2017-2019
FC Bayern U17
Assistant manager
2019-2020
Barnsley
Assistant manager
2020-2022
Genoa
Assistant manager
2022-2025
Southampton U21
Manager
2025
Southampton
Interim manager
2025 – present
He has impressed Saints star Finn Azaz, who scored last time out against Sheffield Wednesday, with the summer signing calling Eckert “top level”.
“Since his first meeting, I was really impressed. It hasn’t been drastic changes. He’s been able to watch from outside and tweak a few things. He has been able to instil his message and new energy and his drive and a new voice. As I say, it hasn’t been drastic changes.
“We are playing in the same shape almost. We went out there with similar personnel, [there were] just a few tweaks. I would like to thank him. He’s been top level.”
Now, a fresh manager update has emerged from St Mary’s ahead of the trip to The Valley.
Southampton to give Eckert next three games
According to sources from Give Me Sport and reliable reporter Ben Jacobs, Sport Republic have decided that Eckert is set to take charge of Southampton’s next three Championship fixtures.
Charlton Athletic vs Southampton
22nd November
Southampton vs Leicester City
25th November
Millwall vs Southampton
29th November
It is stated that the 32-year-old is not guaranteed to be given the job on a permanent basis just yet. However, if Southampton’s games against Charlton, Leicester and Millwall go to plan, Eckert could become a genuine contender.
Radio Solent’s Sports Editor Adam Blackmore even admitted recently that Eckert was always on the radar to be promoted and replace Still as Southampton manager, although it wasn’t supposed to come this early.
“Saints have spoken to candidates, but they can afford to be patient with Eckert’s good start, and it allows them time to see the market develop.
“Eckert was always Johannes Spors’ succession policy after Will. It just wasn’t supposed to be after months! So it’s highly unlikely anything imminent occurs either way …..like I said about Will, it would be a risky appointment giving it to Eckert …but if he wins 5 out of 5? Hard not to!”
The early signs are positive, and another three points on the weekend will only strengthen Eckert’s claim to be named Southampton’s next full-time manager.
Southampton told to appoint new manager over Eckert who "ticks every box"