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Newcastle United’s main worries this summer will lie in keeping a firm grip on Alexander Isak, away from pursuing any transfer targets of their own.

Staggeringly, it’s even being reported now that the Magpies have placed a mammoth £200m price tag above the lethal Swede’s head, as they attempt to scare off suitors such as Liverpool and Arsenal circling.

The Reds have flexed their financial muscle recently by landing Florian Wirtz, and with Isak just fresh off a mightily impressive 27 strikes in all competitions last season, a superpower out there, such as Arne Slot’s reigning Premier League champions, could be tempted to bid such a ludicrous amount down the line.

Newcastle looking at £26m attacker

Eddie Howe’s men are already eyeing up plenty of striker targets, with the Magpies’ numbers in this department short even as Isak remains put for the time being, with Callum Wilson out of contract and young William Osula not yet relied upon too frequently. So, who could be lined up?

Well, according to reports coming out of Italy, Newcastle could soon enter the fray to land imposing Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic.

The report states that the Serbian goal machine is not interested in relocating to Turkey to link up with Jose Mourinho at Fenerbahce. Instead, Vlahovic might well wait it out for Newcastle, with his price tag all the way down at a reasonable £26m.

Vlahovic wouldn’t displace Isak on his arrival, but he would be able to offer Howe’s Toon another fantastic option up top, especially as Champions League action returns to St. James’ Park.

Nottingham Forest are also named as an onlooker in other reports, but if Newcastle were to land the 6-foot-3 menace, they could be about to land a star who possesses shades of Aleksander Mitrovic’s intimidating, yet potent game.

How Vlahovic possesses shades of Mitrovic

It’s been some time since Mitrovic donned Toon black and white, with the now even more lethal 30-year-old plying his trade at St James’ Park when the club were disappointingly marooned in the Championship, before moving back up to being Premier League regulars.

He scored a promising 17 strikes from 72 Magpies appearances, but he would really spark into life on the books of Fulham directly after his Newcastle spell, with a mighty 111 goals coming his way in total at Craven Cottage.

Vlahovic’s G/A record by club
Club played for	Games	Goals	Assists
Juventus	143	56	14
Fiorentina	108	49	8
Serbia	36	14	0
Partizan	27	3	1
Sourced by Transfermarkt

Amazingly, Vlahovic is only five off matching Mitrovic’s blistering Cottagers total when glancing at his numbers strutting his stuff for both Juventus and Fiorentina, with an additional 22 assists also sticking out.

That’s led to shouts by journalist Siavoush Fallahi that the Belgrade-born attacker is “world-class”, with even more to come from the 25-year-old, perhaps, if he were to embark on a fresh adventure on Tyneside.

The similarities between Vlahovic and Mitrovic don’t just end with their shared fearlessness in front of goal, however, with both attackers also unafraid to utilise their lofty figures if needed, as seen in the Turin-based menace heading home the last-gasp effort captured above.

Whilst Mitrovic has a reputation for being a towering machine – much like the Toon target – he is actually just shorter than Vlahovic at 6-foot-2, with Vlahovic’s ability to throw himself about giving Howe another unique option in attack, away from Isak’s opposing strengths.

Previously dubbed as an “absolute monster” in this regard by Italian football expert Carlo Garganese, Newcastle could be about to win themselves a golden steal if they pick up Vlahovic, particularly if they fancy themselves a more imposing attacker in the same mould as Mitrovic.

After all, the Juventus number nine used to be worth a fee around the £70m mark, meaning the Toon must power ahead soon to land him for such a cut-price.

Even better than Joao Pedro: Newcastle open talks to sign £43m "finisher"

Newcastle are hoping to sign a forward in the transfer market this summer.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 21, 2025

Celtic have brought the curtain down on another successful campaign at Parkhead and could now be set to let go of one of their long-serving stars, per a report.

Change could be in the wind for Celtic this summer

Brendan Rodgers will feel disappointed that his side weren’t able to see a domestic treble over the line, but a double and tangible progress in the Champions League isn’t to be sniffed at in the grand scheme of things.

Nevertheless, the end to a long campaign has come at a good time for Celtic, who are already beginning to make decisions on the personnel that will prop up their talented squad next term.

Greg Taylor is now out of contract and may depart following an excellent six years of service, while talks are ongoing to resolve Jeffrey Schlupp’s future at Parkhead as his loan spell draws to a close.

Given his parent club Crystal Palace are currently paying him £60,000 per week, it remains to be seen if a deal will be thrashed out to take the Ghana international to Glasgow on a permanent basis.

Looking ahead, Rodgers has urged Celtic to use their Scottish Cup final defeat to Aberdeen as fuel for next season: “Looking at the bigger picture, we won the league title, won the League Cup, sadly we just couldn’t go that next step. It’s been a really good season for us. This will hurt. That’s your motivation, that drives you going into next season.”

Celtic could sign Idah upgrade in £40m star who's "guaranteed goals"

Celtic have been tipped to swoop for a star who would be a big upgrade on Adam Idah.

ByDan Emery May 25, 2025

Supporters will hope that extends to their transfer business, and they are already beginning to make tough decisions if recent reports are anything to go by.

Scott Bain set to leave Celtic on free transfer

According to The Herald, Scott Bain is set to be allowed to leave Celtic on a free transfer despite having a year left to run on his contract at Parkhead.

The 33-year-old will now seek first-team football elsewhere after becoming a distant back-up option to Kasper Schmeichel and Viljami Sinisalo between the sticks.

Scott Bain’s trophy-laden career at Celtic

Appearances

78

Clean sheets

40

Trophies won

7x Scottish Premiership, 5x Scottish Cup, 4x Scottish League Cup

Aberdeen goalkeeper Ross Doohan is out of contract and is set to replace Bain at Celtic, which will help their homegrown quota in line with UEFA squad registration rules due to being a club-trained player.

Cutting his deal short may be an abrupt end to former Dundee star Bain’s time in Glasgow, but he has enjoyed some memorable success and filled in admirably when called upon by Neil Lennon, Ange Postecoglou and current boss Rodgers.

However, he hasn’t played a single minute since a 3-2 victory over St Mirren at the tail end of last campaign, so it makes sense for the former Scotland international to try his luck as a number one elsewhere.

Aston Villa need to win both their remaining Premier League fixtures to seal a return to the Champions League next season.

This is the aim for Unai Emery, especially as a seat at the top table will allow him to sign better quality players for the club this summer.

It promises to be another exciting transfer window at Villa Park. Will there be any major sales in the coming months? And just what type of player can the manager bring to Villa?

Aston Villa looking to sign Premier League youngster

With Villa now confirmed a place in Europe for next season, perhaps they may just be able to entice Kevin De Bruyne to move to the Midlands.

Indeed, reports in recent weeks have suggested that the Villans have held internal talks over whether to make a move for the legendary Belgian. Should they not do so, then perhaps this player could be a fine alternative.

Transfer Focus

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

According to Caught Offside, Aston Villa are one of the leading top-flight clubs that are plotting a move for Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott this summer.

Arne Slot may part ways with the Englishman this summer, who has made just 15 appearances in the top flight for the club this term.

He could be available for a fee of between £40m and £50m, which should be affordable for Villa following their exploits in Europe this season.

Wolves, Crystal Palace, Newcastle United and Bournemouth are all closely monitoring his progress ahead of the transfer window opening, indicating Villa have plenty of competition.

It would be a smart move to bring him to the Midlands, especially as Elliott has yet to hit his peak years as a player.

Why Harvey Elliott could be Jack Grealish 2.0 for Aston Villa

Grealish is arguably the finest academy talent the club have produced in their modern history. He went on to make over 200 appearances for the club before sealing a £100m move to Manchester City in the summer of 2021.

He may have won plenty of trophies at City, but Grealish’s career has certainly stagnated after an underwhelming season under Pep Guardiola.

Like Grealish was, Elliott is a prodigal young English talent who has the capability to go far in the game.

The 22-year-old is fluid across a range of positions, being able to perform well either on the right wing or in a slightly deeper role at the heart of the midfield.

As such, his output in front of goal isn’t as impressive as Grealish – who tends to operate on the left flank – but Elliott does offer a lot of qualities.

Goals

0

Assists

1

Big chances created

1

Total duels won

0.5

Successful dribbles per game

0.2

Shots per game

0.9

Indeed, when compared to his positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues, the youngster ranks in the top 1% for shot-creating actions and touches in the opposition penalty area per 90.

Furthermore, he also ranks in the top 4% for progressive passes and carries, suggesting that he loves to bring the ball forward from deep into the final third, just as Grealish did so well at his boyhood club.

It is perhaps no wonder he was dubbed “phenomenal” by journalist David Lynch last season and while things may not have gone his way during the current term, he will end up with another Premier League medal for his efforts.

A fresh start is what he requires to take the next step in his career. Emery might well be the ideal manager for the job.

Aston Villa struck gold on "unstoppable" star whose value has risen £75m

Aston Villa could soon sell on this star for way more than his original price.

1 ByKelan Sarson May 12, 2025

Crystal Palace and Steve Parish are now trying to persuade an “unplayable” attacker to join them ahead of rival interest from Aston Villa, who are currently ahead in the race.

Crystal Palace putting plans in place for the summer window

The Eagles saw their seven-game unbeaten run come to an end on Saturday as they were beaten 5-2 by Manchester City. Oliver Glasner will perhaps not be totally disappointed by the result despite the manner of their collapse, as his priority will be the FA Cup semi-final in just under two weeks time.

Crystal Palace eyeing move for "sensational" £20m maestro; Glasner's a fan

Palace are in the race to sign a midfielder, alongside a number of other Premier League clubs.

ByDominic Lund Apr 10, 2025

Despite there still being a lot to play for, Palace and their hierarchy are already putting plans in place for what looks like a busy summer transfer window. Signing a new centre-back appears high on their list, as Marc Guehi could be on his way out of the club. The Eagles have been linked with a move for Victor Lindelof, who looks set to leave Manchester United at the end of the campaign when his contract expires.

However, he is not their only option, as Palace are believed to have made contact over a deal to sign Kevin Lomonaco from Independiente De Avellaneda – he could cost the South Londoners as little as £5 million this summer.

As well as having eyes on strengthening their defence, Glasner wants to add more quality in other areas of the pitch too, as the Eagles are interested in signing Jobe Bellingham from Sunderland. They are not alone in this race, as several top teams from England and abroad are also chasing the young Englishman.

Crystal Palace want to hijack Aston Villa deal for Rashford

The Premier League side also want to improve their attack, and according to The Sun, Crystal Palace are lining up a move to sign Marcus Rashford from Man United if Aston Villa do not sign him, with Steve Parish and co. regularly monitoring Rashford’s performances while out on loan.

The Midlands side do have the option to sign the Englishman for £40 million at the end of his stay there, but the Eagles leadership are keeping an eye on the situation and are interested in talking to the player and trying to persuade him to move to Selhurst Park.

A source goes on to state that Palace are aware that they would have to keep hold of their better players, such as Jean Philippe-Mateta, Adam Wharton, Eberechi Eze and Ismaila Sarr, to convince the forward to sign from Old Trafford.

Apps

14

Starts

8

Goals

3

Assists

5

A return to United has not been ruled out for Rashford, who has been dubbed “unplayable” by BBC writer Raj Chohan in the past, while a move abroad could also be on the cards, as Paris Saint-Germain are keeping an eye on his situation as well. The 27-year-old has enjoyed a rather successful spell at Villa Park so far, but it remains very much up in the air what he plans to do with his career next.

Captain Rovman Powell led the way, smashing an unbeaten 41 off 17 balls, as Barbados Royals secured their first win in CPL 2025. Despite that, Royals remained at the bottom of the points table and David Wiese’s St Lucia Kings remained at the top along with Nicholas Pooran’s Trinbago Knight Riders. Currently, only net run-rate separates Kings and TKR.After they were asked to bat first, Royals didn’t start well. They lost Quinton de Kock to left-arm fingerspinner Khary Pierre in the third over and by the end of the powerplay, they had managed only 39 for 1. Tabraiz Shamsi, the left-arm wristspinner from South Africa, then stifled Royals even further by taking out Brandon King (42), Kadeem Alleyne (39) and Sherfane Rutherford (16) in his four overs which cost Kings only 26 runs.When Powell joined Chris Green, Royals were 120 for 5 in the 16th over. Powell then teed off, lining up Alzarri Joseph for two sixes and a four in the 19th over. In the final over of the innings, bowled by rookie Delano Potgieter, Powell and Green combined to take three fours and a six.Green wasn’t done just yet. He struck with the new ball, dismissing Johnson Charles and Roston Chase. Wicketkeeper-opener Tim Seifert raced to 24 off 13 before he was bowled by Jomel Warrican. Tim David, one of the most dangerous finishers in the world, then threatened to take the game away from Royals until Daniel Sams interneved and cut his innings short on 44 off 28 balls.David’s dismissal left Kings at 94 for 6 in 12 overs, needing 98 off 48 balls. Cameos from Wiese and Joseph got Kings closer, but Royals finally wrapped up their first victory this season and kept their hopes of making the playoffs alive.

A change of attitude, allied to crucial early-season momentum, has carried the team to a first final in eight years

Alex Malcolm23-Mar-2025Confidence is an intangible. So is a winning culture. But those who have seen it know what it looks like.It was something that struck Brendan Doggett the moment he moved to Adelaide in the winter of 2021.”I noticed big time when I first got South Australia four seasons ago, that there wasn’t much belief,” Doggett told ESPNcricinfo. “There wasn’t much confidence in the squad.”Doggett had just left Queensland, having played in a winning Sheffield Shield final in April of that year, helping secure Queensland’s second Shield title in four seasons by taking 3 for 37 in the second innings.Related

• 'They saved my career' – Sangha repays South Australia's faith with Shield final heroics

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• Tension between Khawaja and Queensland builds ahead of Shield final

That he didn’t see any belief was hardly surprising. South Australia had just finished last in the Shield for the fourth consecutive season. They would make it five by the end of Doggett’s first summer there. South Australia have not won a Shield since 1996. Since then, South Australian cricket fans had seen just two domestic white-ball titles, a lone One-Day Cup in 2011-12 and a BBL title for Adelaide Strikers in 2017-18.When Ryan Harris arrived in Adelaide in the winter of 2023 as South Australia’s new bowling coach under Jason Gillespie, he saw the same thing. Harris was returning home, having left the state during his playing career in 2008 to join Queensland, where he won a Shield as a player in 2011-12 and enjoyed great success with Australia before beginning his coaching career in that same Queensland environment.

Ball-by-ball, in the contest, no game is ever too far away from winning. Someone do something special. Play the long gameJake Lehmann on mindset

“When Ryan came along as bowling coach last year, he sort of instilled in us bowlers that we can win from anywhere,” Doggett said. “We’re always going to fight, no matter our position. And I guess the belief sort of started from there. We got glimmers of hope last year where we were going to win matches from being a long way behind, and then that just continued on this year, with him taking charge of the whole squad. He’s kept that same mentality of always fighting, always trying to find a way to win from any position. And that’s probably been the big shift.”

****

There was optimism in Nathan McSweeney’s voice as far back as last September when the newly installed South Australian captain spoke about his new coach and his team’s prospects.”He’s got a great relationship with the group, and his passion for the state is second to none,” McSweeney told ESPNcricinfo on September 19.”Last year, I think there was times where we just let ourselves down in a session, with the bat or ball. I feel like we’re not that far away, and hopefully Ryno can help progress that.”What Harris wanted to build was a squad mentality. He had seen what Western Australia had done in using 25 different players to win a hat-trick of Shield and One-Day Cup doubles over the previous three seasons.What he had observed in South Australia was a culture of individuality.”What’s done is done,” Harris told ESPNcricinfo on September 19. “We haven’t had success. That’s no secret. And we want to do that.Nathan McSweeney’s optimism was in evidence right from the start of the season•Getty Images”We want to individually have success and do well but ultimately, if it comes to selection and you’re not necessarily in that team, which is not always easy, you make sure you deal with your disappointment and you get over it, and then you get back into supporting team mode.”I think that’s part of what’s not been great here in the last few years. That’s probably 1% but that can play a huge role in bringing groups apart. So that’s one thing I’ve probably focused on a lot.”

****

From little things, big things grow.It might not have seemed like it at the time, but just five days after Harris and McSweeney made those comments, South Australia produced perhaps their most important win of the season, and potentially the previous 13 years, in the context of setting them on the path to a drought-breaking title.In a One-Day Cup clash at Cricket Central in Sydney, their opening match of any form for the season, South Australia had been bowled out for 166. The three-time defending champions in WA were 133 for 3 after 25.5 overs and marching towards a bonus point win.Nathan McAndrew, Wes Agar, Henry Thornton and Ben Manenti combined to take 7 for 31 and South Australia won by two runs.At the same venue a few weeks later, South Australia were 23 for 4 in the fourth innings of their first Shield game against New South Wales, needing an unlikely 389 to win on the final day. McSweeney batted the day to finish 127 not out. Alex Carey also made 111. South Australia survived comfortably against Nathan Lyon to secure a reassuring draw.Two weeks later, they set Queensland a similar target on the final day in Brisbane and bowled them out in 73.3 overs to win their first Shield game of the season.The very next match they bowled Victoria out with just 16 minutes to spare on the final day and break a nine-year drought against their border rivals.”I’ve been a big believer of you learn to win, and then winning becomes a habit.” Doggett said.South Australia kept winning. In December they won the equal-closest Shield game in history off the last ball of the match, taking 4 for 4 in nine balls in Hobart when Tasmania were poised to chase down 429.Alex Carey’s three Shield centuries have been a key factor in South Australia’s progression to the final•Getty ImagesIn the next game in February, after the BBL break, they won the shortest game in Shield history, bowling defending champions WA out for 120 and 66 at the WACA to win in Perth for the first time in eight years.On March 1, they broke the title drought at Adelaide Oval, winning the One-Day Cup for the first time in 13 years by defending just 268 against Victoria who had been 74 for 1 in the chase.Eight days later they beat them again in the Shield in Melbourne, chasing 300 six-down on the final day to secure their first home final in eight years.Jake Lehmann was the hero making an unbeaten 105. Just moments after hitting the winning runs he summed up why South Australia had made winning a habit this season.”It’s just a fighting mentality,” Lehmann told ESPNcricinfo. “Ball-by-ball, in the contest, no game is ever too far away from winning. Someone do something special. Play the long game. All those small little things.”Training has definitely lifted. Our competitiveness at training now has definitely gone through the roof. I think it’s on the back of that squad mentality and blokes who are not playing that are making lots of runs in second XI, lots of runs in club cricket, taking lots of wickets.Nathan McAndrew has been a huge figure in the attack•Getty Images”Selection has been tough, and I think that’s lifted training and Ryno’s really driven that. Those boys run in and put their best foot forward every week.”Lehmann, 32, had been acting captain for the last four games of the previous season and is one of only two surviving members from South Australia’s last Shield final appearance who will play this week.But he started this summer playing in South Australia’s second XI. He made 173 against WA’s second XI to win back his place when the Test players departed in November. Now he enters the Shield final as one of South Australia’s form players, having scored 67 in the One-Day final, 105 not out and 130 not out in his last two Shield games.”For me, it’s been a long way,” Lehmann said. “To win that One-Day final, I think we had played in four of them already, in two Shield finals. Hopefully, it’s just a growing group. And I think the difference this year is we’re probably going to have four or five blokes who are not going to play in the Shield final, like we had in the One-Day, that could easily be playing for us and have played a role throughout the year.”I think that’s the strength of the group. We’ve got a really good squad mentality, and it’s just feeding through.”Winning has become a habit. South Australia is riding the crest of a wave. The whole state is along for the ride. There is a growing sense that a 29-year drought might finally be broken against Queensland at Karen Rolton Oval this week.Doggett knows better than any of them what is required.”Nothing really changes.” Doggett said. “In the same breath, I think we need to acknowledge the fact that it is a Shield final, that it is going to be a special week, the whole build-up to it.”These things don’t come around too often, as many South Australians would know.”So yeah, acknowledge it’s going to be a big week, and it’s going to be a big game. It’s going to be really exciting.”But always falling back to our processes, our training standards and what we’ve done for the whole season.”

If Danny Röhl did not know he had a big job on his hands already at Rangers, he certainly knows that now.

On Thursday night, the Glasgow outfit were swatted aside 2-0 by Roma at Ibrox, the club’s seventh successive European defeat, leaving them rock bottom of the gigantic Europa League table, still yet to get off the mark.

Having also been beaten by Brann and then Celtic in Sunday’s League Cup semi-finals, Röhl has become the first ever permanent Rangers manager to taste as many as three defeats across his first five games in charge.

In his press conference after the game, the German insisted that this job was not bigger than he first thought but, even though he currently has the fans onside, this can quickly turn, as Russell Martin found out, lasting only 17 games in the Ibrox hot seat.

So, with a game against Dundee at Dens Park next up for the Light Blues on Sunday, which regular starter should be on borrowed time, as Röhl targets an upturn in both performances and results?

Rangers' catastrophic summer spending

Earlier this year, 49ers Enterprises completed their takeover of Rangers, which was supposed to commence a new era of success on Glasgow’s south side.

Well, they inarguably got the appointment of manager Russell Martin wrong, while a huge amount of money was spent in the summer, albeit not very well, as the table below documents.

Lyall Cameron

Dundee

Compensation

Joe Rothwell

Bournemouth

£400k

Emmanuel Fernandez

Peterborough

£3.5m

Thelo Aasgaard

Luton Town

£3.5m

Nasser Djiga

Wolves

Loan

Djeidi Gassama

Sheff Wednesday

£2.2m

Mikey Moore

Tottenham

Loan

Oliver Antman

Go Ahead Eagles

£3m

Jayden Meghoma

Brentford

Loan

Bojan Miovski

Girona

£2.6m

Youssef Chermiti

Everton

£8m

Derek Cornelius

Marseille

Loan

Cyriel Dessers

Panathinaikos

£3.5m

Hamza Igamane

Lille

£10.5m

Rıdvan Yılmaz

Beşiktaş

£2m

Jefté

Palmeiras

£6m

Robin Pröpper

Twente

£1.5m

Václav Černý

Beşiktaş

End of loan

As the table documents, Rangers spent over £23m in the summer, while recouping a similar amount, all of which has made the squad substantially worse.

£8m, potentially rising to £10m in add-ons, was splashed to bring in Youssef Chermiti from Everton, who has scored just one goal for the club to date, replacing Hamza Igamane who departed for Lille for a similar amount, but has been on fire in Northern France, netting seven times for les Dogues already.

Similarly, Bojan Miovski has so far been a sub-par replacement for last season’s top-scorer Cyriel Dessers, who netted 29 times across all competitions, while star attacker Václav Černý simply has not been replaced, with teenager Jayden Meghoma appearing out of his depth, which isn’t ideal considering both senior left-backs Jefté and Rıdvan Yılmaz were sold.

Speaking on TNT Sports after Thursday’s defeat to Roma, Rangers legend Ally McCoist asserted that it will take at least three transfer windows to fix Rangers current predicament, asserting that he hopes the board back Röhl, noting that recruitment has to be a concern, given what sporting director Kevin Thelwell has delivered so far.

For now, Röhl has to work with the players in his squad and is under pressure to deliver results, so which of the summer recruits is on borrowed time?

The Rangers summer signing Danny Röhl must axe

They say first impressions are the most important, which is not ideal for Nasser Djiga.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

After arriving on a season-long loan from Wolves, aforementioned sporting director Thelwell backed the new defender to “flourish”.

Well, the Burkinabé international marked his home Premiership debut by being sent off against Dundee during a dismal 1-1 draw at Ibrox.

Nevertheless, mistakes happen and the 22-year-old former Crvena zvezda defender is only young, we’re sure he will learn.

Well, ten days later, Djiga’s catastrophic error presented Romeo Vermant with the opening goal just three minutes into the Champions League play-off tie, a two-legged affair Club Brugge would go onto win 9-1.

As a result, Djiga then spent a few weeks left in reserve, but has started the last three matches, with Röhl switching to a back three, seeking extra defensive solidity.

Nevertheless, Graham Falk of the Scotsman was not impressed with his performance against Roma, labelling the centre-back ‘unconvincing’, adding that he ‘completely lost his man’ for the corner from which Roma opened the scoring, concluding that he is one of many ‘poor summer signings’,

Mark Atkinson of the Scotsman meantime documented his ‘really difficult’ afternoon for the defender against Celtic at Hampden last Sunday, while Gazzetta dello Sport described him as the ‘worst’ player on the pitch after that game.

Against Roma, Djiga started in the back three alongside captain James Tavernier and John Souttar, meaning Derek Cornelius and Emmanuel Fernandez, who has made just three appearances for the club to date, were left in reserve.

Thus, even if he does stick with this back three shape, Röhl does have alternative options to the ticking time bomb of defensive errors that is Djiga.

Fernandez, who has played just one minute since August, and Cornelius, who has been generally impressive, are surely better options, starting at Dens on Sunday, facing the side Djiga has already been sent off against, so the Wolves loanee must improve if he’s to remain in the first-choice XI.

Fewer touches than Butland: Rohl must axe Rangers man who lost the ball 11x

Rangers have now lost four out of four in the Europa League, and Danny Röhl must drop the flop who lost the ball 11 times against Roma on Thursday.

Nov 7, 2025

Rishabh Pant spent an entire day on the field, seemingly untroubled by his foot, as he returned to action after more than two months in rehab for a foot injury sustained while batting during the fourth Test in Manchester.N Jagadeesan wasn’t as lucky, after B Sai Sudharsan’s spikes got stuck into his right hand during a training session on match eve. The selectors were forced to summon Ishan Kishan as cover. Jagadeesan’s injury meant an opportunity at the top of the order for Ayush Mhatre, the Mumbai opener, who was originally set to play only the second four-day fixture.All eyes were on Pant when he arrived early and began the day with warm-ups, timed sprints and a batting hit prior to the toss, which he won to put South Africa A in to bat. On a green surface at the Centre of Excellence, which offered plenty of seam movement and swing, the decision seemed justifiable. But gritty efforts from Jordan Hermann and Zubayr Hamza drove South Africa A to 299 for 9 at stumps. Nonetheless, they will be disappointed with the total, because there was the promise of a lot more earlier in the day.India A’s efforts in the field were led by Tanush Kotian, the offspinning allrounder, who picked up four wickets. He wheeled away for much of the second and third session, and was complemented by Manav Suthar, who was unlucky to have only two wickets next to his name at the end of a day where he got the odd ball to turn sharply, and jump up at the batters, whenever they seemed indecisive.Jordan Hermann used sweeps to great effect•PTI

Among the fast bowlers, Gurnoor Brar was potent but had just one wicket to show after 15 overs of toil himself. But the wicket he prised out – of Hamza for 66 – exhibited the virtues he’s been picked for. Gurnoor can hit hard lengths, hustle batters for pace, and have them hopping. This was exactly how Hamza fell, when he tried to evade a well-directed short ball to break a 130-run second-wicket stand.But Hamza had several moments he will look back on fondly from his innings. His manner of tackling spin against Tanush Kotian and Manav Suthar will stand him in good stead, if he gets an opportunity to feature in the two Tests that follow later this month. He didn’t let Kotian settle down, and used his feet superbly to hit him over mid-off repeatedly in his first two overs.Then, Hamza drove Kotian against the turn through extra cover, with Pant keen on leaving cover open to try and trap him into a false stroke. Against Suthar’s left-arm spin, he used his feet well to step out and cover the line to flick him against the turn through midwicket. One such stroke brought up his half-century.Hermann was more sedate after a fiery start. He began with square drive off Khaleel Ahmed, and was quick to pounce on anything short. Once Hamza took charge, however, Jordan slipped back into a more tempered pace, playing himself into the innings. Along the way, he was challenged by Brar’s pace and late movement.India A attacked with close-in fielders before stumps•PTI

Once spin came on, Jordan eased himself against Suthar by playing the lap sweeps and paddles, one of which had him fall over in a manner reminiscent of Pant’s red-ball pyrotechnics. He also played the shot of the afternoon – a sumptuous flick through midwicket, off Khaleel, in the first over after lunch. But he was eventually dismissed on 71, lbw while stuck on the crease to play Kotian against the turn.Shortly prior to his wicket, captain Marques Ackermann perished to Kotian when he tried to step out and flick, unable to get to the pitch and chipping one straight to Suthar. This dismissal briefly brought together Jordan and his older brother, Rubin Hermann, to the crease.The latter did a fine job, after it looked at one point as if India A would run through the lower middle-order, when Rivaldo Moonsamy fell just after tea to leave them 197 for 5. Ruben drove through the line fearlessly as Khaleel went searching for some reverse in the final session, and had a slice of luck when Sai Sudharsan put him down at deep backward square leg on 38.But it didn’t cost India A much as he was out soon after. He was bowled by Kotian for 54, to a delivery that kept low after he was too early into a pull shot. Shortly after, Kotian scalped up a classic offspinner’s dismissal, when he bowled Prenelan Subrayen through the gate, to claim his fourth towards the end of the day’s play.As stumps approached, Pant employed as many as six fielders around the bat, with South Africa A’s lower order at the crease. The tactic worked when Tiaan van Vuren’s top-edge off a slog sweep was lapped up by Devdutt Padikkal. India A then enjoyed the perfect finish to the day, when Khaleel trapped Lutho Sipamla lbw, to help them take the honours on the opening day.

Wolves chiefs may “cash in” on key midfielder Joao Gomes in the January transfer window, which would be an immediate blow to Rob Edwards’ chances of keeping his side in the Premier League.

Edwards made a losing start to life as Wanderers boss last weekend, succumbing to a 2-0 defeat at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday and admitting it isn’t going to be a quick fix for the top flight strugglers.

“It’s not going to be done in a week. We knew it was never just going to be a click of your fingers and that’s it. There’s probably quite a lot there that has been the story of our season so far, fairly tight, maybe a little bit of a lack of confidence and belief, but not much in the game, and then you get punished.

“We need to try and find that first goal, and you can’t just say, ‘Right lads, we need to score first’. We’ve got to make sure that we do everything right, do the basics really well, and work hard and work harder. We’ve definitely tried to up the intensity, but it was quite a bitty week, we’ve not had all the players in.”

Edwards will know the importance of new signings when January rolls around, but equally it is vital to keep hold of key players, and a new update suggests that one star man could be on his way out of Wolves.

David Ornstein talks up potential Joao Gomes exit

Speaking to NBC Sport, journalist David Ornstein claimed that Wolves may look to sell Gomes midway through the season, in order to receive good money for him, amid rumoured interest from Manchester United.

Losing Gomes, Wolves’ highest earner on £105,000-a-week, is clearly something that Edwards won’t want to happen, but those high up at the club will be looking at the bigger picture, in terms of receiving the highest amount of money possible for him.

The 24-year-old is such an influential figure at the heart of the midfield, starting 10 Premier League games this season, and Mathues Cunha has made it clear that he would love to see him at United.

Related Wolves register interest in January loan deal for Real Madrid "goal machine"

The Old Gold have made an approach for a forward, following the 2-0 home defeat against Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Posts ByDominic Lund Nov 24, 2025

Ultimately, it does feel as though Gomes’ future lies away from Wolves, unless drastic improvements are made, but selling him in January would feel like a defeatist attitude in the relegation fight.

Before Gomes: Edwards must sell Wolves star who's made them a "worse side"

Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh in their group-stage game and then did Bangladesh a favour by beating Afghanistan, and go into this game with momentum on their side

Mohammad Isam19-Sep-20252:22

Maharoof: Mendis a nightmare for spinners once he gets going

Big picture: A twist to the Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka tale

Bangladesh cricket fans had to put on hold their antagonistic feelings towards Sri Lanka for a couple of days – they needed Sri Lanka to beat Afghanistan to stay alive in the Asia Cup, after all. That’s how it panned out, leaving Bangladesh fans thrilled. Social media in Bangladesh has been buzzing with self-deprecating memes, all with photos of the Sri Lankan flag or Bangladeshis wearing the Sri Lanka jersey.The rivalry that has developed over the last seven years has often been full of cringe-worthy elements, but it’s also true that the players have been able to move up an extra gear whenever they’ve been in contest with each other. So there is a lot of interest in Saturday’s match, the first of the Super Four stage.Related

• Pathum Nissanka is raising his bar one notch at a time

• With goals reset, Kusal Mendis finally finds his niche

• Nasum Ahmed's bouncebackability on show again

Charith Asalanka’s side has been the more dominant in the Asia Cup. They won all three of their group games, including against Bangladesh. Curiously, Hong Kong pushed them harder than Bangladesh or Afghanistan could.Importantly for them, Kusal Mendis and Kamindu Mendis commandeered the 170-run chase against Afghanistan relieving the pressure that’s been on Pathum Nissanka. The opener has been in good form and has been crying out for support. Sri Lanka were finally able to give that to him and will take confidence from that going into the pointy end of this tournament.2:18

Maharoof: Nissanka among the best all-format openers

Bangladesh have an opportunity for course correction. Some of it is already underway, with Parvez Hossain Emon losing his place in the team. Saif Hassan, who took his spot, has looked competent but Sri Lanka will be a major test for the comeback man. Bangladesh suffered back-to-back wicket maidens to start the game when the teams last met. The balance of their bowling is another puzzle they must solve. Their fifth-bowler combination (Saif and Shamim Hossain) didn’t work in the previous game.This promises to be a closer contest than the earlier game. The stakes are higher, with the first set of points crucial. Asalanka and Litton Das will also be leading two sets of players eager to one-up each other after a brief bit of peace.

Form guide

Bangladesh WLWWW
Sri Lanka WWWWLMustafizur Rahman has been effective, but not always frugal•Associated Press

In the spotlight: Mustafizur Rahman and Kusal Mendis

Mustafizur Rahman took three wickets to help Bangladesh against Afghanistan, but the left-arm quick has been quite expensive in the Asia Cup. Especially in the group match against Sri Lanka, Mustafizur bowled his most expensive spell of the year (3-0-35-1). Bangladesh will hope the left-arm quick returns to his stingy best. Mustafizur will have the added motivation of completing 150 wickets in T20Is – he is four short of the milestone – and also overtaking Shakib Al Hasan, who has 149.Kusal Mendis carried Sri Lanka to their six-wicket win against Afghanistan with a sparkling, unbeaten 74. Mendis is also very good against Bangladesh. He is already Sri Lanka’s second-highest run-getter with four centuries across formats against them. He is undoubtedly the key wicket in the Super Four opener.2:27

Abhinav lauds Bangladesh’s spin-choke tactic

Team news: Wellalage available to play

Bangladesh could bring in either of the allrounders Mahedi Hasan and Mohammad Saifuddin to fill their fifth-bowler gap.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tanzid Hasan, 2 Saif Hassan, 3 Litton Das (capt, wk), 4 Towhid Hridoy, 5 Shamim Hossain, 6 Nurul Hasan, 7 Jaker Ali, 8 Rishad Hossain, 9 Nasum Ahmed, 10 Taskin Ahmed, 11 Mustafizur RahmanDunith Wellalage, who flew back home following the death of his father, is set to rejoin the Sri Lankan team on the morning of the match and is available for selection.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Kusal Mendis (wk), 3 Kamil Mishara, 4 Kusal Perera, 5 Charith Asalanka (capt), 6 Kamindu Mendis, 7 Dasun Shanaka, 8 Wanindu Hasaranga, 9 Dunith Wellalage, 10 Dushmantha Chameera, 11 Nuwan Thushara

Pitch and conditions: Struggle for runs in Dubai

Batters have only gone at a strike rate of 109.26 in Dubai at this Asia Cup. Abu Dhabi, for comparison, has been slightly better – 119.50. The slow nature of Dubai’s pitches have certainly helped the spinners. The weather forecast is for a typical hot evening.

Stats and trivia: Litton on top

• With 513 runs, Litton is currently this year’s top run-getter in T20Is among Full Member sides.
• Thushara’s 4 for 18 against Afghanistan is Sri Lanka’s best figures in the Asia Cup’s T20I version.
• Jaker has shown in the last 12 months that he has a few tricks up his sleeve but in this series, his 53 runs have required 48 balls and include only three fours.