According to reports in the Yorkshire Evening Post, Leeds United attacking midfielder Pablo Hernandez is set to sign a new two-year deal with the club, and Whites fans have been quick to have their say on the rumour.
The 33-year-old’s contract at Elland Road is due to expire at the end of the season and there would have been concerns that he could go this summer, but the Yorkshire Evening Post now says he is set extend his stay with the Whites for a further two years.
The news will certainly be good for manager Paul Heckingbottom and the Elland Road faithful, who have seen the Spaniard score seven goals and provide a further nine assists in what has been another disappointing campaign, and one made worse by Andrea Radrizzani’s comments about the Myanmar pre-season trip in recent days.
Leeds supporters took to social media to give their thoughts on the Hernandez story, and while one said “finally some good news”, another said they were “so glad he’s staying”.
Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…
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In light of Jurgen Klopp’s upcoming departure from the Signal Iduna Park at the tail end of the season, Borussia Dortmund are now a team who seemingly find themselves in a state of limbo.
The 2014/15 campaign has certainly been one to forget for the plucky German outfit, and with a whole host of top European clubs likely to be sniffing around BVB’s most high profile talent this summer, the former Bundesliga champions really could be entering a somewhat transitional phase in the not too distant future.
The likes of Mats Hummels, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitarayn could all soon be following Klopp out of Dortmund if the circumstances prove suitable in the next few months – regardless of how notoriously supportive their current set of fans prove to be.
However, with Ilkay Gundogan reportedly going down as Louis van Gaal’s prime summer target in the run up to the new campaign, will we soon be seeing the German international turning out at Old Trafford next season, and would the midfield dynamo really suit playing for Manchester United in the ever testing reams of Premier League football?
Well, by most accounts of those who have consistently watched the Bundesliga star on a regular basis, Ilkay Gundogan would certainly be able to do the business for van Gaal should the Dutchman follow through on his reported interest in the star this summer.
In deriving from a Turkish-German background much like Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil, the Dortmund no. 8 is also blessed with some classy composure on the ball and an ability to pick out a fine pass whenever called upon. The centre-midfielder can also provide the tackles for his team and begin to break up play, but he is invariably much more effective in the final third with the ball at his feet.
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Gundogan goes down as an extremely intelligent player, someone gifted with the technical grace to be able to glide across the pitch at ease – and at the early age of only 24-years-old – the BVB favourite still has many years left in him to perfect his game even further.
There have nonetheless been a few question marks raised over his ability to stay fit for an entire season however, as injuries have certainly hampered the Dortmund star so far in his career. The classy midfield maestro failed to play any role in his nation’s World Cup triumph in Brazil last summer after all, so careful thought must be applied in any potential deal likely to take place next season.
Yet if such a hurdle can be effectively dealt with by the player in question, there is absolutely no reason to suggest that Ilkay Gundogan won’t go on to potentially become one of the stand out players of his generation.
A move to Manchester United next season would therefore seem like a positive step for the German international should his time at Dortmund come to a natural end. Alongside the likes of Daley Blind and Ander Herrera in the heart of the Red Devils midfield, Gundogan would seemingly fit in perfectly with the style of football trying to be achieved by Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford, as his side look to push on for that ever illusive Premier League title.
The former FC Nürnberg man would add that extra bit of flair and efficiency into a squad already possessing some of the most high profile talents the current game has to offer.
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With 33-year-old Michael Carrick looking likely to call time on his Manchester United career sooner or later, Borussia Dortmund’s current no. 8 could turn out to be the perfect replacement to not only emulate what the former West Ham and Tottenham star has achieved so far at Old Trafford, but also someone worthy of improving on where Carrick has left off at United.
The good news seemingly continues for Red Devils fans wanting the land the German star this summer though – as with just over one year reaming on his current contract at the Signal Iduna Park this season – Jurgen Klopp’s former favourite could perhaps be sourced on the cheap for Manchester United by the end of the season.
As the signing of high profile Borussia Dortmund stars hasn’t always worked out for Louis van Gaal’s side in the past however – just ask former United man Shinji Kagawa – perhaps a degree of caution must be applied with any similar deal likely to take place this summer. Just watch this space…
It goes without saying that fans are the heart of any football club. Paul Lambert’s declaration that the support of Aston Villa’s loyal disciples matched the passion of Champions League semi-finalists Borussia Dortmund is high praise indeed. Now if Lambert could get his side playing like Dortmund the threat of relegation would soon cease. With their Premier League status under serious threat the Midlands side have improved markedly to win three of their last six games to give themselves a fighting chance of survival. Results fell kindly for them at the weekend and victory over Sunderland would lift them five points above 18th placed Wigan and potentially above beleaguered Newcastle if they netted five or more. The race is most definitely on.
The Black Cats, meanwhile, are searching for a third consecutive win under new head coach Paolo Di Canio that would ensure they’ll be playing top-flight football next season. The Italian has triggered a stunning revival in his first month on Wearside taking six points from a possible nine, as well as guiding the Black Cats to a stunning Tyne-Wear derby victory a fortnight ago. With that much sought-after 40-point mark in their sights Di Canio and his player can’t afford to let up if they’re to reach it before time runs out.
Team News
Paul Lambert goes into the game with no fresh injury concerns with Gabriel Agbonlahor fully fit after he completed 90 minutes against Manchester United last week following a groin injury.
Sunderland have Craig Gardner back to face his former club after the midfielder completed a two-match ban. Phil Bardsley (ankle) is a doubt, while Connor Wickham misses out with a calf problem.
What the managers said…
“I’m not sure because you don’t know how other results go. But you won’t be far away from it. ‘It’s in our own hands, that’s the good thing. It would be different if we had to rely on other people but we don’t. You look after your own, and if we do that then we’ll see what happens. I don’t think you can (get too caught up in the permutations), then you start to deflect from what you want to do yourself.” Paul Lambert isn’t sure 40-points will be enugh for Aston Villa to survive (Daily Mail)
“It was a strange moment, a strange situation in time those three days [after becoming Sunderland manager. But he rang me and backed me all the way. He said, ‘Proceed because you have complete support from the board’. From there, I felt even more energy, I was even more focused and even more determined to get the best out of the team, and I believed that no matter what the split with fans, I would look to make them happy as quickly as I could.” Paolo Di Canio admits he feared the immediate sack after his political beliefs overshadowed his appointment at Sunderland (BBC Sport)
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Pre-match Statistic: Expect a feisty match at Villa Park! There have been five red cards in the last eight Premier League square ups between Villa and Sunderland.
Sunday was a day of celebration for Manchester City as they clinched the Premier League title without stepping foot on the pitch.
Pep Guardiola’s side edged closer to glory the previous day thanks to a 3-1 triumph over Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley.
Ironically, it was their neighbours Manchester United who ensured that the English crown was sent to the Etihad Stadium as Jose Mourinho’s men suffered a shock 1-0 defeat to bottom-of-the-table West Bromwich Albion.
The result meant that City’s 16-point lead at the top of the table is unattainable, and they can relax – to an extent – with five games left to play.
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The title win banishes the disappointment of the previous week in which they were knocked out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage by Liverpool and were beaten by United on home soil.
City have now won a third Premier League title in seven seasons, and understandably all those connected with the club have joined in with the celebrations, including their former right-back Pablo Zabaleta.
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The Argentine ended his eight-and-a-half-year spell at City last year to join West Ham United, but he took time on Sunday to congratulate his former club.
As expected, City fans were quick to praise the 33-year-old.
With the summer transfer window quickly approaching, one of the most in-demand players in Europe will be Lyon and France striker Alexandre Lacazette.
The sprightly forward has been on the collective radar for a number of seasons but has catapulted himself to the next level in 2014-15 with superb feats of goalscoring in Ligue 1.
As such, a host of Premier League clubs have been linked with a move for him at the end of the current campaign, including Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham.
But, with these three heavyweights of English football potentially set to move for Lacazette, who needs him more?
Liverpool
Brendan Rodgers has admitted that his side have not been as clinical in the final third this season, with Luis Suarez’s departure and injury to Daniel Sturridge blunting the Reds as an attacking force.
The Merseysiders look almost certain to sign a centre forward this summer as a result, with Lacazette an excellent option for them.
Rodgers prefers young, technically able and mobile players, with the France international firmly fitting the bill.
His pace offers a threat in-behind opposition defences, while his partnerships with the likes of Philippe Coutinho and Raheem Sterling would be an ominous proposition.
Man United
United have announced the first of what is expected to be a glut of summer signings, with Memphis Depay set for a switch to Old Trafford.
Despite the Dutch starlet’s arrival, the Red Devils are expected to still be in the market for a new centre forward to bolster Louis van Gaal’s options.
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With Radamel Falcao failing this season and Robin van Persie getting older, an injection of youth will surely reinvigorate the side.
A partnership with Wayne Rooney would be an enticing prospect, but is remains to be seen whether Lacazette is a big enough name for United.
Tottenham
The North Londoners have been overly dependent on homegrown hero Harry Kane for goals this season, with back-up options to the England international non-existent.
As such, Spurs are likely to bolster their ranks with a centre forward also, but it is hard to know whether this will be to accompany Kane or act as an alternative to him.
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Lacazette’s signing would be a real statement of intent by the White Hart Lane side but tactically Mauricio Pochettino would need to think it through.
Playing the strike pairing together would require a change in formation from the club’s usual 4-2-3-1 system, or dropping Kane into the number ten role – which could limit his ability to hit the back of the net and put more emphasis on him to create.
Verdict
Lacazette looks set to be a real star for years to come and is clearly ready for a move to the Premier League.
Although all three clubs would benefit from his acquisition this summer, Liverpool are crying out for a centre forward of his ilk and would be best advised to do whatever it takes to bring him to Anfield.
Ricky van Wolfswinkel claims his summer move to Norwich is ‘a dream’ and he is looking to make ‘great things happen’ at the club.
The 24-year-old Dutch hitman will complete his switch to Carrow Road on July 1 after the Canaries agreed an undisclosed fee with Portuguese outfit Sporting Lisbon and tied him down to a four-year deal at the end of last week.
Van Wolfswinkel has an impressive career goals tally of 82 in 188 appearances for Vitesse Arnhem, FC Utrecht and Sporting, and he is aiming to bring that to England and help Norwich progress up the Premier League in what will be their third season in the top flight next term.
He told the club’s official website: “It’s really an exciting time. I’m happy to be joining Norwich City and I’m looking forward to playing for the club. It has always been a dream of mine to play in England and in the Premier League and I’m even more excited that I can hopefully fulfil that dream at such a great club like Norwich City.
“This is the sort of club I need at this moment in my career. This is a club with great ambitions to become the team that they have been in the past in the top flight. Joining Norwich City is the perfect next step in my career.
“It’s a realistic club with great people both at the club and in the city. Next year will hopefully be a year to improve. We want to do even better than the team has done this year. We need to work extra hard to make that happen, and if we do that, then a team and a club like Norwich can make great things happen.”
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Reunited with RCB director Mo Bobat after making the switch from Trent Rockets
Matt Roller03-Oct-2025Andy Flower has been appointed men’s coach at London Spirit, reunited with director of cricket Mo Bobat after they took Royal Challengers Bengaluru to their maiden IPL title earlier this year. Flower takes over from Justin Langer after his side finished seventh out of eight in his first – and only – season in charge.Bobat was appointed director of cricket earlier this year by Spirit’s new owners and opted not to renew Langer’s contract. He has instead convinced Flower to leave Trent Rockets after a five-year association – which featured a title-winning season in 2022 – on a multi-year contract ahead of the 2026 season.MCC and the ‘Tech Titans’, a consortium of high net-worth individuals including the chief executives of Google, YouTube, Microsoft and Adobe, took operational control of the Spirit earlier this week. They will run the franchise as a joint-venture, with MCC retaining a controlling 51% stake and four out of seven board seats.”I’m delighted that we’ve been able to secure Andy’s services as our men’s head coach,” Bobat said. “Andy and I have enjoyed a strong working relationship in the past, and I’m looking forward to building something special with him at London Spirit as we enter this new and exciting phase for the franchise.”Related
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Flower said he was “deeply grateful” to have spent the last five years at the Rockets and “hugely excited” to join the Spirit. “It’s a real privilege to be part of such an iconic venue and organisation. I’m also thrilled to be working once again with Mo, and for the first time with both MCC and the Tech Titans.”The Spirit were women’s champions in 2024 but have consistently underperformed in the men’s Hundred. They have won just 12 of their 38 completed matches, with five of those coming in 2022 when Eoin Morgan captained them to the knockout stages for the only time in their short history.Langer brought in Kane Williamson as captain this year and recruited David Warner alongside him at the top of the order, but they only won three out of eight matches to finish second-bottom.MCC have also appointed Donna-Maria Cullen to the Spirit’s board, after she stepped down from her role as an executive director at Tottenham Hotspur FC. Cullen joins Julian Metherell, Rob Lawson and Morgan as MCC’s representatives, with Nikesh Arora (Palo Alto Networks), Satyan Gajwani (Times Internet) and Egon Durban (Silver Lake) taking the Tech Titans’ board seats.The franchise have confirmed that they will play under the same name next year, but are planning a major brand refresh over the winter which could see them incorporate MCC’s egg-and-bacon colours into their kit – most likely as detailing, rather than the primary colour.Six of the eight deals in the Hundred’s new ownership structure were signed off in July, with Nottinghamshire (Cain/Ares) and Surrey (Reliance) expected to confirm their respective deals for Trent Rockets and Oval Invincibles next week ahead of a Hundred board meeting later this month.
Sri Lanka’s quicks picked up all 20 wickets in the first Test in Sylhet, but the conditions are expected to be vastly different for the second Test
Andrew Fidel Fernando29-Mar-2024
Big picture – Chattogram won’t be like Sylhet at all
For the second Test series in a row between these teams, Sri Lanka’s seamers are defining the contest. In 2022, it had been Asitha Fernando and Kasun Rajitha who claimed 24 wickets between them in the two-match series in Bangladesh. This time, Sri Lanka go to Chattogram with their quicks having taken all 20 wickets in Sylhet – the first time a Sri Lanka pace attack has achieved this since 1986.Beyond the big win in Sylhet, Sri Lanka’s having found a lower-middle-order batter who has found immediate success at the top level – Kamindu Mendis – will buoy them further.It seems unlikely, however, that the pitch in Chattogram will much resemble the moist seam-conducive surface that Sri Lanka stomped to a four-day victory on. Pitches in Chattogram tend to be much better for batting, and it is the spinners who tend to prosper there. On that front, Bangladesh will feel they have Sri Lanka covered.Related
Shakib returns for second Test against Sri Lanka
Dhananjaya pleased with three-pacers' plan paying off
Bangladesh's Test credentials in question, again
The return of Shakib Al Hasan from the eye complaint that saw him unavailable for the tour so far will give them the most confidence. Not only is Shakib among their best batters, he is also vastly experienced as a bowler on the Chattogram deck, having claimed 64 wickets across 19 Tests there – by a distance the most for any bowler at this venue. With him are Taijul Islam, who has the second-highest Chattogram wicket tally of 47, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who is third with 34.Sri Lanka’s main spinner Prabath Jayasuriya, meanwhile, will be playing only his fourth Test overseas, and has four career wickets away from home. Offspin-bowling allrounder Ramesh Mendis, who is the likeliest to come in to the XI if Sri Lanka opt for a second frontline spin option, is even more inexperienced overseas, having played just two away from home.Sri Lanka have never lost a Test in Bangladesh, and such was the margin of victory in Sylhet that they will begin the second Test with some confidence. Bangladesh will think of the game in Sylhet as something of an aberration, however. In Chattogram, with Shakib in their ranks, they will feel – and be, possibly – a different team entirely.
Form guide
Sri Lanka WWLLW Bangladesh LLWWWShakib Al Hasan’s return would have buoyed the Bangladesh side•AFP/Getty Images
In the spotlight – Shakib Al Hasan and Kamindu Mendis
Shakib Al Hasan turns heads wherever he goes of course, but the freshly elected member of parliament from the Magura constituency might be especially worth keeping a close eye on in this match. It’s not only his first international as an MP, it’s also his first game against Sri Lanka since he had appealed for – and earned – a timed-out dismissal against Angelo Mathews in the ODI World Cup. Mathews slammed Shakib and Bangladesh for making that appeal, and echoes of the anger it caused at the time were present through the course of the limited-overs series. If Shakib sees value in pushing Sri Lanka’s buttons again, it seems unlikely that his new status in Bangladesh’s legislature will stop him from stirring more controversy.Three Test innings into his career, Kamindu Mendis has scores of 64, 102, and 164. Though he burst into the international cricket consciousness as a fingerspinner who could operate with either arm, his batting has always been his primary suit. And since he debuted for Sri Lanka in 2018, he has clearly taken his batting up several levels, improving his ability to deal with the moving ball in particular, a skill that served him nicely on the spicy deck in Sylhet. There will be greater tests in store for him, as oppositions study his game and design strategies to exploit his weaknesses. But he seems set now to keep that spot in the lower-middle order during what is a relatively busy Test year.
Pitch and conditions
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium has Bangladesh’s best batting pitch. Batting first, sides have averaged 380 in the last five Tests here. The weather is likely to be warm, with the odd chance of a shower on days one and five.Asitha Fernando should get into the Sri Lanka XI in place of Kasun Rajitha•AFP/Getty Images
Team news
Shakib will likely displace Shahadat Hossain in Bangladesh’s XI. Nahid Rana’s pace is exciting but whether he will be effective on Chattogram’s generally placid surface is a question Bangladesh will consider. Hasan Mahmud could be an option for them.Bangladesh (possible): 1 Mahmudul Hasan Joy, 2 Zakir Hasan, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), 4 Mominul Haque, 5 Shakib Al Hasan, 6 Litton Das (wk), 7 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 8 Taijul Islam, 9 Shoriful Islam, 10 Khaled Ahmed, 11 Nahid Rana/Hasan MahmudWith Rajitha out with a back injury, Sri Lanka will likely bring Asitha straight into the XI, partnering him with left-arm quick Vishwa Fernando. If one of the seamers from Sylhet has to miss out, Lahiru Kumara is the likeliest to be omitted in favour of another spinner.Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Dimuth Karuanaratne, 2 Nishan Madushka, 3 Kusal Mendis (wk), 4 Angelo Mathews, 5 Dinesh Chandimal, 6 Dhananjaya de Silva (capt), 7 Kamindu Mendis, 8 Ramesh Mendis, 9 Prabath Jayasuriya, 10 Asitha Fernando, 11 Vishwa Fernando
Stats and trivia
The three most recent Tests between these teams in Chattogram have all ended in draws
Asitha claimed 13 wickets at an average of 16.61 on his last trip to Bangladesh, though his figures in Chattogram were 3 for 72
Following his 87 not out on day four of the first Test, Mominul Haque needs 25 to complete 4000 career Test runs. He will be the fourth Bangladesh batter to the milestone – behind Mushfiqur Rahim, Tamim Iqbal and Shakib – if and when he gets there
Quotes – everyone’s talking about Shakib
“It looks like he has lost weight. He’s been training. He has had a good BPL. He’s had a good start to the Dhaka Premier League. He’s happy and that’s the only place we want Shakib. We want him happy.” “Why should I talk about him? He’s not in my team.”
Jack Brooks, Danni Wyatt and Eve Jones also found to have made prejudicial posts
ESPNcricinfo staff10-Oct-2022Azeem Rafiq says that his reprimand from the Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) is “deserved” and that he will “fully accept” the panel’s judgement, after he and four other cricketers were punished for historic and prejudicial social media posts.Rafiq, along with former Yorkshire coach Andrew Gale, Somerset seamer Jack Brooks and prominent women’s players Danni Wyatt and Eve Jones were charged earlier this year for respective breaches of ECB Directive 3.3 which pertains to bringing the game of cricket into disrepute.Brooks, Jones and Wyatt also admitted a breach of ECB Directive 3.4, which requires that all players abide by the ECB Anti-Discrimination Code. However, the CDC Adjudicator, Chris Tickle, decided that a reprimand would suffice in all five cases.Related
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Azeem Rafiq 'ashamed' after historic anti-Semitic exchange comes to light
The cases came to light in the midst of the racism scandal that beset English cricket last year, and Rafiq – whose revelations of an institutionally racist culture at Yorkshire ultimately led to him testifying before a parliamentary select committee – reiterated after the CDC’s decision that he was “ashamed and embarrassed” for his own anti-Semitic actions in a social media exchange dating back to 2011.In a Facebook exchange, reproduced in full in the CDC judgement, Rafiq and his former England Under-19 team-mate Ateeq Javid joked about how a third, unnamed, team-mate was a “jew” for failing to pay his share of a bill at a restaurant.The messages were first published in the Times on November 18, 2021, leading to a same-day apology from Rafiq on social media, and confirmation that they had subsequently been deleted from his profile.”This summer, I unequivocally accepted a charge from the ECB regarding my antisemitic social media post from 2011,” Rafiq wrote in the wake of the judgement.”You will hear no complaint from me about the CDC’s decision today. It is deserved and I fully accept this reprimand. I want to repeat my apology to the Jewish community. I remain ashamed and embarrassed.”Rafiq met with Holocaust survivors after the incident, including on this year’s March of the Living at Auschwitz.”I hope I have demonstrated over the past 10-11 months that I am trying to educate myself about the horrors and prejudice the Jewish community has historically – and continues – to face,” he added.”I will keep trying and I thank the Jewish community for the forgiveness and kindness that has been shown to me so far.”Gale, who has said that he is “moving on with his life” and will “not engage” with the ECB’s disciplinary process, after being sacked by Yorkshire at the height of the racism scandal, was found in November 2021 to have used an anti-Semitic slur in a Twitter exchange with Paul Dews, the then-head of media relations at Leeds United.Wyatt and Jones were photographed in “blackface” at a Caribbean-themed party dating back to 2013, while Brooks was found to have used a racially offensive term in two tweets from 2012 during an exchange with the England fast bowler Tymal Mills and Stewart Laudat, who played minor counties cricket for Oxfordshire.Following their disclosure, Brooks confirmed in a statement that he “deeply regretted” using the term and apologised “wholeheartedly”.
The South Africa-born allrounder had been locked out of the 2020-21 season as well
ESPNcricinfo staff01-Jul-2021South Africa-born Otago allrounder Dean Foxcroft will miss a second successive domestic season in New Zealand due to Covid-enforced border restrictions.Immigration NZ (IMZ) has not approved an exception to its border restrictions, which means Foxcroft will be cut from Otago’s contracts list. The 23-year old was one of 15 players to be offered contracts last month, pending a border exemption.”We are devastated for Dean,” Otago Cricket Chief Executive Mike Coggan said. “He has made a formal commitment with New Zealand Cricket to make himself available, through the qualifying process, to play for the BlackCaps but due to the current Government restrictions in place he is unable to get back into the country to meet these commitments.””He is absolutely distraught, and we are too. Over the past 18 months we have done everything possible to get him back to Otago and at every turn our applications have been denied. He sees himself as a New Zealander who aspires to play for New Zealand one day. We will not give up on supporting Dean to realise his goals”.Foxcroft’s last competitive game was a Plunket Shield fixture for Otago against Central Districts in March 2020. He is among the most promising youngsters in domestic cricket, with a batting average of 51.15 and 41.46 in List A and T20 cricket respectively.