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Will Kieran Tierney’s return be just the start of another busy summer at Celtic?

On Tuesday, the Parkhead side officially confirmed the left-back’s return to Glasgow, six years after he departed for £25m, which remains a joint-club record sale.

Despite this, the Scottish Premiership champions are looking to bolster their full-back options further, possibly anticipating a departure, so could Brendan Rodgers’ side be close to another arrival?

Celtic chasing another defender after Tierney

Announced to supporters earlier this week, Tierney arrived back at Celtic with a point to prove. He was sporting a beaming smile and we’re sure Rodgers was too. Speaking about the deal, the Northern Irishman said:

“We are delighted to welcome Kieran back to Celtic. He is such a talented, high-quality player and he will be a massive addition to our squad. Kieran has always had Celtic in his blood and he is excited to be coming back to the place he loves.”

That said, he’s not the only left-back who could arrive this summer.

According to a report by journalist Ben Jacobs, Celtic are ‘interested’ in a move to sign defender Josh Doig.

Transfer Focus

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

Still only 23 years old, the full-back made his senior debut at Hibernian in 2020, accumulating 78 appearances for Hibs, before moving to Italy in 2022.

He spent two seasons at Hellas Verona, featuring 16 times in Serie A and then 29 times in Serie B following I Gialloblù’s relegation, before joining Sassuolo for a reported £5m in January 2024, a key figure as I Neroverdi won the second-tier title in Italy this season; only four of his teammate racked up more league minutes.

So now, could the youngster, who also made his senior Scotland debut against Liechtenstein at Rheinpark Stadion on Monday, be heading and joining the Premiership champions?

How Josh Doig compares to Greg Taylor

According to reports in Greece, PAOK have submitted an official offer to Greg Taylor, while Dinamo Zagreb have previously been noted as interested in securing the left-back’s signature.

Taylor joined Celtic from Kilmarnock in 2019, signed as Tierney’s direct replacement, and has made 216 appearances for the club, but is out of contract at the end of this month, and it seems extremely unlikely that he’ll sign an extension.

Callum McFadden of Breaking the Lines praises Taylor’s ‘consistency’, labelling him a ‘mainstay’ in the Celtic back-line during his six seasons at the club and, while Samuel Hutchinson of Total Football Analysis is impressed by his ‘reliability’, both in terms of performance and availability, they understand why the arrival of Tierney is viewed as an upgrade.

Nevertheless, Tierney has struggled for fitness throughout the entirety of his career, so a competent back-up in the form of Doig is required.

Jack Ross, who handed Doig his senior debut at Hibs, praised his “excellent” performances back in 2020. Since then, his game has reached a whole new level since making the move to Italy, scoring three goals and posting seven assists. That isn’t bad going for a defender, particularly as he only ever scored once for Hibs.

Mark Atkinson of the Scotsman believes that his ‘pace, physique and athleticism’ are his primary attributes, making him very much like Tierney in that regard, but also like Cristiano Ronaldo.

Yes, that was the view of former Hibs teammate Lewis Stevenson, who said in 2022: “He hasthe potential to go to the top level. He is 6 foot 3, fast, strong. Even just looking at him with his top off – without meaning to sound creepy – he looks like Ronaldo, with that kind of physique. He just is an athlete.”

So, let’s analyse how he compares to Taylor this season.

Appearances

31

43

Minutes

2,338

3,141

Pass completion %

77.4%

83.5%

Interceptions per 90

0.6

0.6

Tackles per 90

0.6

1.3

Clearances per 90

2

1.9

Ball recoveries

87

21

% of dribblers tackled

41.4%

77.8%

% of ground duels won

52%

58.3%

% of aerial duels won

55.6%

43.3%

As the table shows, Taylor does come out on top for a few metrics, but Doig’s statistics are comparable across the board, notably racking up more clearances and ball recoveries, as well as winning a higher percentage of aerial duels, suggesting he’d shore up the defence.

Also, according to Global Football Rankings, the youngster was doing his work at a higher level, with Serie B rated the 19th strongest league in the world, while the Scottish Premiership is down at 43rd.

Still only 23 years old, there is plenty of time for Doig to get better and, given Tierney’s injury record, should he arrive at Parkhead, there would be plenty of minutes available to him, if he chooses to swap green and black stripes for green and white hoops.

He's like Rodri: Celtic can sign bigger talent than Miller in £8m "anchor"

With Lennon Miller once again on Celtic’s radar following his full Scotland debut in Liechtenstein, should the Hoops sign an £8m anchor instead?

Jun 11, 2025

Today is the day for Tottenham Hotspur.

Ange Postecoglou and his team can make their fans forget about their diabolically poor domestic season by continuing their impressive European run and winning the Europa League Final.

However, with Manchester United having a stellar track record on the continent this season as well, it’s anyone’s guess who’ll get their hand on the trophy come full-time.

To give his team a better chance of coming away victorious, Postecoglou will have to make a number of changes to the starting lineup that lost away to Aston Villa on Friday night, like dropping Mikey Moore.

Why Moore should be dropped

The first thing to say is that while we think Moore should be taken out of the team, that doesn’t mean we don’t think he’ll have a large part to play for the club in the coming seasons.

After all, his youth record of 21 goals and 15 assists in 34 appearances across the various levels is nothing short of spectacular, and according to respected analyst Ben Mattinson, he’s a “future superstar” in the making.

However, he is still just 17 years old, and while he has looked reasonably impressive for the senior team here and there, he’s not had a significant enough impact – three goal involvements in 21 games – to warrant a start in the club’s biggest game since the Champions League Final.

Moore’s game vs Villa
Minutes	87′
Expected Goals	0.00
Goals	0
Expected Assists	0.00
Assists	0
Accurate passes	7/9 (78%)
Key passes	0
Crosses (accurate)	1 (0)
Shots on target	0
Ground duels (won)	9 (4)
Possession lost	7
Dribbled past	2
Dribble attempts (successful)	3 (0)
All Stats via Sofascore

Moreover, his inexperience showed somewhat at Villa Park, as he struggled to assert himself on the game and eventually came off the pitch in the 87th minute, having made just seven passes and failing in 100% of his dribbles.

Moreover, with Brennan Johnson still the team’s top scorer in all competitions this term, with 17 in 49 games, it should go without saying that he should be starting on the right ahead of everyone else.

The other Spurs star who should be dropped

Given the underwhelming nature of the game, there are a few other players you could bring up who should probably be taken out of the team for the final, like Archie Gray, Kevin Danso, Ben Davies and more.

Yet, in this instance, we are talking about another starter in the attack: Mathys Tel.

The young Frenchman might well be one of the more exciting players in the Lilywhites’ squad, with some at the club reportedly labelling him a “generational talent” before he arrived in February, but against the Villans, he didn’t do enough to convince us he should keep his place in the team for tonight’s monumental clash.

Tel’s game vs Villa
Minutes	96′
Expected Goals	0.00
Goals	0
Expected Assists	0.15
Assists	0
Accurate passes	12/14 (86%)
Key passes	1
Crosses (accurate)	1 (0)
Shots on target	0
Big chances created	1
Dribble attempts (successful)	5 (1)
Duels (won)	14 (4)
Possession lost	11
Fouls	4
All Stats via Sofascore

For example, despite leading the line for 96 minutes, he failed to take a single shot on target, registered just 0.15 expected assists, failed in 80% of his attempted dribbles, completed only 12 passes, failed in 100% of his crosses, missed one big chance, lost ten of 14 duels, lost the ball 11 times and committed four fouls.

Add to that the fact that he’s scored just three goals and provided one assist in 19 appearances for the club this season, and it’s almost impossible to make a convincing argument about why he should lead the line against the Red Devils.

Moreover, Dominic Solanke, the man who should come in to replace him, has been far more effective in front of goal this season, scoring 15 goals and providing eight assists in 43 appearances.

Ultimately, Tel could still be a useful asset for Spurs in tonight’s final, but to get the most out of him, Postecoglou would be better off starting him on the bench and then bringing him on later into the match as things get stretched so that he can exploit the opening spaces with his pace.

Ange can fix Kulu & Bergvall blow by unleashing Spurs "monster" in new role

The gifted international could be the answer for Spurs.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

May 20, 2025

Already thinking about the summer transfer window even as the race for Champions League football goes down to the wire, Aston Villa are now reportedly readying a formal move to sign a La Liga talent at the request of Unai Emery.

Aston Villa's Champions League hope

With three Premier League games to go, no one around Villa Park can complain that Emery’s side aren’t doing their bit in the race to secure Champions League qualification. The Villans have won four of their last five Premier League games in a run that includes a 2-1 victory over rivals Nottingham Forest.

Now, as the season begins to conclude, Aston Villa sit seventh and three points behind a Chelsea side that must slip up if those in the Midlands are to pull off a last-gasp push for top five. Given that the Blues face Newcastle United this weekend and then Manchester United before squaring off against Forest on the final day, however, Emery’s side should still hold plenty of hope that their fate could change.

Whilst Chelsea square off against Newcastle, United and then Forest, Villa have an easier run on paper in comparison. The Midlands club travel to Bournemouth this weekend before playing host to a Tottenham Hotspur side sat in the depths of the bottom half and then Amorim’s United side facing similar problems. Whether nine points from nine is enough to take them into the top five remains to be seen, however.

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That said, whether Villa secure Champions League football or miss out in the next three games, it looks as though sporting director Monchi is already planning for another busy summer transfer window.

Aston Villa readying formal Moleiro move

According to reports in Spain, Monchi is now readying a formal Aston Villa move to sign Alberto Moleiro from Las Palmas following a direct request from Emery. The midfielder has enjoyed another impressive campaign in Spain and could now be on his way to the Midlands.

No matter how much Emery believes that Moleiro is the perfect fit for his side, however, a deal is unlikely to come cheap this summer amid reports that the Spaniard has a release clause worth €60m (£51m) in his current contract.

The big question will be whether Aston Villa can afford that in the coming months and just how big a part missing out on Champions League football would play in pursuit of the midfielder. His ability to step into the Premier League, meanwhile, is something that should not be questioned.

At 21 years old, Moleiro has earned impressive praise from the likes of football talent scout Jacek Kulig, who praised the Las Palmas star for his “silky” touch in 2023.

Last night was arguably Tottenham Hotspur’s biggest game of the season so far, and things did not entirely go to plan.

Ange Postecoglou’s side played host to Eintracht Frankfurt in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final, and instead of building up a lead ahead of the second leg, they played out a 1-1 draw.

Unsurprisingly, given the scoreline, it was a night of mixed performances from the hosts, with some starters putting in a real shift while others have given the manager a decision to make ahead of next week.

1

Goals

1

0.89

Expected Goals

0.36

57%

Possession

43%

2

Big Chances

1

10

Total Shots

4

1

Saves

5

9

Corners

3

8

Tackles

21

528

Passes

410

In fact, one of Ange’s own signings was particularly poor, and truth be told, they let the manager down in a game which could seriously impact his job security.

Spurs' standout performers

So, before getting to the offender in question, it’s worth going over a couple of the starters who did at least put in a real effort and arguably deserved to come away with a win, such as Micky van de Ven.

The Dutch defender was immense at the back, making his trademark lung-busting runs on more than one occasion to completely snuff out counter-attacks.

Had it not been for the former Wolfsburg gem, there is a very real chance that Frankfurt could’ve got one or two more goals, and so he’s more than deserving of the 8/10 match rating he got from the Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast’s Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

James Maddison was another of Ange’s signings who put in a decent performance last night.

Now, he did lose the ball that led to the visitors’ opener, but after the first 15 minutes or so, he really found his feet and looked a genuine threat for much of the game.

The former Leicester City star got the assist for Pedro Porro’s goal and could have had one of his own in the second half, which, again, justifies the 7/10 match rating he got from Kilpatrick.

Unfortunately, one of Postecoglou’s other signings was far less influential last night, and as such, they let the fans and manager down.

The Spurs star who let Ange down

While the likes of Dominic Solanke and Son Heung-min were underwhelming last night, Brennan Johnson was arguably the worst Spurs player on the pitch.

It was only on Sunday that the Welsh international scored a brace against Southampton, so it made sense for Postecoglou to start him, but unlike then, the former Nottingham Forest star was utterly anonymous against Frankfurt.

In fact, it felt like whenever the “frustrating” wide man, as dubbed by former professional turned pundit Jamie O’Hara, did have the ball, he either lost it or played it safe, and then when he had a golden opportunity towards the end, he fired the ball well over the crossbar.

It might sound harsh, but Kilpatrick shares our opinion, awarding the winger a paltry 4/10 match rating at full-time and writing that aside from his big miss, he ‘was otherwise quiet.’

Unsurprisingly, his statistics only further back up this narrative, as in 95 minutes of action, the 23-year-old ace amassed a combined expected goal plus assists figure of 0.15 and failed to have a single shot on target.

To make matters worse, the Welshman only had 32 touches, completed just 13 passes – three fewer than goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario – and failed with 100% of his crosses during a really wasteful evening.

Minutes

95′

Expected Goals

0.14

Goals

0

Expected Assists

0.01

Assists

0

Shots on Target

0

Touches

32

Passing Accuracy

13/18 (72%)

Key Passes

0

Crosses (Accurate)

2 (0)

Long Balls (Accurate)

2 (1)

Lost Possession

11

Fouls

2

Ultimately, it was a middling night for Tottenham overall but a particularly bad one for Johnson, and if Postecoglou wants to see a better performance from his side in the second leg, he’d be better off dropping the Welshman.

He's a lot like Dele Alli: Spurs want to sign £20m "freak of nature"

The incredible youngster would be a hit at Spurs.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 10, 2025

Riyan Parag is set to lead Rajasthan Royals at 23, but there have been three younger captains in the IPL

Harigovind S22-Mar-2025Virat KohliIPL captaincy debut: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Rajasthan Royals, Jaipur, 2011
Age: 22 years 187 daysKohli was appointed full-time RCB skipper only in 2013, but he got his first taste of leadership two years earlier when Daniel Vettori sat out of RCB’s game against Rajasthan Royals with a knee problem. Kohli, already a regular in the Indian team, was the natural successor. He kickstarted his captaincy career with back-to-back wins but then endured a 111-run trouncing at the hands of Kings XI Punjab. In all, he captained RCB in 143 games in the IPL.Steven SmithIPL captaincy debut: Pune Warriors vs RCB, Pune, 2012
Age: 22 years 344 daysLong before he established himself as a great batter, Smith served as Pune Warriors captain for one match towards the end of IPL 2012. Smith had gone unsold in the auction that year, but Warriors, who boycotted the auction over disagreements with the BCCI, signed him before the season began. At the fag end of a poor season for Warriors, in which they finished bottom of the league, the misfiring Sourav Ganguly stepped down, and Smith, who had captained Sydney Sixers in the previous Big Bash League season, took over. A few years later, Smith went on to captain Royals and Rising Pune Supergiant.Suresh RainaIPL captaincy debut: Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Daredevils, Delhi, 2010
Age: 23 years 112 daysMS Dhoni was hit on the arm by a rising Shane Bond delivery and sidelined for a few days during the 2010 season, and Raina, Chennai’s leading batter in the previous two editions, stepped in for three games. In his first game as the CSK captain, he scored a vital 49 not out in a tall chase against DD, but CSK lost their next two games under him. Raina’s services were needed just twice more for CSK, in 2019, but he did captain Gujarat Lions for their two seasons, in 2016 and 2017.Riyan Parag will become the fifth-youngest captain in the IPL•BCCIRiyan ParagIPL captaincy debut: Rajasthan Royals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, 2025
Age: 23 years 133 daysParag has been in the IPL for six years, but he is still only 23 and is set to captain Rajasthan Royals in their first three games of IPL 2025 as Sanju Samson, recovering from finger surgery, will play purely as a batter. Parag, who has captained his domestic side Assam in 23 matches across formats, had a breakthrough 2024 – he scored 573 runs in the IPL and made his India debut. Leading Royals in Samson’s absence seems like a just reward.Shreyas IyerIPL captaincy debut: DD vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi, 2018
Age: 23 years 142 daysDelhi Daredevils, as the Delhi franchise was known then, had lost five of their first six games in IPL 2018 when their out-of-form captain Gautam Gambhir stepped down. Iyer, who had captained India A and Mumbai by then, was one of the few bright spots for Daredevils and replaced Gambhir. While Daredevils could not avoid the wooden spoon, they went out on a high with back-to-back wins against Mumbai Indians and CSK. Iyer went on to captain the Delhi franchise till 2021 before becoming captain of KKR. His new gig as Punjab Kings captain makes him the second Indian, after Ajinkya Rahane, to captain three different IPL franchises.

All the key numbers from India’s record win against Afghanistan

Sampath Bandarupalli11-Oct-20237 – Hundreds for Rohit Sharma at the men’s ODI World Cup, the most by any player, surpassing the six scored by Sachin Tendulkar. Four of those seven hundreds by Rohit came while chasing, while no other batter has more than two batting second.ESPNcricinfo Ltd556 – Sixes hit by Rohit in international cricket, the most by any batter, going past Chris Gayle’s tally of 553. Out of those, 297 have been in ODIs, the third most in the format.ESPNcricinfo Ltd63 – Balls needed for Rohit to complete his hundred against Afghanistan, the fastest by an Indian at the men’s ODI World Cup. The previous fastest was by Virender Sehwag, who took 81 balls for his ton against Bermuda in 2007.31 – ODI hundreds for Rohit, the third most in the format, going ahead of Ponting. Only Tendulkar (49) and Virat Kohli (47) have more ODI tons than Rohit.ESPNcricinfo Ltd29 – …of Rohit’s 31 ODI tons have come while opening the batting. He now has the second-most hundreds in ODIs as an opener, going ahead of Sanath Jayasuriya’s 28 and only behind Tendulkar’s 45.21 – Number of centuries scored by Rohit since turning 30 in ODIs, the joint-most by any batter. Tillakaratne Dilshan and Jayasuriya also had 21 tons each in ODIs after turning 30.19 – Innings taken by Rohit for 1000 runs at the ODI World Cup, the joint-fastest batter to the milestone, equalling David Warner, who got there in 19 innings on Sunday against India.ESPNcricinfo Ltd4 – Hundreds by Indian batters in men’s ODIs that were faster than Rohit’s 63-ball century in Delhi. It is also the sixth-fastest hundred for any batter at the men’s ODI World Cup.2 – Rohit’s 30-ball fifty was also the second-fastest for India at the men’s ODI World Cup, behind Tendulkar’s fifty off 26 balls against Bermuda in the 2007 edition.76 – Runs scored by Rohit in the first ten overs of the Indian innings. These are the most by a batter for India in a men’s ODI innings in the first ten overs since 2002. The previous highest was 70 runs by Robin Uthappa against West Indies in Chennai in 2007.6 – Player-of-the-Match awards for Rohit in the ODI World Cup. Only Tendulkar – nine awards – is ahead of Rohit, while Glenn McGrath also has six.35 – Overs India needed to chase down the target of 273, the fastest successful 250-plus target chase in the men’s ODI World Cup. The previous fastest was off 36.2 overs by New Zealand in the 283-run chase against England in the opening game of the ongoing edition.90 – Balls remaining when India reached the target, the third biggest win in terms of balls remaining in men’s ODIs when chasing a target of 250-plus runs. South Africa chased down 261 with 123 balls to spare against West Indies earlier this year, while England defeated Sri Lanka with 95 balls to spare in 2016 while chasing 255.

After being dropped from the Test team, seamer’s surging form for Hampshire is remaking his case

Umar Farooq23-Apr-2021Until last week, Mohammad Abbas was an overlooked name in Pakistan cricket. But then at the Ageas Bowl, he reclaimed the spotlight with a remarkable performance for Hampshire against Middlesex in the LV= County Championship, to reignite his belief that his recent axing from the Test team will only be a temporary measure.After picking up three cheap wickets in an innings victory over his former club Leicestershire in the opening round, Abbas confirmed his rhythm was right back where he wanted it to be against Middlesex, as he claimed a hat-trick inside seven balls.The method he used was familiar: understated and deadly. A perfect line to a succession of batters, with just enough wobble off the seam to confound their defences. Max Holden was the first to go, to Abbas’ fifth ball of the innings, as the left-hander poked on an off-stump line and deflected a thick edge to Joe Weatherley at third slip. Nick Gubbins was pinned on the crease one ball later, as Abbas jagged a leg-stump delivery into his knee-roll, then with the first ball of his second over, he grazed Stevie Eskinazi’s outside edge as he pressed forward on off stump again.Before the end of his third over, Abbas had picked up each of the first five wickets to fall as Middlesex crashed to 14 for 5, at which point his figures were an extraordinary 2.5-1-3-5. When Sam Robson fell for 18, with Middlesex 31 for 6, he briefly looked on course to claim all ten in the match but had to settle for the final innings figures of 6 for 11. Though Middlesex put up more of a fight in the follow-on, no one could get to grips with Abbas, as he finished with match figures of 9 for 39 in 31 overs.The hat-trick, though, was the undoubted highlight. It was his first in an extensive 12-year first-class career, having previously failed to convert various opportunities in Pakistan, and Abbas believes that – with the national team still in need of a senior bowler to anchor their attack – his efforts for Hampshire could his route back to Test cricket, after admitting to a tail-off in recent international form.”It great to have a hat-trick in my profile,” Abbas told ESPNcricinfo. “These are kind of records every bowler wishes to have. I am happy that I will be able to decorate my career with this distinction.”I previously had various hat-trick chances in my career but missed it. So when this opportunity arrived, I never wanted it to let it go. With all the experience, I had an idea that the batsman might expect the ball to seam in but I thought to bowl an outswinger and it worked. I am grateful for it, and happy about it.”Ben Stokes winces as Mohammad Abbas bowls him for a duck•Getty ImagesAbbas, 31, is with Hampshire for an initial two months that covers as many as eight games, but his contract could be extended if the side reaches the league stage of the competition in August and September, which is very much on the cards after their flying start to the season.However, Pakistan could well come calling once more on the evidence of his current form. They are scheduled to play three Tests against West Indies in July and August this year, and having picked up 15 wickets at 19.20 in his debut series in the Caribbean in 2017, Pakistan’s chief selectors know plenty about his effectiveness in such conditions.However, he was dropped after a drastic slump in his form in the past two years. At the end of Pakistan’s tour of South Africa in January 2019, Abbas had picked up 66 wickets at 18.16 in 14 Tests, and at one stage he had the lowest average – 15.64 – for any bowler with 50-plus Test wickets in the last 100 years. Against Australia in Abu Dhabi, he became the first Pakistani bowler in 28 years to claim a ten-wicket haul, en route to a crushing 373-run win.Since then, however, Abbas has added just 18 more wickets in nine Tests, at an average of 37.27 and a strike rate of 94.5. He believes, however, that a combination of injury and a lack of match practice due to the Covid-19 pandemic contributed to this down-turn, as well as a dip in form from Pakistan’s attack as a whole.”I really had a great start to my career but unfortunately I got a shoulder injury,” Abbas said. “When you touch a peak and have a sudden fall you obviously need time to regain yourself. I did struggle after my return but then, in the second stint of my career, I lost the experienced bowlers at another end. Things started to break away. New management came in and I got to bowl with a fresh bowler, with Shaheen Afridi at his early stage. Musa [Khan], [Usman] Shinwari, Naseem Shah, they all were inexperienced and Yasir [Shah] also stopped taking wickets so it all comes down to me alone as a senior bowler.

“With all the experience, I had an idea that the batsman might expect the ball to seam in but I thought to bowl an outswinger and it worked”Mohammad Abbas on his hat-trick delivery

“Bowlers also need partnerships similar to in batting,” he added. “When I am bowling I usually develop chemistry and it takes time to find one. If one end is getting wickets, that is mainly because the other end is taking all the pressure of containing runs. One is attacking, the other is containing and controlling the flow of runs.”Given his central role in Pakistan’s victory at Lord’s in 2018, where he claimed four wickets in each innings to set the side up for a highly creditable 1-1 series draw, Abbas’ returns in England last summer were a disappointment, as he finished with five wickets at 35.80 in the three Tests – albeit one of those was arguably the ball of the series, a peerless outswinger to bowl Ben Stokes for a duck at Old Trafford. He fared little better on the subsequent tour of New Zealand, with four wickets at 45.00. But he believes a bowler of his type is particularly hampered by the Covid restrictions on tour.”In New Zealand, when I thought Afridi started to develop, we were suppressed with the 14-day quarantine,” he said. “It basically was a killer for a sportsperson. For a bowler, it’s about adjusting to the away conditions, understanding the length, and with pre-series prep, you get in your groove. But we were largely deprived so it was a missed opportunity for me to revive after injury.”Related

• Mohammad Abbas, Naseem Shah return to Pakistan Test squad

• Mohammad Abbas hat-trick and six-for leaves Middlesex feeling abashed

• Ian Holland, Sam Northeast tons set Middlesex a mammoth target

• All-round dominance hands Hampshire second big win of the season

Abbas’ expanding strike rate started to become a concern for Pakistan as the wicket tally started to shrink, even though he did well to contain the runs on both tours. But he was dropped for the home series against South Africa and overlooked again for the ongoing Zimbabwe tour.Pakistan left him to work on his game with the bowling coach Waqar Younis, who decided that his game didn’t need any major tweaks after injury. But in his absence, Pakistan have had a drastic change in their bowling line-up, with Afridi now the leader of the pack with a host of new faces.He accepts that a yard of extra pace might not hurt his chances of a recall, but also believes that his innate skill with a cricket ball will continue to stand him in good stead, particularly now that the Covid restrictions are limiting the use of saliva to help the ball swing.”I know I still have a lot to offer and Pakistan needs an experienced bowler,” Abbas said. “There is a lot of Test cricket coming up later this year and next year, and I think I can contribute. This ongoing County Championship is a big opportunity for me to revive myself. I know people often talk about my pace, and I had few words with Umar Gul, and he suggested me to bowl with the older ball as much as I can to generate more pace.”So it’s about getting into my method and helping me to bowl with extra pace. When you are not getting wickets as a player and as a team, your chips are down and your pace drops automatically. But once wickets are falling in your way, you start flying, and with every over you feel reinvigorated.”This county season came at the right time and I am going make the most out of it. Also, this new rule not to use saliva is basically allowing the ball to rough up pretty early than usual… like only after 15 overs instead of after 30 overs so more opportunity to take upfront wickets.”

تحدث جيمي ريدناب، محلل بكة سكاي سبورتس البريطانية عن افتقاد صلاح لشيء ما مع ليفربول تحت قيادة آرني سلوت في ظل عدم مشاركته أساسيًا في مباراتين متتاليتين.

وواجه ليفربول نظيره سندرلاند مساء أمس، الأربعاء، ضمن منافسات الجولة الرابعة عشر من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي.

وحسم التعادل الإيجابي 1/1 مباراة ليفربول أمام سندرلاند في مواجهة قوية للغاية واستمرت إثارتها حتى اللحظات الأخيرة.

ولم يبدأ صلاح المباراة أساسيًا للمرة الثانية بعد جلوسه على دكة البدلاء أمام وست هام في المباراة الماضية، وحل بديلًا أمام سندرلاند مع بداية الشوط الثاني.

اقرأ أيضًا | ريدناب: وجهتان محتملتان لـ محمد صلاح في يناير بسبب سلوت

وقال ريدناب في حديثه عن استبعاد صلاح بعد المباراة: “لا أعتقد أن الأمر سيختلف عما حدث عندما تم استبعاد آلان شيرار من قبل رود خوليت قبل سنوات عديدة وانتهى الأمر بصدام كبير حيث كان يجب على أحدهما الرحيل، لكن يبدو الأمر وكأن شيئًا ما يجب أن يحدث”.

وأضاف: “لن يكون محمد صلاح راضيًا على الإطلاق عن كونه لاعبًا صغيرًا في هذا الفريق”.

وأردف: “سواء كان ذلك في يناير أو في الصيف، إذا وجد الأندية المناسبة، أعتقد أنه لديه الحق في الرحيل إذا لم تسر الأمور في طريقه”.

واستطرد: “لا أستطيع إلا أن أتوقع هذه النتيجة، الآن وقد انكسرت الثقة، وخاصةً مع لاعب مثل صلاح، فهو بحاجة إلى هذه الثقة والحب من المدرب”.

وأتم: “صلاح سيشارك في كأس أمم إفريقيا وكان يجب على المدرب إشراكه في المباريات لأنه بطبيعة الحال سيغيب لمدة 8 مباريات عن ليفربول”.

Chelsea have become known for splashing the cash in the transfer market over recent years, even breaking the British transfer record on numerous occasions.

Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernández both joined in deals worth over £100m, showcasing the hierarchy’s ambitions of taking the club back to Premier League glory in the years ahead.

Over the summer of 2025, the Blues spent up to £420m on new additions, including add-ons, with Enzo Maresca once again being backed to lead the club up the table.

Numerous of the recent arrivals have hit the ground running in West London, as seen with striker Joao Pedro, who has already netted four goals and laid on three assists this season.

However, the same can’t be said for another player in the first-team squad, with his start to life in the capital being nothing short of a disaster, given his constant setbacks.

Liam Delap’s disastrous start to life at Chelsea

During the summer window, Chelsea secured the £30m signing of striker Liam Delap from Ipswich Town after triggering his relegation release clause in his contract.

The 22-year-old was seen as an exciting addition for the Blues, but his move has failed to take off in recent months, with injuries often plaguing his progress under Maresca.

He suffered a hamstring injury against Fulham back in August that would rule him out of action for two months, before suffering yet another issue just seven games into his return.

Delap was forced off with a shoulder injury against Bournemouth a couple of weeks ago, which is set to rule the Englishman out until the new year at the earliest.

However, despite his fitness issues, the £30m man has often struggled to deliver the goods when fit, as seen by his measly tally of just one goal in his first 11 appearances for the Blues.

His only goal came in the Champions League, but his struggles in the Premier League are there for all to see, with the talisman only posting five shots on target to date.

The Chelsea star who’s already a huge upgrade on Delap

As previously mentioned, fellow striker Pedro has already managed to outperform Delap in the Premier League, with the Brazilian a more effective option to date.

The £55m paid for the 24-year-old already appears to be excellent business, with the former Brighton & Hove Albion star having the platform to reach world-class status under Marcesa’s guidance.

However, the Blues’ recent recruitment has seen them target young talents that can gain experience elsewhere before making the jump into being a first-team regular in West London.

Estevao is a prime example of such a situation, with the teenager staying at homeland club Palmeiras for a period of time before his move to Chelsea to allow him to gain needed senior first-team minutes.

Such a situation has once unfolded in front of the supporters’ very eyes, with striker Emanuel Emgeha one of the latest players to agree to join Maresca’s men.

Back in September, it was confirmed that the Dutch striker would be joining the Blues in the summer of 2026 from sister club Strasbourg on a seven-year contract.

Whilst he may be an unknown name to many, the 22-year-old is an unbelievably talented star who could inject serious quality into the centre-forward department.

When comparing his stats to those of Delap from the ongoing campaign, the soon-to-be Chelsea star has massively dominated the Englishman in numerous key areas.

Emegha, who’s been dubbed one of the “best strikers in Europe” by his assistant boss, has also struggled with injuries this season, but it hasn’t restricted him from thriving in the final third, as seen by his incredible tally of six combined goals and assists in just seven appearances.

How Emegha & Delap compare in 2025/26
Statistics (per 90)	Emegha	Delap
Games played	7	8
Goals & assists	6	0
Shots on target	1.4	1.2
Pass accuracy	81%	64%
Passes into final third	0.4	0.2
Take-on success	1.4	0.7
Aerials won	80%	40%
Stats via FBref

Such a tally is way in excess of what Delap has been able to offer, with the Blues’ number nine unable to post a single goal or assist in more outings than the Dutchman.

Away from his goalscoring record, the Strasbourg talent has also achieved more shots on target per 90 – further showcasing his talents within the final third.

He’s also completed more of the passes he’s attempted, with more of his efforts being made into the final third – arguably making him a more creative outlet.

Emgeha’s dominance is also reflected in his higher tally of take-ons completed and better aerial success rate – numbers which make him the perfect all-round option for Maresca.

Many fans will have hoped that Delap would have more of an impact in 2025/26, but it’s safe to say the move has failed to live up to the expectations it generated.

However, the arrival of Emegha next summer could finally end the hunt for a new talisman, with the youngster having all the tools to star at Stamford Bridge for many years.

Chelsea's next star: BlueCo have signed a talent who's like Estevao & Caicedo

The hugely exciting wonderkid has been compared to two of Chelsea’s best players.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

3 days ago

Tottenham are looking to get back to winning ways against Fulham tonight with Thomas Frank handed a key selection decision ahead of the Premier League clash.

Tottenham face Fulham after back-to-back defeats

Spurs face a crucial test when Fulham visit the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Frank desperate for a response following Wednesday’s devastating 5-3 Champions League defeat to PSG.

The Parc des Princes encounter saw Spurs’ unbeaten European run spectacularly ended despite twice taking the lead, with Vitinha’s sensational hat-trick ultimately proving the difference.

The result leaves Tottenham fifteenth in the Champions League standings, significantly increasing pressure on Frank to arrest their recent slide.

The Lilywhites have won just one of their last five games in all competitions, a 4-0 rout of Danish minnows FC Copenhagen, with London rivals Chelsea and Arsenal recently putting them to the sword.

25/26 Premier League	Spurs	League rank
xG	11.0	17th
Non-penalty xG	11.0	16th
Progressive passes	413	12th
Shots	110	19th
Shots on target	40	15th
Average shot distance	15.6 yards	17th
Stats via FBref

Dominic Solanke’s continued absence through injury compounds Tottenham’s attacking concerns. The striker has been out since undergoing ankle surgery earlier in the season, managing just 47 minutes of football all campaign.

His unavailability places enormous responsibility on Randal Kolo Muani and Richarlison to provide a consistent goalscoring threat, though Frank has suggested that the former will be given the nod against Fulham after his breathtaking PSG performance.

The Frenchman donned a mask for his fractured jaw, scoring a brace and providing an assist against his parent club, with Frank confirming that Kolo Muani is fit enough to start this evening.

However, one man who won’t be taking part is star defender Cristian Romero.

Tottenham "liability" left Thomas Frank "raging"

The Argentine endured an evening to forget away to PSG, with talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook branding him a “liability” that would have left Frank “raging”.

Romero is set to miss tonight’s clash with Fulham through suspension, meaning that Kevin Danso is more than likely set to partner Micky van de Ven at the heart of Frank’s defence.

This could be enough to get the job done against a Fulham side who are firm candidates for relegation after a lacklustre start to 2025/2026, but Frank will be wary that Marco Silva’s men have won two of their last three Premier League games.

Even after Romero’s disasterclass at PSG, the 27-year-old remains a key figurehead for Spurs and partners van de Ven to devastating effect at times.

Ange Postecoglou always had a much better time as Spurs boss when both men were available to play his high line, but Danso has proved that he can do a solid job when called upon.