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Allrounders Aaron Hardie and Matt Short have also been named alongside Alex Carey

Andrew McGlashan12-Jan-2025 • Updated on 13-Jan-2025Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood have been named in Australia’s squad for the Champions Trophy after been ruled out of the upcoming Test tour of Sri Lanka.Cummins, who will captain the team, is on paternity leave for the birth of his second child, but it was also revealed last week that he was to undergo scans on a troublesome ankle he carried through the India Test series. George Bailey, the chair of selectors, said they were awaiting the outcome of the scans but with the ability to freely amend the squad for the next four weeks there was no imminent rush to make a final call.Related

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“I want to give him a little bit of space at the back end of the Border-Gavaskar; obviously baby pending,” Bailey said. “We’ll work through that with Pat and obviously the selection panel and the medical team…but I know he’s very keen.”Hazlewood, meanwhile, hadn’t quite recovered in time from the calf injury that ended his series but should be able to take his place in the one-day side.Allrounders Aaron Hardie and Matthew Short, the latter who scored a 54-ball 109 for Adelaide Strikers two days ago, have also been included in the 15-player squad.Hardie is not currently bowling for Perth Scorchers in the BBL due to injury while Josh Inglis is also recovering from a calf strain he picked up while sub fielding during the Test series.Nathan Ellis has tipped out the likes of Sean Abbott and Xavier Bartlett to be the fourth pace bowler behind the big three.”This is a balanced and experienced squad with the core having been involved in the previous one-day World Cup, the West Indies series, last year’s successful tour of the UK and the more recent Pakistan home series,” Bailey said. “It offers a variety of options for touring management depending on opposition and the conditions that may present in Pakistan.”Alex Carey also finds a spot after making a successful return to the ODI side against England last year with scores of 74 and 77 not out having previously lost his place after one game of the 2023 World Cup. He could play as a specialist batter, as he did once in the England series, but also provides wicketkeeping back-up for Inglis.Adam Zampa is the one frontline spinner but will be supported by Short and Glenn Maxwell.Among younger players who featured against Pakistan earlier in the series, where Australia lost 2-1, Jake Fraser-McGurk has not made the cut amid an extended lean run which has included a top score of 26 in eight innings for Melbourne Renegades. Cooper Connolly, who was selected for the Sri Lanka Test tour, also can’t find a space.Australia will play a one-off ODI against Sri Lanka on February 13 before heading to Pakistan and discussions remain ongoing as to whether there will be another warm-up game. They are grouped with England (February 22), South Africa (February 25) and Afghanistan (February 28).The first semi-final will take place in Dubai on March 4 with the second in Lahore on March 5 following confirmation of the hybrid model due to India not traveling to Pakistan. The final will be on March 9, in either Dubai or Lahore depending on whether India qualify.Australia squad for Champions TrophyPat Cummins (capt), Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

Aston Villa have been handed a golden opportunity to sign a “prolific” striker, with his club now open to sanctioning a departure this summer, according to a report.

Villa set sights on new striker amid Watkins uncertainty

Widespread reports have suggested that Villa have no interest in allowing Ollie Watkins to leave this summer, but they may find it difficult to hold onto the striker, given that he is thought to be really keen on a move to Old Trafford.

At the moment, Manchester United are battling Newcastle United for the services of RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, but there is a feeling that Ruben Amorim’s side may not be able to match the Magpies’ offer, which would force them to move on to alternative options.

Should that happen, the Red Devils could pursue a move for Watkins, with the 29-year-old of the belief that now is the right time to leave Villa Park, and Unai Emery’s side have now started running the rule over potential replacements.

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Last week, it was revealed that RB Leipzig’s Lois Openda has been identified as a key target, should Watkins leave, but the 25-year-old is not the only striker on Emery’s shortlist.

According to a report from Caught Offside, Aston Villa are now assessing a move for Paris Saint-Germain’s Goncalo Ramos, and they have been handed a golden opportunity to get a deal done, given that the French club are now open to a sale.

Ramos is looking to leave PSG this summer, given that he is no longer a regular starter, and there are plenty of potential suitors waiting in the wings, with Newcastle, Man United, Liverpool, Napoli and Juventus all named as interested parties.

However, Villa may have to spend big if they are to get a deal over the line, as PSG are looking to recoup as much of the €65m (£56m) fee they forked out to sign the centre-forward as possible.

"Prolific" Ramos could be ideal Watkins replacement

The 24-year-old may be finding it difficult to force his way into Luis Enrique’s plans, but he still managed to amass 19 goals in all competitions in the 2024-25 season, and football talent scout Jacek Kulig has praised the striker for his performances at international level.

Luis Enrique has also singled the Portuguese striker out for praise in the past, saying: “If I have to talk to you about Ramos, I can only say that he has an iron spirit. He has a faultless ambition and he’s a very interesting player.”

That said, Villa’s number one priority this summer should be to keep hold of Watkins, given that the Englishman has already proven himself in the Premier League over a number of years.

England have gone top of Group B at the women’s T20 World Cup with a game to play after demolishing Scotland by ten wickets in Sharjah. By chasing down a modest target of 110 with ten overs to spare, they overtook South Africa, who are also on six points but have played a game more, on net run-rate.The manner of the victory, sealed with a boundary by Maia Bouchier, whose unbeaten 62 is now the tournament’s highest individual score, also saw England boast an NRR higher than West Indies. They square off on Tuesday in what is a knockout encounter, though both teams could mathematically still go through together at the expense of South Africa.Danni Wyatt-Hodge also registered a half-century, 51* off 26, in an opening stand with Bouchier that now ranks as the highest at this World Cup. It was a boundary-laden affair – 76 runs coming in fours – that ended Scotland’s maiden women’s World Cup campaign with a fourth straight defeat.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Scotland were able to sign off with their highest total after winning the toss and electing to bat. Skipper Kathryn Bryce’s 33 off 28 – the only Scottish batter to strike at more than a run a ball – provided the backbone of the innings, as she batted through to the end of the 17th over, having arrived for the start of the ninth. Her sister Sarah Bryce opened with 27 from 31, the only other score of note, though Alisa Lister had the honour of hitting Scotland’s first six at a major tournament when she slog-swept Sarah Glenn in the 13th over.England kept their opponents in check throughout, though they did fail to take a wicket in the powerplay for the first time in six matches as Sarah and Saskia Horley made it through the opening six overs, albeit for just 29. Sophie Ecclestone, as ever, was the pick of the bowlers, the left-arm spinner finishing with 2 for 13 from her four overs.Lauren Bell, making her first appearance of the tournament with England keen to make use of a pitch now conducive to seam, finished with 1 for 16. She was one of two changes for Heather Knight’s charges, with Sophia Dunkley replacing Alice Capsey. Capsey had been unwell in the week, with the management deciding not to take any risks, especially with the heat in England’s day game of the competition.Bell bowled Lorna Jack-Brown, who ended her international career with a three-ball duck. She finishes as the most-capped player in Scotland’s history.Danni Wyatt-Hodge scored a half-century in just 26 balls•ICC/Getty Images

Bouchier and Wyatt-Hodge choose aggression

The peculiarity of England’s day was clear when they left their hotel for this match as Bangladesh were checking out to head home. The 2009 champions had only played two so far while some other teams had completed their group-stage programme.That included South Africa, who sat top of Group B on Sunday morning, with West Indies level on four points with England but in second with a greater NRR – by 1.055 – but having played a game more.With everything laid out before England, the calculations at half-time were straightforward. Reach the necessary 110 in 11.5 overs or fewer to wrestle away the top spot from South Africa, and 9.3 overs or fewer to trump West Indies’ NRR. Though they did not manage the latter, Bouchier’s step across and heave over the leg side for four at the end of the tenth over saw England achieve both side quests with the necessary win.Though Scotland were particularly wayward with their lines, Bouchier and Wyatt-Hodge were brutal. They struck England’s first century opening stand in T20 World Cups since 2012, from just 54 deliveries. They also pocketed the fastest team fifty of this edition in just 4.4 overs, and the largest powerplay at 66 for 0.Bouchier began the chase with three fours from the first three balls, delivered by left-armer Rachel Slater, on her way to a third career half-century from just 30 deliveries. Wyatt-Hodge’s 17th 50-plus score in T20Is was six balls quicker. Nothing summed up the pair’s understanding of the assignment more than the ten clinical fours they hit in a 16-ball sequence from the start of the fourth over.England can do it the easy way by beating West Indies on Tuesday•ICC/Getty Images

Get the calculators out

The winners of England versus West Indies on Tuesday will be guaranteed a spot in the final four of this World Cup. But the losers could still make it through in the event of two extreme scenarios.Should West Indies make 201 or more and win, England could still sneak in if the margin of defeat is just a single run. Similarly, they could lose in a Super Over and make it through provided they match a West Indies score of 194 or more in the regulation 20 overs.Both seem highly unlikely given the way the pitch has been playing at Sharjah. But fans of South African cricket know all too well that World Cup heartbreak can take many peculiar forms…Lorna Jack-Brown fell for a duck in her farewell match•Getty Images

Growing pains for Scotland

It was dispiriting for Scotland to end their first women’s World Cup with three heavy defeats. Callous ones at that, given West Indies, South Africa and England knew they had to match each other’s dominance against the international tournament debutants.After a promising opener against Bangladesh, the gulf between Scotland and the top tier of women’s cricket has been made abundantly clear over the last seven days. But the tournament as a whole has been a necessary growing pain for a team looking to establish themselves at this level.There were flashes of promise alongside the expected quality of Kathryn and Sarah Bryce, who ended as the team’s leading run-scorers. Had Olivia Bell held on to a return catch from Bouchier when the batter had just 17, she would have maintained her streak of taking a wicket in every match. That three of their four matches were day games – this was England’s first – was its own unique challenge, with temperatures in Sharjah constantly in the mid to late 30s.Considering they were granted ODI status in 2022, with professional contracts only introduced in 2023, this can be marked down as another important step in the right direction for Scottish women’s cricket.

England have handed first white-ball call-ups to Jacob Bethell, Josh Hull and Dan Mousley for next month’s home series against Australia. Brydon Carse returns after serving a three-month suspension for betting breaches, while the uncapped John Turner is also included in both squads.There was no place for veterans Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali or Chris Jordan, all of whom were involved at the T20 World Cup in June, while neither Tom Hartley, who was with the squad in the Caribbean but has yet to be capped in T20Is, nor Rehan Ahmed are included. Mark Wood also misses out through injury.England will be led by Jos Buttler, alongside interim head coach Marcus Trescothick, for three T20Is and five ODIs. Buttler has not played since the T20 World Cup, having strained a calf while preparing for the Hundred, but is hoping to be involved in Lancashire’s T20 Blast quarter-final at Hove next week, ahead of the first T20I against Australia on September 11.England white-ball squads to play Australia•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Bethell and Mousley, the Warwickshire spin-bowling allrounders, had been tipped for inclusion on the back of their T20 Blast and Hundred form, while Leicestershire’s 6ft 7in fast bowler Hull has now been called up by England for all three formats in the space of two days. Bethell and Hull have been named in both squads, while Mousley is only included for the T20Is.Jordan Cox is another player who could make his T20I debut, almost two years after he was first called up for England’s tour of Pakistan. Cox was a member of the Oval Invincibles side that sealed back-to-back Hundred titles a fortnight ago and is currently the spare batter with the Test side. Saqib Mahmood, Player of the Match in the Hundred final, is also back in contention in T20Is after two years interrupted by back stress fractures.Carse, who was banned after an anti-corruption investigation by the Cricket Regulator, has not played any cricket since May – his suspension is due to lift later this week. He will add to England’s pace-bowling options alongside Turner, who toured the Caribbean last winter and has continued to impress for Hampshire and Trent Rockets.Related

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The ODI series with Australia will see England begin to focus on next year’s Champions Trophy in Pakistan. Five members of the Test squad, who could not be involved in the T20I series due to the short turnaround after the series with Sri Lanka, are included – Gus Atkinson, Harry Brook, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith and Matthew Potts – but Joe Root has been rested.Jofra Archer was also named in both squads, and is set to play his first ODI since the 2022-23 tour of Bangladesh, after which he suffered a recurrence of his elbow injury.England T20I squad: Jos Buttler (capt), Jofra Archer, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Sam Curran, Josh Hull, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone, Saqib Mahmood, Dan Mousley, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, John TurnerEngland ODI squad: Jos Buttler (capt), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Josh Hull, Will Jacks, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Jamie Smith, Reece Topley, John Turner

South Africa suffered an innings defeat in the last Test they played earlier this year, while India beat England and Australia in December

Sruthi Ravindranath27-Jun-2024

Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet undertake catching drills on the eve of the Test•PTI

Big picture: Can South Africa challenge upbeat India? It’s been a while but women’s cricket finally returns to Chennai. Both teams are unfamiliar with the conditions: India haven’t played here since a Quadrangular Series in 2007; South Africa have only played one match in Chennai, a T20 World Cup game in 2016.But India are coming into this match not only having played a Test against England and Australia last December, but also comprehensively beating both those top sides. India’s spinners were key in those wins, and that will also be a big advantage for the home team going into this Test in what are expected to be spin-friendly conditions.Related

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India’s resources have only increased in the last several months. They handed maiden call-ups to several players and have had four players train at the National Cricket Academy exclusively for the red-ball format, boasting depth in both batting and bowling departments. Their offspin-allrounders Sneh Rana and Deepti Sharma played match-winning hands in the December Tests, while their batters posted two 400-plus totals in the first innings of both matches. Most of the international players also played in the Senior Women’s Inter-zonal multi-day series in March-April.India will also take confidence from the ODI series win against South Africa into the Test. Their mainstay Smriti Mandhana showed superb form, while the likes of Deepti and Arundhati Reddy shone with the ball.South Africa, on the other hand, will be playing their second Test of the year, having suffered an innings defeat against Australia in February in Perth. They also don’t have quality preparation with the red ball heading into this Test. The format is not part of their domestic system and South Africa also had only a couple of days to adjust to the conditions. They did have long net sessions over the last two days against Tamil Nadu’s Under-14 and Under-16 boys teams, facing more spin than pace.Laura Wolvaardt has called for South Africa women to play more domestic red-ball cricket•PTI

South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt said on the eve of the Test that adapting to the ball “staying low and turning a bit” will be the “biggest challenge”. They do have a left-arm spin option in Nonkululeko Mlaba, while Marizanne Kapp said Sune Luus, who bowled offspin in the second ODI, will also bowl.All things considered, it is advantage India going into the only Test.Form GuideIndia WWD (last three matches, most recent first)
South Africa LDLIn the spotlight: Deepti Sharma and Laura WolvaardtDeepti Sharma has been in brilliant all-round form lately. In the Test against England, she picked up a match haul of 9 for 39, which included superb figures of 5 for 7 in the first innings. She also scored a 67 in that game in a dominant Indian batting display. Deepti followed that up with a score of 78 and two wickets against Australia. She was in peak form in domestic cricket as well, taking 27 wickets and scoring 157 runs in three games in the Inter-zonal multi-day Trophy for East Zone.Deepti Sharma has been in excellent all-round form lately•BCCI

Captain Laura Wolvaardt has been a force at the top of the order for South Africa for a long time. But she’s been batting at a different level since last year: she averages 68.21 in ODIs with five centuries and three fifties, and 49 in T20Is with seven half-centuries. She scored 135* and 61 in the last two ODIs against India and will be a key player for South Africa in the Test as well.Team news: India likely to go with Shubha at No. 3Satheesh Shubha, who played the England Test in December, is likely to slot in at No. 3. Renuka Singh was rested for the last two ODIs against South Africa but had a bowl at the nets on the eve of the Test. Harmanpreet Kaur said that India would keep Renuka’s “workload in mind”.India (probable XI): 1 Smriti Mandhana, 2 Shafali Verma, 3 Satheesh Shubha, 4 Jemimah Rodrigues, 5 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 6 Richa Ghosh (wk), 7 Deepti Sharma, 8 Sneh Rana, 9 Pooja Vastrakar, 10 Rajeshwari Gayakwad/ Saika Ishaque, 11 Renuka SinghKapp, who did not play South Africa’s Test against Australia earlier this year, is likely to slot back in. She, however, did not bowl in the ODI series last week. Wolvaardt said at the press conference that Kapp was “managing her workload and taking it on a day-to-day basis” with the T20 World Cup around the corner. Sinalo Jafta, who did not play the last two ODIs after she suffered a mild concussion, has trained all week and is available for selection.South Africa (probable XI): 1 Laura Wolvaardt (capt), 2 Anneke Bosch, 3 Marizanne Kapp 4 Sune Luus, 5 Tazmin Brits, 6 Delmi Tucker, 7 Nadine de Klerk, 8 Sinalo Jafta (wk), 9 Nonkulueko Mlaba, 10 Masabata Klaas, 11 Tumi SekhukhunePitch and conditions: Expect spin to play a big roleThe Chepauk surface is traditionally known for being slow and spin-friendly. A red-soil strip will be used for the match, and Harmanpreet expects it to start spinning “from the second or third day”.There was a cloud cover on the eve of the Test but there’s no rain threat to the game.Stats that matter: Mandhana in sight of a milestoneMandhana is just 20 away from scoring 500 runs in Tests. She’ll be the ninth women’s batter from India to achieve that milestone if she gets thereDeepti has played four Tests and has a fifty in each of those. She averages 63.40 with the bat and 13.75 with the ball. The average difference of 45.65 is the second best among allrounders with 300-plus runs and 15-plus wicketsChennai has hosted only one women’s Test before this – India vs West Indies in 1976Kapp made her Test debut when the two teams last played each other – in 2014 in Mysore. That was one of the only two Tests she would play in ten years

This promises to be a very busy summer for Rangers at Ibrox.

New manager of the Gers, Russell Martin, is going to want to oversee a mass-overhaul of his squad, with plenty of ins and outs expected in the coming weeks.

So, could the Light Blues be about to land the first signing of the Martin era?

Rangers targeting defensive reinforcements

Things are ramping up at Ibrox right now with a move for winger Kwame Poku reportedly set to be wrapped up.

However, that’s not the only deal edging closer to completion.

Indeed, according to a report in Spain, Rangers have reached an agreement with Bournemouth to sign Max Aarons on a season-long loan, adding that an agreement is “nearly finalised”.

The 25-year-old full-back burst onto the scene with Norwich City, making 213 appearances for the Canaries, 70 of which came in the Premier League, touted as the next big thing, almost joining Tottenham Hotspur for £15m when he was still a teenager.

This big move never came to fruition, moving to Bournemouth two summers ago, but making very little impact on the South Coast, thereby actually spending the second half of last season on loan at Valencia, albeit he featured only five times for los Che.

Nevertheless, still only 25, Aarons is a player with plenty of potential, so could have a big impact in Govan.

Why Max Aarons could be Rangers' next loan star

Rangers have had plenty of players arrive on loan and have had a big impact throughout history, as the table below outlines.

Selected Rangers loan players

Players

Season

Games

What happened next?

Černý

2024/25

52

Not set to return

Sima

2023/24

39

Did not return

Diomandé

2024

19

Made permanent £4.3m

Tillman

2022/23

43

Did not return

Hagi

2020

13

Made permanent £3.5m

Defoe

2019

20

Made permanent free

Ojo

2018/19

36

Did not return

Kent

2018/19

43

Made permanent £7.5m

Weiss

2010/11

35

Did not return

Diouf

2010/11

22

Did not return

Statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt

Rangers have had plenty of loan players in recent seasons and throughout history, but few have had as big an impact as Ryan Kent, underlined by the fact his move from Liverpool was made permanent for £7.5m, a club record for modern times.

Kent would go on to make 218 appearances for the club, scoring 33 goals and providing 56 assists, winning the Premiership title and the Scottish Cup, a key figure in Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team that reached the Europa League Final.

The winger now plys his trade in Major League Soccer for Seattle Sounders, starting the Rave Green’s Club World Cup opener against Botafogo last Sunday, preparing to take on Atlético Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain in the coming days.

So, why could Aarons be Rangers’ latest superstar loanee?

Well, writer Kai Watson labels him a “great athlete”, while Tom Quartly of Breaking the Lines believes the full-back offers ‘fluidity in both attacking and defensive phases’, claiming he has the talent to be one of English football’s ‘brightest stars’.

So, while Aarons hasn’t played a lot of football in recent years, he’s far from finished at 25 years old, and still has plenty left to offer.

What the arrival of a new right-back, who will surely have been guaranteed minutes, means for captain James Tavernier remains to be seen, but Aarons is surely just the first of many highly-rated Premier League or EFL players on their way to Ibrox this summer.

Tavernier didn’t particularly enjoy his best season at Ibrox, anyway, so this is certainly a deal worth getting over the line as Martin seeks to improve the squad.

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Setting their sights on commencing a new era with a bang, The Friedkin Group are reportedly serious about Everton’s dream move to sign a player who was once worth £60m.

Everton preparing for new era

With just two more games to come at Goodison Park, all eyes with be on handing one of English football’s most historic grounds the ultimate send off around the blue half of Merseyside. With their Premier League safety sealed, David Moyes’ side will play host to Southampton on May 18 looking to end on a high before beginning to write a new chapter at the Bramley-Moore Dock stadium.

Before that day arrives, however, the Toffees will be hoping to get back to winning ways when they square off against the relegated Ipswich Town this weekend, before travelling to Fulham in an attempt to end the season with a flourish of positive results following recent defeats against Manchester City and Chelsea.

Of course, once any emotional goodbyes are complete it will be all eyes on the summer transfer window for Friedkin, as they set their sights on making their first real mark on the club.

Just who arrives with that in mind remains to be seen, but that hasn’t stopped the rumours from coming thick and fast. Those at Goodison Park have already been linked with moves for the likes of Tomas Soucek and Clement Akpa in recent weeks, with the former potentially reuniting with Moyes in Merseyside this summer.

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The West Ham United midfielder thrived under the veteran manager at the London Stadium and could now take that form to Everton should they decide to make their move. Meanwhile, Everton themselves could be set to get a dream reunion when the transfer window opens.

Friedkin serious about dream Richarlison return

According to GiveMeSport, Friedkin and Everton are now serious about a dream move to re-sign Richarlison from Tottenham Hotspur this summer and the Brazilian forward could yet be allowed to leave the Lilywhites in the coming months.

Having swapped Everton for Spurs in 2022 for a reported £60m, things haven’t quite worked out for Richarlison in North London and a return to Merseyside could be on the cards as a result. A Goodison Park hero, the forward may yet get the chance to make his mark on a new Everton era at the Bramley-Moor Dock stadium.

Premier League Stats (via Transfermarkt)	Appearances	Goals	Assists
Richarlison at Everton	152	53	14
Richarlison at Spurs	84	20	9

It was at Everton that Richarlison earned the most praise of his career too, with former teammate Dominic Calvert-Lewin once telling reporters following an influential display by the Brazilian: “He’s asleep in the changing rooms now, with a nice pillow and a sleeping bag!

“I thought he was fantastic today. His goal was well deserved and his play off the ball, his selflessness was the key for us today. I thoroughly enjoyed playing with him again in front of the Goodison faithful.”

Tottenham Hotspur picked up a much-needed win on the weekend, just their 11th in the Premier League, but it’s done little to boost morale.

This season has been an unmitigated disaster for the North Londoners, as while there is still a chance they could win the Europa League, they look destined to finish in the bottom half of the league table, with more losses than wins.

Now, there are a few reasons for this dramatic collapse in form from Ange Postecoglou’s men, but perhaps the most significant has been the near-endless stream of defensive injuries they’ve had to deal with.

For example, neither Micky van de Ven nor Cristian Romero has made even 20 appearances this year, and now it looks like they may lose the latter for good in the summer. Still, they might also already have the perfect replacement in a youngster out on loan.

Romero's unsure future

Romero moved to Spurs on a loan deal with an option to buy back in the summer of 2021 and, since then, has become an essential part of the squad and first team.

In all, the World Cup winner has made 117 appearances for the club, scoring seven goals, providing one assist, and becoming one of the co-vice captains under Postecoglou’s tenure.

However, this rapid rise and impressive form for the team – alongside his international exploits – has seen other major teams from the continent take notice.

For example, earlier this year, it was widely reported that Real Madrid were keen on signing the former Juventus ace in the summer, while more reports from the last few weeks have revealed that Atlético Madrid are now just as interested.

In fact, just last week, it was reported that Diego Simeone had personally contacted the player and that, due to a mutual interest in making the transfer happen, he might be able to leave N17 for around £67m.

There is no doubt that losing a defender of Romero’s calibre would be a blow for Spurs, but it might not all be doom and gloom, as the club might already have the perfect replacement in an exceptionally exciting youngster.

The Spurs youngster who could replace Romero

So, if Romero does leave in the summer, the board will likely replace him with the fee he earns them, but there might already be a perfect replacement in the squad by then: Luka Vušković.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Yes, he might not be a name that everyone is familiar with yet, but based on his performances this season and the way those in the know speak about him, he most certainly will be.

The North Londoners signed the Croatian wonderkid in September 2023, but being just 16 at the time, post-Brexit rules around registering foreign players under 18 mean he cannot officially join the team until this summer.

So, with him unable to move to England this season, the “freak talent,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, joined Belgian outfit KVC Waterloo last July, and to say he’s enjoying a good season would be an understatement.

Despite only turning 18 in February, he has made 29 first-team appearances so far, in which he’s helped to keep five clean sheets. More impressive than that, he has scored seven goals and provided two assists.

This level of output for such a young defender suggests he’d be able to at least match the attacking threat Romero has, and with him already being 6 foot 4, there is no way he’d be bullied by opposition players.

Vušković’s 24/25
Player	Vušković
Appearances	29
Clean Sheets	5
Goals	7
Assists	2
Goal Involvements per Match	0.31
All Stats via Transfermarkt

Finally, he’s no slouch when it comes to the defensive side of the game either, with FOTmob revealing that he wins 6.09 duels and 4.05 aerial duels per 90 while also making 5.74 recoveries.

For comparison, Romero wins 5.46 duels and just 2.45 aerial duels per 90 while also making slightly fewer recoveries at 5.39 per 90.

Ultimately, we are not saying that Vušković will be able to immediately replicate what Romero can do next season.

However, he is undoubtedly one of the most exciting defensive prospects around, and with the right coaching, he could reach that level sooner than people expect, which would soften the Argentine’s departure.

He's a £101m star in the making: Spurs hit gold on "monster" Nuno signing

The incredible talent has a bright future at Spurs.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Apr 7, 2025

Sometimes, you just don't have a good day at work. We've all been there. Such a day unfortunately came for future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw on Sunday during the Los Angeles Dodgers' game against the Milwauke Brewers. Kershaw cruised through three innings and looked to be on track towards earning a victory after the Dodgers spotted him a 3-0 lead.

But the wheels fell off in the top of the fourth inning.

The Dodgers defense let Kershaw down, committing a pair of errors that led to to the Brewers plating three runs. In the top of the fifth, Kershaw exited the game after hitting a batter, then allowing a single, after which the Dodgers committed another error.

The southpaw kept his cool on the mound in the midst of the errors but let his frustrations out when he got back to the dugout.

These have to be among the most frustrating days for a starting pitcher. The win is seemingly within the team's grasp, and then, because of circumstances out of the pitcher's hands, the lead disappears.

We feel your pain, Kershaw, we feel your pain.

Quite how it has all come to this continues to be debated, but the fact of the matter is that Mohamed Salah could be nearing the end of his glorious spell at Liverpool.

It was just over six months ago that the Egyptian sat atop his throne, Premier League champion for the second time at Anfield and fresh from signing a bumper new deal to end months of speculation.

The main man under Jurgen Klopp, the ex-Chelsea winger appeared to go to an even higher level following Arne Slot’s arrival, ending 2024/25 with a ridiculous tally of 57 goals and assists in all competitions.

Like all good things, however, an end is now in sight, with the 33-year-old’s AFCON involvement, alongside the looming January window, sparking suggestions that he could have already turned out in Red for the final time.

It would not be a fitting way to bow out, yet rarely do even the brightest and best get the send-off nor the finale they deserve. Even the great Steven Gerrard had to fly the nest for MLS to see out his playing days.

Regardless of whether a departure does occur in January or over the summer, Salah appears to have made his long-term future untenable – now to find a suitable replacement…

Latest on Liverpool's search to replace Salah

Rumours are already swirling regarding Salah’s potential next move, with reports last week suggesting that Turkish giants Galatasaray are among the clubs to have made an offer to the ageing sensation.

The Reds are unlikely to receive anywhere close to the reported £200m bid that was lodged from Saudi Arabia two years ago, although there would surely be a hope to cash in for as much as possible, in order to reinvest those funds on a replacement.

There have been continued claims that Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo has been earmarked as one of the more high-profile options to help fill the void, while TEAMtalk are reporting that FSG could also look to the Bundesliga to find their next Anfield star.

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Indeed, as per the report, the Merseysiders are accelerating their interest in RB Leipzig teenager, Yan Diomande, having begun negotiations with the 19-year-old’s representatives.

While no bid has yet been placed for the £88m-rated wideman, the piece does note that Liverpool are engaged in almost ‘daily contact’ with his agent, ahead of making what would likely be a summer move.

That’s not to say that a January move is completely ruled out for the in-demand starlet – who is fielding interest from across Europe – with it yet to be seen whether the reigning Premier League champions will firm up their interest with a winter offer.

How Diomande compares to Semenyo & Salah

As stated above, a leading target to replace Salah is, of course, the aforementioned Semenyo, with the Ghanaian available for £65m due to the presence of a release clause in his Cherries contract.

Whether he would represent an alternative or a possible teammate for the 25-year-old remains to be seen, although Diomande is an equally as exciting talent who could reinvigorate Slot’s forward line.

Semenyo has been one of the Premier League’s leading figures this season with nine goals and assists to date, although Diomande has dazzled during his breakthrough year in the Bundesliga, chipping in with eight goal involvements himself for Leipzig.

That includes a stunning hat-trick during the weekend win over Eintracht Frankfurt, a performance that only served to reinforce just why the promising Ivorian is being watched so closely.

Fleet of foot and with pace to burn, the comparisons to Semenyo are also there to see, with The Athletic’s Seb Stafford-Bloor noting that Diomande is “physically similar” to the Bournemouth star, “but with all the same skill and touch”.

Games

13

13

Starts

9

12

Goals

6

4

Assists

2

2

Big chances missed

2

6

Big chances created

2

5

Key passes*

1.0

2.2

Pass accuracy*

82%

75%

Successful dribbles*

2.8

0.8

The respected Bundesliga insider, writing on X back in November, did hint that the teen is “not ready yet” for a Premier League move, although Liverpool would be wise to get ahead in the race for his signature, even if it means waiting to strike next summer.

That said, there’s no reason why he couldn’t come in and hit the ground running in January, if a deal were to be struck, with the youngster currently comparing favourably to his fellow wingers across Europe’s top five leagues.

As per FBref, he ranks in the top 1% for successful take-ons per 90, while also ranking in the top 2% for progressive carries per 90, highlighting just what an elite dribbler and ball-carrier he is.

Semenyo’s own quality in that regard was evident on the opening day, as he ran the length of Anfield unopposed, before coolly converting in that mad-cap 4-2 win for Slot’s side.

The prospect of potentially adding both the ex-Bristol City man and Diomande into the fold in 2026 would be a truly exciting one, with two Semenyo-esque figures perhaps what is needed to provide an upgrade on the flanks.

Revealed: The Salah decision Richard Hughes has made at Liverpool today

Mo Salah has been omitted form the Liverpool squad this week.

3 ByFFC Staff 4 days ago