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Aston Villa have now joined the race to sign Abde Ezzalzouli, at Unai Emery’s request, and Real Betis’ asking price has been revealed.

Villa’s interest in signing a new forward comes amid doubts surrounding Harvey Elliott’s future, with widespread reports suggesting Liverpool could recall the attacking midfielder from his loan spell in the January transfer window.

Elliott has failed to establish himself as a first-team regular, featuring for just 97 minutes across four matches in the Premier League this season, and Fabrizio Romano has now provided an update on whether there is any way back for the Englishman.

The transfer expert said: “At the moment, it depends on his performances in training. The situation is still not changing and of course, Elliott is not happy.”

Should the 22-year-old exit Villa Park this winter, there may be room in the squad to bring in another attacker, and the Villans are now looking to sign a new winger…

Aston Villa join race to sign Abde Ezzalzouli at Unai Emery's request

According to a report from Spain, Aston Villa have now joined the race to sign Real Betis star Ezzalzouli, with the forward being monitored closely ahead of the January transfer window, although there could be competition for his signature from Crystal Palace.

The Betis board’s asking price is ‘significantly’ in excess of the Moroccan’s current value of €12m (£11m), with the Spanish club eager to retain one of their key players, and manager Manuel Pellegrini has made it clear he wants to keep hold of him.

The 23-year-old has been personally requested by Emery for January, with the manager setting out to sign a new winger in order to strengthen his side’s chances of winning the Europa League.

It is little wonder Pellegrini is keen to keep hold of the 25-time Morocco international, given that he has impressed at Real Betis for quite some time, with scout Ben Mattinson waxing lyrical about the left-winger during the 2024/25 campaign.

The former Osasuna man has also made a flying start to the season, chipping in with three goals and two assists in his opening eight games, which has helped propel his side to fifth in the La Liga table.

Emery strengthened his options at left-wing in the summer, signing Jadon Sancho, but the Manchester United loanee is yet to make an impact, failing to register a single goal or assist in his opening eight matches in all competitions.

As such, it would make sense to bring in a new winger in the January transfer window, and Ezzalzouli could be a fantastic long-term addition to the squad.

Aston Villa targeting Ansu Fati alongside Abde Ezzalzouli

Aston Villa prepared to make Ansu Fati offer but face complicated roadblock

The Villans are willing to make a bid for a new forward, after Emery’s plea to the board.

By
Dominic Lund

Nov 4, 2025

R Ashwin has agreed to play the entire season of BBL for Sydney Thunder, a day after he went unsold at the ILT20 auction in Dubai.Ashwin, who announced his IPL retirement in August, became the first capped Indian player to play in the BBL, agreeing to play at least three matches in the latter half of the season for Thunder. That arrangement was based on Ashwin committing to play in ILT20, where he had listed the highest base price of USD 120,000.However, Ashwin went unsold when his name, listed in Set 5 for allrounders, came up for bidding with none of the six franchises showing interest. It is understood that Ashwin had requested ILT20 to remove his name from the accelerated second round of bidding, meant for unsold players.Related

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• Maxwell hopes to be fit for back-end of T20I series against India

• R Ashwin goes unsold in inaugural ILT20 player auction

• Ashwin signs with Sydney Thunder in major BBL coup

Ashwin said he had “verbally” agreed with ILT20 to feature in the 2025-26 edition, which will be played between December 2 and January 4. With the window for direct signings closed in July, Ashwin decided to put himself at the maximum base price and was the only player to list a six-figure reserve price. Ashwin also mentioned to ILT20 that he was expecting a certain bid for him to play in ILT20. When it became clear he was not getting that at the auction, he pulled out.”I had agreed verbally with ILT20 but then the franchise offers were pretty low because the direct signings had been closed by all teams,” Ashwin told ESPNcricinfo. “Meanwhile, Thunder came with a good deal, but since I had verbally agreed with ILT20, I entered the auction saying this is the minimum price I want to play for, else I am happy going to the BBL.”Ashwin, who ended his IPL career as the fifth-highest wicket-taker in the league with 187 strikes at an economy rate of 7.2, was a sought-after name in BBL with Hobart Hurricanes, Sydney Sixers, Adelaide Strikers and Thunder showing interest to sign him up. He became the first capped India cricketer to earn a BBL deal.Thunder begin their BBL campaign against Hurricanes in Hobart on December 16. Their second game of the season is the local derby against Sixers at ENGIE Stadium.Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg, who was the first to have consultations with Ashwin, spoke on Thursday about the importance of having Ashwin in the BBL. “It’s a big moment for the BBL to welcome Ravi here, I have been talking to him personally on a number of occasions,” he said.”I have found him a breath of fresh air, I think our fans are going to really enjoy watching him play and engaging with him when he’s here for the BBL.”

Former Chelsea and Brazil star Oscar has been rushed to hospital by ambulance after suffering a heart scare in training with current side Sao Paulo. According to ESPN, the 34-year-old felt dizzy and lost consciousness for several moments during a bicycle test at the club's training centre. Oscar is currently in the intensive care unit, where he is under observation and said to be in a stable condition.

Oscar suffers heart scare

Oscar began to feel unwell on Tuesday at the club's Barra Funda training center and was promptly treated by the club's medical staff, as reported by ESPN Brasil. The midfielder showed "cardiac changes" during his bicycle test and was promptly taken to hospital for more tests on his heart and an MRI scan. Sources at the club have described the incident as "very serious" and believe his family will not allow him to play professional football again. Oscar's wife is currently pregnant and was asked not to visit the hospital by the midfielder.

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesSao Paulo issue statement

Sao Paulo issued a statement following the incident that read: "During tests carried out on the morning of this Tuesday (11), at SuperCT, as part of the preparation aimed at the 2026 pre-season, the athlete Oscar presented an incident with cardiological changes, being promptly attended to by the club's professionals and the medical team from Einstein Hospital Israelita, which was present at the site. The player was then taken to the hospital, where he is currently in stable condition and remains under observation for further tests to clarify the diagnosis. As per standard procedure and respecting the player's privacy, new information will be released as soon as there is an update from the medical team, in agreement with Oscar."

Club president offers 'positive' update on Oscar

Sao Paulo president Julio Casares has since offered an update on the midfielder. He says he has spoken to Oscar in hospital and offered some detail on what happened at the training ground before he was rushed to hospital.

"I just wanted to inform you that São Paulo, as is customary, conducts group health assessments of its athletes every year in preparation for the following season. Especially since the preseason starts on January 11th, it will be important, and we are bringing forward some of the exams," he told ESPN Brasil.

"Today, the Albert Einstein team was there, a large number of professionals, and a cardiac incident was detected in the athlete Oscar. We were surprised at the time, but he recovered quickly. The team and professionals took him to the Albert Einstein hospital, and he is undergoing tests. I spoke with him in the afternoon; he interacted well, with messages, he is doing very well, and now we have to wait for the results of these tests and wish him a speedy recovery. He is a great athlete who has benefited from the institution and receives very important support. 

"Right now, the focus is on Oscar's recovery and reassuring his family that the initial results are already positive. Now, we need a technical evaluation and a diagnosis of what actually happened. Our leaders will speak about it; I have another commitment, but I'm certain that Oscar will recover."

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AFPOscar's career highlights

Oscar began his career at Sao Paulo and returned to the club back in 2025 after a career that has taken him around the world. The midfielder is perhaps best known for his five years at Chelsea, which brought Premier League, Europa League and League Cup titles. However, he subsequently stunned the football world by leaving the Premier League at the age of just 25 for a lucrative transfer to Shanghai SIPG in January 2017. Oscar spoke about his decision after completing the switch, admitting he had put his family first.

"When I made my decision to come here, I was certainly thinking more of my family than of my career," he told Copa90. "Because in my career I had other very good offers from big teams in Europe. But I thought a little more of my family, and after that – I am still young – I can return."

Oscar didn't come back to Europe and instead spent seven years in China before returning home to his boyhood club on a three-year contract.

Tottenham Hotspur have now reportedly joined the race to sign a Premier League star alongside interest from London rivals Chelsea.

Thomas Frank clarifies Sarr decision

It’s early days in the Thomas Frank era, but Tottenham have already shown marked improvement. The Lilywhites have already shown glimpses of their best form under the Dane, albeit whilst also slipping up more than once, and should look to hand him all the resources he needs to step things up in 2026.

It’s still a transitional period for the new manager, himself, who was questioned earlier this week for dropping Pape Matar Sarr in recent games just weeks after it seemed as though the midfielder would play a pivotal part.

The decision to drop the midfielder has been an interesting one given how he initially started, but one that represents how Frank is still attempting to find his best side.

Sunday’s clash against Everton is certainly a game that Spurs could do with winning, with or without Sarr. Coming in off the back of defeat against Aston Villa and then a midweek draw in Monaco, the Lilywhites should be desperate to avoid three games without victory.

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Meanwhile, away from the pitch, those in North London are also commencing a new era without Daniel Levy and already reportedly have one of their first signings in mind.

Tottenham join race to sign Konsa

Setting their sights on defensive reinforcements, Tottenham have joined the race to sign Ezri Konsa. According to The Boot Room’s Graeme Bailey, the Lilywhites have joined Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool in pursuit of the centre-back’s signature in 2026, with Aston Villa still facing PSR issues.

Considering the previous injury woes of Mick van de Ven and Cristian Romero, who is one of the best defenders in the Premier League when fit, signing an additional centre-back would be no bad idea. Konsa, as an experienced Premier League star, also stands out as a formidable option to target.

The £75,000-a-week England international has already earned praise from the likes of Jamie Redknapp too, with the former Tottenham star going as far as to describe the Villa star as “tremendous” last year.

It’s now up to a new-look board to secure what would be an excellent signing for Tottenham ahead of a number of Premier League rivals.

Manchester City star Josko Gvardiol has made a stunning revelation about how his professional sports career could have taken a very different direction after temporarily falling out of love with the game. The Croatia international is a regular for City boss Pep Guardiola and has also revealed the tentative approach being taken by the club after a slow start to the season.

Meteoric rise to football elite

Gvardiol’s career ascent has been rapid, establishing him as one of the world's most promising defenders. He started at Dinamo Zagreb, where he won back-to-back Croatian league titles before landing a record move to RB Leipzig in 2021, where he won two German Cup crowns, impressing with his composure, passing, and tactical versatility. His stellar performances led to a £77 million ($102.5m) transfer to Man City in 2023, making him one of the most expensive defenders in history, and he landed a Premier League title and FIFA Club World Cup in his first season. Gvardiol is also a key figure for the Croatia national team, helping them to a third-place finish at the World Cup in 2022.

AdvertisementAFPGuardiola's go-to defender

Gvardiol's campaign was delayed due to a knee injury carried over from last season, but he has since regained full fitness, and the versatile defender has featured for Man City in both the Premier League and in Europe, contributing assists in both. The 23-year-old’s strong technical skills have seen him operate in both central defence and at left-back, where his passing ability has been a massive asset to the squad. But he has revealed his career in sport came very close to taking a wholly different direction.

How Gvardiol almost quit football

Gvardiol told the BBC: "I was thinking about quitting because I like basketball as well. I wasn't sure in football any more because when you get to the training ground, you don't feel happy any more, you know? I was just trying to find other solutions and to feel happier than I felt before because all of my friends were playing basketball. My dream obviously was to become a professional football player, but I didn't know that I was going to go that far. If you go five years back and ask me, do you see yourself at Manchester City in 2023, '24, '25? I would say no chance, like really impossible."

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AFPMan City taking stock after slow start

Gvardiol has also revealed he is most happy at taking his place back on the left side of centre-back. He said: "I'm happy to be back to my position. Just play simple, protect the goal, defend the goal. Obviously, we have new goals this season and we want to aim high. But I like to say that it's quite early to talk about our goals, the season is long so let's go game by game.
He added: "In my head last season I was like, 'no matter what, how I feel, no matter if I am fit or not, I just want to play. I just want to compete to help the team’. I could feel it on my body, especially in the summer. I had a [knee] injury, but now it's finally good after six months." 

After a slow start to the season, where they lost two of their opening three games, they have gone on an unbeaten run and surged up the Premier League table. In the coming weeks, they have a Premier League trip to Aston Villa followed by a League Cup away game against Swansea. In November, they host Bournemouth and face Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.

Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton has no complaints about his surprise England omission and plans to use his some of his unexpected free time to visit grandparents.

Instead of being at Wembley to face Wales and then heading to Latvia for a World Cup qualifier the 21-year-old, who has become an integral part of the Eagles’ recent success, will instead catch up with relatives after being left out by national team boss by Thomas Tuchel.

Even Everton’s match-winner Jack Grealish, himself overlooked for England despite a resurgence after moving to Merseyside on loan from Manchester City, felt Wharton should have been given the man-of-the-match award instead of him in the Toffees’ late 2-1 victory on Sunday.

Wharton reveals Tuchel message

After pulling out of Tuchel’s last squad with injury there was no place for Wharton this time around but the player insists there are no hard feelings.

“He just gave me a message saying I’m playing well, I’m close and I deserve to be there but he’s going to stick with the same team,” said Wharton of learning of his omission.

“That’s football, I’m not too fussed about that. I can take the time off, go see my grandparents, and it’s not the end of the world as there’s another camp next month.

“Nothing is expected. England have some top players and he’s got a lot of players to choose from. No matter who he picks someone is not going to get in and there will be a fuss about it.

“I can’t sit here and cry about it, this is football and I’m happy playing for Palace and getting minutes and trying to do as well as I can and improve and if I get picked, I get picked.

“If not I’ll carry on playing for Palace and enjoying it – there’s nothing else I can do really.

“Obviously everyone wants to play for their country if they get chosen but, like I said, this is football and he’s got plenty of top players to choose from and that’s what he gets paid to do, pick the team and help England do well.

“Hopefully they kick on and get the results they need to qualify for the World Cup. I’ll keep knocking on the door and if I’m in, I’m in and if not I’ll carry on.”

Even Everton manager David Moyes accepted Palace should have been well out of sight after Daniel Munoz’s goal in a first half dominated by the visitors but after failing to capitalise they fell foul of an improved display after the break.

Iliman Ndiaye scored a 76th-minute penalty before Grealish, the Premier League’s player of the month for August, blocked a Munoz clearance and the ball cannoned back off him and into the net in the third minute of added time to end Palace’s 19-match unbeaten run.

“I think we got a bit complacent as we were playing so well but you can’t do that in the Premier League,” added Wharton

.

“They got a goal back and the crowd got behind them, a great atmosphere for them to kick on, get the momentum and it was difficult from there.”

Multan Sultans will play one fewer game at home after the PCB announced their clash against Karachi Kings on May 1 will be played in Lahore instead. It is one of two games affected by a reschedule, with Sultans’ home match against Quetta Gladiators pushed back by a day to May 11.The PCB said the decision was taken due to “operational ease and recent heatwaves in certain parts of the country”. Multan, the warmest of the four cities hosting the tournament, was due to host both of the rescheduled games in the afternoon, one of which will take place in Lahore while the other moves to the evening.However, Lahore has also been affected by extremely hot weather, with temperatures only about 3 degrees cooler on average than Multan. Further exacerbating logistical challenges was the departure of more than two dozen members of the production crew hailing from India earlier this week, in the wake of deteriorating diplomatic relations between the two countries.ESPNcricinfo has learned the decision has left Sultans feeling extremely frustrated. In talks with the PCB, Sultans proposed moving the game against Kings to May 6 in a bid to ensure they did not lose the advantage of playing at home. However, Kings objected to that proposal, saying it would disadvantage them. Had the game been played on that day, Kings would have played three games at three different venues across five days. They argued it left them with no rest for five days in a row, with each day a match or travel day.It was left to the PCB to mediate, who ended up deciding to stick to the original date for the Sultans-Kings game. Sultans are understood to be upset that the decision was communicated to them fait accompli, providing no further window for discussion or negotiation, and depriving them of a game at home against Kings. The PCB has defended its position, acknowledging Sultans’ disappointment but maintaining any alternate schedule would have resulted in fixture disruption for more teams.Sultans, who made each of the last four PSL finals and won the tournament in 2021, have endured a horror first half to the PSL. They sit bottom of the table, having lost five of their first six games, and likely need to win all remaining matches to have a realistic chance of making the playoffs.

RR made one change from their previous game, with Yudhvir Singh coming into their pace attack in place of Tushar Deshpande, who was out with a niggle

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Apr-20251:44

Boucher: Punjab middle order might be the strongest in IPL 2025

Playing at their home ground for the first time in IPL 2025, Punjab Kings (PBKS) have chosen to bowl against Rajasthan Royals (RR). While conditions are something of an unknown in Mullanpur’s first game of the season, PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer expected dew to have an effect.Bowling first for the second game in a row, PBKS made one change from their starting XI in their previous game, with Nehal Wadhera coming in for Priyansh Arya. Wadhera had come in as anImpact Sub in that game and scored an unbeaten 25-ball 43, but he nonetheless received a new cap before this game. Arya is on their subs bench, and could come in for the second innings.Sanju Samson was back as RR’s captain and wicketkeeper after a finger injury had restricted him to an Impact Sub’s role in their first three games. He was happy to be back after feeling “restless and helpless” watching his team from the dugout until now.Other than the captaincy going back to Samson from Riyan Parag, RR made one change from their previous game, with Yudhvir Singh coming into their pace attack in place of Tushar Deshpande, who was ruled out with a niggle.Rajasthan Royals: 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 Sanju Samson (capt & wk), 3 Nitish Rana, 4 Riyan Parag, 5 Dhruv Jurel, 6 Shimron Hetmyer, 7 Wanindu Hasaranga, 8 Jofra Archer, 9 Maheesh Theekshana, 10 Yudhvir Singh, 11 Sandeep Sharma.
RR bench: Kunal Singh Rathore, Shubham Dubey, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kumar Kartikeya, Akash MadhwalPunjab Kings: 1 Prabhsimran Singh (wk), 2 Shreyas Iyer (capt), 3 Nehal Wadhera, 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 Marcus Stoinis, 6 Shashank Singh, 7 Suryansh Shedge, 8 Marco Jansen, 9 Lockie Ferguson, 10 Arshdeep Singh, 11 Yuzvendra Chahal.
PBKS bench: Priyansh Arya, Harpreet Brar, Pravin Dubey, Vishnu Vinod, Vijaykumar Vyshak

Tottenham got off to a perfect start in the Premier League last weekend with a thumping 3-0 win over newcomers Burnley in north London, with Thomas Frank sealing his first competitive win as Spurs boss early doors.

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Richarlison’s brace (including a very early goal of the season contender) and a goal from Brennan Johnson rounded off what was an excellent opening day win for the Lillywhites – but there will be many tougher days ahead.

Frank’s side are back in the Champions League and face a hectic fixture calendar across 2025/2026, with a rejuvenated Man City side, who’ve seriously reinforced their squad throughout the summer window, awaiting them next.

To give Frank the best possible chance of a successful first full campaign in charge, chairman Daniel Levy, technical director Johan Lange and CEO Vinai Vinkatesham have been working tirelessly on recruitment behind-the-scenes.

So far, Tottenham have signed Mohammed Kudus from West Ham for £55 million, and the Ghanaian got off to a fantastic start in their Burnley victory with an impressive display on the right – setting up Richarlison’s stunning overhead kick with a deft cross after a neat bit of skill to beat his man.

Kota Takai also joined Spurs for what was a J-League record £5 million fee for a Japanese player, with Levy also triggering Kevin Danso’s obligation to buy and signing Mathys Tel permanently in a cut-price £30m deal from Bayern Munich.

Now, the north Londoners are actively trying to seal a deal for Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze as their next major incoming.

Levy and Eagles chairman Steve Parish held direct talks over the £100,000-per-week forward on Monday, with Spurs prepared to pay up to £60 million (including add-ons) for his signature.

Tottenham want both Eze and Man City winger Savinho in separate deals to bolster Frank’s attack, and it looks increasingly the former will be coming through the door first.

Eberechi Eze agrees personal terms to join Tottenham

According to GiveMeSport, the former QPR star is ever closer to N17 and could even play against Man City on Saturday – considering he may be a “member of the Spurs squad by the end of the week”.

Eze has already agreed personal terms with Tottenham, and an agreement in principle with Palace is described as on the verge of being done too.

It’s added that Levy is prepared to ‘spend big’ in the final days of this transfer window, starting with Eze, and Spurs are boosted by the fact Palace are currently trying to find the 27-year-old’s replacement.

As per GMS, they’ve made an approach to sign Leicester City playmaker Bilal El Khannouss, whose contract includes a £22.5m release clause, so a move for the Moroccan could well progress quickly.

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دافع المدير الفني لفريق ليفربول، آرني سلوت، باستماتة عن النجم المصري محمد صلاحـ بعد مباراة يوم السبت ضد تشيلسي، في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

واستضاف ملعب “ستامفورد بريدج” مباراة ليفربول وتشيلسي، في الجولة السابعة من الدوري الإنجليزي، موسم 2025/26.

وتعرض ليفربول لهزيمة قاتلة أمام تشيلسي بهدفين لهدف، في مباراة خاضها محمد صلاح بأكملها، ولكنه لم يتمكن من فعل أي شئ.

وسُئل سلوت عن محمد صلاح وما إذا الفريق يفتقد تألقه، حيث رد في تصريحات نشرها موقع ليفربول: “هذا أمر مثير للاهتمام حقًا، هل صنع الكثير من الفرص اليوم لأنه لم يلعب قبل أيام؟ (شارك كبديل ضد جالطة سراي)، أم أنه أهدر الفرص لأنه افتقد بعض الحدة التي كان من الممكن أن يتمتع بها لو لعب ضد جالطة سراي؟ لا نعرف أبدًا”.

وأضاف: “ما يعجني هو تواجده عدة مرات في المراكز الذي يتمنى التواجد بها، والذي أرغب أن يكون فيها كذلك، لأنه أثبت خلال مسيرته، ومنذ وجودي هنا، أنه يستطيع تسجيل الأهداف في تلك المراكز”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. إيكو: محمد صلاح أصبح مصدر قلق في ليفربول

وواصل: “لقد سنحت له فرص عديدة اليوم ليكرر ما فعله كثيرًا، ولكنه إنسان، ليس كل فرص تتُاح له يسجلها وتصبح هدفًا، نشعر أحيانًا أن ذلك يعود إلى ما قدمه في الموسم الماضي وفي مناسبات عديدة (يقصد المعايير المميزة التي وضعها بنفسه بفضل أرقامه التي لا تُصدق في المواسم الماضية)”.

واستطرد: “لكنه أيضًا قادر على اللعب في مباريات تُتاح له فيها فرص، وفي كثير من الأحيان في مراكز واعدة، دون أن يسجل أو يصنع أي هدف”.

وفيما يخص الترابط بين محمد صلاح وألكسندر إيزاك، قال: “كلما لعبا معًا أكثر، زاد تواصلهما، هذا ما رأيتموه في الشوط الثاني، خاصة بعدما اضطررت إلى استبدال كوناتي بسبب إصابته، وعندما لعب جرافنبيرخ في ذلك المركز، تمكنا من الاعتماد أكثر على مهاجمينا في المواقف الواعدة مقارنة بالشوط الأول”.

وأوضح: “بالنسبة لي لم يكن الأمر يتعلق بضعف التركيز أو الوقت الذي نحتاجه للمهاجمين لتقديم أداء أفضل، أعتقد أن الشوط الأول كان يتعلق بشكل أساسي بضرورة أن نكون أفضل في بناء الهجمة، وهذا ما فعلناه أكثر فأكثر في الثاني، ولهذا السبب خلقنا أيضًا العديد من اللحظات والفرص الجيدة التي كان بإمكاننا خلق المزيد منها”.