Nawaz took 5 for 19 – including a hat-trick – as Afghanistan chose the most important day of the series to put in their worst performance

Danyal Rasool07-Sep-2025A remarkable five-wicket haul from Mohammad Nawaz – including a hat-trick – on a surface that gripped on a dewy Sharjah night helped Pakistan steamroll to the tri-series title, scything though Afghanistan for 66 and securing a 75-run win. The 141 Pakistan put up in a spasmodic display after electing to bat first appeared inadequate halfway through, but an astonishing spell either side of the powerplay saw Afghanistan lose five wickets for four runs. It asphyxiated the chase before it began, giving Pakistan a handy boost ahead of the start of the Asia Cup next week.No side has lost a match after batting first throughout this tournament, and Salman Agha made no secret that was the reason he opted to set a target at the toss. Pakistan ran into early trouble when Sahibzada Farhan’s quiet series whimpered out as he fell for a first-over duck. Pakistan rebuilt cautiously but with Afghanistan’s spinners assisted by the deck, never truly breaking free. Several batters fell after starts, and by the end of the stuttering innings, none had crossed 30.But it didn’t matter once the chase rolled around. Shaheen Shah Afridi dispensed with Rahmanullah Gurbaz early to trigger a phase where the runs were strangled. It created the perfect conditions for Nawaz to come in and wrench the game from Afghanistan’s hands. It included four wickets in six balls before rounding the spell off with Rashid Khan’s scalp in front of a now-silenced Afghan-majority crowd that saw their team choose the most important day of the series to turn in their worst performance.Nawaz the matchwinnerOnly one place to start. Three years ago, Babar Azam famously referred to Mohammad Nawaz as a matchwinner, and over the past couple of months, the left-arm spinner has begun to fit that characterisation. Thrown the ball in the fifth over, he was slightly fortunate with an lbw shout he positively squeezed out of the umpire under duress with the strength of his appeal, before following up Darwesh Rasooli’s dismissal with an edge that got rid of Azmatullah first ball.Mohammad Nawaz hit a couple of sixes in his 21-ball 25•ACCOn a hat-trick, a lovely bit of flight drew Ibrahim Zadran out of his crease and Mohammad Haris whipped off the bails to catch him out stranded. Three balls later, an already incredible spell veered into the surreal with a fourth wicket to reduce Afghanistan to 32 for 6, trapping Karin Janat in front when he miscued a sweep. That kind of day would almost inevitably conclude with a five-wicket haul on a day Nawaz credibly looked like he might take a wicket off any delivery he wanted.Rashid Khan’s takedownPakistan’s display with the bat was little more than ordinary, but perhaps a now-forgotten over late in the first innings stood out as an exception to the trend. With the innings petering out, their run rate was just a smidge over six after 16 overs and five wickets down, Rashid Khan entered the attack for his final over to try and burrow into the tail.Salman Ali Agha was enduring a torrid time, having scratched his way to 12 off his first 23 balls. But when Rashid darted one in, he launched it towards square leg, clearing the fence before doubling up two deliveries later. Rashid did come back off the penultimate to get rid of the Pakistan captain, but Faheem smashed his first ball for four to bleed him for 17 in the over. In a game where spin found so much assistance, Pakistan’s ability to take 38 off one of the world’s best spinners was particularly impressive.

Celtic’s annual general meeting collapsed into acrimony on Friday as open conflict between supporters and board members forced proceedings to be abandoned. Interim manager Martin O’Neill, who was warmly applauded upon his introduction, later described the morning as "one of the saddest" he had witnessed in his long association with the club.

• A bitter AGM ends early amid chants and accusations

  The meeting, held at Celtic Park, descended almost immediately into hostility. Within minutes, chants of “sack the board” echoed around the room, prompting a temporary adjournment less than five minutes after it began. Attempts to resume were short-lived. Shareholders erupted again when director Ross Desmond, son of the club’s majority shareholder Dermot Desmond, read a statement accusing a section of the fanbase of "bullying" behaviour. The atmosphere deteriorated further, and the AGM was brought to an early close.

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  O'Neill speaks of a "sad morning"

  Speaking afterwards, O’Neill cut an emotional figure as he reflected on a morning filled with tension and division.

  The 73-year-old said: "I thought it was a really sad, sad morning, really sad morning. I just wonder what the great Jock Stein would have thought of it all, who preached unity at the football club, said that a club not united would never be successful. It's as sad a morning as I've seen."

  O’Neill, who has attended several AGMs during more successful periods, noted the stark contrast.

  "I mean I've been to a few of these AGMs before and I suppose because we've been doing well at the time that it was nice," he said. "Not even sure I was ever asked a question in them at the time. But that was rather raucous."

  The board acknowledged mistakes, particularly regarding the summer transfer window and failure to qualify for the Champions League, but the apology did little to soothe tempers.

  "There were people who would have wanted to ask questions and the board have said that they've made mistakes," he said. "There's only so many times that you can apologise and then you have to get on with things again. So we'll start again and hopefully that will start when the new manager comes in. A united Celtic will be far better equipped to compete and try and win again."

• Supporters demand change as board relations hit new low

  Desmond’s statement branding some supporters "bullies" appears to have worsened tensions, with many fans calling it “provocative” and "tone-deaf". The relationship between the board and the fanbase is now at its most strained since O’Neill’s first arrival more than 20 years ago. But the interim manager believes bridges can be rebuilt.

  "It shouldn't be impossible, really it should not be impossible," he said. "There's got to be a coming together again from this. There's an obvious disconnect at this minute, but that surely can be rectified. You asked me a question, would my interim period fuse things together? I don't think that was ever going to happen.

  "But you've got to now realise that that has happened, mistakes have been made, and they can be rectified and hopefully rectified quickly. If I'd got an opportunity, I would probably be saying what I'm saying here, so I wish now I had said a few words. Listen, my words don't go down all that well in my own household, so I don't think it would really make much difference."

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  A club at crossroads

  Celtic’s AGM meltdown laid bare the fractures within the club. Anger aimed toward the board, accusations of bullying from senior figures, and rising frustration from supporters have created one of the most fraught atmospheres in recent memory. Speculation about Brendan Rodgers’ permanent successor intensified after reports suggested the club was closing in on Columbus Crew manager Wilfried Nancy, leading bookmakers to suspend betting. But on Tuesday, the club clarified that O’Neill and Maloney will remain in charge for the foreseeable future. The pair will lead the first team into Saturday’s Premiership clash with St Mirren. O’Neill’s return has sparked nostalgia among supporters who remember his first spell fondly. Between 2000 and 2005, he guided Celtic to seven major trophies and the 2003 UEFA Cup final, where they fell 3–2 to Jose Mourinho’s Porto after extra time.

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O Palmeiras encaminhou a contratação por empréstimo do atacante Lázaro, ex-jogador do Flamengo, atualmente no Almería, da Espanha.

Caso a negociação se concretize, o atleta estará à disposição de Abel Ferreira até o final desta temporada. O acordo prevê uma opção de compra, mas os valores não foram divulgado. A informação foi divulgada pela Energia 97.

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➡️ Abel Ferreira pode igualar recorde histórico no Palmeiras

Lázaro pode se tornar o quarto reforço do Alviverde para a temporada. Anteriormente, a equipe paulista anunciou o lateral-esquerdo Caio Paulista, o meia Aníbal Moreno e o atacante Bruno Rodrigues.

O atacante não estava sendo utilizado com regularidade por Gaiska Garitano, técnico do clube espanhol, e vê o Palmeiras como uma oportunidade para retomar o bom rendimento.

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Nesta temporada, Lázaro não contribuiu com gols ou assistências nas 16 partidas que disputou. Formado nas categorias de base do Flamengo, o jogador participou da Copa do Mundo sub-17, em 2019, e marcou o gol que garantiu o título do torneio nos acréscimos da segunda etapa contra o México.

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Mike Dean has recently opened up on what it was like to referee Arsenal during his 22 years as a Premier League official, and suggested legendary manager Arsene Wenger wasn’t his biggest fan.

As with most referees, Dean is a divisive figure, but he is one of the Premier League’s most talked about referees, not least because of some of his bizarre antics on the field.

Although officials are much-maligned, it is an impossible job to keep every player and manager happy, with the 57-year-old recently revealing that Craig Bellamy was the toughest player to referee, despite being fine to deal with off the pitch.

Speaking to Jamie Carragher and Wayne Rooney on the latest edition of The Overlap Fan Debate, the former referee also named which manager he found it difficult to get along with, revealing the feeling was very much mutual…

Mike Dean names Arsene Wenger as "hardest" manager to deal with

The Tranmere Rovers supporter revealed he was told by people who used to work at Arsenal that Wenger would effectively write off games when Dean was in charge, believing the Gunners had “no chance”.

Clarifying why Arsene Wenger was tough to deal with, he said: “I never got on with Arsene Wenger, and that was just, I don’t know what it was, whether it was every time I reffed them they lost, I don’t know, but I just couldn’t get on with him.”

Every referee in the 2025/26 Premier League ranked

In 2009, the Arsenal legend was also sent to the stands by Dean in the dying embers of a 2-1 defeat against Manchester United back in 2009, having been seen kicking a water bottle in frustration.

Dean has previously shared details of a particularly ferocious run-in they had after the Gunners drew 1-1 against West Bromwich Albion back in 2017, saying: “He was very aggressive leaning towards me, pointing aggressively at me saying: ‘You’re not honest’ on numerous occasions.

“I replied: ‘So you’re calling me a cheat.’ He replied: ‘I maintain what I say, you’re not honest.

“He then said: ‘You’ve done this to us many times before, you’re supposed to be professional, you’re a disgrace.’ He was then ushered out of the room by the West Brom safety officer.”

While they didn’t see eye-to-eye prior to the 76-year-old leaving Arsenal in 2018, it appears they have since managed to put their differences behind them, with Dean saying: “Since he has finished football I have seen him and he has been great. Cross the white line and everyone is different, like referees. We are normal people.”

Every referee in the 2025/26 Premier League ranked

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The batter collided with a boundary board during fielding practice ahead of the T20Is

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Oct-2025

Rachin Ravindra will miss the three matches against Australia•ICC/Getty Images

New Zealand batter Rachin Ravindra has been ruled out of the Chappell-Hadlee T20I series against Australia after suffering a major laceration to his face during training on Tuesday.Ravindra collided with the boundary boards during fielding practice at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui. He passed initial concussion tests but his injury required significant stitching.Related

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Allrounder James Neesham, who was part of the New Zealand side for the T20 tri-series in Zimbabwe during July where he played one match, has been called up as his replacement.”We’re all really disappointed for Rachin to be forced to miss the series,” head coach Rob Walter said. He sustained a major laceration to his upper lip and nose area which required specialist and intricate stitching and will take time to heal.”Rachin is obviously an important player for us, but his health and wellbeing is our top priority, and so the decision was made to send him home to recover with an eye to being available for the England series in two weeks’ time.”Ravindra has enjoyed his most successful run in T20Is during this year with scores of 69, 30, 3, 63 and 47 in his last five innings.He adds to an extensive list of absentees for New Zealand in this series. They are missing captain Mitchell Santner (abdominal injury), Will O’Rourke (back), Glenn Phillips (groin), Finn Allen (foot), Adam Milne (ankle), Lockie Ferguson (hamstring) and Kane Williamson (unavailable).While Neesham has been added to the squad, top-order batter Tim Robinson is another option for the starting XI on Wednesday. The three matches against Australia take place across just four days.

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

• Pakistan players cleared to play BBL after NOC uncertainty

• Starc set to end 11-year BBL wait amid call to protect Test cricket

• 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.”

علق عصام الحضري، حارس مرمى الأهلي السابق، على فوز الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالقلعة الحمراء، أمام شبيبة القبائل 4-1، في دوري أبطال إفريقيا.

وقال عصام الحضري لبرنامج “ملعب أون سبورت”: “مباراة الأهلي اليوم كانت واحدة من المباريات الجميلة للفريق، الأهلي أضاع فرصًا كثيرة، وهذا طبيعي، فليس كل المباريات تكون بنفس الشكل، أحيانًا تأتيك فرصة أو فرصتان فقط وتفوز بالمباراة، لكن اليوم الأهلي قدّم أداءً قويًا وأضاع عدة أهداف، وانتهت بنتيجة كبيرة تعكس عودة الفريق بقوة ورغبته في المنافسة ببطولته المفضلة، دوري أبطال إفريقيا”.

طالع|زيزو: الأهلي وقع في أقوى مجموعة بدوري أبطال إفريقيا.. وما زلت أعاني من إصابة

وتابع: “من وجهة نظري، الأهلي قدّم واحدة من أفضل مبارياته هذا الموسم، ونتمنى له أداءً قويًا أمام الجيش الملكي في اللقاء القادم”.

وبسؤاله عن رأيه في أداء محمد الشناوي ومصطفى شوبير، قال: “سأتحدث بصراحة ووضوح، الشناوي لم يتعرض لأي فرص خطيرة خلال الفترة التي لعبها حتى خروجه، بخصوص الهدف، أنا لا أحب تحميل لاعب واحد المسؤولية؛ الفريق يتحمل كاملًا، لكن ما حدث في الكرة العرضية كان سوء تفاهم بين ياسر إبراهيم ومحمد الشناوي”.

وكشف: “من الممكن أن يكون الشناوي طلب الكرة وهذا قد يكون السبب في أن ياسر تركها، لكن في المواقف مثل هذه على المدافع أن يُخرج الكرة دون الاعتماد على الحارس، والحارس كذلك لا ينتظر تدخل المدافع، في النهاية يتحملان المسؤولية معًا، ياسر إبراهيم ومحمد الشناوي”.

وبسؤاله ما رأيك في أداء مصطفى شوبير، واصل: “باختصار، أنا أحب الحارس الجَعان، الذي ينتظر الفرصة ويعيش للمنافسة، ويتدرب جيدًا ليُثبت نفسه، وهذه الصفات كلها موجودة في مصطفى شوبير، هذا حارس يظهر ويختفي ثم يعود ليقدم أداءً رائعًا، وهذا دليل على أنه يعيش كرة القدم ويحافظ على نفسه ويتدرب بجدية، لذلك ظهر بهذا المستوى اليوم”.

وواصل: “ولا أتحدث فقط عن مباراة المنتخب التي تألق فيها في ركلات الجزاء، هو صدّ ركلتين، واثنتان خرجتا خارج الملعب، كثيرون يظنون أن ركلات الجزاء سهلة، لكنها أصعب مما يتخيل الناس، ومصطفى تعامل معها بهدوء وثبات وقراءة ممتازة، أما في مباراة اليوم، فسرعة رد فعله كانت رائعة، خصوصًا في الكرة الثانية التي ارتطمت بأحد اللاعبين ثم تصدى لها بشكل ممتاز بيده العكسية، هذا يثبت أنه حارس عايش للفرصة ويريد إثبات نفسه”.

واختتم: “النادي الأهلي يمتلك حراس مرمى على مستوى عالٍ، ومع وجود الشناوي ومصطفى وسيحا، سيظل الفريق ومنتخب مصر في أمان من ناحية حراسة المرمى، نعم، ركلات الجزاء بها جزء من الحظ، لكن ما فعله مصطفى كان نتيجة هدوء، وثقة، وتركيز، وحسن توقيت في التحرك، وهذا ما يميز الحارس الحقيقي، ولو كان مصطفى قد فشل في مباراة سابقة لكان البعض هاجمه، لكنه دخل بثقة وهدوء وأعصاب ثابتة، ولذلك ظهر بهذا الشكل الممتاز”.

Napoli manager Antonio Conte played down talk of leaving after the club president made a controversial 'taking the team back' social media post following their win over Atalanta on Saturday. Conte reaffirmed his commitment to the club he had led to a title win only six months back. With the 3-1 victory over Atalanta, Napoli have climbed back to second position in Serie A.

Napoli chief's controversial post

Just hours after Napoli's triumph over Atalanta, courtesy of a brace from David Neres and a goal from Nao Lang, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis shared a social media post congratulating the manager and the team but his message was misconstrued by many. De Laurentiis' X post read: "Bravo Antonio Conte, who has taken the team back in time. Well done to the players who followed his instructions."

The 'taken the team back' statement came across as a wrong message, although the club chief wanted to convey that he had taken back control of the team after briefly losing it at the start of the season. 

AdvertisementGetty ImagesConte confirms commitment to Napoli

Amid talks of him exiting Napoli, Conte told reporters: "There are aspects that are more concerning to those on the outside. I have a strong relationship with the players, we always tell each other the truth, I'm very honest and don't wear masks. I didn't need to take the team back. They were with me, they are with me, and they always will be with me. And I will always be with them, regardless of everything and everyone. They know they're dealing with an honest person who doesn't wear masks. I'm someone who exposes himself, something many don't have the courage to do. They know that nothing and no one will ever damage our relationship.

"A lot of things can happen, but our relationship will always be very strong. After Bologna, I thought I wasn't able to get the best out of them, and I took responsibility. Often, Anguissa, Lukaku, Gilmour, and De Bruyne are forgotten about. These things aren't taken into account; we try to focus more on gossip than on the real fact."

De Laurentiis praised Conte

Earlier this month, in another social media post, De Laurentiis had hailed Conte as the 'real man' as he wrote: "I came across the fairy tale of Conte's resignation on the web. I love social media a lot because they're a contemporary and fast way to spread thoughts. But you know that thoughts aren't always right or shareable. Between me and Conte there has always existed a special harmony that unites men who use the 3 "C"s [Character, Competence, and Courage]… which are very popular with Neapolitans and not only. 

"To the fans who've read some nonsense, I say: I'm proud to have by my side, and by the side of Napoli and the players, a real man like Antonio Conte, capable of sacrificing every second of his life for his profession, with extreme generosity and dedication. This is the most important guarantee that can be given today to a club, to the players, and to demanding fans like those of Napoli."

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Getty ImagesHow is Conte doing at Napoli?

Conte took charge of Napoli at the start of the 2024-25 season, stepping in to steady the ship after a disappointing campaign that had left the club in disarray. His tenure began on a poor note with a 3-0 home defeat to Hellas Verona, but Conte quickly adapted. Breaking away from his trademark 3-5-2 formation, he switched to a 4-3-3 system to better suit Napoli’s attacking strengths and the players at his disposal. The tactical adjustment paid off brilliantly as Napoli went on an incredible run, eventually clinching the Scudetto on the final matchday with a decisive victory over Cagliari. One of Conte’s most inspired moves was signing Scott McTominay from Manchester United, who thrived under his management and was named Serie A’s MVP in his debut season. 

Now competing in both Serie A and the Champions League, Conte's team have struggled to adapt to the new demands. Star striker Romelu Lukaku was ruled out with a long-term injury at the start of the season, while playmaker Kevin De Bruyne has now been sidelined for the time being. 

The reigning Italian champions next face Qarabag FK in a Champions League fixture at home on Tuesday.

With the last international break of 2025 underway, it remains to be seen whether or not Martin O’Neill will be in charge of Celtic for their next competitive match.

Football Insider recently reported that the experienced manager could see his interim time in the dugout end if the club are able to land a new boss during the break.

The Northern Irish head coach, in his second stint at the club, has enjoyed an impressive time as the caretaker manager, winning three of his four matches in all competitions.

Celtic have won both of their Scottish Premiership games by a 4-0 scoreline since he came in after Brendan Rodgers tendered his resignation, beating Kilmarnock 4-0 on Sunday in what could be his last match.

O’Neill has been a breath of fresh air for the Scottish giants after the end of Rodgers’ tenure, as evidenced by the two league results, and he has worked wonders for a few players.

Johnny Kenny, for example, has stepped up under the experienced manager and shown that he can be relied on as a regular starter for the Hoops, if required.

The Celtic players who have improved under Martin O'Neill

The Ireland international is the most obvious player who has improved since O’Neill came in as a caretaker manager, as he has scored four goals in four matches, per Sofascore.

Kenny had scored two goals in 17 first-team matches for Celtic in all competitions before this run of four goals in four games under O’Neill, per Transfermarkt, which perfectly illustrates his recent improvement.

The 22-year-old marksman, who has stepped up in the absence of Kelechi Iheanacho, is not the only Hoops player who has taken their game up a gear under the interim boss, though, as Arne Engels has done the same.

Celtic’s Belgian midfield maestro did not provide a single goal or assist in eight appearances in the Premiership under Rodgers, in what was a dismal start to the campaign for the £11m signing from Augsburg.

Since O’Neil came in, though, the central midfielder has scored his first goal of the season and delivered two assists in all competitions, including a goal and an assist in the 4-0 win over Kilmarnock.

Minutes

90

90

Sofascore rating

7.5

8.4

Tackle success rate

100%

100%

Clearances

5

7

Ground duels won

1/2

3/3

Aerial duels won

6/11

6/8

Dribbled past

0x

0x

As you can see in the table above, Auston Trusty has excelled under O’Neill at the heart of the defence in his two league matches in the dugout, after the USA international did not start a single league match for Rodgers this season.

With O’Neill’s future in the dugout in doubt, the Scottish giants are reportedly looking at another manager who could make Kenny unplayable for the rest of the season and beyond.

3-4-2-1 emerges as contender for Celtic job

According to Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph, Columbus Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy has “emerged” as a contender to replace Rodgers and O’Neil at Parkhead.

The reporter claims that he is one of a number of names on the club’s shortlist as they look for a long-term successor to Rodgers, who won the Premiership title in both of his full seasons back in Glasgow.

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Joseph adds that the Hoops have now drawn up their full shortlist of options and that Nancy is a “serious” contender to land the job before the end of the international break.

The 48-year-old tactician, who typically deploys a 3-4-2-1 formation, is not the only manager on that list, of course, as Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna and Bodo/Glimt’s Kjetil Knutsen are also in the frame.

Why Wilfried Nancy could make Johnny Kenny unplayable

If Celtic decide to go through with a move for the French head coach, the Columbus Crew boss could help to make Kenny completely unplayable by carrying on O’Neill’s good work.

Nancy, who won the MLS Cup in the 2022/23 campaign, has won 81 of his 169 matches as a manager in the MLS, per Transfermarkt, and has won two trophies, one with Columbus Crew and one with Montreal, where he coached Alistair Johnston.

In his time with Columbus Crew, the French manager has shown that he can set up a team to consistently create chances for a striker like Kenny, as Diego Rossi has thrived under his management.

Like Kenny, the Uruguayan is a lean and diminutive forward who looks to score goals through clever movement and sharp finishing, as shown in his goal in the clip below.

Neither Rossi nor the Celtic striker are going to offer a towering presence in the number nine position and bully central defenders with their physical prowess; that is not a part of their game, but Nancy has shown that he can set a team up to create chances for their profile of forward.

Rossi has played through the middle as a striker on his own in a 3-4-2-1, as one of the two 10s behind a striker, and as part of a strike pairing in a 4-4-2 or a 3-5-2 during his time under the Celtic manager target, and he has been a prolific scorer in those roles.

Appearances

48

37

Shots

112

123

xG

13.14

15.54

Goals

21

19

xA

5.60

6.46

Big chances created

14

11

Assists

7

5

As you can see in the table above, the Columbus Crew forward has scored 40 goals for Nancy since the start of the 2024 campaign, whilst also providing 12 assists for his side in that time.

These statistics suggest that Kenny, who is a similar profile of player to Rossi, could thrive under the Frenchman if Celtic decide to appoint him as their successor to Rodgers.

The Ireland international could thrive as the lone striker in a 3-4-2-1 on his own or alongside Iheanacho, when fit, in a 4-4-2, with his recent goal spurt showing that he can score goals on a regular basis at Premiership level.

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However, it now remains to be seen whether or not the Hoops will decide to make Nancy their number one option, or if they will go with another manager on their shortlist.

Glasgow Rangers underwent a squad overhaul during the summer transfer window after a change in ownership and a change in the coaching department with Russell Martin’s arrival.

Kevin Thelwell also joined as the team’s new sporting director and the former Everton chief was given plenty of money to play with to bolster the squad ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Unfortunately, as shown in the graphic above, that ended with Martin winning five of his 17 matches in charge of the Ibrox giants before being relieved of his duties last month.

Thelwell’s attacking signings, in particular, have to be placed under the microscope as he signed Youssef Chermiti from his former club for a fee of £8m, the most money spent on a Rangers signing since Tore Andre Flo for £12m in 2000.

So far, the Portugal U21 international has only scored one goal in all competitions for the Light Blues, which shows that they have not received value for money on that £8m yet.

Chermiti was brought in after the club sold centre-forward Hamza Igamane to Lille for a fee of £10.4m, and it is fair to say that they have not replaced him very well on current evidence.

Where Hamza Igamane ranks in the most expensive Rangers sales

The Morocco international only went for a fee of £10.4m because of a reported release clause in his contract, which would have been in place before Thelwell took over as sporting director, which means that he cannot be blamed for that situation.

Igamane ended his only season with the Ibrox giants with a return of 16 goals and three assists in 49 appearances in all competitions, which included 12 goals in 33 outings in the Scottish Premiership, per Transfermarkt.

The 23-year-old attacker also showcased his quality in the biggest matches, scoring the winner against Celtic in the clip above and scoring four goals in the Europa League.

Rangers: Most expensive transfer sales
Rank	Player	Sold to	Year	Fee
1	Calvin Bassey	Ajax	2022	£19.6m
2	Nathan Patterson	Everton	2022	£11.5m
3	Hamza Igamane	Lille	2025	£10.4m
4	Alan Hutton	Tottenham	2008	£9m
5	Giovanni van Bronckhorst	Arsenal	2001	£8.5m
6	Jean-Alain Boumsong	Newcastle	2005	£8m
7	Carlos Cuellar	Aston Villa	2008	£7.8m
8	Barry Ferguson	Blackburn	2003	£7.5m
9	Tore Andre Flo	Sunderland	2002	£6.75m
10	Joe Aribo	Southampton	2022	£6m
Table via Football FanCast

As you can see in the table above, the Morocco international does still rank as the third-most expensive sale in the club’s history, behind Nathan Patterson and Calvin Bassey, but the release clause possibly stopped him from climbing higher up that list.

His departure has been a big loss for the Gers, on top of that, as Chermiti and fellow summer signing Bojan Miovski have combined for two Premiership goals after coming in to replace him and Cyriel Dessers.

Whilst Igamane was a big loss in the summer, there is a Rangers star attracting interest whose departure from Ibrox would be an even bigger loss for Danny Rohl.

Rangers star attracting interest ahead of January

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has revealed that there are clubs circling around Light Blues central midfielder Nicolas Raskin ahead of the January transfer window.

O’Rourke told Football Insider: “There was interest in Raskin in the summer window from a number of clubs in the Premier League and across Europe as well. There is still interest in the Belgium international and that’s not going to go away.

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“I’m sure clubs are keeping tabs on the situation at Rangers. I don’t think Rangers ideally would want to lose him midway through the season. It would have to be a big, big fee for Rangers to even consider selling him, that’s what I think it would take for them to let him go in January.”

Football Insider adds that the Belgium international is ‘tempted’ by the prospect of a move to the Premier League in January, amid interest from Leeds United and Tottenham Hotspur.

However, as O’Rourke outlined in those comments, it would take a significant fee for the Scottish giants to consider parting ways with the midfield star, whose contract expires at the end of next season.

Why Rangers must keep hold of Nicolas Raskin

The Light Blues must resist any attempts to prise the Belgian star away from Ibrox in January because losing him would be an even bigger blow than it was to sell Igamane in the summer.

Of course, the Morocco international’s goals were important and his absence has been felt, mainly because of Chermiti and Miovski’s struggles, but he mainly impacted games in possession with his attacking play.

Raskin, however, is an exceptional box-to-box midfielder who can influence matches with his play in and out of possession, which means that he is even more important than Igamane to the overall structure of the side.

The 24-year-old star, who scored against Dundee in the Premiership before the international break, produced four goals and ten assists in the Premiership during the 2024/25 campaign, whilst also winning 57% of his duels, per Sofascore.

In the current campaign, the midfielder has delivered one goal and two assists along with 6.7 duels won per game at a success rate of 54%, per Sofascore, which shows that he is impacting matches at both ends.

25/26 Premiership	Nico Raskin	Club rank
FotMob rating	7.50	3rd
Chances created	17	2nd
Assists	2	Joint-1st
Goals involvements	3	2nd
Passes completed per 90	52.3	6th
Tackles won	20	2nd
Interceptions	7	Joint-3rd
Stats via FotMob

As you can see in the table above, the Belgium international ranks highly among his teammates in a host of key metrics both in and out of possession in the league this season.

In fact, Raskin ranks within the top 11% of midfielders in the division for duels won (60) and the top 18% for tackles won (20) in the Premiership this season, which shows that he has been a standout defensively both by Rangers and Premiership standards.

The former Standard Liege ace, who was once dubbed “sensational” by former teammate Scott Arfield, is clearly crucial to what the Gers do at both ends of the pitch, with his contributions offensively and defensively.

That is why losing him would be an even bigger blow than when they lost Igamane in the summer, as the Moroccan forward only won 39% of his defensive duels and made 23 tackles over the entire season in the Premiership last term, per FotMob.

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Therefore, even if a ‘big’ offer comes over the desk in the January window, the club should look to keep hold of him until they have the summer window to take their time to replace the midfield star.