Tag Futebol

Arsenal “could make a move” for a “world-class” forward, who Mikel Arteta is known to be a big fan of.

Gunners eyeing new forward after "painful" Aston Villa defeat

Arteta’s side suffered one of their first real setbacks of the season on Saturday, with Aston Villa emerging as 2-1 winners after Emiliano Buendia’s late winner, and the manager was left frustrated by the manner of the defeat.

The Spaniard said: “Last kick of the game we have the chance with the cross from Declan for Noni and Viktor. We don’t score. Goal kick long, second ball, clear the ball, individual action. The ball comes inside the box and you end up losing it. It is painful.”

On the brighter side, the Gunners remain two points clear of nearest rivals Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table, and a number of Arteta’s summer signings have hit the ground running at the Emirates Stadium.

Martin Zubimendi and Noni Madueke have received praise for their performances, with Eberechi Eze also catching the eye, most notably scoring a hat-trick in the emphatic 4-1 victory against Tottenham Hotspur last month.

Despite signing Eze and Madueke, however, Arsenal remain interested in signing another new forward, and journalist Pete O’Rourke has revealed they “could make a move” for AFC Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo.

Speaking to Football Insider, O’Rourke confirmed that a number of top Premier League clubs are in the race for Semenyo’s signature, namely Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.

The Ghanaian’s £65m release clause will become active in the January transfer window, but the interested clubs may also choose to wait until the summer, at which point he will be available for just £50m.

Related Arsenal make strong move to sign "special" £111k-p/w Paris Saint-Germain star

The Gunners are looking to sign a new forward, who has been in impressive form this season.

Posts ByDominic Lund 5 days ago "World-class" Semenyo may be ready for Emirates move

Lauded as “world-class” by Bournemouth teammate Justin Kluivert, the 25-year-old got off to a very impressive start to the campaign, and ranks third in terms of total goal contributions in the Premier League.

Player

Club

Goal contributions

Erling Haaland

Manchester City

18

Igor Thiago

Brentford

11

Antoine Semenyo

AFC Bournemouth

9

Arteta is known to be a big fan of the London-born forward, who is also impressive in the air, averaging 2.14 aerials won per 90 over the past year, which places him in the 97th percentile, compared to other attacking midfielders and wingers.

The former Newport County man has been impressing in the Premier League for quite some time, scoring a remarkable solo goal against Burnley during the 2023-24 campaign.

Clearly, Semenyo could now be ready to make the step-up to a top club, but having signed the likes of Madueke, Eze and Viktor Gyokeres in the summer, there are question marks over whether Arsenal need to bring in another new attacker next month.

Manchester United have an exciting production line of stars for the future, and now appear to be interested in adding to that by capturing a gem that shone at the Under-17 World Cup.

The Red Devils will have enjoyed taking some time over the international break to digest what has been a credible start to the Premier League campaign, even if Ruben Amorim came under pressure during the early stages at Old Trafford.

Sitting tenth with a game in hand, Manchester United could move as high as fourth position with three points against Everton on Monday night, albeit they could be without Matheus Cunha due to a surprise injury concern.

Ben Jacobs confirmed on X that the Brazilian had suffered a head knock during training, forcing him to miss Altrincham’s Christmas light switch-on as a result, sparking attention on social media.

Nevertheless, the nature of his injury looks only to be minor, so there may still be a chance that he features against the Toffees if deemed fit to do so by the Red Devils’ medical staff.

As ever, Manchester United will hope to avoid a mounting list of absentees over the festive period. However, that is bound to affect everyone, especially with a heavy fixture schedule.

The January window could prove pivotal at Old Trafford, and the Red Devils are now favourites to sign Ajax prodigy Jorthy Mokio ​​​​​​amid concerns over Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo.

Now, they also have eyes on a gem who performed at his best during the Under-17 World Cup, which has garnered attention from clubs around Europe.

Man Utd make approach to sign Mohamed Zongo

According to Africa Foot, Manchester United have made an approach to sign Tenakourou Academy star Mohamed Zongo, who they are now keen to hold discussions over signing on a permanent basis.

At only 15 years of age, the Burkina Faso youth international shone at the Under-17 World Cup with two goals and three assists to his name, leading to him being dubbed a “revelation” in some quarters.

Earning man of the match awards several times during the competition, his highlight came in a 1-0 victory over Germany where he was the only scorer in a famous victory for his country.

An attacking midfielder by trade and capable of featuring across the forward areas, Zongo is also on the radar of Manchester City, Villarreal and Anderlecht, illustrating how high his ceiling could potentially be with the correct development path.

Ultimately, he still has a tonne of growth left before coming into contention at first-team level overseas. However, Manchester United may be the best environment to earn his stripes.

Mainoo 2.0: Man Utd can axe Ugarte for one of England's "best young players"

Three-wicket win keeps them in contention at top ahead of clash with champions Surrey

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay11-Sep-2025

Nottinghamshire fended off a strong fightback by Worcestershire to complete a three-wicket win which keeps them at the heart of the race for the Rothesay County Championship title.Chasing a target of 136 at Visit Worcestershire New Road, Haseeb Hameed’s side dipped to 83 for 6 before the lower-middle order stood tall to take them to 136 for 7. After Ben Slater held the chase together early on with a resolute 36 off 94 balls, Liam Patterson-White (23) and Lyndon James (17 not out) held their nerve with crucial contributions when it mattered most.Ben Allison took 3 for 50 as the home side gave it everything but the defeat leaves Worcestershire almost certain to finish bottom of Division One. Meanwhile, Nottinghamshire’s win sets up a huge clash with reigning champions and Division One leaders Surrey at The Oval next week.Nottinghamshire resumed on the final morning on 40 for 1 and, to their delight, the rain that has haunted this match was replaced by gorgeous sunshine. Visit Worcestershire New Road looked as magnificent as ever as Slater and Freddie McCann walked to the crease.McCann was soon making the return journey after lifting a pull to deep square leg. When Khurram Shahzad, in a superb spell from the New Road End (8-5-8-1), trapped Joe Clarke lbw, a few Nottinghamshire nerves were jangling at 53 for 3.They were jangling even more after Allison took two wickets in ten balls. Jack Haynes drove to cover and Kyle Verreynne was late on a ball which arrowed in to knock out middle stump.Slater had resisted with skill and patience for 148 minutes but was lured into driving at a wide one from Tom Taylor and nicked it to supply the bowler’s 49th Championship wicket of the season. As runs dried up – three from the last seven overs before lunch – Nottinghamshire dined at 91 for 6.Lunch arrived at a good time for them. It drained the bowlers of momentum and four quickfire fours from Patterson-White straight after the interval put Nottinghamshire back on the front foot. Patterson-White edged Allison to wicketkeeper Gareth Roderick with 22 needed from the last three wickets but James, completing his excellent all-round match, and Josh Tongue saw their side to a potentially priceless victory.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot’s future at Anfield has come into question after his team dropped points in their 3-3 draw with Leeds United in the Premier League on Saturday.

The Dutchman, who won the title in his first season, has lost ten of his 23 matches in all competitions, including six in the top-flight, this term.

On top of that, Mohamed Salah has claimed that his relationship with the manager has broken down after being on the bench for the third straight game against Leeds.

The Salah situation and the poor results this season have put pressure on the former Feyenoord tactician, with the club reportedly looking at potential replacements.

Liverpool have admiration for national team manager

Dave OCKOP reports that Steven Gerrard has been sounded out as a potential interim to come in and steady the ship if FSG decide to part ways with Slot in the coming days or weeks.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

The report claims that Liverpool are also admirers of Germany national team head coach Julian Nagelsmann, previously of Bayern Munich and Hoffenheim.

It adds that the 38-year-old manager is expected to lead his country to the World Cup in America, Canada, and Mexico next summer, though, which means that he will not be available immediately.

Dave OCKOP suggests that the German tactician may be available after the World Cup, though, which is where Gerrard stepping in as an interim option could make sense.

If Liverpool were to eventually bring Nagelsmann in as their long-term replacement for Slot, he would be the perfect appointment to get the best out of Florian Wirtz.

Why Nagelsmann would be perfect for Wirtz

To say that Wirtz has not lived up to expectations in a Liverpool shirt so far would probably be an understatement, as he has yet to deliver a single goal or assist in the Premier League, per Sofascore.

The Reds splashed out £116m to sign the attacking midfielder from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer transfer window, and he has racked up no goals and three assists in 19 appearances in all competitions.

Slot has simply been unable to get the best out of the huge-money signing, who produced 16 goals and 14 assists for Leverkusen last term (Sofascore), but Nagelsmann could come in to get him flying at Anfield.

Wirtz’s form for Germany at international level is proof that he could shine for the Reds if Nagelsmann replaces Slot in the dugout, because he has proven that he can perform in that system.

Caps

27

3rd

Goals

8

1st

Assists

6

2nd

Goals + assists

14

1st

As you can see in the table above, the Liverpool attacking midfielder has been the most impactful attacker of the manager’s reign with the national team, providing more goals and assists combined than any other player.

For further context, Wirtz scored no goals and provided three assists in his first ten caps for Germany before Nagelsmann took the job, which shows that the ex-Bayern boss can get the best out of him.

The 38-year-old boss was once described as the “best young coach in Europe” by reporter Josh Bunting in 2022, and it is still hard to argue with that assessment in the present day.

Mikel Arteta, 43, and Xabi Alonso, 44, are two of the brightest young coaches in the game, managing Arsenal and Real Madrid, yet they have won as many league titles combined (one) as Nagelsmann has, having won the Bundesliga with Bayern, and he is five and six years younger than them.

The German boss won 2.31 points per game during his time with Bayern, per Transfermarkt, whilst Slot has won 2.00 points per game across 79 matches with Liverpool to date.

This suggests that Nagelsmann could come in as an upgrade on the Dutchman as an all-round manager, whilst also being the perfect appointment to get the best out of Wirtz at Anfield.

As bad as Konate: Slot must axe 6/10 Liverpool star who made 0 tackles

Liverpool blew a two-goal lead to draw 3-3 against Leeds United at Elland Road.

ByAngus Sinclair 5 days ago

Therefore, it could be a good move for FSG to bring Gerrard in as an interim appointment with a view to landing Nagelsmann next summer, if they decide that parting ways with Slot is the route that they want to go down in the coming weeks.

It is understood that the auction will be held at the end of November, ahead of the 2026 season

Nagraj Gollapudi08-Oct-2025The five franchises in the WPL are set for a revamp, with the BCCI deciding to hold a mega auction ahead of the 2026 season. ESPNcricinfo has learned that the franchises have been told informally about the mega auction, which is likely to be held by end of November.The franchises are awaiting confirmation from the WPL on the number of retentions, the auction purse, the retention slabs and how many right-to-match (RTM) card options would be available. Those decisions will be finalised by the WPL committee, but there is no confirmation on when they are likely to meet. The dates for the 2026 edition are yet to be announced, although the BCCI had indicated earlier that the tournament would be held in the January-February window.The five-team WPL, the most lucrative event in women’s cricket, was launched in 2023 with Mumbai Indians emerging as the inaugural champions. Mumbai are the defending champions, while Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) won the title in 2024.It is understood that both Mumbai and RCB, along with Delhi Capitals, losing finalists in all three seasons of the WPL so far, are three teams who were not in favour of the mega auctions. All three franchises, it is learned, reasoned that they have worked hard to build their squads over the past three seasons and asking them to dismantle just when the WPL brand is getting established, could prove to be counter-productive.It is understood, however, that the two other franchises – Gujarat Giants and UP Warriorz – support a mega auction. Both these teams have never made the final and are keen to overhaul their squads and rebuild. One WPL official said that while they understood the reservations of the three franchises against the mega auction, it was important to ensure the tournament had five strong teams, otherwise the imbalance could only harm the brand. The official also pointed out that franchises like RCB have shown in the IPL that they can build their brand identity independent of the players retained, though they agreed the presence of Indian star Virat Kohli was well leveraged by the franchise.Mumbai Indians celebrate with the 2025 WPL trophy•Getty ImagesThis official pointed out that at the same time, the WPL would ensure that teams would still have the opportunity to retain their core. It is understood while some teams were in favour of being allowed to retain at least six or seven players, the WPL could lean closer to five. What also needs to be worked out as part of the retention formula is how many RTMs each team could exercise at the auction along with the combination of capped and uncapped players.For the IPL mega auction in 2025, each of the 10 franchises were allowed a maximum of six retentions via a combination of retention and RTM. The six would comprise a maximum five capped players (Indian/overseas) and maximum of two uncapped Indian players. The RTM option gives a franchise the chance to buy back a player during the auction by matching the highest bid made for the player by another franchise once the bidding is over. The RTM rule has never been used in WPL auctions.The WPL has been viewed as a gamechanger in women’s cricket, especially because of the monetary benefits for players. In 2023, Viacom 18 bought the WPL broadcast rights for INR 951 crore (USD 116.7 million approx.) for the period 2023 to 2027. The per-match value was worth INR 7.09 core (USD 866,000 approx.). India’s star batter Smrit Mandhana, the first player to be bought at the inaugural WPL auction (2023), remains the most expensive buy at INR 3.2 cr ($415,000 approx.).

تحدث خوسيه لويس مينديليبار، المدير الفني لفريق أولمبياكوس اليوناني عن المباراة المرتقبة أمام ريال مدريد، ولم يقلل من قدرات خصمه مؤكدًا في الوقت ذاته على إمكانية الفوز، وأبدى رأيه بشأن وضع تشابي ألونسو مدرب الفريق الملكي مع لاعبيه.

ويستقبل أولمبياكوس خصمه ريال مدريد غدًا الأربعاء، في إطار مباريات الجولة الخامسة لمرحلة الدوري ببطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا، وتحدث مينديليبار في مؤتمر صحفي، نشرته صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية.

وعن فرصة أولمبياكوس في الفوز، في ظل إصابات ريال مدريد، وما سيقوله للاعبيه لإقناعهم، رد: “ما تقولونه جميعًا شيء، وما نعتقده في داخلنا شيء آخر، وهما مختلفان تمامًا، إنها مباراة صعبة، ولا يهم أي فريق سيلعب من ريال مدريد، لأنهم جميعًا جيدون جدًا، ولن يمنحونا أي أفضلية؛ علينا الفوز بها بأنفسنا”.

وأضاف: “لا أعتقد أننا سنفاجئهم، كما لا أعتقد أنهم سيفاجئوننا، من هنا، علينا أن نكون أفضل، وإذا كان السبيل إلى ذلك هو أن نكون أول من يهاجم، فهذا أفضل، لكن ليس الفريق الذي يصل إلى هناك أكثر من مرة هو الفائز دائمًا، بل من يستغل فرصه على أكمل وجه”.

وواصل: “في كرة القدم، الأمر ليس مسألة حياة أو موت، إنه أمر مهم، وإذا خسرنا، فسيكون من الصعب جدًا التواجد ضمن أفضل 24 فريقًا، لكن دعونا نركز على المباراة، نتحدث عما نفعله في كل مباراة، ونؤكد أنه ضد هؤلاء الخصوم لا يمكنك ارتكاب أي أخطاء، لأنهم سيستغلونها، إذا تغلبوا علينا، فيجب أن يكون ذلك لأنهم أفضل، وليس لأننا نرتكب أخطاءً يستغلونها”.

وتجنب التعليق على فينيسيوس وغضبه لحظة استبداله في الكلاسيكو، وأفاد: “لا، لا (مبتسمًا) لقد مر وقت طويل منذ أن غضب من استبداله، لا أتذكر حتى!، لكن هذا ما يحدث في ريال مدريد وأي نادٍ كبير، بمجرد تحقيق نتيجتين سيئتين، تبدأ المشاكل بالظهور… حتى لو لم تكن موجودة! لكنها تبدأ بالظهور”.

وأوضح: “بهذا المعنى، اللاعبون وتشابي يدركون حقيقة الأمر، إنهم يُعانون، لكنهم في صدارة الدوري؛ لذا لا يُمكن أن يكون أداؤهم سيئًا لهذه الدرجة، تشابي يتمتع بعلاقات جيدة داخل النادي؛ ولن يُمانع في البقاء وبذل قصارى جهده، إنه مدرب رائع وقد أثبت جدارته، ليس لديّ ما أضيفه”.

وسُئل مينديليبار في المؤتمر الصحفي عن كيفية إيقاف مبابي، فأجاب ساخرًا: “إنه متوقف بالفعل، أليس كذلك؟ إذا لم يسجل في آخر ثلاث مباريات، فهو متوقف، أليس كذلك؟ إذًا فليستمر على هذا الحال”.

ودافع عن تشابي ألونسو في ظل الأجواء النقدية المحيطة بريال مدريد قائلاً: “هل يُشكك فيه أم تُشكك فيه؟” (يجيب الصحفي: “كلاهما”)ـ حسنًا، لقد قلت كل شيء، لا أملك أي نصيحة لأقدّمها له، فهو يعرف ما يفعل؛ إنه في وضع جيد داخل النادي ولن يواجه أي مشكلة في البقاء”.

اقرأ أيضًا | كاريراس يوضح تفاصيل العلاقة بين لاعبي ريال مدريد وألونسو.. ويؤكد: لا يستمتع أي فريق بمواجهتنا

وبشأن نتائجه السابقة ضد ريال مدريد وفوزه عليهم كمدرب، رد: “لقد خسرنا أكثر بكثير مما فزنا، لقد فزت مرتين، ولا أعرف كم مرة خسرت، 12، 16، إذا لعب ريال مدريد بشكل جيد، يكاد يكون من المستحيل التغلب عليهم، لديهم لاعبون رائعون، من بين الأفضل في العالم، عليك أن تحاول منعهم من اللعب بشكل جيد، وعليك أن تتجنب ارتكاب أي أخطاء”.

وأشار: “فرقٌ مثل ريال مدريد أو نحن هنا، إذا لم نفز بمباراتين نواجه نفس الضغط، وعلينا أن نفوز كل يوم، نعلم ذلك، ولكن علينا التحلي بالهدوء اللازم للتعامل مع كل هذا، وريال مدريد كذلك، نحن في بداية الموسم، الشهر الثالث أو الرابع، والجزء الأصعب لم يأتِ بعد، لن يتوتروا، وعلينا أن نضغط عليهم حتى لا يتمكنوا من تقديم أداءٍ أفضل، نظريًا، لدينا فرصة أفضل للفوز عليهم، من الصعب جدًا مجاراتهم، لكننا نريد الاقتراب منهم أكثر فأكثر، وهذا يتحقق باللعب ضدهم، وبالتطور”.

وواصل الحديث عن ريال مدريد مؤكدًا: “فريق جيد جدًا، يضم لاعبين رائعين قادرين على إحداث أي ضرر، قد تتغير التشكيلة قليلًا، حيث أصبح بعض اللاعبين الأساسيين بدلاء أو يُستبدلون، لكن هذه أمورٌ على كل مدرب التعامل معها مع كثرة المباريات”.

وأتم: “هناك لاعبون لا يرون الأمر بهذه الطريقة، ليس فقط في ريال مدريد، بل في كل مكان، إنهم يرغبون دائمًا في اللعب، حتى لو كانوا منهكين، ولن يُخبروك بذلك، إنه أمرٌ يحتاج إلى إدارة، لكن من حيث أسلوب اللعب… لم يتغير كثيرًا، ربما لم يتسنَّ لتشايي الوقت الكافي بعدُ لإيجاد فريقه”.

Ireland lost five wickets in their second dig after Bangladesh took a massive first-innings lead

Mohammad Isam13-Nov-2025

Bangladesh are on course to take a 1-0 lead against Ireland after dominating the third day of the Sylhet Test. The visitors ended the day on 86 for 5, trailing by 215 runs after a century from Najmul Hossain Shanto, along with Litton Das’ 66-ball 60 helped Bangladesh amass on 587 for 8.Once they declared, Nahid Rana struck the first blow in the fourth over when he cleaned up Cade Carmichael for 5. It was a thundering inswinger that Carmichael couldn’t keep out, as Rana revved up the pace in his first spell.Ireland found a bit of consolidation for the next hour, with Harry Tector and Paul Stirling finding a bit of rhythm. Stirling struck seven fours as he raced towards a second fifty in the match. However, a bit of tardy thinking cost him dearly. After Litton missed a stumping off Taijul Islam, Stirling’s attempt for a single was ill-timed. He couldn’t turn back in time, as he was caught short of the crease, falling for 43 off 59 balls.Tector followed him back swiftly, lbw to Taijul for 18, before Shadman Islam took a brilliant catch at cover to get rid of Curtis Campher towards the end of the day. Murad took that wicket, before also trapping Lorcan Tucker lbw for 9.Earlier, Mahmudul Hasan Joy scored a career-best 171, which is the second-highest score by a Bangladeshi opener. Shanto’s century was his eighth in Tests, and fourth as captain.Mahmudul could add just two runs to his overnight score before Barry McCarthy had him edge behind with a late outswinger. Mominul Haque fell in McCarthy’s next over, undone by a lifter for 82. Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim put on a recovering act with a 79-run fourth-wicket stand.The acceleration came during the Shanto-Litton partnership, when they added 98 runs for the fifth wicket, at 5.49 per over. Litton smacked eight fours and a six, before Tector took a splendid catch running back from mid-on to dismiss him.Shanto, who struck 14 fours, fell to Andy McBrine on the second ball after reaching his century. He was very much leg-side dominant with his boundaries, along with a few straight drives for fours.The 23-year-old left-arm spinner Matthew Humphreys was Ireland’s best bowler, taking his second five-wicket haul in his fourth Test. He finished with 5 for 170 while McCarthy picked up two wickets, both on the third morning.

Celtic captain Callum McGregor carried the team on his back against St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday, securing the win with a stunning strike from distance.

The former Scotland international delivered a staggering finish from outside of the box in the 95th minute for the Hoops, when the game felt destined to end with a 0-0 draw.

Interim head coach Martin O’Neill needed his captain to step up with that goal because it was an underwhelming performance that will leave several players concerned about their place in the starting line-up.

For example, the Northern Irish manager should ruthlessly drop left-winger Sebastian Tounekti from the team ahead of the clash with Feyenoord on Thursday night in the Europa League.

Why Celtic should drop Sebastian Tounekti

The Tunisia international was a breath of fresh air after his move from Hammarby at the end of the summer transfer window, as he got fans off their seats with his exciting play on his debut against Kilmarnock.

Unfortunately, though, the 23-year-old forward has failed to add end product to his exciting play, with a return of two goals and no assists in 14 appearances in all competitions for the club, per Transfermarkt.

On top of his struggles in the final third throughout the season so far, Tounekti’s all-round performances in the last two Premiership games have left too much to be desired.

Minutes

78

67

Shots

2

1

Goals

0

0

Key passes

0

1

Big chances created

0

0

Dribbles completed

2/10

2/6

Duels won

3/13

3/11

As you can see in the table above, the Hoops winger failed to deliver much in the way of quality against Kilmarnock or St Mirren, whilst struggling badly with the physical side of the game.

With this in mind, O’Neill could ruthlessly ditch Tounekti from the starting line-up on Thursday by unleashing Paulo Bernardo in a brand-new role on the left flank.

Why Paulo Bernardo should be played on the left wing

The Portuguese central midfielder has only played six matches in all competitions this season, per Transfermarkt, but unleashing him as a left winger could be a genius move by the interim manager.

Per Transfermarkt, Bernardo has never played as a left midfielder or left winger in his senior career, for Benfica or Celtic, but it is a position that could suit him against Feyenoord.

Against St Mirren, Tounekti and Kieran Tierney often seemed to want to do the same thing, which was to get to the byline to cross the ball, and they got in each other’s way at times.

Playing Bernardo on the left against Feyenoord would provide Tierney, who has delivered four assists in all competitions this season, the freedom of the left flank to deliver crosses, as the ex-Benfica man would drift inside into more central areas in possession, similarly to how Luke McCowan plays when he is deployed on the right wing.

On top of this move potentially unlocking Tierney as an attacking force, it could also provide Bernardo with more opportunities to showcase his talent at the top end of the pitch.

The central midfielder, who was hailed as “tenacious” by Brendan Rodgers, has produced seven goals and seven assists in 83 appearances for the Hoops to date, per Transfermarkt, whilst he has also scored 11 goals in 32 caps for Portugal’s U21s.

This suggests that he does have the potential to provide a threat in the final third if given a chance to play further up the pitch, which is another reason why this brand-new role could be a good move for him.

Therefore, O’Neill should finally ditch Tounekti from the starting XI to try out a pairing of Tierney and Bernardo down the left against Feyenoord on Thursday.

The new Luis Palma: O'Neill must ruthlessly drop "sloppy" Celtic flop

This Celtic flop who was saved by Callum McGregor’s screamer is looking like the new Luis Palma.

ByDan Emery Nov 23, 2025

He always had explosive potential and shots all around the ground. Now he knows when to sit back and when to pull the trigger

Deivarayan Muthu29-Apr-20252:39

Cricinformed: PBKS’ opening fireworks

It certainly takes something special to outdo Glenn Maxwell at his own game. On Sunday, Maxwell pulled off the switch-hit against Varun Chakravarthy, but it was Prabhsimran Singh’s switch-hit off Sunil Narine that left our collective jaws on the floor.Prabhsimran is usually an intent machine in the powerplay, but on an Eden Gardens pitch that was described as “very, very slow”, he tempered his natural instincts and didn’t overhit the ball. He was on 34 off 32 balls. He was up against one of the best bowlers in T20 cricket.Narine darted a good-length delivery on middle and leg. It’s the kind of ball that has tied batters down for years. Prabhsimran, though, played a sensational switch-hit and launched the ball over the cover boundary, well away from the reach of deep point. When Prabhsimran attempted another switch-hit, off a no-ball, he miscued it to cover, but the choice of the shot had already messed with the line, length and plans of Narine.Related

• IPL 2025 showed the might of the uncapped Indian batter

• Unstoppable and unsatisfied: how Punjab Kings marched into their first IPL playoffs in 11 years

• A loss for CSK against PBKS will knock them out of the playoffs

• Prabhsimran and Arya, more than just a bold experiment

The free-hit ball was on a hard length and wide of off, but Prabhsimran reached out and flat-batted it over Narine’s head for six. He ran away with the momentum and finished with 83 off 49 balls.Prabhsimran has always had explosive ability. Punjab Kings (PBKS) were so excited by his raw potential that they outlaid INR 4.8 crore for him at the IPL 2019 auction. At the time, Prabhsimran had not played a T20 match in senior representative cricket, but his ability to bash the ball interested the scouts. PBKS’ management kept cycling through coaches and captains, but they held onto Prabhsimran. Six years on, he has come of age as a T20 batter.He isn’t just a hard hitter in the powerplay. He has evolved into a versatile disruptor of bowlers and fields. He now has the nous to sit back and accumulate when conditions are difficult for batting. He also knows when to pull the trigger.When PBKS’ net bowler, an offspinner, tried to attack Prabhsimran’s pads during the nets at Chepauk on Tuesday, much like Narine had done at Eden Gardens, Prabhsimran swapped his hands on the bat handle and swatted him over cover. The crack off Prabhsimran’s bat reverberated around the empty stands, taking some of Chennai Super Kings’ net bowlers and reserve players by surprise. PBKS’ team management, however, were probably not one bit surprised.Prabhsimran Singh enjoys playing unorthodox shots•Associated Press”We are all waiting for him to play it,” James Hopes, PBKS’ fast-bowling coach, said on the eve of their match against CSK in Chennai. “[Against KKR], we thought it was going to come a lot earlier than it actually did. I think the way they [KKR] were moving the field at that time, especially that guy at deep point and they were all waiting for it as well.”Yes, he got his first one away and as soon as it happens, you are never going to put two guys out there [on the boundary]. So, there’s a big part of the field that’s left unprotected and Sunny is a world-class bowler. It’s a different game that some of these boys play right now. No surprise from my end and my team’s end because every training session we see him 50 times batting left-handed.”Prabhsimran’s T20 invention and power-hitting has also wowed his head coach Ricky Ponting when PBKS’ new head coach saw Prashmiran, one of the team’s retained players, before the start of the season. Matthew Hayden said as much on commentary.”A very excited Ricky Ponting came up to me at the Kings’ first match in Ahmedabad and said, ‘Haydos, I’ve found myself a beauty’. Now Ricky Ponting rarely gets excited about too much, but he went, ‘this kid, he is just magic – he’s got dust, and it’s covered in gold… just such talent and class.'”In that match against Gujarat Titans, Prabhsimran got twitchy after a slow start and went too hard at Kagiso Rabada, holing out to short third for five off eight balls. Fast-forward to Eden Gardens: another slow start for Prabhsimran, but this time he was prepared to absorb good balls on a tricky surface; once he got a measure of the conditions, he even lined up Narine.3:26

Ganga: New generation of Indian batters think about how to hit every ball for six

Wasim Jaffer, who has worked with Prabhsimran at both PBKS and Punjab in domestic cricket, is also impressed with his charge’s growth into a more rounded T20 batter.”I think he must have worked out who are the bowlers that he can target,” Jaffer said on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut show. “He generally takes a few deliveries before he starts getting into that ultra-aggressive mode. But yeah, he’s been a little smarter. Obviously, playing in this league for a few seasons also has helped. He’s one of the integral parts of that Punjab batting. That responsibility has shown the way he’s approached in games and that is a very good thing to see a different change in Prabhsimran.”He’s got shots all around the ground, whether square, whether straight. It’s just him picking the right balls to hit. And once he gets that big boundary or big sixes, just for him to rotate the strike and take it to the next over.”In the lead-up to the IPL, Prabhsimran had cracked three successive hundreds in the 50-overs Vijay Hazare Trophy, including an unbeaten 150 against Mumbai. But not too many fans follow cricket outside of internationals and the IPL. To them, Prabhsimran was perhaps just another uncapped player until IPL 2025.On Wednesday, he could be the top attraction among four uncapped openers who will be on show at Chepauk. If he continues to level up, he could well become a capped player by the next IPL. Only time will tell.

Lamine Yamal has been told that relentless comparisons with Lionel Messi are “not helping” his development, with “unnecessary pressure” being lumped onto the teenager’s shoulders. The Barcelona wonderkid has cleared every hurdle put in front of him so far, but he is only 18 years of age and could do without being asked to follow in the footsteps of an all-time great.

• Next Messi: Yamal treading similar path to Argentine icon

  Yamal has, however, had to get used to that discussion. Ever since he stepped out of the same La Masia academy system as Argentine GOAT Messi, similarities have been drawn between two exciting left-footed forwards.

  A fearless approach to his game has allowed Yamal to turn a deaf ear to any detractors, with the record books being rewritten, and he has stated on a regular basis that he does not consider himself to be the ‘next Messi’. He intends to build his own legacy, but that will only be possible if distractions on and off the field can be avoided.

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  GOAT comparison: Why Yamal vs Messi debate helps nobody

  Ex-Barcelona midfielder Gaizka Mendieta has told : “Comparisons to Lionel Messi are not helping Lamine Yamal. It doesn't help anyone. It doesn't help mainly and mostly the player. You know, 'the number 10, there's the new Messi. He does things that Messi used to do at his age.' When I hear these conversations, it's about, 'name me how many Messis are in football history.' How many players like Messi have you seen in football history? I can maybe count three. Okay, and then how often have you seen these players? Huge gaps in between, I don't know, 20, 30, 40 years, 50 years. It's very rare that you see players like Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo.

  “Messi and Ronaldo, I think it's quite unique that you see two players like that playing at the same time and era. So one is very difficult. And second, to put that pressure on a player of 18 years old that is going to play in the next 20 years at that level, I wish and I hope he will do it, but I think it's so difficult. It's very difficult. Not only the level of football, but also injuries and so many things. He’s 18, he's still growing. He's still developing muscle and bones. So there are so many factors there that we have to be careful about these comparisons. It’s unnecessary pressure on a player. Look, let's enjoy it. He is an amazing talent, let's enjoy what is there game by game. Let’s hope he will make it to 40 and be the next Messi. But there's no pressure. We've seen many others including Ansu Fati and Munir El Haddadi being called the next Messi and so many in Argentina, but it’s not that simple.”

• Transfer trigger: Will Barcelona sign Rashford?

  Yamal can call on the support of those around him at Camp Nou, with England international Marcus Rashford among those currently on hand to help shoulder the responsibility of providing goals and assists. He has impressed during a loan spell from Manchester United, but it remains to be seen whether a permanent transfer option will be triggered.

  Mendieta added of the 28-year-old forward: “Marcus Rashford has been excellent. He's been fantastic for the team. Seven assists, I think with three goals. But, most importantly, he's an addition to the team. I think a deal will come down to finance. As a player, the way Marcus Rashford is playing, there will surely be interest, but it's about where Barca will be with their finances at that moment in time. And of course, what Rashford wants for his contract, how much he's prepared to negotiate, because we know Barca cannot afford to pay those contracts. On the sports side, for sure, 100%. The question is, can both sides come down to a financial agreement?

  “It's sad to say, but I think the fact that Raphinha has been injured is helping. If Raphinha was fit, I'm sure they would be rotated. There would have been changes between them two. But the fact that he's been injured has allowed him to play regularly every game, which is helping to settle better. I think him being away from England and the Premier League has helped, he was always in the spotlight, not always for the right reasons.

  “I think he's enjoying that life in Barcelona. It's great knowing he can go to restaurants, people will not bother you. He can go to the beach, he can get on with his lifestyle in Barcelona. And that's helping him to settle in the team. The style, I think, suits him. He doesn't need to run as much as he thought he had to do in the past and it's more about tactics and understanding when to make those runs and those passes or crosses or actions. I think all these factors are helping him to be the player he wants to be and the fans are enjoying it.”

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  Barcelona fixtures: Next up for Yamal & Rashford

  Yamal and Rashford have helped Barcelona to the top of the Liga table, in their ongoing title defence, with the Blaugrana taking advantage of the dip in form being endured by Clasico rivals Real Madrid. Hansi Flick’s side will be back in action on Tuesday when taking in a testing home date with Atletico Madrid.