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The ACB has sanctioned him for breaching a code-of-conduct policy that requires players to seek the board’s permission before travelling abroad

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Aug-2019Mohammad Shahzad, the Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batsman, cannot play “any form of cricket” for a year. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), which had earlier suspended Shahzad indefinitely for breaching the board’s code of conduct, has fixed the term of his suspension.Shahzad’s suspension comes after he breached of a policy that requires players to seek the board’s permission before travelling out of the country. ESPNcricinfo understands that Shahzad is based in Peshawar, Pakistan, and was recently seen training there.”ACB has well-equipped training and practice facilities within the country and Afghan players do not require to travel abroad for such purposes,” the ACB said in a statement on Sunday.Last year, the ACB had fined Shahzad and asked him to relocate to Afghanistan permanently or risk having his contract terminated.Shahzad spent his early years in a refugee camp in Peshawar, but his parents are originally from Nangarhar, Afghanistan. Like many of his Afghanistan team-mates, Shahzad grew up near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border; he also got married in Peshawar. A significant number of Afghans, once refugees, now reside in Pakistan, mainly in Peshawar, registered in the country as temporary residents.Shahzad has been in the news a fair bit in recent times. He was sent back home from the World Cup because of a knee injury but told media in Kabul soon after that he was fit to play and hinted that the team just didn’t want him with them. “If they don’t want me to play, I will quit cricket,” he had said at the time.The senior cricketer, an integral part of Afghanistan’s rise up the ranks to Test status, had also served a retrospective one-year ban in 2017 for “inadvertently” consuming a banned substance.

Manchester United are keeping close tabs on a new central talisman to replace Donny van de Beek in January, according to a reliable journalist.

Van De Beek replacement needed

The Red Devils have Christian Eriksen, Kobbie Mainoo and Van de Beek as their three natural options in central midfield as it stands, but there’s a strong possibility that the latter will be heading for the exit door in the coming weeks.

The Athletic has reported that Erik ten Hag’s star is set to join German Bundesliga outfit Eintracht Frankfurt on a season-long loan until the end of the current campaign having already completed his medical, so should his move indeed be confirmed, the manager may have to enter the market to find a suitable replacement in that particular position.

Fabrizio Romano shares agreement to axe Man Utd player unhappy with Ten Hag

A January deal has already been rubber stamped.

By
David Comerford

Dec 21, 2023

Back in 2020, AS Monaco’s Youssouf Fofana put pen to paper from RC Strasbourg and he’s since gone on to become a regular feature of their first-team squad, making a total of 155 senior appearances to date (Transfermarkt – Fofana statistics).

The France international still has just under two years remaining on his deal with Adi Hutter’s side (AS Monaco contracts), but with his performances since the start of the term seemingly having impressed, the 24-year-old has been brought onto the radar at Old Trafford.

Man United interested in Fofana

Taking to X, journalist Rudy Galetti revealed that Man United are keen on Fofana, with Monaco having decided on the price that needs to be met in order to let their prized asset move to the Premier League.

He wrote: “Man Utd are still monitoring with interest Youssouf Fofana and are ready to take concrete steps for him soon. AS Monaco ask for €30m to evaluate proposals for the CM, whose contract expires in 2025.”

Fofana is a "magnificent" player

Being a central midfielder, Fofana is naturally strong in both the defensive and offensive aspects of his game, with the former being proven this season by currently averaging 1.8 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per game in Ligue 1 (WhoScored – Fofana statistics).

The Paris native is also capable of making a positive impact at the opposite end of the pitch, having posted 23 contributions (15 assists and eight goals) since the start of his career, showing how much of a well-rounded player he is.

Sponsored by Adidas, Ten Hag’s target even knows what it takes to compete and be successful at a high level having been crowned a French League Cup winner during his time at Strasbourg, so he will possess a winning mentality that will be another attractive attribute to the boss, as that is what would be required of him.

As described by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Fofana is a “magnificent” maestro considering how he can dictate the game from the centre of the park, so should the opportunity present itself, this is surely a no-brainer of a deal for the board to pursue in January.

Ex-USMNT ace Brad Friedel says a star in America's second tier was "better than Harry Kane", with caution being urged when it comes to Cavan Sullivan.

• Record-breaking teenager in MLS
• Caution being urged with Sullivan
• Adu a famous tale of unfilled talent

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Excitement has continued to build around teenage wonderkid Sullivan since he made history as the youngest MLS debutant in July 2024. He was aged just 14 years and 293 days at the time, with a place in the history books being snatched from former prodigy Freddy Adu.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Adu has been used as a cautionary tale down to the years when it comes to unfilled potential, as he was billed as the next Pele after making his own breakthrough at 14. He went on to endure a nomadic career at club level, but did earn 17 caps for the United States.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Sullivan will be hoping to fare better than that, but there are many stories to be found of shining lights that burned out before illuminating the big time – with there tales of that variety to be told around the world.

• WHAT FRIEDEL SAID

  Friedel, speaking with the online casino authority Casino.org, told GOAL when asked about the habit of writing exciting youngsters off if they ultimately become anything less than superstars: "Correct, and it’s wrong to think that way.

  "I’ve sat in the Premier League at Tottenham in the academy when deciding between two or three players to take up to the next age group at 13, 14, 15. Sometimes what you’re choosing between is so strange. At one stage, Cameron Lancaster was, in a lot of people’s eyes, better than Harry Kane. And he was, by the way. He had terrible injuries. You are choosing at such young ages. Harry has become this world icon and Cam, unfortunately, could have done really well. He had some terrible knee issues.

  "You just don’t know what’s going to happen at young ages. When you build someone up too much and they don’t score 25 goals, 25 assists every season, everyone’s thinking that they can’t play."

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is in contention to win the Championship PFA Player of the Year, along with two Leeds United stars.

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• New Chelsea signing nominated for award
• Leeds duo up for prize too
• Four of nominees will play in Premier League

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The PFA have announced their six nominees for the Championship Player of the Year award, which is voted for by fellow players. Dewsbury-Hall, who left Leicester to join Chelsea early in the summer, is one such nominee after scoring 12 goals and registering 14 assists as the Foxes won promotion to the Premier League.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Dewsbury-Hall is joined on the shortlist by Ipswich Town's Leif Davis and Southampton's Adam Armstrong, as well as Leeds duo Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter. Davis, Armstrong and Summerville will all be playing Premier League football this season, with the latter joining West Ham. Sammie Szmodics of Blackburn is also nominated.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Dewsbury-Hall has signed a deal with Chelsea until 2029 and will be out to replicate his performances for Leicester at Stamford Bridge this season. The 25-year-old made 129 appearances for the Foxes.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  The winner of the Championship PFA Player of the Year will be announced later this month, on August 20. Dewsbury-Hall will hope to tie a bow on his Leicester career by winning the prize.

Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing Eintracht Frankfurt defender Evan Ndicka, according to journalist Fabrice Hawkins. 

The lowdown: Rising star

A product of the Auxerre academy, the Paris-born youngster joined the Europa League winners in 2018 and has rapidly developed a burgeoning reputation in the Bundesliga.

Since arriving in Germany, the 22-year-old has made 139 appearances for Frankfurt, directly contributing to an impressive 19 goals from a predominantly central defensive role.

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Fast approaching the final year of his contract (Transfermarkt), it appears inevitable that the next step in a blossoming career is on the horizon…

The latest: United cited

Taking to Twitter, French journalist Hawkins confirmed interest from the Red Devils, AS Monaco and Tottenham in acquiring the services of Ndicka.

He stated: “Evan Ndicka is very courted. Tottenham and Man Utd are tracking the Frankfurt defender, recent Europa League winner. In Monaco, his name comes up insistently if Benoît Badiashile is transferred. Ndicka does not rule out playing UCL with Frankfurt next season.”

The verdict: Exciting prospect

Signing the 6 foot 3 20-times capped France youth international would be a hugely promising statement as Erik ten Hag begins his tenure at Old Trafford by attempting to freshen up the squad.

Described as the ‘complete package’ by German reporter Christopher Michel, this is a move that would make an abundance of sense, particularly as Eric Bailly has been linked with a departure in recent days.

So far this season, Ndicka has scored four times and provided another four assists in 44 appearances across all competitions and played 100 minutes in the European final success over Rangers to earn a 6.90 Sofascore rating for a monstrous performance containing a massive seven clearances and seven successful aerial duels.

Partnering a talent of this magnitude alongside either Harry Maguire or compatriot Raphael Varane would be a tantalising prospect that Ten Hag and John Murtough should be doing everything possible to make a reality.

In other news: Man Utd source: Sensational transfer twist as Erik ten Hag now hijacking move for ‘golden boy’. 

Since arriving in December, Nuno Espirito Santo has identified the striker role as a position to upgrade on at Nottingham Forest, but he is now also on the lookout for a new defender.

However, their search could be put on hold after the club has been charged with a breach of the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules.

Nevertheless, let’s take a look at the defender who could become the perfect partner for Murillo.

Forest’s search for a centre-back

According to reports from TEAMtalk earlier this week, Forest are interested in signing Trevoh Chalobah this month.

The Chelsea defender rejected a move to the Tricky Trees in the summer, but it is believed he could make the switch due to his desire to remain in England.

The Blues will reportedly accept a bid of £25m for the defender, but Forest will face competition from a couple of Italian clubs, notably Napoli.

How Chalobah would fit in the Forest team

Since moving to Forest in the summer for around £15m, Murillo has been a rock at the heart of the backline. The left-footed star has featured as the left centre-back in 15 Premier League matches this season, and since entering the starting XI, he has yet to be displaced.

Nottingham Forest

Location

Nottingham, England

Owner

Evangelos Marinakis

Stadium

The City Ground

Established

1865

Manager

Sean Dyche

Nottingham Forest FC is a professional football club based in Nottingham, England. Forest are one of six English clubs to win the European Cup (Champions League). Forest play matches in the Premier League, the top tier of the English Football league system.

Nottingham Forest Standings| Nottingham Forest on TV| Transfer News

Furthermore, before this weekend, the Brazilian ranked first for the most clearances per ninety minutes (6) for players aged 21 or less throughout the entirety of Europe's top five leagues.

However, for the side to really develop into a top-half team, they must sign a right centre-back to partner Murillo, and Chalobah would be perfect for the role.

The Chelsea defender hasn’t played a single game of football all season, with the club’s never-ending recruitment and Chalobah’s need for minutes pushing him further down the pecking order. However, prior to the arrival of Mauricio Pochettino, the 24-year-old was a frequent starter for the Blues, playing 25 times in the Premier League last season.

Nonetheless, the table below shows a handful of Chalobah’s statistics from the last year across the top European leagues.

Chalobah has been described as a “monster” by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig for his ability to dominate both with and without the ball, with the ex-Huddersfield loanee extremely comfortable dealing with attackers who are direct, due to his athletic frame That makes him dynamic, as shown by his impressive tackling numbers.

The Chelsea star’s biggest attribute is his ability on the ball and confidence to receive it under any circumstance, highlighted by his high touches, successful take-ons, and passes completed. However, he also has the bravery to progress the ball quickly, which is vital when playing for a side that operates on the break.

Therefore, Chalobah would add a nice balance next to Murillo, who tends to progress play via dribbling, as shown by the fact he is in the top 1% for successful take-ons in the Premier League, as per FBref.

Overall, Chalobah is an extremely talented defender who needs the right environment to flourish, and he could do just that next to Murillo at Forest.

Chelsea have sold Angelo Gabriel to Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr for £19 million just a year after signing the Brazilian teenager from Santos.

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• Angelo spent the last season at Strasbourg
• Became the 26th player to leave Chelsea this summer
• Has signed a five-year contract with Al-Nassr

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Blues forked out €15m (£13m/$16m) to secure his services from the Brazilian outfit. However, Angelo spent the 2023-24 season on loan at Strasbourg – Chelsea's sister club in Ligue 1 – where he scored four goals in 21 Ligue 1 appearances, showcasing glimpses of his talent.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Chelsea have now transferred Angelo to Al-Nassr as part of their extensive summer clearout in a €23m (£19.4m/$25.4m) move. His departure makes him the 26th player to leave Stamford Bridge either on loan or through a permanent transfer as they have been actively reshuffling their squad in a bid to balance the books and achieve a zero net spend by the end of the transfer window. The youngster has signed a five-year deal with the Saudi giants and Chelsea will receive a part of any future proceeds made from his sale.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Angelo's rise to prominence began in Brazil, where he made his professional debut for Santos at the tender age of 15 years and 308 days, making him the youngest player ever to feature in the Brazilian Serie A. His early success continued as he became the youngest player to score in the Copa Libertadores, South America's premier club competition, netting a goal at just 16 years old in 2021.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ANGELO & CHELSEA?

  Angelo is expected to make his debut for Al-Nassr and line up alongside Cristiano Ronaldo on September 13, after the international break, in a highly anticipated match against Al-Ahli. Meanwhile, Chelsea will return to action against Bournemouth a day later in the Premier League.

The 23-year-old was substituted onto the pitch in the second half and found the winner in stoppage time

• Washington Spirit defeat Portland Thorns 2-1
• USWNT's Rodman scores game-winner
• Forward made long-awaited return from injury in match

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  U.S. women's national team forward Trinity Rodman returned from injury and scored the game-winner for the Washington Spirit as they defeated the Portland Thorns 2-1 on Sunday. Rodman, 23, made her long-awaited return, making her first appearance for the club since April after taking time away to deal with a back injury. 

  On her strike, a 92nd-minute volley, she capitalized on a ball that was flicked on in the box by fellow U.S. international Croix Bethune, and she put it into the back of the net first time with her right boot. It capped off a two-goal comeback as the Spirit took three points in front of their home fans in Washington, D.C. 

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• WATCH RODMAN'S WINNER

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Rodman's return was a welcome sight for both the Spirit and the USWNT. She'd been battling injury for months, dating back to the 2024 Paris Olympics, with a lingering back issue causing her to be "in pain all the time."

  Sunday marked Rodman's first goal of the 2025 NWSL season. In 2024, she made 26 appearances for the Spirit, scoring eight goals and recording six assists while leading them to the NWSL Championship game, where they fell short to the Orlando Pride.

  For the USWNT, Rodman has amassed 47 caps, scoring 11 goals and recording nine assists.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR RODMAN?

  The Spirit are back in action next weekend when they take to the road to take on Gotham FC. The Spirit sit second in the NWSL standings, while the Bats sit in eighth – though just seven points separate them. 

Tottenham Hotspur showed why, under Ange Postecoglou, that at their best they are a force to be reckoned with on Sunday afternoon.

Spurs have flattered to deceive at points this term, notably losing to a winless Crystal Palace a week ago, but since then have shown why teams should be scared of them, beating Manchester City in the cup and then smacking four past Aston Villa in a 4-1 victory.

No team in the Premier League up to this point have scored more than their 22 goals. They are full of life and can outscore pretty much any team they face.

Dominic Solanke – who scored twice at the weekend – will no doubt take the plaudits but another face was just as good, if not better, than the striker. It was a display that had shades of a certain Mousa Dembele.

Why Mousa Dembele was so loved at Spurs

“Dembele was probably the best player I’ve ever seen play football,” remarked Kyle Walker many moons ago. He was “a freak of nature” in the words of Eric Dier.

Gain such fine praise from your pears and it’s hardly a surprise that he was so loved at White Hart Lane.

Dembele had the poise and grace of the finest footballers in the game but he combined that with a steely physical nature. In essence, he had it all. He could score goals, he could tackle ruthlessly and he could pick a pass.

One of his finest campaigns on English shores came in 2015/16 and to give credence to the claims we’ve just offered, he was involved in four goals, registered 2.9 successful dribbles per game and won 3.6 tackles per match. Yeah, he was everywhere, he did it all.

So, when the Belgian decided to leave for China in 2019, it was a sad day for Spurs supporters. Arguably since that day, they have struggled to find a player with similar qualities. That’s perhaps until the win over Aston Villa.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Tottenham's new Mousa Dembele

There were a number of key performers in that win over Unai Emery’s team on Sunday, not least Solanke who was the scorer of two goals.

However, Pape Matar Sarr deserves an equal amount of praise for a display that Football.London felt obliged to hand a 9/10 rating.

In the words of GOAL’s Mitch Fretton, the Senegalese was a “monster” in the middle of the park and although he perhaps didn’t show the same level of drive with the ball, failing to attempt a single dribble, he was very much Dembele-esque in a lot of the work he got through.

In the process of winning three duels, completing a supremely impressive 92% of his passes and boasting more touches (80) than anyone on the field, his finest action came when helping Spurs score their third goal of the game.

If the fact he had more touches than anyone else didn’t give you Dembele vibes then the way he broke up the play for Solanke’s second of the day should.

Sarr pounced on Pau Torres’ loose ball before darting forward with his great lengthy strides and sending it through to Richarlison who laid it on a plate for the £65m signing to score from. It was one of two interceptions from the young 22-year-old who should now be one of the first names on the teamsheet.

He drives his team forward, breaks up the play brilliantly and covers so much ground for his team. All of a sudden he is vital to the way Postecoglou wants his team to play.

Spurs thought they'd signed the new Mousa Dembele, then he left for free

The promising star couldn’t make it work at Spurs.

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 2, 2024

After going unsold at the auction last year, he will now replace Tom Abell at Sunrisers Eastern Cape

Firdose Moonda02-Feb-2023Temba Bavuma’s performances in South Africa’s 2-1 ODI series win over England have landed him an SA20 deal after he was snubbed at the auction last year. Bavuma will replace Tom Abell at Sunrisers Eastern Cape. Bavuma’s big-hitting impressed the franchise to call him in for Abell, who will be joining England Lions.Bavuma was South Africa’s leading run-scorer in the series, with 180 runs from three matches, which was his most successful as an ODI batter. He struck a match-winning century in the second ODI, which also sealed the series, and maintained a strike rate of over 100 throughout the three matches. Having previously been criticised for his lack of big-hitting, Bavuma hit 23 fours and three sixes on two of the biggest grounds in South Africa in Bloemfontein and Kimberley, and also led the South African side well.