Jhon Duran could make a quick Premier League return with six clubs circling as Al-Nassr prepare to offload the £71m striker just months after signing.
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Duran open to Premier League loan after £71m Al-Nassr moveWest Ham still keen on signing, with six clubs interested
Colombian striker seeking more minutes in a familiar setting
Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Duran completed a blockbuster £71 million switch from Aston Villa to Al-Nassr in January, just days after West Ham reportedly failed with a £57 million bid for the striker. The Colombian international signed a lucrative contract in Saudi Arabia worth £330,000 per week but could now be on the move again, with Al-Nassr exploring loan options for the 20-year-old.
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Despite the hefty transfer fee and salary, Duran is said to be open to a return to the Premier League, just five months after leaving, as per TeamTalk. The Colombian youngster has struggled for consistent minutes in a star-studded Al-Nassr attack led by Cristiano Ronaldo and is reportedly eager to reignite his career in a more familiar setting.
TELL ME MORE…
As per the report, at least six Premier League clubs are believed to be monitoring Duran's availability, with West Ham, who now have a new manager in Graham Potter, still keeping tabs. Sources suggest a loan deal is being explored, although his wage demands and the original transfer fee complicate negotiations. While the other five clubs remain unnamed, the reports have hinted at two of those clubs being Wolves and Fulham.
GettyWHAT NEXT FOR DURAN?
As Duran and his representatives consider their options, it is anticipated that discussions will intensify in the upcoming weeks. Relocating back to England appears more conceivable for the Colombian, as clubs look to finalise a deal before serious preseason planning begins.
ESPNcricinfo commentary of the final moments of their incredible game against Rajasthan Royals
ESPNcricinfo staff10-Apr-202417.3 Avesh Khan to Rashid Khan, 1 run Short and wide outside off. Stops in the surface a little and Rashid cuts it towards deep cover point17.4 Avesh Khan to Tewatia, 1 run Slower bumper on middle and off. Tewatia waits an eternity for it before dragging it towards deep square leg17.5 Avesh Khan to Rashid Khan, 1 wide Short and too wide outside off. Rashid swishes and misses, and the umpire has no qualms in stretching out his arms17.5 Avesh Khan to Rashid Khan, 1 wide Well beyond the tramlines again, and some more exercise for the umpire17.6 Avesh Khan to Rashid Khan, 1 run What a save! Slower ball dug into the track outside off. Rashid stands up tall and slaps it flat towards long on. Buttler puts in a dive to his left and somehow manages to stop it on the half-volley. He went at it reverse-cupped and got the job done!18.1 Sen to Rashid Khan, 1 run Sizzling yorker, honing into the pads. Rashid whips at it and squirts it away towards short fine leg. Might have nutmegged himself too but the important detail is that it is just a single. By the way, had Avesh hit the stumps at the batter’s end, Tewatia was well out of his ground18.2 Sen to Tewatia, 1 wide, Full and angled across the batter well outside off. Beyond the tramlines too, and called a wide18.2 Sen to Tewatia, FOUR runs Gets it over! Rank wide full toss and Tewatia makes the most of it. Does not middle it but gets enough to clear extra cover. Buttler gives chase from mid off but cannot rein it in!18.3 Sen to Rashid Khan, 1 run Back of a length outside off. Tewatia sits deep in his crease and swings it away towards deep mid wicket 18.4 Sen to Rashid Khan, (no ball) FOUR runs, Shot! Goes for the wide yorker but errs on the fuller side. Rashid, sitting deep in his crease, gets under it and scythes it over extra cover. And, it gets worse for the Royals because Sen has overstepped…18.4 Sen to Tewatia, 2 runs Taken at deep square leg but it will not count! Banged into the track just outside off. Gets up very high and Rashid cannot control his pull. Skies it and deep square leg takes it running in. A brace to Rashid18.5 Sen to Rashid Khan, 1 wide Slower ball that goes wrong and slides well down leg. Another wide, and Sen might just be feeling the pressure now18.5 Sen to Rashid Khan, 1 leg bye Follows the batter well outside leg. Bowls it on a length and Rashid cannot connect with his swipe. The ball pings off the pads into the on side. Rashid livid with himselfRashid Khan and Rahul Tewatia were Gujarat Titans’ heroes•Getty Images
18.6 Sen to Tewatia, FOUR runs Four to finish the over! Shortish outside off and this sits up nicely to be hit. Tewatia opens up his stance and boshes it over mid off!19.1 Avesh Khan to Rashid Khan, FOUR runs Four off the first ball, oh my! Low full toss outside off. Rashid steps across his stumps and then shovels it over square leg. Deep mid wicket cannot get there either!19.2 Avesh Khan to Rashid Khan, 2 runs Almost a yorker, just outside off. Rashid sits deep in his crease and tugs it towards long on. They hare back for two and RR are lucky there was someone backing up at the keeper’s end. That throw was wild19.3 Avesh Khan to Rashid Khan, FOUR runs An outside edge but they all count! Oh my days, the drama in Jaipur! Nails the wide yorker but Rashid somehow gets this away. He swishes hard at it and squirts it off the outside edge past the keeper!19.4 Avesh Khan to Rashid Khan, 1 run Low full toss, following the batter on leg stump. Rashid can only dig it out towards extra cover for a single19.5 Avesh Khan to Tewatia, 2 runs, OUT Tewatia gets it over mid off, but it does not go for four! And there is a run out too! Short and wide outside off. Tewatia holds his nerve and slaps it over mid off. Buttler puts on his skates and pulls it back into play. The batters get across for two runs comfortably and then they decide to go for the third. Tewatia is always struggling to get there. The throw is accurate enough, and Avesh does the rest, with Tewatia well short. In the middle of all of that, there was a check for a short run. That has been sorted now, and GT need 2 off the last ball!Rahul Tewatia run out (Buttler/Avesh Khan) 22 (11b 3×4 0x6 42m) SR: 20019.6 Avesh Khan to Rashid Khan, FOUR runs Rashid wins it for the Gujarat Titans off the final ball! Oh my, this is some finish, and the Afghan Titan has come up trumps just when they needed him to! And the Royals, who looked so good for so much of the game, are no longer invincible! Short, wide and that is just begging to be hit. Not the best ball to bowl at this stage. Rashid lays back deep in his crease, brings those fast hands into play and thumps it over point. Speeds away to the fence and Rashid wheels away in celebration. He gestures to the dugout to not worry while he is there, and today, he has proven it!
da lvbet： From afar, the intense battle for automatic promotion in the Championship is an enthralling spectacle to watch.
da pixbet： But, for those locked deep in it, there is nothing more nerve-wracking, with one minor misfire squandering your chances of an instant path up to the Premier League.
Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United have found out the hard way how cruel the tense promotion fight can be, with the one-time leaders now out of the top two after two humbling losses on the spin.
Time is still on their side to atone for these missteps, but Wilder will need to be more cutthroat with his team selections and drop underperformers, with Ben Brereton Diaz’s first-team spot on shaky ground.
Why Brereton Diaz needs to be dropped
The Chilean attacker won’t be deemed as a blunder in the transfer market, however, with Brereton Diaz boasting a mildly impressive three goals and three assists from 14 encounters since joining on loan in January.
But, to the dismay of the Blades faithful watching on alongside his manager, the usually potent forward was largely anonymous in the last two defeats against Oxford United and Millwall.
Brereton Diaz’s numbers vs Oxford + Millwall
Stat
Oxford
Millwall
Minutes played
59
45
Goals scored
0
0
Assists
0
0
Shots
0
2
Touches
20
21
Accurate passes
7/10 (70%)
9/14
Possession lost
7x
6x
Stats by Sofascore
Looking at the table above, it’s clear that Brereton Diaz has been massively underperforming to the detriment of his promotion-chasing side, with only two shots registered in total across a combined 104 minutes versus the U’s and Alex Neil’s visitors.
Moreover, his wastefulness on the ball as a right winger has killed many an attacking opportunity, with possession given up a high seven times at the Kassam Stadium, despite only mustering up a weak 20 touches of the ball.
Wilder substituting off the Southampton loanee at the half-time interval versus Millwall could mean he’s willing to drop the 25-year-old completely for his side’s mammoth trip to Plymouth Argyle later on, therefore, which might potentially gift this exciting winger the chance to nail down a starting spot on the right subsequently.
How Wilder can replace Brereton Diaz
After all, if the Blades do decide to go all gung-ho on their travels to Devon, they could gain a lot of joy from a leaky, relegation-doomed side in the Pilgrims, considering Plymouth have given up a high 81 goals in league action.
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Jesurun Rak-Sakyi could be licking his lips at the prospect of a start at Home Park, consequently, with the Crystal Palace loanee gifting his side a lot more on the right flank last time out than the out-of-sorts Brereton Diaz.
Across his bright 45-minute stint on the Bramall Lane turf, Rak-Sakyi managed to tally up three more shots than his poor counterpart, on top of also twisting and turn Millwall shirts for fun with three successful dribbles, as per Sofascore.
Winning 100% of his ground duels too, the 22-year-old attacker would have been kicking himself that he didn’t add to his growing goal and assist tally for the club in the unfortunate 1-0 defeat, having picked up six strikes and two assists away from this second successive loss.
Hailed as a “remarkable” player by former Eagles boss Roy Hodgson, Rak-Sakyi would love to close out his memorable stint in South Yorkshire with a promotion on his fledgling CV.
With double the amount of strikes compared next to Brereton Diaz’s league output – on top of his promising cameo against Millwall – the time could be right to hand the entertaining youngster a start, as Wilder attempts to roll the dice subtly to get his team’s stuttering promotion push back on course.
Wilder must axe Sheffield United man earning more than Cooper & Campbell
Chris Wilder could soon ditch this Sheffield United high earner.
da aviator aposta： Na coletiva de imprensa após a eliminação diante do Caxias, pela semifinal do Campeonato Gaúcho, o técnico do Internacional, Mano Menezes, afirmou que, apesar da atuação neste domingo (26), o time não começou bem a temporada 2023.
Para o treinador, mesmo contando com mais dias de trabalho e melhores condições do que poderia contar no apertado intervalo de tempo entre 2021 e 2022, o desempenho nas primeiras rodadas do estadual precisou de um processo de evolução até que a equipe chegasse ao nível técnico desejado.
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da gbg bet： >Pedro Henrique lamenta queda do Inter no Gauchão e comportamento dos jogadores em confusão
– Precisamos reconhecer que nao começamos bem o ano, mesmo tendo uma pré-temporada mais longa. A equipe foi melhorando ao longo da competição e hoje estava preparada para conseguir o objetivo e produziu para isso.Faltou o gol. A equipe jogou bem, pressionou o adversário, conseguiu construir e criou o suficiente para vencer o jogo. Como o futebol não é um jogo de justiça. Fomos superiores durante todo o tempo.
A opção pelo jovem Estevão na série de batidas foi tema da coletiva em que, na sua avaliação, o atleta oriundo da base mostrou eficiência nos treinos bem como confiança no momento de pedir para ser um dos primeiros cobradores.
-Futebol é assim. O Estevão bateu porque se sentiu bem para isso. Ele treinou bem, assim como o Matheus Dias também e conseguiu converter – detalhou Mano.
Antes de qualquer novo compromisso dentro das quatro linhas, o Internacional saberá, na próxima segunda-feira (27), quem serão os seus primeiros adversários na Libertadores. Isso porque o sorteio para definir as chaves do torneio continental ocorrerá na sede da Conmebol em Luque, no Paraguai, à partir das 21h (de Brasília).
A horrible sense of déjà vu is beginning to creep into proceedings at Elland Road as another spectacular promotion collapse might well be on the cards for Leeds United.
Last campaign, Daniel Farke’s Whites found themselves in and around the automatic promotion positions for the majority of the hectic season, only for the lottery of the Championship playoffs to slap them in the face come May.
Giving up a last-gasp equaliser to Swansea City on Saturday means Leeds sit precariously in second spot on goal difference, as Illan Meslier’s wobbly demeanour in between the sticks let down the West Yorkshire outfit once more.
Meslier's performance vs Swansea
The Frenchman, despite keeping a bumper 21 clean sheets in league action this season, has an error in his game waiting to come to the forefront – with three errors leading to goals and one own goal.
This time around versus Alan Sheehan’s visitors, the ex-Lorient shot-stopper added to his growing catalogue of howlers when he inexplicably dropped the ball after a corner was initially dealt with into the path of Harry Darling to fire home.
The error-prone number one was originally deemed a hero before this moment of madness, with this penalty save early on boosting Leeds’ confidence and Meslier’s, but yet another unfortunate mishap helped Swansea return back to Wales with a share of the points.
Of course, the stopper wasn’t the only notable underperformer as Leeds failed to win, with this defender in front of the shaky 25-year-old also struggling at points against one of his former employers.
Joe Rodon
The Leeds defender who was as bad as Meslier
A number of Farke’s trusted first-team personnel looked ropey coming up against the Swans, with Ethan Ampadu looking notably lethargic in the middle of the park, resulting in his manager hooking him off before the hour mark.
Ampadu’s fellow Welsh compatriot Joe Rodon was also way off his best, with the Swansea-born centre-back giving up that first-half penalty when he rashly clattered into ex-Leeds target Lewis O’Brien.
Stat
Rodon
Minutes played
90
Touches
89
Accurate passes
62/76 (82%)
Possession lost
15x
Clearances
8
Blocked shots
0
Interceptions
0
Tackles
2
Penalty committed
1
Total duels won
6/9
Stats by Sofascore
Away from handing Swansea a golden opportunity via a spot-kick, Rodon was also uncharacteristically sloppy with the ball at his feet with possession squandered a costly 15 times during his 90 minutes on the Elland Road turf, on top of 14 of his 76 passes going astray.
Moreover, it wasn’t the most convincing display defensively either in terms of rolling his sleeves up with zero blocked shots or interceptions registered, away from valiantly managing to win six duels, and it was an afternoon to forget for the former Spurs man.
This out-of-sorts showing is unlikely to result in Rodon being dropped from Farke’s XI altogether, considering the Whites number five has started all of his team’s second tier games this season so far, but the Welshman will know any more leaky displays of this manner could cost his high-flying side dear in the automatic promotion battle.
Despite his team slipping up on their own patch, Farke defiantly declared after the 2-2 draw that his side are still 100% on for a return to the Premier League, with Whites fans desperately hoping that the German’s bold words come true.
On this viewing, however, Burnley and Sheffield United will feel confident they can upset the apple cart in West Yorkshire, with Meslier and Co needing to be more robust ahead of some crunch contests to come in the enthralling Championship.
Not just Meslier: 5/10 Leeds man showed why he's not good enough for the PL
Leeds conceded late on to draw 2-2 at home to Swansea City
Under Eoin Morgan, the two spinners have thrived: Rashid as the lead and Moeen as his foil
Alan Gardner28-May-2019There have been many unlikely aspects to England’s reinvention as a one-day powerhouse – the unfettered batting, the sense of enjoyment, the surprising lack of selection bloopers – but among them must rank the team’s reliance on a pair of spinners, Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid. Both have thrived under the captaincy of Eoin Morgan, giving England options and balance as their quest for that elusive first World Cup reaches its defining moment.”Mo’n’Rash”. That’s how they are known in the dressing room, a portmanteau that confirms their status as a twosome by default. A couple of British Asians completely at home in England colours, they are quiet, humble men by nature, and central to the team’s fortunes – to the extent that debate about who should be the squad’s back-up spinner (Liam Dawson edged out Joe Denly) occupied the selectors almost as much as the Jofra Archer question.The feats of England’s batsmen tend to dominate discussions about their charge to the No. 1 ODI ranking, but while the bowling has proved more erratic, there is no doubting the effectiveness of Rashid in particular. First capped as a diffident 21-year-old, he made his comeback after five and a half years out of the ODI team in Dublin (technically under the captaincy of James Taylor) following the 2015 World Cup; last summer, as Morgan’s England set about dismantling reigning world champions Australia 5-0, Rashid moved past Graeme Swann to become his country’s most prolific spinner in the format.
Though very much the foil, Moeen has also had more success than most English tweakers, moving steadily past the likes of Ashley Giles, James Tredwell and John Emburey (albeit with a much higher average). As a partnership, meanwhile, Moeen and Rashid have carved out an unprecedented role in England’s one-day cricket – their combined record of 170 wickets in matches played together making them six times more effective than the next-best pairing.
Swann himself is in no doubt about how important the two are. “Spin plays a massive role in England, those 20 overs in the middle,” Swann said to ESPNcricinfo. “And one of the reasons England have been very strong recently has been the spin of Ali and Rashid. I’m very excited that England have got a very strong spin department going into this World Cup.”I think [Rashid’s] form has been brilliant over the last couple of years. He’s got a very clever game in one-day cricket, he’s very comfortable with the white ball. I think England are favourites to win the World Cup on home turf, and I think he’ll have a big World Cup.”Positive spin So England have finally worked out that picking a spinner (or two) and sticking with them is a good idea. Big whoop, hey? But it doesn’t stop there: Rashid is the leading wicket-taker in ODI cricket since the last World Cup. He has played more games, true, but then you might also point out that 88 of the 125 wickets pilfered by Rashid Khan, No. 2 on the list, came against Ireland and Zimbabwe. What is not in doubt is that Adil Rashid’s licence to take wickets (and not worry about his economy) has been a key aspect of the high-wire approach favoured by England.
Wristspin is king in the modern white-ball game, as shown by the presence of Imran Tahir, Kuldeep Yadav and, further down, Yuzvendra Chahal on that list (India, of course, have a twin spin threat of their own). England’s twist lies in being able to also deploy a classical offspinner, whose stock delivery turns the other way to Rashid’s, while not weakening the batting (Moeen opened for England at the last World Cup).ALSO READ: Eoin Morgan: The Irishman who became captain of EnglandFew allrounders are as mercurial as Moeen, but Morgan knows his best can be match-winning: last summer he claimed his best bowling figures, 4 for 46 against Australia, while in 2017 he rocked up and thrashed a 53-ball hundred against West Indies.The theory of relativity Among the most successful spinners over the last four years, Rashid’s strike rate of 31.7 puts him among the leading pack – if a little way off his Afghan namesake – but his economy is on the high side, with only Adam Zampa leaking runs at an equivalent rate. Moeen’s figures (SR 57.8, econ 5.40) are less noteworthy, but both are reflective of England’s modus operandi since they overhauled their one-day game in 2015.
In short, England back themselves to score more than the opposition. With the ball, there is an acceptance that containment isn’t possible, so wickets are sought instead – meaning Rashid can go at 5.61 an over without being concerned about the need to tighten up. Furthermore, although he and Moeen are both relatively expensive as far spinners go, they are both among England’s three most economical bowlers (if you overlook Steven Finn, who hasn’t played an ODI since 2017).
Morgan’s view of Rashid as a strike weapon was clear early on. Against New Zealand at Trent Bridge in 2015, during the run-filled series that heralded England’s transformation, Morgan brought on his legspinner to bowl the 48th over; though Rashid was hauled for 28 runs by Mitchell Santner, the captain kept faith and Rashid closed out the innings with a wicket and five runs from the 50th. (England subsequently chased their target of 350 with seven wickets and six overs to spare.)More spectacularly, in Grenada in March, four wickets in the 48th over ended West Indies’ hopes of chasing 418 to win – and gave Rashid the most expensive five-for in ODI history, too. In the first ODI of that series, with Chris Gayle running amok, Morgan held Rashid back until the 34th over before bowling him through for 9-0-74-3. England again pulled of a successful record chase.In 70 ODIs together, Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali have taken 170 wickets•Getty ImagesMate’s rates Moeen, meanwhile, is more likely to be brought on in the Powerplay if the opposition have started quickly against the new ball, either to try to burgle a wicket or slow down the rate. Although Morgan does not often bowl them in tandem, Moeen’s presence at the other end also increases Rashid’s control – reducing his economy by half a run an over.Their mutual mojo was in evidence in the final match of the series against Pakistan this month. Rashid’s insouciant backhand to run out Babar Azam was followed by a brilliant return catch against Shoaib Malik, while Moeen was bowling when Sarfraz Ahmed was run out through Jos Buttler’s instinctive bit of work behind the stumps. And although Moeen’s figures of 10-0-63-0 may have looked distinctly underwhelming, in a chase of 352 they were tidy enough.Eight months older and already established in the team, Moeen also seems to have played a vital role in ensuring Rashid’s second England stint would not go unfulfilled, often acting as a conduit when Morgan wants to get a message across. With their background and shared culture, it is perhaps unsurprising that the strength of their bond has only enhanced the importance of Mo’n’Rash within the England dressing room. And Moeen believes the world is about to see how good his friend really is.”I actually don’t think he does [get the credit he deserves],” Moeen told ESPNcricinfo. “Everyone knows he’s a very good spinner but they never talk about him as one of the great spinners, which I think he is for England – particularly in the one-day stuff. I can’t think of a better spinner who played for England than him. I see the guy day in, day out, and I’ve never come across a spinner who’s got more skill than Rash. I think this will be his World Cup.”
Simone Inzaghi reportedly told Inter bosses he no longer had the energy to continue after their crushing Champions League final loss.
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Inzaghi leaves Inter after four years
Italian won six trophies with Serie A club
Set for massive Al-Hilal contract
Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱
WHAT HAPPENED?
According to , the Inter boss met with club’s top management on Tuesday following their 5-0 Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain. During that meeting, Inzaghi reportedly admitted he no longer had the energy to continue leading the team, despite having a contract until 2026.
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WHAT INZAGHI SAID
Inzaghi reportedly said: "I can't go on any longer, I'm tired, I think my cycle here has come to an end."
The Inter boss met with club president Beppe Marotta, sporting director Piero Ausilio and deputy Dario Baccin in a private meeting, telling the trio he no longer had the energy to continue at the helm.
"I no longer have the energy to continue."
Getty Images Sport
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Inzaghi’s departure marks the end of a successful four-year spell at Inter, where he delivered six trophies, including a Serie A title and two Coppa Italia crowns. He also guided the team to two Champions League finals in three years, though both ended in defeat. The Nerazzurri were chasing a European and domestic treble but ended the season trophyless after losing in two finals and seeing Napoli take the Scudetto on the last day of the season.
The 49-year-old coach is now in talks with Saudi club Al-Hilal and is reportedly finalising a lucrative two-year contract.
AFP
WHAT NEXT FOR INZAGHI AND INTER?
Inzaghi is set to take over Al-Hilal and could debut in their Club World Cup opener against Real Madrid. Meanwhile, Inter are actively searching for a new head coach, with names like Roberto De Zerbi and Cesc Fabregas reportedly on the shortlist.
However, it isn’t confirmed whether Dravid has accepted the offer, which comes days after India’s defeat in the World Cup final
Nagraj Gollapudi28-Nov-2023In a move that signals continuity, the BCCI has offered Rahul Dravid an extension to continue as India’s head coach. ESPNcricinfo has learned that Dravid was approached by the BCCI last week, with the tenure of the extension being open-ended.However, it is yet to be confirmed whether Dravid has accepted the offer. It is learned that one crucial reason the BCCI was keen on sticking with Dravid was to ensure continuity to the structure he had put in place over the past two years, which might have otherwise got disrupted had a new head coach been appointed.But if Dravid does take up the offer, his first assignment in his second stint will be India’s tour of South Africa, which starts with the white-ball leg from December 10 – there will be three T20Is and ODIs each – and will be followed by two Tests, in Centurion (from December 26) and Cape Town (from January 3). Then there is the five-match Test series against England at home, before the T20 World Cup in June.Dravid had replaced Ravi Shastri after the T20 World Cup in 2021, getting appointed for a two-year term which ended with the ODI World Cup recently, where India finished as runners-up. That was the joint-best finish for India at ICC events under Dravid as coach, after they had also lost to Australia this June in the World Test Championship final. Before that, India were beaten by England in the semi-final of the 2022 T20 World Cup.If Dravid continues, it is also expected that he will retain the same set of assistant coaches he had joined hands with in 2021: Vikram Rathour (batting coach), Paras Mhambrey (bowling coach), and T Dilip (fielding coach).Speaking after the World Cup final defeat, Dravid had said he was proud that India were ranked No. 1 across the three formats, although the absence of a global trophy was a “disappointment”. Asked more than once if he would want to continue in the job, Dravid said he had not thought about it at all, having been consumed in preparing for the World Cup.”I haven’t thought about it. I have no time to think about this, and no time to reflect on this,” Dravid had said. “I will when I get the time to do that. But at this point of time, I was completely focused on this campaign. It was focused on this World Cup, and there was nothing else on my mind. And I haven’t given any other thought to what happens in the future.”
da fezbet： It may feel bizarre to say, following a 15th Premier League defeat of the season on Sunday afternoon, but there is a growing sense of optimism at Manchester United, following a potentially pivotal week both on and off the field.
da bet nacional： On Thursday night, of course, the Red Devils completed a barnstorming turnaround against Lyon to progress into the last four of the Europa League, with Ruben Amorim edging ever closer to European glory and potential Champions League qualification.
Even the weekend loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers was somewhat overshadowed by the standout display of the club’s latest academy debutant, Tyler Fredricson, while the man pictured next to him, Matheus Cunha, looks like he could be back at Old Trafford permanently.
Elsewhere, meanwhile, last week provided a positive update regarding Amad Diallo’s injury rehab, with Amorim no doubt itching to have the Ivorian back fit and firing again.
Latest on Amad's injury return
Excluding Bruno Fernandes – who yet again leads the way for goals and assists at Old Trafford – the shining light of 2024/25 has been Amad, with the 22-year-old notably contributing 12 goals and assists in just 20 games following Amorim’s arrival.
Amad’s Man Utd record by coach
Manager
Games
Goals
Assists
Erik ten Hag
24
3
3
Ruben Amorim
20
6
6
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
8
1
1
Ruud van Nistelrooy
4
2
1
Ralf Rangnick
1
0
0
Michael Carrick
0
0
0
Total
57
12
9
Stats via Transfermarkt
From his late heroics against both Manchester City and Liverpool, to his stunning hat-trick against bottom side Southampton, the former Atalanta starlet had repeatedly stepped up in the early months of a real breakthrough campaign on an individual basis.
Frustratingly for all concerned, the £120k-per-week winger – who signed a new contract in January – was struck down by an ankle issue in early February, with Amorim seemingly ruling him out for the season at the time.
The former Sporting CP boss did subsequently hint that Amad could actually return before the campaign is at an end, a fact that has been bolstered by images of the youngster back in training last week.
Amorim suggested that while his rising star is “not ready” to feature in April, his return could well come in May, with that set to be a welcome sight amid United’s shortcomings in attack.
A welcome sight would also be the signing of a similarly exciting young talent this summer, with United seemingly stepping up their search for the next big thing from across the globe.
Man Utd ready to sign teen sensation this summer
While it has taken time to come to fruition, United are beginning to reap the rewards of having plucked Amad from Italy as a teenager back in October 2020, with the then-17-year-old ultimately arriving in January 2021 on an initial £19m deal that could reach £37m with add-ons.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
That relatively costly deal looks like it could be repeated in the near future, with reports outlining that INEOS are ready to trigger the £38m release clause for River Plate sensation, Franco Mastantuono.
The 17-year-old is believed to be being watched closely by those at Old Trafford, with United seemingly needing to act quickly if they are to win the race, amid rival interest from the likes of Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Inter.
Franco Mastantuono for River Plate
The report claims that while the Argentine outfit are keen to hang on to their teenage diamond, a ‘serious bid’ from those in Manchester would likely ensure a deal gets done.
Why Man Utd are keen to sign on Franco Mastantuono
Having already looked to the South American market to sign Paraguayan full-back, Diego Leon, ahead of next season, United appear to be ready to add to that deal with the signing of another potential superstar, in the form of Mastantuono.
Like Amad before him – who was likened to Lionel Messi by Atalanta teammate, Papu Gomez, before joining United – the River starlet is earning rave reviews in his homeland, amid comparisons to Manchester City’s Phil Foden.
A left-footed attacker, like both Foden and Amad, who can operate on the flanks or as a number ten, Mastantuono has been hailed as a “creative genius” by analyst Ben Mattinson, following a fine start to life at senior level.
Still just 17, the Argentina U20 international has already made 53 appearances for his current side in the first team, with that regular involvement seeing him chalk up 11 goals and assists to date.
What particularly sets the teenager apart is both his ability to create chances for his teammates, but also his innate ball-carrying ability, as evidenced by the fact he averages 2.3 key passes and 2.9 successful dribbles per game in the league in 2025.
To put that into perspective, that places the in-demand talent just ahead of Amad in that regard, with the current United man averaging 1.8 and 1.6 for those same two metrics, respectively, in 2024/25.
Like with the Ivorian, it may not be expected for Mastantuono to immediately hit the ground running in a United shirt, although all the signs point to him being a future star, with Mattinson even noting that there are “shades of Kevin De Bruyne” about him.
Seemingly a perfect fit in one of the two number ten roles in Amorim’s 3-4-3 system, the £38m playmaker certainly appears worth investing in, even despite the eye-catching nature of the price tag, with the case of Amad showcasing the benefits of putting faith in the next big thing.
After years of being burned by short-term, expensive signings, the Red Devils now need to do things differently.
After Cunha: Man Utd in talks to sign a "monster" upgrade on Delap
Man Utd could be set to land another sparkling forward this summer, alongside Matheus Cunha
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is personally keen on the potential signing of a high-earning star at N5, and the deal could also prove enticing for new sporting director Andrea Berta.
Arsenal play Chelsea after Champions League last 16 triumph
The games are coming thick and fast at Arsenal before the next international break, with Arteta’s side set to take on London rivals Chelsea this weekend after their Champions League last 16 thrashing of PSV Eindhoven over two legs.
Arsenal open talks to sign £50m player with Berta expected to launch bid
The new Gunners sporting director already has targets in place.
By
Emilio Galantini
Mar 12, 2025
While the Gunners have everything to play for in Europe, as Real Madrid await them in the quarter-finals, both Chelsea and Arteta’s side are contending for Champions League qualification domestically, with Arsenal firmly out of the Premier League title race as Liverpool take a comfortable lead at the top of the table.
Arsenal were knocked out of the quarter-final stage last year by Bayern Munich, who beat the north Londoners 3-2 on aggregate, and Arteta has said that his team have taken plenty of lessons from that tie as they prepare for an equally tough test against Real.
Arsenal’s next five Premier League games
Date
Chelsea (home)
March 16th
Fulham (home)
April 1st
Everton (away)
April 5th
Brentford (home)
April 12th
Ipswich Town (away)
April 20th
“We want to win! And to win you’re going to have to go through the stages, and because the club needs it,” said Arteta on Arsenal’s Champions League campaign.
“We are a club, a team that wants to be the best and want to be competing with the best clubs in the world. In order to do that, you have to constantly be there, and it’s very difficult. But we’ve done it for two years in a row, and we have the capacity and the ability to do it even better.
“Last year we played Bayern, and with the history of those clubs and how consistently in the last 20-25 years being there, and we were riding there in the home game, we had them on the ropes. They escaped and when we were there we were a bit short to get to that final stage. So hopefully we will learn we are better than then, and we can make it happen.”
Meanwhile, off the field, Berta’s appointment as new Arsenal sporting director has brought plenty of anticipation ahead of a very important summer transfer window. There are claims that Arsenal could invest up to £300 million on an array of different signings throughout the squad.
Berta already has some targets in mind, and one of them is soon-to-be free agent Leroy Sane.
Arteta wants Leroy Sane with Arsenal deal "tempting" for Berta
That is according to CaughtOffside, who also report that Arteta is personally keen on a reunion with Sane at Arsenal, following the pair’s time together at Man City.
The Germany international earns around £327,000-per-week at Bayern Munich, as per this report, but it is believed that he could be willing to take a pay cut ahead of a free transfer away from the Allianz Arena when his deal expires.
Leroy Sane for Bayern Munich.
This could apparently prove “tempting” for Berta and Arsenal, who are reported to be contemplating an alternative to Bukayo Saka on the right-hand side (GiveMeSport).
However, they’re by no means the only side contemplating a Bosman deal for the 28-year-old, with north London rivals Tottenham and others also rumoured to hold an interest in Sane.
The former Schalke and City star eight goals and four assists from 34 appearances in all competitions this season, adding to his total tally of 56 goals and 50 assists from 209 outings since joining Bayern in 2020.