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Smuts and du Plessis candidates to replace batsman in opening role with no replacement named

Firdose Moonda18-Feb-2020Temba Bavuma has been ruled out of South Africa’s T20 series opener against Australia this Friday with a hamstring strain.Bavuma sustained the injury while fielding against England at SuperSport Park on Sunday and will requite seven to 10 days rest. He will remain with the South African squad with a view to playing as early as this Sunday, in Port Elizabeth.ALSO READ: South Africa pick du Plessis for Australia T20s, Rabada returnsBavuma’s diagnosis means that South Africa will go into the match one of the aspects of their game that worked best against England – their opening pair. Bavuma shared stands of 92, 48 and 84 with Quinton de Kock and started South Africa’s innings with intent.With no replacement named in the squad, it is unclear who will join de Kock at the top of the order. Jon-Jon Smutshas some experience in the role, having opened in his first eight T20I innings, while Faf du Plessis has spent the last two IPL seasons at the top of the Chennai Super Kings order. Rassie van der Dussen, Heinrich Klaasen and the uncapped Pite van Biljon are alternative options.Du Plessis, who stepped down from the captaincy on Monday, makes a return to the squad along with Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje after being rested from the England white-ball matches as South Africa look to continue experimenting with combinations ahead of the T20 World Cup later this year.AB de Villiers, who is set to make a comeback at the event, is not involved in these matches but could play for South Africa after the IPL.

While their quest for the Premier League title continues, Arsenal are already looking to the summer and could be in line to get their hands on an elite talent at an absolute steal.

Arsenal's search for a striker

Despite their recent success on the pitch, it has been a long-running trope that Arsenal cannot find consistency up front. Since the departures of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette, it has been a rotating cast of strikers who have led the line for the Gunners, often with very little to show for it.

This season has seen Mikel Arteta experiment with his number nine, giving the responsibility to a range of players in the hope that one will excel. Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah have taken turns up top, whilst more abstract approaches have seen Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard have a go. This near constant rotation of strikers means that Arsenal are once again relying on their wingers and midfielders to provide goals.

Arsenal gem who lost possession 16x was better than Saka vs Burnley

Arsenal secured a crucial three points against Burnley and two players stood out

By
Ross Kilvington

Feb 17, 2024

This summer could see this quest for a number nine come to an end with Arsenal leading the race to sign one of Europe's hottest prospects.

Gunners leading Zirkzee chase

After an up and down start to his professional career, Joshua Zirkzee finally looks set to meet the expectations set when he joined Bayern Munich as a teenager back in 2017. Struggling for minutes at the German giants, the Dutchman still managed to grab headlines from the bench, leading to scout and analyst, Jacek Kulig, hailing the striker as prolific back in June 2020.

Now 22, the Dutchman is plying his trade at Serie A outfit, Bologna, and has exploded into life in Italy, scoring ten goals in all competitions this season, including a winner at Lazio on Sunday. This goalscoring prowess has put Zirkzee on the radar of some of Europe's top clubs and, according to Sport Witness, reports out of Italy suggest that it is Arsenal who are leading the race to secure his services. The Italian outlet reported that the striker is valued at £38.5million, and is likley to be on the move this summer.

His exploits in northern Italy have seen Zirkzee earn admirers from across the game. Owing to Bolgona's modest asking price, there is no wonder top clubs are circling for the youngster's signature, with journalist Zack Lowy suggesting that whichever team ends up with the striker will be getting "one hell of a bargain".

One potential stumbling block for Arsenal is that Zirkzee's former club, Bayern, have a buyback clause for the striker, meaning they can pick up their former player for less than what other teams would have to pay. Despite this, the Bavarian side may be more inclined to let Zirkzee move elsewhere, with the club entitled to 50% of any future fees for the Dutchman.

In Zirkzee, Arsenal are buying a high-ceiling striker that can make an instant impact. With elite strikers now costing almost double the Dutchman's fee, the Gunners would be foolish to decline the services of the 22-year-old.

Australia women will face a Cricket Australia XI in a practice match at the venue that will host the crucial opening match against India

Andrew McGlashan26-Jan-2020Australia hope to gather some early intel ahead of the opening T20 Women’s World Cup match against India next month as they get a taste for conditions at the Sydney Showground stadium which will host international cricket for the first time.The squad joined up in Sydney on Sunday to begin the final stages of preparations for the tournament, and while the main focus over the next few weeks will be the tri-series involving India and England, which begins in Canberra next Friday, the warm-up match against a Cricket Australia XI at the Showground on Monday carries extra significance beyond allowing players a chance to get back into T20 mode.”That’s what it’s all about really, to get used to that ground,” Australia vice-captain Rachael Haynes said. “Particularly this year with the WBBL we didn’t get to play any matches there like we have in the past so it will be a really good opportunity for our players just to adjust to conditions, I guess spend some time in the stadium, too, as it’s a bit different fielding there. So no doubt we’ll try a couple of things and work out how we can help our game under those conditions.”Being a Sydney Thunder player in the WBBL means Haynes does have more experience of the venue than others, but there is a feeling of not leaving any stone unturned as they prepare for the World Cup, especially with the importance of the first match against India in what is viewed as the tougher of the two groups.”It’s certainly different to other grounds and that’s probably the unique thing about playing in Australia, that wherever you play there’s something you need to adjust,” Haynes said. “Showgrounds is no different, for us [the match] is a great opportunity to make sure we are really comfortable with how we need to play in those conditions.”The tri-series, which features matches in Canberra and Melbourne, will also be a chance to size up India under game situations. Their batting line-up was singled out by Australia coach Matthew Mott as being the most feared in T20 and they are one of the teams who could push the favourites in the World Cup.Having talked as a squad already about embracing the expectations around the tournament – which hopes to break the world record for a crowd at a women’s sports event for the final at the MCG on March 8 – Haynes said thoughts are turning to what lies ahead, but it also remains a balance.”I’d be lying if I said people aren’t thinking about the World Cup, I’m sure it’s on lots of players’ minds, but you can only do what’s in front of you and play the game in front of you. The games against India and England will be really important in terms of shaping our preparation for what’s to come. I’d like to think our team will take that opportunity to use it really well.”Australia will head to Canberra on Tuesday ahead of their first tri-series match against England on Saturday.

Bayern Munich got their Bundesliga campaign off to a perfect start by beating Wolsfburg 3-2 in a thrilling encounter.

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• Bayern begin Bundesliga campaign with 3-2 win
• Musiala opened scoring in first half
• Gnabry grabbed winner late on

• TELL ME MORE

  In typical Bayern fashion, they dominated possession in the match, pushing their opponents into their own half for the majority of the game. It took 19 minutes before the Bavarians took the lead, with full-back Sacha Boey delivering a perfect cross for Jamal Musiala to tap into the net. However, it was not a completely straightforward afternoon for them as Wolfsburg won and converted a penalty early in the second half, courtesy of Lovro Majer.

  The Croatian midfielder was at it again six minutes later, capitalising on a lapse in concentration from Kim Min-jae and sliding the ball past Manuel Neuer to give his side the lead. But the Wolfsburg lead lasted only 10 minutes before Jakub Kaminski turned the ball into his own net, with plenty of time still left on the clock. Serge Gnabry rescued Bayern with a pinpoint finish off the far post to give the away side all three points and a winning start to the 2024-25 campaign.

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  THE MVP

  There has still been no major silverware for Harry Kane since leaving Tottenham last summer, but the England captain looked at his very best as he played the role of architect during Bayern's win on the opening weekend. His header across goal initially got the German giants on level terms in the second half, before producing a perfect turn and pass to lay off Gnabry for the final say late on.

• THE BIG LOSER

  Despite Bayern securing a late win, it was a day to forget for Kim Min-jae in defence. The South Korean centre-back gave the ball away for Wolsfburg's second goal and struggled to win his duels when his side were on the back foot. He was eventually hooked in the 81st minute and replaced by Eric Dier as the Bavarians looked to see things out.

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• WHAT COMES NEXT?

  Bayern were able to match rivals Bayer Leverkusen by winning their opening match, but it is a long road ahead in the quest to take back the Bundesliga title from Xabi Alonso's men. Next up for Kane and Co. is a return home to the Allianz Arena when they host Freiburg.

Southampton are set to return to action in the Championship on Saturday as they prepare to host struggling Huddersfield, who recently sacked Darren Moore, at St. Mary's

The Saints progressed through to the next round of the FA Cup during the week as they secured an emphatic 3-0 win over fellow second division side Watford at home.

Russell Martin's side will now be hoping to retain their place in the top two of the league and could extend their advantage over Ipswich Town if the Tractor Boys drop points against West Bromwich Albion in the early kick-off.

The former Scotland international could now look to make a number of changes from the starting XI that lined up against the Hornets in the cup in midweek, after offering opportunities to a host of fringe options.

With this in mind, here is FFC's predicted Southampton side to take on the Terriers in Hampshire this weekend…

1

Gavin Bazunu

Joe Lumley has been the go-to back-up option in the FA Cup, and kept a clean sheet against the Hornets. Gavin Bazunu should now return to the starting XI for league action on Saturday.

The Ireland international has kept nine clean sheets in 29 Championship matches so far this season but has conceded 2.69 more goals than expected based on the Expected Goals he has faced.

He will be hoping to improve his shot-stopping between now and the end of the campaign to play a key role in a promotion to the Premier League.

2

Kyle Walker-Peters

Summer signing Shae Charles started against Watford and Martin must now bring Kyle Walker-Peters back into the line-up as the English whiz has been an ever-present for the Saints.

He has started all 29 of the club's league matches so far this season and has contributed with two goals and nine 'big chances' created, to go along with a pass success rate of 91%.

3

Taylor Harwood-Bellis

The third change to the starting XI could come at the heart of the defence with Jack Stephens being replaced by Manchester City loanee Taylor Harwood-Bellis.

He has dominated opposition attackers in the Championship this season with an excellent ground duel success rate of 67%, which shows that players rarely get the better of him on the deck.

The English colossus was promoted to the top-flight with Burnley last term and a win on Saturday will be another step in the right direction to another successful year at this level.

4

Jan Bednarek

Alongside the England U21 international, Jan Bednarek could keep his place at the back. The Poland international has started 26 league games this term and helped his side to keep a clean sheet during the week, which could see him start once again.

5

Ryan Manning

At left-back, U21 gem Jayden Meghoma could drop out after his start against Cardiff to allow regular first-team full-back Ryan Manning to return to the team.

The former Swansea dynamo has racked up 4.21 xA and been rewarded with two assists in the league this season, which suggests that his teammates have let him down in front of goal.

He has the quality to provide impressive creativity from left-back, having assisted ten Championship assists for the Swans last term, and could be a difference-maker against Huddersfield.

6

Flynn Downes

In the middle of the park, Flynn Downes could retain his place as the West Ham United loanee has been a consistent performer for Martin this term.

The summer signing has started 21 times in the Championship and boasts a sensational pass success rate of 94%, which shows that he rarely gives the ball away.

7

Will Smallbone

Next to Downes, Will Smallbone is another player who could start again after playing a part in the 3-0 win over Watford. The academy graduate has produced four goals and six 'big chances' created in 22 league starts.

8

Stuart Armstrong

Stuart Armstrong could complete the midfield by coming in for Joe Rothwell, who joined on loan from Premier League side Bournemouth in January.

The January addition is yet to start a game in the Championship for Southampton, with two substitute appearances so far, and Martin could go with the experience of the former Celtic man instead.

9

Adam Armstrong

On the right of the attack, 17-year-old sensation Tyler Dibling, who started against Watford, could drop out for Southampton's star man Adam Armstrong.

The former Blackburn star was hailed as "incredible" by Martin earlier this season and his statistics in the Championship back that claim up.

As you can see in the table above, Armstrong ranks very highly in a number of key attacking metrics among his positional peers in the Championship this season.

He is crucial to Southampton's attack with his ability as both a scorer and a creator of goals, which is why he should be unleashed from the start against Huddersfield.

10

Che Adams

One of the few players who could retain their place in the starting XI is Scotland international Che Adams, who produced a goal and two assists against Watford.

The former Birmingham marksman has racked up an impressive tally of six goals and two assists in his last ten appearances for the Saints in all competitions.

GOAL US writers debate at Pulisic's upcoming season, USMNT coach search, and ask if Mbappe will make Real Madrid unstoppable

Although the EFL seasons opened last week, the higher-profile games are nearly upon us. Europe's big five leagues (the Premier League, Serie A, Ligue 1, Bundesliga and La Liga) will have all started their campaigns or domestic cup runs in full come Sunday, kicking off nine months of footballing chaos around the continent.

Many of the U.S. men's national team's top talents play at the club level in Europe, with Christian Pulisic starring at AC Milan and Timothy Weah playing at Juventus, to name two. This season could be crucial for a number of players in the USMNT player pool. Transfer rumors abound, like Weston McKennie and his status, plus chances for players to seize starring roles on their team – Cole Campbell comes to mind.

Meanwhile, the biggest transfer saga in recent memory has come to an end with Kylian Mbappe set to (finally) suit up for Real Madrid. It's fun on paper, but it will be fascinating to see how it all fits together in real life. It will all make for fascinating viewing, and the GOAL US writers break it all down in the latest edition of… The Rondo.

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  Which American player are you most excited to watch in Europe this season?

  Tom Hindle: Tyler Adams (if he's ever fit). Love a reliable defensive midfielder, and at his best, Adams is as steady as they come. It's a shame that he was injured at Copa America. The U.S. captain is a real talent. Not sure if he can be a game-changer for any club, but for Andoni Iraola's Bournemouth, he could be a real asset. Until he's back, it will also be fascinating to see what happens with Gio Reyna. Can he recapture his form? Or will he fade into irrelevance? One of the top storylines of the season.

  Jacob Schneider: The fair response here is Pulisic. He needs to show that his performance in Serie A was not just a one-season flash in the pan. From the perspective of excitement, though, there's a good chance that someone like Campbell at Borussia Dortmund could break into the first team and have an impressive debut season under a manager like Nuri Sahin. He had a top preseason with the senior roster and recently notched a goal and two assists in a 3-1 victory over Schalke for the U19 squad. Others to keep an eye on are Weah, who is rumored to be switching to striker under manager Thiago Motta at Juventus, and Folarin Balogun, who now has the keys to the forward position at Monaco with Wissam Ben Yedder out of the club.

  Ryan Tolmich: Reyna, easily. This is a massive year relative to his future, and it won't all take place on the pitch. The first big challenge won't involve an opponent, but rather his agent and team figuring out what is the best fit for his future. Wherever he ends up, Reyna can't afford to waste another season. He's burned away too many at Dortmund, stalling his development in the process. A recent Instagram post hinted that his future may lie at Dortmund, but it all feels so uncertain. The 21-year-old needs to play, wherever that is, and his choice of where to go will have a lasting impact on his career. Hopefully, it's the right club that allows him to shine and, if it is, American fans will have a lot of fun this season.

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  Is there a realistic candidate for the USMNT who can have an Emma Hayes-like impact?

  TH: Realistically? Absolutely not. So much of the Hayes hire made sense. Here was a world-class coach, a serial winner with Chelsea FC women's team who also practiced her trade in America earlier in her career. She had coached the best on both sides of the pond, and had the right sort of ruthless streak to turn around a struggling side. The fit couldn't have been more perfect. The USMNT don't really have a manager of that caliber available in the coaching candidate pool. Jesse Marsch, now leading Canada, could have been that guy, but U.S. Soccer made the rather silly decision to not hire him. Unless Pep Guardiola decides to quit – or Jurgen Klopp decides he no longer has an utter contempt for international football – then it's a case of trying to sort between a number of distinctly "whelming" candidates.

  JS: The answer is probably Zinedine Zidane, but that's unrealistic. You need a serial winner who is also interested in the team and the market here in the U.S., including MLS, the players abroad, and everything else that U.S soccer fans care about. Not sure that dynamic candidate exists.

  RT: Probably not. The fact is that Hayes is arguably the best women's soccer coach on the planet – she just led the U.S. to a gold medal in just her 10th game – but Klopp or Guardiola isn't walking through that door on the men's side. The USMNT can get a very good coach, but can they get a great one? That remains to be seen. Even so, Hayes was handed a sleeping giant and a team with arguably the most talent of any in the world. That's not the case with the USMNT job so, no, there isn't a coach that can really replicate the miracle she pulled off this summer.

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  Will this be Pulisic's best season yet?

  TH: Who knows? He really raised his levels last season, and looked good for the USMNT this summer. His cameos as a No. 10 for Milan have been kind of fun, while a new manager might give him the kind of bounce he needs to become truly world class. Equally, a new position could really limit his involvement in the game – think Philippe Coutinho at Liverpool vibes. There will likely be some good and bad. Ask again in January.

  JS: Hypothetically, it should be. He's the first member since Kaka himself to reach double digits in both goals and assists as a midfielder (yes, we realize he's a winger, let the agenda live). With rumors of him moving into the midfield at the 10 slot for the 2024-25 season, there will even be more opportunity to build on that through creative interplay in the final third. However, he's under a different manager, meaning nothing is guaranteed. This is arguably his most important season as a pro yet, but whether or not it will be the best remains to be seen.

  RT: It could be. After last season, it really does feel like Pulisic has found a home, one where he can be "the guy." That feels even more pertinent this preseason as new coach Paulo Fonseca has handed the USMNT star the reigns as the team's No. 10. Is that his long-term position? Maybe not, but Fonseca trusting him to play there says plenty about how he rates the American star. Pulisic is clearly comfortable and, after years of uncertainty at Chelsea, that really does mean something. Comfort doesn't always lead to growth but, in this case, it's exactly what Pulisic needs to get better and better.

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  Does Kylian Mbappe make Real Madrid automatic UCL winners?

  TH: Yes, probably (but you'd hope it's not that cut and dry.) Kylian Mbappe is either the best or second best player on the planet. Real Madrid are the best team in Europe. Put those together, with a genius of a manager in Carlo Ancelotti to oversee it all, and should really batter anyone. Butthere is a real chance that there might be some growing pains. Mbappe and Vinicius might clash positionally, and the whole fine-tuned machine thing could fall apart. In an likelihood, they will be too good for anyone. Still, there is a world in which this all goes wrong.

  RT: Yes. Write it in Sharpie. The Champions League's final boss just added the best player in the world – let's not overthink this. Will there be things to iron out? Definitely. Chemistry will be an issue as this team looks to fit all of these attacking pieces together. Mbappe, Vinicius, Rodrygo, Endrick, Jude Bellingham, it's almost too much, but Ancelotti won't complain. If there's anyone that can figure this out, it's him. He's coached superteams before. By the time May rolls around, this team will be a machine. Good luck to anyone trying to stop it.

  JS: Absolutely not, despite that being the consensus. It showed at PSG with Mbappe, Neymar and Messi together — sometimes, too much star power in one club is difficult to manage. There's already something stirring in the pot as both Mbappe and Vinicius Jr. play on the left wing, and one of them will likely be asked to move central as they both cannot line up there. So who will play striker for Madrid? Rodrygo showed he is not a striker at Copa America and Endrick, well, he's still so young. Nothing is certain at a key position for Ancelotti.

Ross Taylor was overcome by emotion as he recalled a conversation at the start of his career with mentor Martin Crowe

Andrew McGlashan06-Jan-2020Ross Taylor was overcome by emotion after becoming New Zealand’s highest Test run-scorer as he recalled a conversation at the start of his career with mentor Martin Crowe.Taylor moved to the top of the New Zealand list, overtaking Stephen Fleming’s tally of 7172, when he lofted Nathan Lyon down the ground on the fourth day of the SCG Test.He fell in the next over, bowled by Pat Cummins for 22, but when reflecting on the achievement after the match he couldn’t hold back the tears as his mind turned to what Crowe, who died in 2016, had told him before his first Test in 2007. “My goal was to play one Test match. I guess it’s an emotional time because my mentor Martin Crowe – that was one of the goals he put down for me was to be New Zealand’s highest Test run-scorer,” Taylor said after taking time to compose himself. “To be honest I didn’t believe him, but I’d have loved for him to be here and help celebrate.”Taylor has often referenced Crowe during his career, notably when he when he scored his 18th Test hundred – passing Crowe’s tally – against Bangladesh last March. He admitted he did not believe he had it in him to become a successful Test player early in his career, having made his ODI and T20I debuts in 2006 before a first Test appearance, against South Africa at Johannesburg, in 2007.”When I first played for New Zealand I’d had a pretty decent one-day career and only scored three or four first-class hundreds. And T20 was just coming through,” he said. “I always thought I was good enough to play one-day cricket but Test cricket was something I was never quite sure if I was good enough. That’s why I’d seek Martin’s help to become a better player than the raw, gay-abandon player that I was as a youngster.”Taylor was pleased to complete the run-scoring milestone before his 100th Test, which is set to be the first match against India at Wellington in February.Ross Taylor looks skywards after going past Martin Crowe’s tally of Test hundreds•Getty Images

“I go back to my 200th [ODI] game. I didn’t really enjoy it that much…needing one or two runs that might have been a twitchy game in the 100th. I just want to go out there and enjoy it and India are a fantastic country to play against. And the Basin Reserve, if the body holds up, will be a special moment for my family and friends.”As he did when becoming New Zealand’s highest ODI run-scorer last year, Taylor said he had no thoughts of retirement but did not expect his record to last with Kane Williamson set to hunt down whatever figure Taylor is above to leave.”Records are meant to be broken and Flem [Fleming] set a very high standard, and for me, I’m trying to get as many runs before I do retire to give Kane something to chase. He’s got a fantastic record and will go down as one of our greatest cricketers but we need him to have something to strive for. Hopefully, in however many years, there’s a youngster who can chase whatever, nine, ten, eleven thousand runs that Kane gets to.”I don’t want to hang on to just play cricket, I still want to feel I earn the right in this side and am still good enough to play. I didn’t score as many runs as I’d like [against Australia], but it wasn’t that long ago that I did score some runs. I’ve still got a lot of cricket to come in the home summer and hopefully, I can contribute to a lot more wins.”In terms of marking the milestone, Taylor was given a special bottle of wine which he will open in due course. “I’ve got a lovely bottle of Penfolds in the changing room before I’m sure in time I will open up.”And he’ll no doubt be raising a glass to his mentor.

Chelsea and Mauricio Pochettino have been handed a major transfer boost after one journalist said a top target has “chosen” to move to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea striker rumours

The Blues have been linked with a number of attackers during the January transfer window as Todd Boehly looks to seal a first signing of 2024.

Nicolas Jackson has been away with Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations, whereas Armando Broja has been linked with an exit. Should the latter leave, then a short-term replacement could be required as Pochettino’s side push for silverware in the second half of the season.

Chelsea offered "incredible" striker with same agent as James

He’s scored twice at Stamford Bridge in the past.

By
Charlie Smith

Jan 26, 2024

France legend Karim Benzema, now at Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia, has been rumoured as one who could come in until the summer, with talks ongoing and Boehly appearing to be excited at that prospect.

AZ Alkmaar’s Vangelis Pavlidis, Zenit St Petersburg’s Mateo Cassierra, Cercle Brugge’s Kevin Denkey and Atletico Mineiro’s Paulinho have also been offered to Chelsea.

Meanwhile, Napoli’s Victor Osimhen appears to be the club’s top target, and even though a move may not go through before February 1, the club have still been handed a big boost in their pursuit of the striker.

Victor Osimhen transfer update

There has been plenty of speculation regarding Osimhen and Chelsea this month, and at one point, it was suggested by Simon Phillips that co-owner Behdad Eghbali had held “positive” talks with the player’s agent are were still looking at a January move.

Since then, it has been claimed that the Nigeria international would be open to a Stamford Bridge switch and that Chelsea were in pole position to complete a transfer, and there has now been a further development.

According to journalist Sacha Tavolieri, Osimhen has now “chosen” to join Chelsea, highlighting the fact that the Blues, Manchester United and Liverpool were all circling last summer.

This is clearly great news for Chelsea, with Osimhen, on £250,000-a-week with Napoli, someone who could come in and be an upgrade on the club’s current striker options.

"I see a lot of similarities but it’s unfair to compare players from different eras. They both play with a lot of physicality and they are both very good with scoring, taking their opportunities. He’s a very complete player. He’s got a good reference going forward, he can link up play and he’s devastating in the air. He’s a pest to defenders."

The 25-year-old could therefore be the next big-money signing at Stamford Bridge, with Osimhen’s release clause standing at €130m (£110m), although fans may have to be patient and wait until the summer.

Negotiations have not yet begun but CA chief Earl Eddings is set to meet the BCCI in January

Daniel Brettig05-Dec-20193:02

Kohli weighs in on the future of Test cricket

India’s tour of Australia in 2021 could become the first series ever to feature more than one day-night Test.A Cricket Australia (CA) delegation, led by its chairman Earl Eddings, is set to meet the new BCCI administration on the sidelines of a limited-overs series in January with the question of day-night Tests fairly and squarely on the agenda.With the MCG and SCG Tests set in stone as day matches played opposite the Big Bash League, this may likely mean the first two Tests – to be played in two of Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth – are both primed for the pink ball, especially given the better time slot for Indian broadcast audiences.Negotiations have not yet begun, but “we’ll mention that when we’re over there in January talking during the one-day series,” Eddings told ESPNcricinfo. “As you build that trust and build that relationship you have that chat.”Pleasingly they’ve played their first day-night Test and won easily. Now they’ve got through that it might give them the right build-up to it over here. I’ve got no doubt they’ll consider playing one and maybe even more day-night Test matches. But that’s down the track to when we catch up with them in January.”Kevin Roberts, the CA chief executive, had earlier revealed the extent of the board’s enthusiasm for floodlit matches against India during an interview with . When they asked how many pink-ball matches he would like to see next summer, he said, “in my heart I’d say four from four, in my head we’d love to play one of the four as a day-night Test.”After a domineering victory against Bangladesh in India’s inaugural pink-ball Test in November, Indian captain Virat Kohli was asked about the prospect of one during the Australian tour next year. Kohli said he was “open to do anything” as long as there was a practice match under lights. Then on Sunday, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly said: “When we tour, we will deal as per the request of the [host] board”. CA is set to make the ask now.The view across Adelaide Oval•AFP

The other question surrounding next summer will be the exact timing of the Tests, either a more traditional schedule concluding with the SCG Test in the first week of January, or stretching further into 2021, as was the case in 2011-12 and 2007-08. Eddings indicated that CA would like, in future, to play five-Test series against India, as England now do.”Still working through that, it’s a normal tour in that they’re playing four Test matches, we’ve got one against Afghanistan,” he said. “Ideally we want to be playing five Tests against India, hopefully in the future we can do that as well.”Eddings wrote to Ganguly upon the announcement he had been named the new BCCI president, backed by a cadre of administrators including the former BCCI president and ICC chairman N Srinivasan. The complex dynamics of the BCCI are a key focus of Eddings as CA’s chair, as demonstrated early in his job when the Indian board insisted that Australia play the ODI series in January, taking them away from home in the middle of a packed summer and pushing an ODI series against New Zealand into March.”First of all I’ve congratulated Sourav and reached out to him,” Eddings said. “The fact India are playing day-night Test cricket is a great thing. It shows that he cares about the game. We’ve exchanged letters, I’m going over there with some of our board members in early January for some of the ODIs where I hope to meet with the new BCCI administration. I want to stress we’ve got a very strong relationship with India, there’s a lot of mutual respect there. While we have our differences because we’ve got different needs, the relationship is very strong.”Sourav Ganguly on India’s inaugural pink-ball Test: the eyeballs were three times higher•BCCI

Asked whether he was concerned that India’s board may – now that it is free from Supreme Court control – look to dominate world cricket as it did before, Eddings was hopeful of a different approach this time.”In my time being involved with the ICC we’ve had very good relationships – never been in that situation,” he said. “So I’d like to think going forward everyone’s got the best interests of the game at heart and we can maximise those opportunities for everybody. Doesn’t mean we won’t have our disagreements, but certainly in terms of what I’ve seen so far it’s like anything, you build a relationship based on trust, you sit down, work through the issues and try to find some common ground.”India’s very generous, they rarely play many Test matches in their home summer because they’re always travelling to support a lot of other countries. They’re very cognisant of the importance they play in world cricket. I respect that enormously. If you look at international broadcasting for red-ball cricket, that’s where the challenge is, getting international broadcasters to value that over some of the T20 competitions and the like.”

League Two side Newport have confirmed the appointment of Premier League winner Christian Fuchs as their new manager. The Exiles relieved David Hughes of his duties over the weekend after a 1-0 loss to Shrewsbury left the club four points from safety at the foot of England's fourth tier. The appointment marks Leicester City legend Fuchs' first managerial job since calling time on his playing career in January 2023.

• Fuchs takes up first managerial role

  The Austrian left-back was a key member of the Leicester team that claimed their 5000-1 Premier League title triumph in 2016 before he left the Foxes for Charlotte FC in 2021. Fuchs then retired in 2023 to take up a role as assistant coach for the MLS side, but has now stepped out on his own and accepted the top job at Newport.

  The Exiles are in danger of dropping out of the football league after winning only three of their opening 16 games in the 2025-26 season. The defeat to Shrewsbury means they sit bottom of League Two with just 11 points to their name, and four points off Harrogate Town in 22nd.

  "Newport County is delighted to announce the appointment of Christian Fuchs as the club’s new manager," Newport posted on their official X account on Thursday afternoon. "Welcome to Rodney Parade, Christian"

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  'Christian wants to manage in the Premier League'

  On the decision to appoint Fuchs as Hughes' successor, Newport chairman Huw Jenkins said: "We see Christian as the sort of man to lead our club forward. I believe he matches our ambition and goals for Newport County.

  "I do feel we can now look forward with a great deal of optimism. We'll look to improve our current situation in League Two and take things from there. Christian is ambitious and wants, one day, to manage in the Premier League. We believe he shares our strong belief in what Newport County can eventually become."

  In the wake of the choice to axe Hughes last week, Jenkins admitted that the decision was "disappointing" despite change being needed. "Everyone is disappointed that it didn't work out with David Hughes," the Exiles chairman said.

  "He's a genuine person who's interacted with the supporters, and we could see what he was trying to do on the pitch but with a small budget and a lot of injuries too. But football is a results business and we haven't won enough points – and the performance especially in the second half at Shrewsbury on Saturday was very flat.

  "Everyone was thinking we need to change something and usually the attention turns to the manager."

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  Fuchs' first game comes against Oldham

  Fuchs kicks off his time as Newport boss with a trip to Oldham, who sit nine points above the Exiles in League Two. The Latics have won just one of their last seven league matches following their 0-0 home draw with Crewe last weekend, though in turn have lost only once in that time.

  Micky Mellon's side are unbeaten in five at Boundary Park, but have won just the once at home in League Two this season. Following the trip to Oldham on Saturday, Fuchs then oversees his first home game as Newport boss when they welcome Barrow to Rodney Parade to see out November.

  Barrow saw a seven-game unbeaten run come to an end at high-flying Bromley last time out, and they'll seek to return to winning ways when they face Cambridge this weekend ahead of their trip to Newport.

• Former side Leicester struggling in mid-table

  Fuchs' former side Leicester aren't faring particularly well in the Championship this season, with the Foxes currently 12th in England's second tier. Head coach Marti Cifuentes took over at the King Power Stadium over the summer following Ruud van Nistelrooy's exit, but the Midlands side's season isn't quite going as many had hoped.

  A 2-1 win at lowly Norwich ended a five-game winless run, and was just Leicester's second in their last 11 league matches. Cifuentes will hope to oversee a second successive league victory when his Foxes side host high-flying Stoke on Saturday afternoon.

  Leicester then round off November with a trip to Southampton and a home game against relegation-threatened Sheffield United.