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History will be made one way or another at the CPL final in 2020

Peter Della Penna09-Sep-2020Big pictureIt’s the CPL blue bloods vs the sea blue jerseys in this year’s final. One side is very familiar with their role in the winner takes all championship showdown. The other couldn’t be more alien to the playoffs, let alone playing for the title.Three-time champions Trinbago Knight Riders have been the chalk team virtually since the CPL’s inception. They have never missed the playoffs and have topped the regular season table in three of the last four seasons. The old Oakland Raiders NFL teams of the late Al Davis era might have been envious of the commitment to excellence the Knight Riders have demonstrated in 2020 though, reeling off a run of 11 straight victories as they attempt to be the first CPL side to finish as undefeated champions.Though the Knight Riders have more than their fair share of stars to draw upon, the standout quality from this group has been their collective depth. Sunil Narine, Colin Munro and Ali Khan have all missed time due to injury, but the Knight Riders haven’t skipped a beat as they received handy contributions from unheralded sources like Tion Webster, Jayden Seales and 48-year-old legspinner Pravin Tambe. You know TKR is a juggernaut when Akeal Hosein – arguably the fourth choice spinner behind Narine, Fawad Ahmed and Khary Pierre – is claiming a Man of the Match award in the tournament semi-final after claiming 3 for 14 in a nine-wicket romp over the Jamaica Tallawahs.Standing across from the Knight Riders at Brian Lara Academy on Thursday morning will be the St Lucia Zouks. They have been bottom-feeders throughout their history, making the playoffs for just the second time in eight seasons this year. After years of historic futility, an infusion of Afghan might in 2020 has sparked Daren Sammy’s side to their first ever tournament final.A decade ago it would have been unthinkable for three Afghanistan players to be present in all the world’s franchise leagues combined. But the country’s players are in ever-increasing demand and the trio in the Zouks starting XI – Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran and Zahir Khan – are a microcosm of the battling qualities which have seen both Afghanistan and the Zouks rise in prominence.Their fighting spirit, along with shrewd captaincy from Sammy, has spread throughout the team. On paper, one might think it impossible for a team that has produced just two half-centuries with the bat all season – both by Roston Chase – to be capable of going all the way to the final. But a never say die attitude in the field has galvanized them to some improbable wins. Defending 92 to beat the reigning champions Barbados Tridents tops the list, but sparking a Tallawahs collapse from 84 for 0 to defend a total of 145 isn’t far behind. So it shouldn’t be too surprising then that their bowling unit led by Scott Kuggeleijn, Nabi and Zahir shredded the Guyana Amazon Warriors for 55 in the semis, the second lowest total in CPL history.Logic says the Knight Riders are the obvious choice to prevail on home soil in the final. But there is nothing logical about how the Zouks have continued to defy the odds to arrive alongside them with tournament hardware on the line. One way or the other, there will be a historic result – a maiden undefeated champion or a maiden Zouks crown – by Thursday afternoon.Rahkeem Cornwall smashes one over long-off•Getty ImagesForm guideTrinbago Knight Riders WWWWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
St Lucia Zouks WWLLWIn the spotlightTion Webster only played half the matches in the league stage, but he has been finding form at the right time as a more than capable replacement in the top-order, first for Narine and then for Munro. He ended the league stage with an unbeaten 41 off 33 balls against St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, then followed it up in the semi-finals with 44 not out off 43 balls against the Tallawahs. While both innings came chasing targets of 78 and 108 respectively, many top order players have found batting tricky in the second innings on tough surfaces. Webster on the other hand has remained carefree and that confidence may play a significant role in the final.Last year it was Hayden Walsh Jr who played a leading role for the Barbados Tridents on their way to the title. Another Liberta Blackhawk from Antigua has a chance to play a key role if his team lifts the trophy in 2020. Rahkeem Cornwall has hit the most sixes for the Zouks, with 13 in nine innings. In an event where most batsmen have struggled to time the ball to the rope, his strike rate of 142.62 has given the Zouks short but fiery starts. The big man showed off his agility in the field on Tuesday’s semi-final with a superb catch diving forward at slip to end the first innings.Team newsIf the Knight Riders were unwilling to risk Colin Munro in the semi-final, it’s unlikely he’ll be fit enough for this game. Ali Khan has bowled below full pace in his two matches back from a hamstring injury. TKR management will have to decide whether they value his experience in a final – he took a wicket first-ball in 2018 against the Amazon Warriors at the same venue to give TKR a huge lift – is enough to keep his place ahead of Seales.Trinbago Knight Riders (possible): 1 Sunil Narine, 2 Lendl Simmons, 3 Tion Webster, 4 Tim Seifert (wk), 5 Darren Bravo, 6 Kieron Pollard (capt.), 7 Dwayne Bravo, 8 Akeal Hosein, 9 Khary Pierre, 10 Fawad Ahmed, 11 Ali Khan/Jayden Seales.The Zouks have had a fairly settled side down the stretch of the season. It’s unlikely they have any fitness issues after a semi-final which lasted a combined total of 18.1 overs. Expect an unchanged XI.St Lucia Zouks (possible): 1 Rahkeem Cornwall, 2 Mark Deyal, 3 Andre Fletcher (wk), 4 Roston Chase, 5 Mohammad Nabi, 6 Najibullah Zadran, 7 Javelle Glen, 8 Daren Sammy (capt.), 9 Scott Kuggeleijn, 10 Kesrick Williams, 11 Zahir Khan.Pitch conditionsThe five highest totals in the CPL this season (all 172 or more) have all come in 10 am starts at Brian Lara Academy, all made by the team batting first in victory. Though T20 strategy traditionally points teams towards chasing, things could be different in the final, if only because the Knight Riders were responsible for four of those five wins and the Zouks round out the stat. Expect a higher scoring contest than the pair of semi-final duds.Stats and trivia The two half-centuries scored by the entire Zouks roster – both by Chase – are the fewest for any CPL finalist since the inaugural season when the 2013 CPL champion Jamaica Tallawahs had one apiece from Kumar Sangakkara and Chris Gayle. However, the Zouks total of two is the fewest for any team in the current 10-match regular season format as teams only played seven league stage matches in the 2013 CPL. Darren and Dwayne Bravo are the only remaining players from the 2015 Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel squad, the previous incarnation of the Knight Riders, which won the first of the three championships for the TKR franchise. Though the Zouks don’t have a title as a franchise, it would not be the first title for several of their players. Deyal played one match as a member of the Red Steel in 2015. Kesrick Williams was the leading wicket-taker for the 2016 champion Tallawahs while Leniko Boucher joined the Zouks in 2020 after being a member of the 2019 champion Tridents.Quotes”We have come here and played fantastic cricket throughout the tournament and we need the cherry on top of it. Looking around the dressing room, you don’t see overconfidence. You see guys who want to improve each and every time out.”
“We didn’t come here to celebrate a semi-final. You don’t carry anything from before into the finals. It’s a clean slate. Whoever plays good cricket on the day… on Thursday we’re going to come with the same attitude.”

Ravel Morrison is already "embarrassing" his new team-mates at Precision after the former Manchester United player joined the UAE side.

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Morrison joined UAE third-tier sideAlready showing his 'exceptional' talentEx-Man Utd academy star at his 14th clubFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The midfielder had been a free agent since January after leaving D.C. United but opted to continue his career in the United Arab Emirates, making third-tier side Precision the 14th club of his career.

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Morrison rose through the United academy to become one of England's most promising young players, but he went on to make just three senior appearances for the Red Devils and was sold to West Ham two years after his debut. Since then, the Jamaica international has played in Italy, Mexico, Sweden, Netherlands and the United States.

WHAT LYNCH SAID

While Morrison was unable to live up to his early promise, Precision team-mate Joel Lynch, who also played with him briefly at Queens Park Rangers, says the 31-year-old still looks "exceptional" in training.

"I played with Ravel for a short time at Queen's Park Rangers and obviously he comes with so much expectation," he said on . "He's an exceptional talent, even in the couple of days he's been here. He's been embarrassing players with all his nutmegs and all his skills. You don't really want to go anywhere near him on the pitch. There's pressure he's under as well to be Ravel Morrision, the way that people have talked about him in the past. We want him here, it's a great environment and he can come here and enjoy his football."

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MORRISON?

Morrison's new club are aiming to fight their way up to the top league in the UAE and will hope the former United wonderkid will help fire them out of the third-tier this season.

The summer transfer window officially opened for business on Friday and Glasgow Rangers have already been hard at work to improve their playing squad.

Head of recruitment Nils Koppen has brought in Oscar Cortes on loan from Lens, Jefte from Fluminense on a permanent deal, and Clinton Nsiala is set to arrive at Ibrox from AC Milan at the start of next month after his contract with the Italian giants expires.

The Light Blues are also reportedly in pole position to sign winger Yusuf Kabadayi from Bayern Munich on a permanent deal to add to their collection of new recruits.

They have strengthened their defensive options with Nsiala and Jefte and look set to add to the wide areas with Cortes and Kabadayi, but they could also add more firepower by bringing in a new centre-forward.

Cyriel Dessers was the main number nine for Rangers during the 2023/24 campaign and the former Cremonese attacker failed to make the most of the chances that were created for him.

His 16 goals in the Scottish Premiership came from an xG tally of 21.59, an underperformance of 5.59, and no other player in the Gers squad underperformed their xG by more than the 29-year-old dud.

Koppen could, therefore, dip into the market to land a more clinical forward for Philippe Clement to work with, and he already reportedly has at least a couple of names on his list.

Rangers targeting SPFL marksman

According to Football Insider, the Light Blues are eyeing up Hearts centre-forward Lawrence Shankland for a possible move to Ibrox this summer.

The report claims that the Scotland international, who came on as a substitute for his country against Germany in the opening game of the European Championship on Friday, is a target for Clement and Koppen.

It states that the Premiership team would struggle to turn down a 'big' offer for his services, although it stops short of revealing what sort of figure would represent a big bid, as he has one year left to run on his current contract.

Football Insider adds that Rangers are also interested in signing Rapid Bucharest marksman Albion Rrahmani in a deal that could be worth up to £5m.

However, it does not reveal whether or not the Scottish giants would like to sign the Kosovo international as well as the Hearts skipper this summer.

The outlet does, though, state that Shankland would be up for a move to Ibrox if the two clubs can thrash out an agreement, which suggests that personal terms would not be an issue as the player is keen to make the switch to Glasgow.

If Koppen does decide to go ahead with a deal, the Scottish ace could come in and be lethal alongside Todd Cantwell at the top end of the pitch for the club next term.

Why Todd Cantwell is a striker's dream

The former Norwich City star is a dream attacking midfielder for a centre-forward because of his busy style of play, which sees him constantly buzzing about the field to link up play and create chances.

He averaged 51.6 touches per game in the Premiership this season, compared to Tom Lawrence's 35.3 per match as his alternative in the ten role, which illustrates how often the English whiz looked to get on the ball to make things happen.

This means that the lone striker for Rangers is rarely left isolated as Cantwell is always around them to provide a link between the midfield/wide players and the number nine.

The 26-year-old wizard also has the quality to be lethal in the final third as both a scorer and a creator of goals to form an exciting partnership with whichever forward is picked to play in front of him.

Starts

24

Goals

7

Assists

5

Big chances created

7

Key passes per game

1.7

Pass accuracy

84%

As you can see in the table above, the former Premier League ace produced 12 direct goal contributions in 24 starts – one every other start on average.

The fact he only registered five assists from seven 'big chances' created and 51 key passes, though, suggests that the Light Blues need a better finisher up front to make the most of Cantwell's creativity, and that is what they could get by signing Shankland this summer.

Why Lawrence Shankland would thrive with Todd Cantwell

Firstly, the Hearts star is a proven Premiership performer who would be able to hit the ground running at Ibrox due to his experience in the division.

The Glasgow-born centre-forward has played over 100 matches in the Scottish top-flight in his career, which means that he would not need time to adapt to the quality and physicality of the league – unlike an addition from a foreign division with no prior experience in Scotland may need.

Shankland's ability in front of goal on the pitch is another reason why he could be a lethal striker to play in front of Cantwell for the Gers next season.

The 28-year-old star, whose campaign was hailed as "remarkable" by journalist Josh Bunting, showcased his quality week-in-week-out in the Premiership.

He racked up a staggering 31 goals and eight assists in all competitions for the Scottish side, including three goals in four Europa Conference League qualifiers, and the majority of those goal contributions came in the top-flight.

Appearances

37

Goals

24

Minutes per goal

136

Big chances missed

9

Big chances created

6

He was crowned PFA Scotland Player of the Year thanks to the statistics above, as he consistently found the back of the net for Steven Naismith's side.

The Scottish marksman scored 24 goals from an xG tally of just 18.36, an overperformance of 5.64, and this shows that he was far more efficient with the chances that came his way than the aforementioned Dessers.

Bad news for Dessers: Rangers plotting bid for Scotland international

The Light Blues are reportedly interested in signing the Scottish centre-forward.

ByDan Emery Jun 13, 2024

Shankland has the quality to outperform his expected goals return, whereas the Nigerian forward spurned far too many opportunities, and that is why he could be a phenomenal addition to the team to finally make the most of Cantwell's creativity at the top end of the pitch next season.

The captain wants his batsmen to be more positive, particularly through the middle overs

Saurabh Somani10-Oct-20204:11

Manjrekar: ‘After Watson and du Plessis fell, chase seemed out of CSK’s reach’

Chennai Super Kings have finished half of their league games in IPL 2020, but with only two wins in seven matches, the gap between them and the top half of the points table is widening. Captain MS Dhoni likened the problems his team has been having to that of a sinking ship, springing too many leaks to plug at the same time. Dhoni said it was the batting, though, that needed to step up more than the bowling.”Batting has been a bit of a worry, and I think today also it was very evident,” Dhoni told host broadcaster Star after losing to the Royal Challengers Bangalore by 37 runs on Saturday. “I feel we need to do something about it because you can’t just keep turning up and it’s almost the same thing happening… maybe the individuals are different.”I feel our batting has lacked a bit of, you can say power… more from the sixth over onwards. At times individuals can get a bit tentative. No matter how much confidence you are giving them, ultimately they need to go out and have their own plan. What is the shot they like to play against specific bowlers they would be facing? I guess that’s where we have not maybe adapted ourselves or we have not come up with plans as to how we will really look to go after the bowlers who will be bowling from the sixth to maybe the 14th over.”Dhoni’s point on the batting in the middle overs being an area of particular concern is borne out by the numbers. The Super Kings’ run rate of 7.19 in that period – from overs 7 to 14 – is the second-worst in the league, with only the Royal Challengers’ 6.56 being lower. However, the Royal Challengers have lifted their game in other areas, which has resulted in them winning four out of six games.The Super Kings have had to plug leaks with their bowling as well as their batting overall.

“I feel our batting has lacked a bit of, you can say power. At times individuals can get a bit tentative. No matter how much confidence you are giving them, ultimately they need to go out and have their own plan.”MS Dhoni

“I feel when it comes to our bowling we have shown that we can restrict the opposition,” Dhoni said. “[But] either we are giving too many in the first six, or we are giving too many in the last four. It’s just that there are too many holes in the ship, and you keep plugging one or the other and the water is flowing from the other side. We need to get our act together. Everything needs to work in the same game to get the desired result. I feel once we get a few results in our favour, it will be slightly different for us.”The batting though, remained the main area of focus, with Dhoni and coach Stephen Fleming both stressing on the need to show more intent. The Super Kings have chased in each of their seven games so far, but haven’t been able to keep pace with the required run rate in their defeats. On Saturday too, the required run rate went from 10.28 at the end of the powerplay to 14.90 by the time the 15th over was done. At that stage, Dhoni had just come in and the big-hitting trio of Sam Curran, Ravindra Jadeja and Dwayne Bravo was still in the dugout. When they did bat at the death, wickets fell in a clump as they sought to address the mounting asking rate.”I think they are better off playing the other way round, where you look to play the bigger shots [all through],” Dhoni said. “Even if you get out it’s fine you know, because we can’t really leave too many after the 15th over or the 16th over. That just puts some extra pressure on the batters who are lower down the order. That is something we can do in the coming games. It’s something we have to look at.MS Dhoni and Stephen Fleming have a chat•BCCI”Our main worry still remains the batting department where we have not been very consistent. In the coming games we’ll try to be slightly more expressive on the field. Rather get out in the 17th or 18th over than having wickets [in hand] but at the end of the 20th over you don’t really have enough on the board.”Against the Royal Challengers, the pair of N Jagadeesan (on IPL debut) and Ambati Rayudu put on 64 runs for the third wicket, but at only 7.38 runs per over. Fleming echoed Dhoni’s points about the team leaving too much to do at the backend of the innings.”If we don’t get a good start at the top with our two overseas players (Shane Watson and Faf du Plessis), we’re falling into a hole,” Fleming said. “So we’re looking for positive solutions. What I’d like is a little bit more intensity through the middle overs. We’ve got plenty of batting, and while we’re recovering pretty well we are just ending up with too much to do at the back. So trying to release the shackles and just allow those at the end a little bit more freedom.”The other point is we’ve chased every game and the wickets are getting slower. It’s not easy, once you lose wickets… But I’d like to see a bit more intent. It’s not that you can just keep swinging – there is some challenging bowling – but intent is what we’re after.”

INEOS have terminated Sir Alex Ferguson's contract as a global ambassador for Manchester United, as part of their ongoing cost-cutting process.

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Ferguson axed by INEOS groupServed as club director & ambassador for 11 yearsRuthless decision taken to cut costsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Since buying a 27.7 per cent stake in United, INEOS have been on a mission to reduce the club's expenditures. Now as part of the ongoing process, INEOS chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe has taken the ruthless decision to terminate legendary former manager Ferguson's multi-million pound contract as the club's global ambassador, according to The Athletic.

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After announcing his retirement from coaching in 2013, Ferguson remained an integral part of the club as they retained his services as the global ambassador. The 82-year-old was paid £2.16 million (€2.58m/$2.84m) during his time in the role. He has also been serving as a director on the club's football board, although that position has been largely ceremonial as he has never been a part of the official board, which now includes the six Glazer siblings, INEOS co-owner John Reece and INEOS Sport’s chairman Rob Nevin, along with two independent directors Robert Leitao and John Hooks.

DID YOU KNOW?

While Ratcliffe has taken several difficult decisions since taking charge of the club earlier this year, the removal of Ferguson is arguably the INEOS group's most ruthless decision to date. Ratcliffe informed Ferguson of his decision in person, with the Scot stepping down amicably.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

Erik ten Hag's struggling United side will aim to end their five-match winless streak this weekend as they take on Brentford on Saturday in the Premier League at Old Trafford. Ferguson may be present in the stands again as the former Red Devils coach will remain a non-executive director at the club with the freedom to attend any home game he wishes to.

The problem with climbing the Premier League table is that other teams come in and try to nab your best players.

Crystal Palace are the latest side to try and deal with this depressing inevitability.

Oliver Glasner is set to lose one of his star players, Michael Olise, as his £55m move to Bayern Munich looks all but certain now.

However, while losing the Frenchman is far from ideal, the money the club are set to receive should help them bring in the right players for Glasner, and based on recent reports, their attention is firmly on a brilliant youngster who could be the perfect teammate for Eberechi Eze.

Crystal Palace transfer news

According to a recent report from transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, Palace have already drawn up a shortlist of potential Olise replacements, with Antonio Nusa being one of the most prominent names.

The Italian claims that the South Londoner's interest in the young Norwegian is "concrete" but does not mention a potential price they may have to pay to secure his services.

However, The Palace Way claimed earlier this month that the Club Brugge ace could cost Steve Parish and Co around £32m.

It might be a tough deal to get over the line, and it's certainly not cheap, but given how Nusa is spoken about and the promise he has shown at such a young age, this could be an ideal way to spend the Olise money and future-proof the side.

Why Nusa would be a great teammate for Eze

So, if the Eagles are able to get their hands on Nusa this summer, fans probably shouldn't expect him to come in and immediately replicate the sort of performances they have gotten used to from Olise.

That's not to say he couldn't come in and light up Selhurst Park, but at 19 years old and having never played in a top-five league, he would likely need some time to adapt.

However, he has the raw ability and skill set to develop into a player of the Frenchman's calibre and become a dream teammate for Eze in time. While he is a natural winger, Glasner masterfully used the former Reading star as one of his two attacking midfielders last season, so there is no reason to think he couldn't do the same with the youngster.

For example, last season, "the future of Norwegian football", as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, scored four goals and provided four assists in 46 appearances, or 2213 minutes, which works out to a goal involvement every 276 minutes, which is pretty handy for a young prospect.

Moreover, according to FBref, which compares players in similar positions in the next best 14 competitions, the Langhus-born gem is in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers for progressive carries and successful take-ons, the top 3% for progressive passes received, the top 6% for touches in the opposition's box, the top 11% for total shots and the top 17% for non-penalty expected goals and assists, all per 90.

Progressive Carries

6.79

Top 1%

Successful Take-Ons

4.38

Top 1%

Progressive Passes Received

12.20

Top 3%

Touches in the Oppositions Box

6.36

Top 6%

Total Shots

3.07

Top 11%

Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists

0.51

Top 17%

Described as a "1v1 specialist" and possessing "electric pace" by data analyst Ben Mattinson, the rapid youngster could be the slightly more adventurous and attack-minded attacking midfielder in Glasner's system at Selhurst Park.

At the same time, Eze could use his fantastic creative ability to craft chances for him or get on the end of opportunities brought about by the youngster's chaos-causing take-ons.

Crystal Palace could sign Glasner a "monster" £25m Guehi replacement

The talented defender could be just as good for the South Londoners.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 23, 2024

Ultimately, while it's a sizable sum to spend on a young player outside the traditional top-five leagues, Nusa looks to be an incredible prospect, and in signing him, Palace can improve the first team and plan for the future.

Ibrahima Konate took aim at his former club RB Leipzig after the German side honoured Dominik Szoboszlai but ignored him before the Liverpool clash.

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Konate & Szoboszlai returned to old stomping groundHungarian was gifted a special gift by LeipzigKonate felt offended after being snubbed Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

In Liverpool's narrow 1-0 win over RB Leipzig, Konate returned to his old stomping ground alongside Szoboszlai. However, while the Hungarian received a warm tribute from his former employers, the defender was conspicuously left out of any formal recognition.

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Szoboszlai spent three seasons with the Bundesliga side before moving to Liverpool. His contribution to the team was marked with praise and a formal gesture that saw the club present him with a special memento – a symbolic Red Bull statue – in acknowledgement of his time with the club.

WHAT KONATE SAID

Meanwhile, Konate played a crucial role during his four seasons at RB Leipzig from 2017 to 2021. During his time with the German outfit, he helped the team to consistently secure top-three finishes in the Bundesliga and was part of the squad that reached the UEFA Champions League semi-finals, an accomplishment that remains one of the club’s most significant to date.

The fact that Konate spent more time at the club than Szoboszlai and played a key role in their defensive line made the absence of any recognition for him all the more surprising. Taking to social media, the French defender left a cryptic message in response to RB Leipzig's Instagram post celebrating Szoboszlai, simply writing ‘…’, a subtle yet telling response to being ignored by his former club.

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DID YOU KNOW?

Under the leadership of new boss Arne Slot, Liverpool have been in exceptional form, with Slot making history by winning 11 of his first 12 games in charge, surpassing even the legendary Kenny Dalglish in early managerial success.

Renegades and Australia legspinner has suffered a bone stress reaction

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Nov-2020Australia and Melbourne Renegades legspinner Georgia Wareham has been ruled out of the rest of the WBBL due to a bone stress reaction in her shin.The full extent of the injury is not yet clear with further assessments to be done in the WBBL hub, but she will miss the remainder of the Melbourne Renegades campaign. At the halfway mark of the tournament they sit bottom of the table.Wareham has been the Renegades standout bat this season scoring 139 runs at an average 46.33, striking at 146.31, including a maiden WBBL half century.But her legspin has not been as effective claiming just three wickets and conceding 7.60 runs per over. Elly Donald has been added to the Renegades squad for Tuesday night’s game against the Hobart Hurricanes.The Renegades are hopeful New Zealand quick Lea Tahuhu could be available for the weekend’s matches having not yet played a game this season due to a side injury.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is personally a real fan of one electric forward, and the Gunners are now deciding whether to move for him after a £37 million drop in his asking price.

Edu and Arteta pursuing new winger alongside striker

The north Londoners have been tipped to bring in a new wide player, alongside a prolific striker, as Arteta and sporting director Edu Gaspar look to mount another Premier League title challenge next season.

Prolific £15m striker asks to leave club after Arsenal join race for him

The forward racked up 30 goals in all competitions last season.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 25, 2024

Arsenal were thwarted in their attempts to land Benjamin Sesko, who committed to RB Leipzig by putting pen to paper on a new contract instead of making a move to England, but the north Londoners have alternatives to the Slovenia international.

Indeed, Arsenal are in the race to sign Stuttgart star Serhou Guirassy, whose contract is rumoured to include a tempting £15 million release clause this summer. In terms of wingers, links surround Athletic Bilbao starlet Nico Williams, amid his excellent Euro 2024 campaign with Spain.

Bukayo Saka

7.67

Declan Rice

7.38

Martin Odegaard

7.37

Kai Havertz

7.16

Gabriel Magalhaes

6.99

Williams has held talks with Arsenal over joining, even if Barcelona are his preferred destination, as Edu and co look to sign possible alternatives to star wingers Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard.

They racked up a total of 37 goals and 16 assists in all competitions between them, but if Arsenal are going to finally pip Man City to the league, Arteta may need stand-ins – in case either or both are unavailable.

Saka played nearly 50 games last season, so bringing in a new winger would allow Arteta to rotate and rest the England star on a more regular basis. Alongside the likes of Williams, it is believed Arsenal are showing an interest in Premier League stars to come in as elite new wide men as well.

Wolves forward Pedro Neto, who enjoyed an electric start to 2023/2024, finished the season with nine assists and has been a star player at Molineux for a number of years. However, the Portuguese star also possesses a concerning injury record.

Arsenal deciding whether to make Pedro Neto move

According to Football Transfers, the 24-year-old is "massively admired" by Arteta, and Wolves have slashed their asking price by £37 million.

He was valued at around £80 million in January, but now Gary O'Neil's side seem ready to do a deal for £43 million. This has alerted club chiefs, with Arsenal assessing Neto and deciding whether to make a move, depending on a review of his medical history.

The former Lazio star has missed a combined total of 584 days through injury since joining Wolves (Transfermarkt), so it is understandable that this is a cause for concern for Edu and co, no matter the reduced asking price.

Neto has displayed flashes of true brilliance, though, so if he can keep fit, there is little doubting he'd strengthen Arteta's ranks ten-fold.

Former Everton CEO Keith Wyness would be "surprised" if Manchester City learn their fate in an 115-charge FFP case before the end of 2024.

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Case is now being heardPlenty of punishment speculationSaga expect to run into 2025Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images WHAT HAPPENED?

There could be as many as 130 Financial Fair Play charges hanging over the reigning champions of England. If they are found guilty of monetary mismanagement, then severe punishments may be handed out – with there plenty of gossip to be found regarding demotion from the Premier League, the EFL entirely, or points deductions and transfer embargoes.

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City’s case is finally being heard, but there has been no word on when a final ruling will be delivered. Reports have suggested that a conclusion could be reached before the current calendar year comes to a close, but that may be ambitious.

GettyWHAT FORMER PREMIER LEAGUE CEO SAID

Wyness – who spent five years working in the Premier League at Goodison Park and is a now a football consultant to elite clubs – has told of why the City saga may drag on for some time yet: "The theory is that a verdict will be due at the end of the year. As far as I know, they’re in the hearing every day – I don’t know if there have been breaks for certain witnesses. There’s a big veil of secrecy over the whole thing.

"Getting a verdict in 2024 is certainly the ambition but I still think this will drag on further. This is a big, big case with a lot of expert witnesses, testimony and documents to examine. I’ll be surprised if they can finish it this year. I’m expecting it to drag and drag and I think that will be one of City’s tactics – to keep pushing and delaying as far as they can."

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WHAT NEXT?

Any appeals from City would prolong proceedings, taking the case into early 2025 and beyond, with there so much evidence and paperwork to trawl through. The Premier League title holders have maintained their innocence throughout, with no admissions of wrongdoing about to be made at the Etihad Stadium.